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.
Recalling a Witness: The SC Limits – Advocate Manish Jha
In K. Bharathamma v. Bandaru Sakku Bai (2026 INSC 795, 4 August 2026), the Supreme Court holds that Order XVIII Rule 17 CPC exists to clarify the court's doubts, not to fill gaps in evidence, and that absence of prejudice is no justification for reopening a closed record.
Read → 6 August 2026 · Civil & PropertyMotor Insurance Overhaul by the SC – Advocate Manish Jha
In National Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Thungala Dhana Laxmi (2026 INSC 793, 4 August 2026), the Supreme Court holds that a comprehensive policy covers the owner travelling as a passenger and directs ANPR-VAHAN integration and longer third-party cover to tackle uninsured vehicles.
Read → 5 August 2026 · Criminal LawBreach of Contract Is Not Cheating: SC – Advocate Manish Jha
In G. Saminathan v. The State (2026 INSC 772, 31 July 2026), the Supreme Court quashes a cheating and criminal breach of trust case born of a failed joint development agreement, holding that dishonest intention must exist at the inception and that Sections 406 and 420 IPC cannot co-exist on the same facts.
Read → 5 August 2026 · Civil & PropertySpecific Performance and Delay: SC – Advocate Manish Jha
In V.N.A.S. Chandran v. S. Venila (2026 INSC 776), the Supreme Court refuses specific performance of a 2004 sale agreement, holding that a buyer must prove continuous readiness and willingness and that a lapse of over two decades militates against the equitable relief.
Read → 5 August 2026 · Criminal LawWhen an Acquittal Stands: SC on Evidence – Advocate Manish Jha
In Nirmala Bai Devidas Chavhan v. State of Maharashtra (2026 INSC 787), the Supreme Court upholds the acquittal of twenty accused, explaining when identical testimony suggests tutoring, when medical evidence displaces ocular accounts, and how investigative lapses weigh.
Read → 4 August 2026 · Criminal LawSection 498A and Live-In Relationships – Advocate Manish Jha
In Dr Lokesh B.H. v. State of Karnataka (3 August 2026), the Supreme Court holds that Section 498A IPC extends to live-in relationships in the nature of marriage between consenting adults, while mandating strict Arnesh Kumar safeguards.
Read → 4 August 2026 · Civil & PropertyAccident Compensation for Child Victims – Advocate Manish Jha
The Supreme Court enhances a paraplegic child's motor accident award to Rs. 83.38 lakh, holding that functional disability, skilled-worker notional income and the multiplier of 18 govern claims for catastrophically injured children.
Read → 4 August 2026 · Matrimonial & FamilyAdultery Plea at Interim Maintenance Stage – Advocate Manish Jha
In Himanshu Chordia v. State of Rajasthan (31 July 2026), the Supreme Court holds that a Section 125(4) CrPC plea of adultery must be examined at the interim maintenance stage where the material ex facie establishes the disqualification.
Read → 4 August 2026 · Criminal LawEvidence Against an Absconder: SC Limits – Advocate Manish Jha
Acquitting a man convicted of a 1999 murder, the Supreme Court holds that a deposition recorded in an absconder's absence is inadmissible against him unless a formal Section 299 CrPC order was passed at the time.
Read → 3 August 2026 · Cyber & FraudSuspicion Is Not Reason to Believe: PMLA Freezing
The Supreme Court has dismissed the Enforcement Directorate's challenge to a Delhi High Court judgment holding that bank accounts cannot be frozen under the PMLA on mere suspicion, without the recorded reason to believe the statute requires.
Read → 3 August 2026 · Civil & PropertyReach Stacker Is Not a Motor Vehicle: MACT Limits
A reach stacker operating inside the custom-bonded Inland Container Depot at Tughlakabad is not a motor vehicle and depot roads are not a public place, the Supreme Court has held, restoring the Delhi MACT's rejection of the claim.
Read → 3 August 2026 · Criminal LawLimits on Quashing an FIR: Supreme Court – Advocate Manish Jha
Restoring quashed corruption FIRs in State of Karnataka v. Prabhu Shankar (30 July 2026), the Supreme Court reiterates that a High Court cannot conduct a mini-trial at the threshold: the only question is whether the FIR prima facie discloses a cognizable offence.
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.