Agatha Shukla

The Bench, opening the judgment with Demi Lovato and Marshmello's "It's Okay Not to Be Okay", upheld the accused's conviction for sexual assault and abetment of a 16-year-old girl's suicide.

The Court held that the 2024 recruitment notification had already covered anticipated vacancies up to December 1, 2025, found no illegality in skipping a separate 2025 examination.

Explanation preventing "royalty on royalty" deduction held constitutional as legitimate anti-evasion measure after Union demonstrates manipulation of average sale price by miners in Odisha & Karnataka.

The Court said that public policy cannot be invoked to invalidate a mutually agreed commercial term accepted by parties with full knowledge.

The Bench noted that exemption notifications issued under special provisions take effect prospectively and do not efface prior breaches of mandatory statutory protections.

The Bench held that a stay order does not wipe out an underlying judgment, holding that unilateral appointments made by managing committees during the litigation vacuum carry no legal sanctity.

The Court quashed ex parte foreigner opinions across 27 cases and remanded the matters for fresh, substantive determination on merits under strict timelines.

The Court reaffirmed "right of substitution but not of re-purchase", and held preferential right among class-I heirs is intrinsically linked to succession and falls within Parliament's competence under Entry 5, List III.

The Bench held that the doctrine of kompetenz-kompetenz empowers arbitral tribunals to decide their own jurisdiction, including joinder of non-signatories, without premature Article 227 interference.

The Bench noted that the Court decided the second appeal without framing substantial questions of law U/S 100 CPC and remitted the matter to the Kerala High Court for fresh consideration.