These notes are written for litigants and for younger members of the Bar. They explain procedure as it operates in the Delhi courts — the sequence of steps, the timelines that matter, and the points at which a matter is commonly lost. They are general information, not advice on any particular case.
Caste Certificate & Article 142: SC – Advocate Manish Jha
The Supreme Court affirms invalidation of a Scheduled Tribe certificate on old revenue records, yet protects three decades of retiral benefits under Article 142 — a working study in moulding relief at the SLP stage.
Read → 16 September 2026 · Procedure & PracticeCompounding at the Appeal Stage – Advocate Manish Jha
Section 359 BNSS permits composition of listed offences even after conviction, with leave of the appellate court — and composition has the effect of an acquittal. Mechanics, safeguards and the comparison with quashing.
Read → 16 September 2026 · Procedure & PracticeRestoring a Dismissed Appeal – Advocate Manish Jha
Civil appeals dismissed for default are readmitted on sufficient cause under Order XLI Rule 19 CPC; criminal appeals are not to be dismissed for default at all. The restoration playbook for Delhi practice.
Read → 15 September 2026 · Procedure & PracticeHigh Court Review or SLP: The Choice – Advocate Manish Jha
Review before the High Court and a special leave petition answer very different questions — and taking them in the wrong order can forfeit one. The narrow grounds of review, the sequencing trap, the duty of candour, and the running limitation clock.
Read → 15 September 2026 · Procedure & PracticeThe Cost of a Hopeless SLP – Advocate Manish Jha
Article 136 is an extraordinary discretion, not a routine third round — and hopeless special leave petitions increasingly end in dismissal with exemplary costs. The categories that attract displeasure, and when a petition is genuinely worth filing.
Read → 15 September 2026 · Procedure & PracticeStay of Possession Decree in Appeal – Advocate Manish Jha
A first appeal does not stop execution of a possession decree — a stay must be sought promptly and on conditions, or possession can change hands while the appeal waits. The three classic requirements and why restitution is a poor substitute.
Read → 13 September 2026 · Procedure & PracticeFirst Surrender, Then Be Heard: The Surrender Rule in Criminal Special Leave Petitions
A convict with an operative sentence who petitions the Supreme Court must show surrender or file an exemption application under the Supreme Court Rules. The three filing postures, the craft of exemption applications, and the cost of default.
Read → 12 September 2026 · Procedure & PracticeThe Appeal You Filed but Didn't: Registry Objections, Refiling Delay and Non-Est Filings
Delay in filing versus delay in refiling, the non-est filing doctrine, and the paperwork discipline that keeps appeals alive in the Delhi High Court — especially under the Commercial Courts Act.
Read → 10 September 2026 · Procedure & PracticeHallucinated Case Law Vitiates the Decision: Supreme Court on AI in Adjudication
The Supreme Court set aside a Rs 425 crore customs penalty and the High Court affirmance because the adjudicating officer relied on AI-generated fake citations, holding that even an iota of hallucinated material vitiates the decision.
Read → 10 September 2026 · Procedure & PracticeCheque Bounce Cases: Arrest, Appearance and Bail Explained
There is no police arrest in a Section 138 NI Act case — but summons, bail bonds, exemption from appearance and the consequences of ignoring the court all follow rules every accused should know.
Read → 8 September 2026 · Procedure & PracticeAfter the Supreme Court Remands – Advocate Manish Jha
Many successful SLPs end in a remand. Open versus limited remands, what stands concluded, whether fresh evidence can be led, interim arrangements and the discipline proceedings after remand demand.
Read → 8 September 2026 · Procedure & PracticeRatio, Obiter and Article 141 – Advocate Manish Jha
What part of a Supreme Court judgment binds under Article 141 — identifying the ratio decidendi, the weight of obiter, what SLP dismissals decide, bench strength and per incuriam in daily practice.
Read →What Is Covered Here
The chamber writes on the areas in which it appears: criminal procedure under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, bail practice, matrimonial and family proceedings before the Delhi Family Courts, cheque dishonour and recovery, and proceedings before the NCLT and the Motor Accident Claims Tribunals. Notes on reported judgments of the Supreme Court of India and the High Court of Delhi are published with a link to the official text of the decision, so that a reader can verify the position rather than rely on a summary.
No article on this page identifies a client or discusses a pending matter conducted by the chamber. Where a statutory provision is cited, the section number is given so that a reader can verify it against the bare Act.