The Delhi High Court has restrained authorities from taking coercive action against Hotel Le Meridien over a renewal of its Eating House and Lodging Licenses.

The court directed that the renewal be proceeded without requiring a Health Trade License, which was cancelled by the NDMC in 2017 and remains under judicial review.

Despite a stay on the cancellation, authorities allegedly insisted on the license for further renewals. The hotel argued this violates prior court orders and disrupts core operations, including serving alcohol.

The Court has issued notice to the concerned authorities and sought responses within four weeks. The next hearing is scheduled for August 5.

The Calcutta High Court has acquitted a man who was convicted in 1995 under Section 7(1)(a)(ii) of the Essential Commodities Act for carrying three bags of paddy on his bicycle in 1991 without a license. 

The court observed that there was no concrete evidence to prove Roy intended to trade or sell the paddy. The Court noted that the paddy was neither weighed nor properly verified, and mere suspicion could not justify conviction.

Roy’s appeal, pending since 1996, was finally allowed. The Court emphasized the lack of sufficient proof and set aside the conviction. (Chandra Mohan Roy v The State of West Bengal)

The Bombay High Court dismissed a plea to condone a 73-day delay in a revision application, ruling that foreign travel, even to visit family, is a voluntary act and not a valid ground for delay in legal proceedings.

The Court held that travel is a conscious decision and does not prevent timely court access. Petitioner Adolf Olegario Nazareth, aged 78, cited jet lag, rains, and old age, but the Court found no "sufficient cause" and emphasized that limitation laws ensure legal finality.

The Court stated, “This is not the conduct of a prudent man,” rejecting the plea. 

The District Consumer Court, Lucknow, held Vishal Mega Mart liable for unfair trade practice and service deficiency for charging ₹18 for a carry bag without the consumer’s prior consent.

The complainant was billed ₹616 for a ₹599 shirt, with ₹18 for the carry bag cost, for which he neither requested nor approved.

The Commission relied on Big Bazaar vs. Sahil Dawar (2020), holding that essential packaging cannot be charged without express consent.

Vishal Mega Mart was directed to refund ₹18 with 9% interest, and pay ₹35,000 towards compensation and litigation costs.

The Delhi Police has issued a standing order mandating prior written permission to use loudspeakers or sound systems in public areas, aligning with the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules.

Sound amplification is banned during night hours, except in enclosed spaces like halls and auditoriums, or in emergencies. Tent and generator suppliers must ensure clients possess police approval before providing equipment.

Permissible noise levels and fines have been specified; violations may result in penalties up to ₹1 lakh and confiscation of equipment.

District DCPs are directed to ensure strict enforcement across the capital.

The Supreme Court of India set aside the Delhi High Court’s orders directing Wikipedia to remove allegedly defamatory content from Asian News International’s (ANI) Wikipedia page.

The court held that the takedown order was too vague, lacking clarity on which specific statements were defamatory, making enforcement impractical.

The Court stressed that injunctions must be clear, specific, and enforceable. Wikipedia had challenged both the single-judge and Division Bench orders. The Court allowed ANI to file a fresh application before the single judge, focusing on specific content. 

The High Court will now reconsider the matter independently.

Senior advocate and BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli settled his defamation suit with Hindi Daily Dainik Bhaskar over a sting operation video and report that allegedly linked him to fake news dissemination.

As part of the settlement, Kohli's name will be muted in the video, removed from the article, and his photo has already been taken down.

Dainik Bhaskar has been asked to publish a corrigendum in Hindi and English on their website, which will be visible on the top news section for a week.

The court disposed of the suit in terms of the settlement between both parties, while restraining journalist Sachin Gupta from further sharing the video article. 

The Supreme Court held that the limitation period under Article 58 of the Limitation Act begins from the date the cause of action first arises, not when the plaintiff gains “full knowledge” of the dispute.

Rejecting the Gujarat High Court’s interpretation, the bench of Justices ruled that distinguishing between “knowledge” and “full knowledge” is fallacious.

The Court emphasized that when a suit is time-barred, as in this case where the plaintiff challenged the father's will and codicil after a three-year limitation period, it can be dismissed under Order VII Rule 11(d) without requiring evidence. 

The Allahabad High Court ruled that “loose control over subordinates” does not amount to misconduct under Civil Service Regulations.

The case involved a Jail Superintendent in Etawah, whose pension was cut by 15% after two prisoners escaped.

The Court said the deduction was unjustified and ordered the amount to be repaid with 9% interest. It referred to the Surendra Pandey v. State of UP case and clarified that only the Governor can act under Rule 351-A of CSR in cases involving serious misconduct or financial loss.

The Court set aside the inquiry findings and protected the officer’s pension.

The Delhi High Court has granted interim relief to Hauz Khas Social, a popular restaurant operated by Epiphany Hospitality, allowing it to resume serving alcohol.

The dispute arose when the Excise Department conducted an inspection at the bar and suspended liquor sales due to the absence of an Eating House License, seizing the bar's liquor stock. 

An Eating House License is a mandatory permit for establishments that serve food and beverages to the public under Delhi's Eating House Registration Regulations, 2023. 

However, the Court observed that the restaurant had held the license since 1994 and the renewal delay was due to procedural issues, not the restaurant’s fault.

Justice Sachin Datta termed the Excise Department's action as "ex-facie misconceived" and directed the Delhi Police's licensing unit to expedite the renewal process within two weeks.

The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra government to formulate a clear policy for handling vehicles seized by the police and dumped or parked in public spaces, particularly near police stations in Mumbai.

This directive came in response to a petition by the Marathon Maxima Co-op Housing Society, which highlighted the nuisance caused by such vehicles in Mumbai.

The Court criticized the government's inaction despite previous orders in 2023 and emphasized that these abandoned vehicles obstruct pedestrian movement in the already congested city.

The Bench instructed the police and civic authorities to relocate these vehicles to designated storage areas and mandated the Principal Secretary (Home Department) to submit the new policy by April 29. 

The Delhi High Court has held that a witness’s examination-in-chief under the Domestic Violence Act can be submitted through an affidavit, as the proceedings are essentially civil in nature.

The court dismissed a husband’s plea challenging a Mahila Court’s order that allowed his wife’s father to submit evidence via affidavit.

The husband argued that the DV Act requires in-person testimony, but the Court clarified that the Act offers civil remedies, and the criminal element arises only if the relief granted is violated.

The Court held that procedures under the DV Act align with civil law, and the trial court rightly accepted the affidavit as valid evidence.

The Chhattisgarh High Court stayed the Civil Judge (Junior Division) 2024 Exam until further orders. 

The petitioner, a full-time government employee, challenged a  2006 recruitment rule that requires candidates to be enrolled as advocates. 

She argued that under Bar Council Rule 49, full-time employees cannot enroll as advocates, making her ineligible despite her qualifications. She also contested the CGPSC’s December 2024 exam notification based on this requirement.

The Court noted similar stays by the Karnataka and Gujarat High Courts and directed the CGPSC to postpone the exam scheduled for May 18, 2025, until the Supreme Court decides whether having prior practice as a lawyer should be a must for applying.

​The Supreme Court has expressed concern over the increasing use of lengthy and AI-generated pleadings in civil suits, emphasizing that such practices lead to prolonged trials and judgments, thereby wasting judicial time.

A bench highlighted that courts are now frequently confronted with AI-generated or computer-generated statements, which can disorient the core issues of a case. The Court emphasized that bulky pleadings often lead to prolonged trials and judgments, wasting judicial time.

The Court urged trial courts to utilize their authority under Order 6 Rule 16 of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC) to strike out unnecessary, frivolous, or vexatious pleadings early in the proceedings.

The remarks came while dealing with a tenancy dispute involving excessive written submissions and oral evidence.