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- Karnataka High Court Upholds Cross-Subsidy Surcharge on Bagasse-Based Cogeneration Plants
News · 22 Sep 2026
Justice M. Nagaprasanna dismissed petitions by Ugar Sugar Works Limited, Hiranyakeshi Sahakari Sakkare Karkhane Niyamit, and Godavari Biorefineries Limited challenging cross-subsidy surcharge demands. The court held that exempting solar power projects while imposing the levy on bagasse-based cogeneration plants does not constitute discriminatory treatment. The ruling clarifies regulatory treatment of renewable energy sources under electricity supply frameworks.
- Centre Argues Same-Sex Spouse Tax Benefits Would Indirectly Recognize Same-Sex Marriage; Karnataka High Court Hearing Underway
News · 22 Sep 2026
Before Justice B.M. Shyam Prasad of the Karnataka High Court, the Centre's Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued on September 21, 2026, that interpreting 'spouse' in Income Tax Act provisions to include same-sex partners would indirectly recognize same-sex matrimonial relationships not recognized under Indian law. The case (WP 28761 of 2025, Anurag Kalia v. Union of India) concerns tax benefit entitlements for same-sex couples and raises constitutional questions about statutory interpretation and marriage recognition.
- Karnataka High Court Quashes Criminal Proceedings Against Man in 2022 Parappana Agrahara Prison Drug Smuggling Case
News · 22 Sep 2026
The Karnataka High Court scrapped criminal proceedings against a 36-year-old man accused in the 2022 Parappana Agrahara prison drug smuggling case. The court's decision to quash the proceedings reflects judicial scrutiny of the evidence and charges in the case, resulting in termination of criminal liability for the accused in this prison-related drug trafficking investigation.
- Karnataka High Court Sets Aside ₹13.08 Crore Arbitral Award in L&T Bengaluru Metro Contract Dispute
News · 22 Sep 2026
The Karnataka High Court set aside portions of an arbitral award (approximately ₹13.08 crore) in a ₹303.29 crore Bengaluru Metro construction contract dispute between Larsen & Toubro Limited and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited. The court found shortcomings in the tribunal's treatment of claims relating to reduced parapet quantities, revised rates for delayed pier locations, and unpaid reinforcement quantities, and set aside the tribunal's finding on L&T's entitlement to time-related costs.
- Karnataka High Court Upholds Stipendiary Nurses' Entitlement to Regular Wages and Service Continuity
News · 22 Sep 2026
The Karnataka High Court upheld an order directing an autonomous medical institute to pay stipendiary nurses at par with regular employees and prohibit discontinuation of their services until regular recruitment of staff nurses is completed. The judgment recognizes that stipendiary nurses performing full-time duties of staff nurses over extended periods are entitled to regular wages under the 2019 Government Order.
- Supreme Court Orders Fresh Investigation into 2012 Dharmasthala Rape-Murder; Karnataka Police to Constitute Tech-Savvy SIT
News · 22 Sep 2026
The Supreme Court on September 21, 2026, ordered a fresh investigation into the 2012 rape and murder of a 17-year-old near Dharmasthala, Karnataka, expressing shock at the botched initial probe. The court directed the State to constitute a Special Investigation Team without officers from the previous investigation and complete the probe within three months. The lone accused, Santosh Rao, was acquitted by a CBI court in June 2023; the victim's mother pursued the case after the original petitioner's death.
- Karnataka High Court Quashes Revision Proceedings Over ESOP Tax Treatment After ₹27.13 Cr. Refund
News · 21 Sep 2026
On 18 September 2026, the Karnataka High Court set aside revision proceedings initiated against taxpayer Mukesh Bansal following his revised income tax return and a substantial refund of ₹27.13 crore. The bench held that an intimation under Section 143(1) without adjustments cannot be revised under Section 263 of the Income Tax Act. This ruling provides clarity on the interplay between revised returns and the tax authority's revision powers.
- Karnataka High Court Rule on Police Interference in Civil Disputes Draws Judicial Scrutiny
News · 21 Sep 2026
Justice C.M Poonacha of Karnataka High Court expressed concern about excessive police involvement in civil matters, noting that 10-15 General Miscellaneous Police cases listed daily indicates systemic interference. The court's observation highlights the need for clearer demarcation between civil and criminal jurisdiction, signaling potential guidelines to regulate police intervention in non-criminal disputes and protect citizens' civil rights.
- Karnataka High Court Partnership Dispute: High Court Sets Aside Trial Court's Receiver Appointment Order
News · 21 Sep 2026
The High Court of Karnataka allowed a commercial appeal under Section 13(1A) of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015, setting aside the trial court's order appointing a receiver for partnership firm M/s Sea Line Trading. The appellate bench held that the trial court failed to adequately consider the balance of convenience before appointing the receiver. This decision reinforces the requirement for courts to conduct thorough analysis of competing interests before taking drastic remedial measures in partnership disputes.
- Karnataka High Court Stays Greater Bengaluru Authority's New Animal Waste Management Rules
News · 21 Sep 2026
Justice B.M. Shyam Prasad of Karnataka High Court issued an interim order staying the operation of Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd's public notice implementing new animal waste disposal charges of Rs 5 per kg for animal waste and Rs 3 per kg for bone waste. The Karnataka Poultry Traders Association challenged the rules, contending that animal waste has commercial value and that imposing disposal fees would increase business costs and consumer prices. The court's stay halts implementation pending full hearing on whether the rules comply with the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act.
- Karnataka High Court Issues Comprehensive Safety Guidelines for Illegal PG Accommodations in Bengaluru
News · 18 Sep 2026
Justice Suraj Govindaraj of the Karnataka High Court issued sweeping safety directives after the Greater Bengaluru Authority reported that approximately 2,500 out of 5,000 PG facilities inspected in Bengaluru East were operating without proper licences, sanctioned building plans, and fire safety clearances. The court mandated unified digital databases, mandatory police verification of staff, CCTV in common areas, and personal liability for officials failing to enforce compliance. Further hearing adjourned to September 28, 2026.
- Karnataka Tribunal: Suspension of teacher for attending RSS event stayed
News · 8 Sep 2026
The Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal stayed the suspension of a government school teacher who was penalized for attending an event organized by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on a Sunday. The tribunal noted that while the state's Conduct Rules bar government servants from associating with political parties, the RSS event was organized by a non-political association. Since the State Government had not issued any specific notification prohibiting officials from attending such events, the tribunal ruled that the teacher's conduct did not prima facie violate the rules. Practical takeaway for viewers: Government employees cannot be suspended for attending non-political association events unless their participation is explicitly prohibited by specific state orders.
- Trial courts cannot presume unemployed women lack funds to buy property
News · 8 Sep 2026
The Karnataka High Court ruled that a trial court cannot assume a property is joint family property merely because it was purchased in the name of an "unemployed woman" who supposedly lacked an independent source of income. The Division Bench stated that such an assumption is legally impermissible without concrete evidence. Once a registered sale deed names a woman as the purchaser and records her receipt of consideration, the burden of proof lies entirely on the opposing party to prove it was bought with joint family funds. The Court reiterated that under Section 14(1) of the Hindu Succession Act, any property acquired by a female Hindu is held by her as a full and absolute owner.
- Notification granting externment powers to Superintendent of Police declared illegal
News · 8 Sep 2026
The Dharwad bench of the Karnataka High Court nullified a State Government notification that conferred externment powers on Superintendents of Police (SP). Quashing an externment order against a petitioner in Belagavi, Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum held that executive instructions cannot override the express provisions of a parent statute. The Court emphasized that Sections 55 and 56 of the Karnataka Police Act explicitly vest such powers only in the Police Commissioner, District Magistrate, or Sub-Divisional Magistrate. The Court observed that an SP cannot be equated with a District Magistrate, and this inherent lack of statutory competence cannot be cured by simply publishing a notification in the Official Gazette. Practical takeaway for viewers: Executive authorities cannot delegate statutory policing powers to officers who are not expressly authorized by the legislature.
- High Court mandates tech-driven overhaul for temple asset management
News · 8 Sep 2026
The Karnataka High Court ordered a comprehensive, technology-driven overhaul to secure the finances and properties of state-managed temples. Recognizing the risks of theft and mismanagement, the Court directed the implementation of CCTV surveillance, body-worn cameras for hundi counting staff, and scientific verification protocols like X-ray fluorescence for temple jewellery. Furthermore, the court mandated digitizing and geo-tagging all immovable temple properties to prevent encroachments. The court also required the establishment of a centralized digital dashboard for real-time financial monitoring and a whistleblower mechanism for devotees and employees. Practical takeaway for viewers: Strict technological surveillance and real-time digital monitoring are now mandatory for the management of state-run temple assets.
- Property purchased in a woman's name is not presumed to be joint family property
News · 7 Sep 2026
The Karnataka High Court ruled that the mere existence of a joint family does not establish that property purchased in the name of a female member is joint family property. Unless it is explicitly proven that the purchase utilized joint family funds, the property vests absolutely in the woman under Section 14 of the Hindu Succession Act.
- Consumer Commissions can take direct cognizance of non-compliance
News · 7 Sep 2026
The Karnataka High Court held that a District Consumer Commission is fully competent to take cognizance of an offence under Section 72 of the Consumer Protection Act. Complainants do not need to be directed to a separate criminal court to enforce compliance. The Court added that applications combining execution reliefs with allegations of non-compliance are entirely maintainable.
- Contempt Proceedings Recalled; Advocate Ordered to Plant 1,000 Saplings
News · 7 Sep 2026
The Karnataka High Court recalled its earlier order initiating criminal contempt against an advocate who virtually threatened a Sessions Court, after accepting his unconditional apology. Instead of criminal prosecution and a disciplinary reference to the Bar Council, Justice Hanchate Sanjeevkumar imposed a nominal fine of ₹1,000 and directed the advocate to plant and maintain 1,000 fruit-bearing saplings on government or school premises as a symbolic corrective measure.
- Health Insurance Claims Valid Even Without 24-Hour Hospitalisation
News · 7 Sep 2026
The Karnataka High Court dismissed an appeal by the National Insurance Company, ruling that an insurer cannot restrict health insurance policy interpretations simply because a treatment does not require hospitalisation. The case involved a 72-year-old retired bank officer whose claims for life-sustaining post-chemotherapy injections were repeatedly rejected by the insurer on the grounds that they were "outpatient" treatments. Justice Suraj Govindaraju upheld the Permanent Lok Adalat's order directing reimbursement and dismissed the insurer's petition with a ₹50,000 cost.
- Karnataka HC: Amazon claims intermediary safe harbour in book piracy case
News · 5 Sep 2026
Amazon told the Karnataka High Court that it is entitled to the safe-harbour protection available to intermediaries under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, in a case concerning the alleged sale of pirated copies of the late journalist Ravi Belagere's novel Heli Hogu Kaarana on its platform. Senior Advocate Sandesh J. Chouta, appearing for Amazon, argued that the company merely provides a platform connecting sellers and buyers and cannot be held liable for the alleged listings. The legal question is one of the most consequential in Indian internet law. Section 79 shields intermediaries from liability for third-party content, but the protection is conditional — it falls away if the platform initiates the transmission, selects the receiver, modifies the content, or fails to act after receiving actual knowledge of unlawful material. The case pits an author's estate and copyright enforcement against the marketplace model itself. Whatever the Court decides will shape how aggressively Indian e-commerce platforms must police counterfeit and pirated goods listed by third-party sellers.
- Karnataka HC: ₹3 lakh costs on police for illegal arrest of a witness
News · 5 Sep 2026
The Karnataka High Court came down heavily on the police for what it described as "police raj", declaring the arrest of a witness in a disputed Will matter to be illegal. The Court imposed exemplary costs of ₹3,00,000 on the Investigating Officer and on his superior officers for dereliction of supervisory duty. The petitioner was a witness who had been named as accused no. 2 in the FIR This is one of the strongest recent statements from the Court on arrest discipline. The Supreme Court's Arnesh Kumar guidelines and Section 41A CrPC already require police to justify why an arrest is necessary rather than merely permissible. What makes this order stand out is that the cost was fastened not only on the officer who made the arrest but on the supervisory chain above him, for failing to check the file. For anyone who has been summoned as a witness, the message is direct: being named in an FIR does not authorise casual detention, and personal financial consequences for officers are now a live possibility.
- Karnataka HC: Two minutes past 10 PM is not an offence
News · 5 Sep 2026
The Karnataka High Court quashed an FIR registered against Bidar Congress MLA Rahim Khan for allegedly using a loudspeaker during election campaigning two minutes beyond the permitted cut-off of 10 PM. Justice M. Nagaprasanna, sitting singly, allowed the MLA's petition and held that a difference of merely two minutes cannot be treated as an offence, especially when no standard clock is prescribed for fixing the exact time The reasoning is worth spelling out for viewers. Noise pollution rules do impose a genuine 10 PM restriction on loudspeakers, and that limit protects residents, hospitals and students. But criminal liability requires a degree of certainty. If the enforcement authority's watch, the complainant's phone and the accused's clock can all differ by a minute or two, a two-minute overrun cannot safely be called a violation. The judgment is a useful illustration of de minimis thinking — the principle that the law does not concern itself with trifles — applied to everyday policing. It does not dilute the 10 PM rule; it simply says the margin of error cannot become the basis of an FIR.
- Section 164 Statements Must Reach the Accused — Six Directions for Police and Trial Courts
News · 1 Sep 2026
Upholding the right to a fair trial, the Karnataka High Court has acquitted a POCSO accused while issuing suo motu guidelines for Investigating Officers and trial courts on the recording of Section 164 CrPC (Section 183 BNSS) statements and the mandatory furnishing of those statements to the accused. The Division Bench of Justice Mohammad Nawaz and Justice G. Basavaraja was hearing the appeal of a Home Guard convicted for kidnapping and aggravated penetrative sexual assault, whose victim's Section 164(5) statement contained no allegation of sexual assault and materially contradicted her later testimony — yet was never furnished to him.The Court held that an Investigating Officer, before filing a final report, is under a solemn legal obligation to satisfy himself that sufficient material exists to proceed, functioning in essence as a "pre-trial judge," and laid down six directions covering the perusal, preservation and supply of Section 164(5) statements in every POCSO and SC/ST Act case. The Bench acted on recurring infirmities it had noticed across a considerable number of appeals — chargesheets filed without reading the victim's statement, and trial courts failing to supply copies as Section 207(iv) CrPC requires — and directed circulation to the Judicial Academy and, through the DGP, to every Investigating Officer in the State. Verdictum Citation: V. Amaresh @ Ambarish v. State of Karnataka, 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 322
- Karnataka High Court orders statewide audit of police station CCTV systems
News · 18 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court on Thursday 13 August 2026 pulled up police authorities over an explanation that the uninterruptible power supply at a police station had remained non-functional for nearly eighteen months, affecting CCTV camera operation during power outages. Justice Suraj Govindaraj described the explanation as untenable and ordered a statewide audit of CCTV systems. The order carries direct evidentiary consequences for criminal practice. Mandatory CCTV coverage in police stations exists to guard against custodial excess and to provide an objective record of arrest, interrogation and detention. Where footage is unavailable, the accused is deprived of the primary means of establishing what occurred in custody, and allegations of coercion become impossible to test. Defence counsel should routinely apply for preservation and production of station footage at the earliest stage, and should place the absence of footage on record where the application is met with a claim of malfunction. A statewide audit also creates a documentary trail that can be summoned in individual cases.
- Courts must observe the strict timeline for disposal of seized property
News · 18 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court has held that courts dealing with seized property must strictly adhere to the timelines prescribed under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita — preparation of a statement of the property within fourteen days of its production before the court, and an order on disposal, destruction, confiscation or delivery within the following thirty days. Justice M. Nagaprasanna delivered the ruling. The direction addresses a chronic grievance. Vehicles, cash, gold, electronics and business stock seized during investigation have historically remained in police custody for years, deteriorating in value while the owner has no effective remedy. The new statutory scheme fixes an outer limit of forty-five days, and the Court has confirmed those periods are mandatory rather than directory. Advocates seeking interim custody or release of seized property should now cite the timeline expressly, annex the date of production before the court, and seek a direction where the period has lapsed. Where property has already been held beyond the limit, the delay itself becomes a ground for relief independent of the merits of the seizure.
- Karnataka High Court permits Independence Day torchlight march, quashes police refusal
News · 18 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court on Friday 14 August 2026 quashed a police refusal to permit a torchlight march in Mysuru, observing that citizens cannot be prevented from celebrating Independence Day on apprehensions of communal tension. Justice Suraj Govindaraj directed the authorities to permit the event. In the same proceedings the Court had earlier criticised the organisers for putting up banners advertising the march before permission had been granted. The order is useful precedent on the standard applicable to refusals of permission for assemblies and processions. A generalised apprehension of law and order trouble is not sufficient; the authority must identify specific material and must consider whether conditions can address the risk rather than refusing outright. Equally, the Court's rebuke of the organisers signals that petitioners who pre-empt the outcome by acting before permission is granted will find the discretion exercised less generously. Counsel drafting such petitions should annex the application made to the police, the refusal with its stated reasons, and a set of proposed conditions the petitioner is willing to accept.
- Karnataka High Court: an advocate's professional conduct cannot be criminalised because it displeases the opposing party
News · 14 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court has held that a lawyer's professional conduct cannot be made the subject of criminal proceedings merely because it displeases the adversary, observing that fearless advocacy cannot be punished. The judgment matters to the profession directly. FIRs against advocates arising from the conduct of litigation — for issuing a legal notice, for pressing a particular contention, for advising a client to initiate proceedings — have become a recognised pressure tactic in contested civil and matrimonial disputes. The Court's reasoning separates acts done in the discharge of professional duty from independent criminal conduct such as fabrication of documents or personal participation in a fraud. Where the complaint discloses only the former, the FIR is liable to be quashed at the threshold. Advocates facing such proceedings should place the relevant vakalat, pleadings and correspondence on record to establish that the impugned acts were performed in a professional capacity, and should press for costs where the complaint appears designed to intimidate.
- Karnataka High Court: an accused has no right to be heard on a co-accused's application to turn approver
News · 14 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court on 13 August 2026 rejected a plea by actor Darshan seeking a right of audience in a co-accused's application to be granted pardon and turn approver in the Renukaswamy murder case. The Court held that the right of audience for a co-accused arises only after pardon has been granted. The ruling settles a question that arises whenever the prosecution seeks to convert an accomplice into a witness. The tender of pardon is a matter between the court and the person seeking it, assessed on whether that person is willing to make a full and true disclosure of the circumstances within their knowledge. A co-accused has no stake in that determination at the stage it is made. What the co-accused does acquire, once pardon is granted and the approver is examined, is the full apparatus of challenge — cross-examination on the terms of the pardon, on prior inconsistent statements, and on motive to implicate falsely, together with the requirement that approver testimony be corroborated in material particulars. Defence counsel should therefore direct effort to that stage rather than contesting the tender itself.
- Karnataka High Court orders disabled-friendly quarters to be built within two years regardless of funding
News · 14 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court has directed the Indian Statistical Institute in Bengaluru to complete construction of proposed disabled-friendly accommodation within two years, notwithstanding the availability of funds. The order was passed on a petition by a specially abled Associate Professor at the institute. The direction is notable for expressly declining to accept budgetary constraint as an answer. Accessibility obligations under disability rights legislation are framed as duties rather than aspirations, and institutions have routinely deferred compliance by pointing to unallocated funds. By fixing an outer limit and removing the funding qualification, the Court has treated the obligation as enforceable on its own terms. For advocates advising educational institutions, public sector undertakings and establishments covered by the accessibility mandate, the practical lesson is that a documented plan without a funded timeline will not withstand scrutiny. For petitioners, the order supports pleading a specific completion deadline in the prayer rather than a general direction to comply.
- ED Search, Freezing Action Not Purely Civil, Can Be Challenged Under Article 226 Read With S.482 CrPC: Karnataka HC In Gameskraft's Case
News · 13 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court held that a writ petition under Article 226 read with Section 482 CrPC challenging the Enforcement Directorate's search and freezing action under Section 17(1A) PMLA is maintainable, rejecting ED's objection that such action is purely civil and cannot be challenged this way. The ruling comes in Gameskraft Technologies' long-running dispute with authorities over its online gaming business. This is a significant procedural precedent for PMLA practitioners on how ED search-and-seizure actions can be challenged before adjudication.
- Owning land where a transformer stands is not enough to prosecute for an electrocution death
News · 13 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court has quashed criminal proceedings against a doctor charge-sheeted over the death of a labourer by electrocution on her agricultural land. Justice Anant Ramanth Hegde held that mere ownership of property on which a transformer is installed cannot by itself found criminal liability. The decision is reported as 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 289. The judgment is a useful addition to the law on negligence-based prosecutions. Charge sheets in electrocution and accidental death cases are routinely filed against landowners on a theory of vicarious or occupier liability, without pleading any act or omission by the accused that caused the death. The Court's insistence on a demonstrable causal link between the accused's conduct and the fatality restores the correct standard for culpable negligence. Practitioners defending such prosecutions should press for quashing where the charge sheet discloses only ownership, and should identify the statutory body actually responsible for installation and maintenance of the electrical infrastructure — ordinarily the distribution licensee — as the proper subject of enquiry.
- Karnataka High Court quashes appointment of Special Public Prosecutor sought by complainant
News · 13 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court has held that while the State may on its own appoint a Special Public Prosecutor where a case requires special knowledge, it cannot appoint one at the specific request of the complainant, as this offends the principle of fairness required in a criminal trial. The Court accordingly quashed a State Government notification. The decision is reported as 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 290. The ruling reinforces a structural principle that is often overlooked in practice: the Public Prosecutor is an officer of the court with a duty to place the whole truth before it, not counsel for the complainant. Where the complainant selects and effectively procures the appointment of the prosecutor, that independence is compromised at the outset, regardless of the appointee's competence. The judgment gives accused persons a concrete ground to challenge SPP appointments in high-profile prosecutions, and it should prompt State law departments to document the independent basis on which any SPP notification is issued. Counsel challenging such an appointment should seek the file to establish whether the initiative came from the complainant.
- Karnataka High Court: police can freeze a bank account in cybercrime probe without Magistrate's approval
News · 13 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court has held that police need not obtain prior approval from a Magistrate to impose a debit freeze on a bank account during investigation, where the freeze is imposed as an investigative and preservative measure under Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. Justice M. Nagaprasanna delivered the ruling, reported as 2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 287. The Court noted the speed at which money moves in cybercrime cases. The decision matters to two constituencies. For complainants in cyber fraud matters, it confirms that the investigating officer can act immediately to preserve funds in mule accounts, where delay of even hours defeats recovery. For account holders whose accounts are frozen — often innocent third parties whose accounts received tainted funds — it closes off the argument that the freeze is void for want of prior judicial sanction. The remedy shifts to challenging the freeze on its own merits: absence of nexus between the account and the alleged offence, disproportionate scope of the freeze relative to the disputed sum, and unreasonable duration. Applications for defreezing should therefore be framed on proportionality and on the absence of continuing investigative necessity.
- 'Just Because She Is Muslim, You Cannot Call Her Pakistani': Karnataka High Court Raps BJP MLC
News · 8 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court on Friday, 7 August 2026, pulled up BJP MLC N. Ravikumar over an alleged communal remark against Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum, in which he is said to have described the senior IAS officer as being "from Pakistan" during a protest. The Court observed sharply that it would not pardon a statement made against a serving IAS officer of the State merely because she is a Muslim, and questioned the MLC directly on the statement attributed to him. The exchange is notable for the Court's willingness to record oral disapproval of communal characterisation of a public servant, independent of the outcome of the proceedings. For practitioners, the matter sits at the intersection of two areas that increasingly reach the writ court: criminal proceedings arising from political speech, and the constitutional protection available to civil servants against targeted vilification. The case is worth following for what it may establish on the threshold at which political rhetoric attracts judicial censure and on the standards courts apply when a quashing petition is sought in respect of such speech.
- Karnataka High Court Creates a New Case Category for Benami Property Act Appeals
News · 8 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court has issued a circular introducing a new nomenclature for appeals filed under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988. By a circular dated 27 July, the Chief Justice has directed that appeals under Section 49 of the Act, filed against orders of the Appellate Tribunal, shall be listed before the respective Division Bench having the roster of MSA matters, and that such appeals be given the newly assigned category. This is a filing-side change every property and tax litigator in the State needs to register immediately. Until now, Section 49 appeals had no dedicated category, causing registry objections, misclassification and listing before the wrong roster. The circular fixes the destination bench and the nomenclature, which should reduce delay at the numbering stage. Practitioners should update their filing checklists, ensure the correct category is cited in the memorandum of appeal, and note that Section 49 appeals lie on a question of law within sixty days of communication of the Tribunal's order, with the High Court empowered to condone delay on sufficient cause.
- KPSC Recruitment Scam: Karnataka High Court Restrains Filing of Final Report
News · 8 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court on Friday, 7 August 2026, restrained the investigating agencies — the jurisdictional police and the CID — from filing the final report in any of the connected cases relating to the alleged Karnataka Public Service Commission recruitment scam without prior permission of the Court. The Court was hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by a BJP MLA, and the State assured that no coercive action would be taken against successful candidates. The order is significant on two counts. First, it is an instance of the High Court exercising supervisory control over the timing of a final report under the BNSS — a power used sparingly, and generally where the investigation itself is under challenge or where multiple connected proceedings risk inconsistent outcomes. Second, the State's assurance protecting selected candidates preserves the position of persons who are not accused but whose appointments are collaterally affected. Advocates handling recruitment and service matters in Karnataka should note the order's effect on parallel service litigation, since any final report would otherwise have triggered a fresh round of challenges to the select list.
- Karnataka HC Fines Man Linked To Christian Missionary Group ₹1 Lakh For Asking CJI To Change ED Officer Probing Him
News · 6 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court imposed costs of ₹1 lakh on a man linked to a Christian missionary organisation, in a case connected to alleged Naxal-funding allegations, for approaching the Chief Justice of India seeking replacement of the ED officer investigating him. The Court treated the request as an improper attempt to influence the choice of investigating officer and penalised it accordingly — a useful caution for litigants and counsel considering similar administrative representations against investigating officers.
- 'In Public Interest': Karnataka HC Upholds Fire NOC Mandate For Firecracker Traders Even Without Express Statutory Provision
News · 6 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court upheld a Fire Department No-Objection Certificate requirement for firecracker traders as a valid public-safety measure, even in the absence of an express statutory provision mandating it, holding that such a requirement can be sustained in the public interest. The ruling is relevant to licensing and regulatory-compliance counsel advising traders and local authorities ahead of the festive cracker-selling season.
- Cheque Bounce: Karnataka HC Refuses Fresh Trial For Convict Who Skipped Cross-Examination 12 Times, Imposes ₹1 Lakh Costs
News · 6 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court declined to order a fresh trial for a cheque-dishonour convict who had repeatedly failed to appear for cross-examination of the complainant across twelve scheduled hearings, imposing costs of ₹1 lakh for the delay tactics. The ruling signals judicial impatience with deliberate procedural stalling in high-volume Section 138 NI Act litigation and is a useful precedent for complainants facing similar delay tactics from accused persons.
- Karnataka HC Stays SIT Probe Into Land Encroachment Allegations Against Trust Linked To Art Of Living Foundation
News · 5 Aug 2026
The Karnataka High Court stayed a July 17 Government Order constituting a Special Investigation Team against Ved Vignan Maha Vidya Peeth Trust, linked to Sri Sri Ravishankar's Art of Living Foundation, over alleged encroachment of government land in Bengaluru South Taluk. The single judge found the State had prima facie failed to follow the mandatory joint-survey procedure under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964 before ordering an SIT probe, and issued notice while keeping the stay in place until the next hearing on August 17. The order is a useful precedent on the procedural safeguards required before initiating encroachment action against private landholders.
- Karnataka HC Stays FIRs Against Bengaluru Doctor, Questions Police Over Cases Filed On Report Of Illegal Immigrants
News · 30 Jul 2026
The Karnataka High Court stayed further investigation in two FIRs filed against a Bengaluru doctor after he alerted authorities to suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in the city, with the Court questioning why police had proceeded against the complainant rather than acting on his information. The single judge remarked that the police response undermined national security concerns rather than addressing them. The order is relevant to criminal-defence and civil-liberties counsel handling retaliatory-FIR situations against citizens who report matters to authorities.
- Karnataka HC Bars State From Dispossessing HMT Of Jalahalli Land; Restrains Felling Of Trees
News · 30 Jul 2026
The Karnataka High Court restrained the state government from dispossessing HMT Limited of its Jalahalli land in Bengaluru and barred the felling of trees or creation of third-party rights over the property, while hearing HMT's challenge to a Deputy Conservator of Forests order directing it to hand over 430 acres and 21 guntas within 30 days. The interim order preserves the status quo in a high-value PSU land dispute with forest-law implications, relevant to counsel handling government land-transfer and forest-clearance disputes.
- Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor May Be One Of The Biggest Scams In The State: Karnataka HC
News · 30 Jul 2026
Dismissing a batch of appeals filed by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) and the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board, a Division Bench remarked that the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor Project may be "one of the biggest scams" in the state, finding farmers had effectively been dispossessed of land without due process. The strongly-worded ruling revives scrutiny of one of Karnataka's oldest and most litigated infrastructure projects. It is significant for land-acquisition, infrastructure, and public-interest lawyers tracking accountability for large PPP land deals gone wrong.
- Is It Cruelty Under Section 498A If Mother-In-Law Asks Woman To Make Dosa Or Ragi Mudde? Karnataka HC Asks
News · 29 Jul 2026
Hearing a matrimonial cruelty case, the Karnataka High Court expressed reservations about allegations that a woman was subjected to cruelty by being asked to prepare dosas and ragi mudde, being made to eat after her husband, and other similar claims. Justice M Nagaprasanna's remarks signal judicial scrutiny of what actually meets the threshold for "cruelty" in matrimonial cases, as opposed to ordinary domestic friction. While the matter remains pending, the observations are being closely discussed among matrimonial and criminal-defence practitioners for what they suggest about triviality-screening in Section 498A-type complaints.
- Pending Probe Into Pharma Firm's COVID Sanitizer Supply Can't Justify Withholding Payment For Undisputed Drug Supplies: Karnataka HC
News · 29 Jul 2026
The Karnataka High Court directed the State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (KSMSCL) to release part-payment of Rs 1.5 crore to a pharmaceutical firm for undisputed COVID-19 drug supplies, holding that a pending probe into separate, disputed sanitizer-supply irregularities cannot justify withholding payment for supplies that are not themselves in question. The balance payment remains subject to the outcome of the inquiry. The ruling is a useful precedent for government-contract and public-procurement counsel on separating undisputed dues from amounts genuinely under investigation.
- Now Uber Moves Karnataka High Court Challenging State's Gig Workers Welfare Act, Notice Issued
News · 29 Jul 2026
The Karnataka High Court issued notice on a petition by Uber India Systems challenging the constitutional validity of the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025 and its Rules, extending Uber the benefit of an earlier interim arrangement granted to other aggregators in a related challenge. Uber joins Swiggy, Zomato and others already contesting the law before the same court. The case is significant for labour and platform-economy lawyers, testing the constitutional limits of India's first dedicated gig-worker welfare statute and its financial obligations on aggregator platforms.
- 'No Coercive Steps' Means No Arrest, Not Stay On Probe: Karnataka HC Rejects Challenge To ED's Provisional Attachment Order
News · 29 Jul 2026
The Karnataka High Court held that judicial orders restraining "coercive steps" are confined to protecting personal liberty and do not suspend the Enforcement Directorate's statutory power to provisionally attach property under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Rejecting a challenge to an ED attachment order, the single judge clarified that such protective orders insulate a person from arrest but do not freeze the broader investigative or attachment process. The ruling gives PMLA practitioners a clearer boundary on what "no coercive steps" protection actually covers when property attachment is separately contested.
- Karnataka High Court Refuses To Quash FIR Against Ex-KPSC Chief's Daughter Over Reservation Claim
News · 28 Jul 2026
The Karnataka High Court declined to entertain a petition by the daughter of a suspended Karnataka Public Service Commission chairman seeking to quash an FIR accusing her of falsely declaring her family's annual income to claim reservation benefits meant for economically weaker sections in a recruitment process. The court found the allegations disclosed a prima facie case of fraud and voiced concern over recurring controversies in KPSC-run recruitments. Though fact-specific, the order signals judicial willingness to scrutinise reservation-benefit claims made by relatives of public officials, and may affect ongoing recruitment-integrity litigation and disciplinary proceedings connected to the Commission.
- Karnataka High Court: Seeking Police Aid To Enforce Injunction Not Barred By Res Judicata
News · 28 Jul 2026
The Karnataka High Court held that seeking police assistance to enforce an interim injunction is a continuing procedural remedy, and that such an application cannot be barred by the doctrine of res judicata merely because earlier applications for police protection were filed and disposed of. The ruling clarifies that repeated requests for police aid to implement the same injunction do not amount to relitigating a settled issue, since the need for enforcement can recur over time. The decision is a practical procedural tool for civil litigators and property-dispute lawyers seeking to keep injunctions effective on the ground.
- Karnataka High Court: Bank Can't Deny Education Loan Over Parent's Poor CIBIL Score Alone
News · 28 Jul 2026
The Karnataka High Court quashed a bank's rejection of a student's education-loan application, holding that a parent's poor CIBIL score alone cannot be used to deny a loan where doing so would impede the student's constitutional right to pursue education. The court found a CIBIL score to be only one factor among several relevant to creditworthiness, and not a blanket disqualifier when weighed against the student's aspirations. The order requires the bank to reconsider the loan and is likely to be cited by education and consumer-rights lawyers challenging similar loan denials by public-sector and cooperative banks across the state.