The Karnataka High Court lifted the ban on bike taxi services and directed the State government to allow motorcycles to be registered as transport vehicles and to issue carriage permits for their operation.

The decision was passed while hearing appeals filed by ANI Technologies, Uber India and Roppen Transportation Services against an earlier order that had supported the ban.

The State government had imposed the ban on June 16, 2025, directing app-based aggregators to stop bike taxi services. 

Ola and Uber welcomed the decision, saying bike taxis are an affordable mode of transport that improve last-mile connectivity and provide livelihood opportunities for drivers.

The Competition Commission of India is investigating Tata Steel, JSW Steel, SAIL and RINL for alleged price fixing and coordinated production cuts between 2018 and 2023.

The probe reviewed WhatsApp chats, pricing data, sales, and production patterns, including messages from groups such as “Friends of Steel” and “TMT Tycoons”.

The Commission found that the companies shared sensitive price information in advance and acted together to reduce supply and influence market prices. The four firms account for 44.4 per cent of India’s steel market. Tata Steel denied any wrongdoing and said it sets prices independently, while JSW, SAIL and RINL did not respond.

Senior officials are reviewing the findings and may impose penalties.

The Bombay High Court pulled up the BMC and NMMC for failing to implement air pollution control measures despite repeated directions.

The Court observed a belligerent disregard of its orders, particularly by NMMC, and proposed stopping the salaries of municipal commissioners for continued non-compliance. It clarified that the proposal was a warning and no immediate salary stoppage was ordered.

The Court noted the absence of inspections at identified construction sites and expressed dissatisfaction with BMC’s delayed actions.

The matter has been listed for further hearing.

[High Court on its own motion v. State of Maharashtra & Ors.]

The Kerala High Court Advocates Association (KHCAA) has objected to a proposal to hold regular court sittings on two Saturdays every month as a measure to reduce pendency.

The Association said the move would have wide-ranging implications for the Bar, access to justice, and the work-life balance of all stakeholders.

It pointed out that Saturday sittings would particularly burden advocates who travel from distant districts to attend the High Court. The KHCAA stressed that such a major policy change cannot be implemented without detailed consultation and a clear mandate from its General Body.

Seeking time, the Association said it would place its considered views before the High Court’s administrative committee.

The Supreme Court has declined to direct a reduction in the NEET UG qualifying cut-off for BAMS admissions for the 2025–26 academic year.

The Court noted that the academic session was already nearing completion and held that no interim relief could be granted at this stage. It recorded the National Commission of Indian System of Medicine’s opposition to any further reduction, observing that lowering the cut-off would compromise educational standards.

The Court also noted that only a small number of seats remained vacant across the country and that cut-offs had already been extended multiple times.

Emphasising that academic standards cannot be diluted merely to fill vacant seats, the Court dismissed the plea.

[NRI Institute of Ayurvedic Medical Sciences v. UOI]

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has refused bail to an accused in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case, emphasising that the law must act as an “unwavering shield” for vulnerable children.

The Court noted the gravity of the allegations involving a 13-year-old girl who was allegedly abducted and repeatedly assaulted, and said the consistent testimony of the victim and supporting witnesses outweighed the accused’s plea for liberty.

The defence’s claims, including absence of physical injuries, were held to be immaterial, as a minor cannot consent legally.

The Court directed that the trial be concluded within six months.

Reaffirming the primacy of succession laws, the Orissa High Court has held that a wife, being a Class-I heir under Section 8 of the Hindu Succession Act, has the first right over her deceased husband’s estate, overriding any banking or insurance nomination in favour of other family members.

Relying on the Supreme Court’s decision in Shakti Yezdani v. Jayanand Jayant Salgaonkar (2023), the Court clarified that a nomination only authorises receipt of money and does not confer ownership or override statutory succession.

Accordingly, the Court directed Canara Bank to release the remaining terminal benefits to the widow, holding that lawful heirs cannot be deprived of their rights through nominations.

The Telangana High Court has overturned the death sentence awarded to a 35-year-old woman convicted of murdering her seven-month-old daughter in 2021 after accepting her plea of insanity.

The Court noted that the woman was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and lacked the mental capacity to understand the nature or consequences of her actions.

Applying Section 84 of the Indian Penal Code, which exempts criminal liability for acts committed by persons of unsound mind, the Court held that the conviction could not be sustained.

Instead of ordering her release, the Court directed that she be shifted from Chanchalguda Women’s Prison to the Institute of Mental Health, Erragadda, for long-term psychiatric treatment, with periodic review and supervision as required under the Mental Healthcare Act.

South Korea has brought its wide-ranging artificial intelligence law into force, making it the first country where such regulation is fully applicable.

The AI Basic Act requires companies to notify users when generative AI is used and to clearly label content, including deepfakes, that cannot be easily distinguished from reality.

The Ministry of Science and ICT said the law is meant to build a safety- and trust-based foundation for AI innovation, with violations attracting fines up to 30 million won.

The law also places stricter transparency and safety requirements on 10 sensitive sectors, including nuclear power, criminal investigations, loan screening, education, and medical care.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court held that a judicial order is not invalid merely because it relies on non-existent citations generated by artificial intelligence, if the legal principles applied are correct.

The Court examined a challenge to a Trial Court order that had upheld an Advocate Commissioner’s report in a property dispute.

Although the Trial Court had referred to case laws that were later found to be fake and AI-generated, the High Court said the substantive legal reasoning was in line with settled law. The Court observed that the incorrect citations did not vitiate the order.

It also cautioned courts against unverified use of AI, stating that actual intelligence should be preferred over artificial intelligence.

After Indigo cancelled a large number of flights in December, the Central government told the Delhi High Court that a ₹22 crore penalty had been imposed on the airline and that its senior vice president had been directed to step down from duty.

The Court was informed that Indigo has also been asked to provide a ₹50 crore bank guarantee to the DGCA as a measure to ensure compliance with regulatory directions and long-term systemic correction.

It was further stated that refunds have been issued to affected passengers and that compensation payments are currently being processed.

The High Court directed the government to submit an affidavit within two weeks and fixed February 25 as the next date of hearing.

A senior citizen who lost ₹22.92 crore in a digital arrest scam has approached the Supreme Court seeking preventive guidelines and restitution.

The petitioner alleges that sophisticated fraudsters used digital tactics to extort a substantial sum from him, highlighting systemic vulnerabilities in digital payment and law enforcement responses. 

In his plea, he has urged the Court to issue directions to strengthen mechanisms for detection, prevention, and compensation in large-scale digital frauds.

The matter raises urgent concerns about protection of citizens, especially senior citizens, against rapidly evolving cyber scams and the need for robust safeguards and restitution frameworks.

[Naresh Malhotra v. UOI & Ors.]

The Madhya Pradesh government has proposed the development of a large-scale memorial at the abandoned Union Carbide factory site in Bhopal, drawing inspiration from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki memorials in Japan.

The project aims to honour the victims of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy while educating visitors about the disaster’s devastating human, environmental, and industrial impact.

Estimated to cost over ₹1,200 crore and spread across nearly 90 acres, the memorial may include a museum, a wall bearing victims’ names, and an institute focused on industrial disaster research and prevention.

The plan will be implemented under judicial oversight after consultations with affected stakeholders.

The Central government told the Supreme Court that it is examining at the highest level whether execution of the death penalty should continue through hanging or be replaced by a more painless method.

The Court was hearing a 2017 petition challenging Section 354(5) of the CrPC, which provides for hanging till death. 

The plea stated that hanging is cruel and that the right to life includes the right to die with dignity, and proposed alternatives such as lethal injection.

After hearing the submissions, the Court reserved its order and directed all parties to submit written briefs within two weeks.

[Rishi Malhotra v. UOI]