Nominal Index [Citations 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 278 - 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 289]

Sandeep @ Kala v. State of Haryana 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 278

Ram Sunder Prasad Singh v. U.T. Chandigarh through Additional Deputy Commissioner and others 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 279

Sanjay @ Fauji v. State of Haryana 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 280

Shahnaz Hussain v. State of Haryana  2026 LiveLaw (PH) 281

Rakesh Walia v. State of Punjab and another 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 282

Rakesh Kumar v. State of Haryana & Ors. 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 283

 Varun Puri v. Directorate of Enforcement 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 284

 Aman Rani v. Union of India & Ors.2026 LiveLaw (PH) 285

Kuldeep Singh v. State of Punjab and others 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 286

 Dr. Surender Singh and another v. State of Haryana and others, and connected matters 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 287

Jasbir Singh v. State of Punjab and others 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 288

 Bhanu Parkash v. State of Haryana & Anr. 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 289

Reports 

Failure To Record Dying Declaration Before Magistrate Despite Adequate Opportunity Creates Dent In Prosecution Case: P&H High Court

Title: Sandeep @ Kala v. State of Haryana

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 278

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted a rape convict, holding that the dying declaration on which the entire prosecution case rested did not inspire confidence, and that the failure of the investigating agency to have it recorded by a Judicial Magistrate despite adequate opportunity created a dent in the prosecution story. 

Stamp Act | Collector's Function Ends On Determining Deficiency, Can't Impose Penalty Or Direct Recovery: Punjab & Haryana High Court

Title: Ram Sunder Prasad Singh v. U.T. Chandigarh through Additional Deputy Commissioner and others

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 279

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that where an instrument is referred to the Collector under Section 31 of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, his function comes to an end once he determines the deficiency in stamp duty, and he is not competent thereafter to impose a penalty or direct recovery. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 278]

Justice Kuldeep Tiwari held that Section 31 "does not contemplate any further action to be taken by the Collector", and that the imposition of penalty and the recovery direction were "beyond the scope of his statutory jurisdiction under Section 31."

Self-Styled Godman Rampal's Son-In-Law Gets Bail In UAPA Case After 4 Yrs Custody; P&H High Court Notes All Material Witnesses Examined

Case Title: Sanjay @ Fauji v. State of Haryana

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 280

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted regular bail to Sanjay @ Fauji, the son-in-law of self-styled godman Rampal, in the case arising from the November 2014 violence at Satlok Ashram, Barwala, in which 111 police personnel were injured during the execution of arrest warrants issued by the High Court.

The Division Bench of Justice Rajesh Bhardwaj and Justice Deepak Manchanda noted that the appellant had undergone incarceration of four years and twenty-one days as on 12.08.2026, that the prosecution had by then examined all 49 material witnesses whose examination the Court had directed while declining his earlier bail plea, and that all co-accused including the main accused were already on bail.

Buying Medical College Seat Not Commercial Dispute: P&H High Court Denies Anticipatory Bail In NEET-PG Admission Fraud Case

Title: Shahnaz Hussain v. State of Haryana

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (PH) 281

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has declined anticipatory bail to a person accused of taking about ₹14.25 lakh on the assurance of securing a candidate's admission to an MD/MS (NEET-PG) course, holding that an alleged attempt to circumvent the regulated mechanism governing postgraduate medical admissions by procuring a seat against monetary consideration cannot be treated as an inter se commercial or contractual dispute. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 282]

Punjab Civil Service Rules | Disciplinary Authority Dissatisfied With Enquiry Report Can Order Further Enquiry, Not Fresh One: High Court

Title: Rakesh Walia v. State of Punjab and another

2026 LiveLaw (PH) 282

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that where a disciplinary authority is dissatisfied with an enquiry report, Rule 9 of the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1970 permits it to remit the matter for further enquiry, but "does not authorize the appointment of a new Inquiry Officer for conducting a fresh or de novo enquiry on the same charges." 

High Court Releases Attached Salaries Of Haryana Officials After Compliance With Court Orders, Unconditional Apology

Case: Rakesh Kumar v. State of Haryana & Ors.

2026 LiveLaw (PH) 283

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has expressed strong displeasure over the Haryana Higher Education Department's failure to comply with an undertaking given before the Court to grant notional appointment benefits to a candidate who was ultimately appointed as Assistant Professor (Commerce) after successfully litigating his claim.

Citing Jurists Ulpian & Blackstone, P&H High Court Grants Bail In ED Case; Says Section 45 PMLA Can Be Relaxed Where Trial Is Prolonged

Case Title: Varun Puri v. Directorate of Enforcement

2026 LiveLaw (PH) 284

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted regular bail in a money laundering case arising from the alleged diversion of funds collected from homebuyers, holding that prolonged pre-trial incarceration can itself justify bail under the PMLA where there is no realistic prospect of the trial concluding within a reasonable time. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 285]

Can't Abuse Court Process By Repeating Withdrawn Allegations: Punjab & Haryana High Court Imposes ₹25K Costs On Lawyer

Case: Aman Rani v. Union of India & Ors.

[2026 LiveLaw (PH) 285

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has slammed a lawyer (also a Ph.D. scholar) for repeatedly making “uncalled for allegations” against senior faculty members despite having earlier categorically stated that such allegations were not being pressed. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 287]

A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor imposed costs of ₹25,000 on the petitioner.

Punjab Police Rules | Subsequent Acquittal Not Ground To Reopen Departmental Proceedings That Have Attained Finality: High Court

Title: Kuldeep Singh v. State of Punjab and others

2026 LiveLaw (PH) 286

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has held that a subsequent acquittal in a criminal case cannot, by itself, reopen or invalidate departmental proceedings that had already attained finality, particularly where the departmental punishment was imposed before the acquittal. [2026 LiveLaw (PH) 284].

Justice Namit Kumar held that "the departmental proceedings were not initiated pursuant to the acquittal, nor was the punishment imposed after the acquittal so as to attract the embargo contained in Rule 16.3(1)" of the Punjab Police Rules, 1934, and that "the subsequent acquittal cannot by itself reopen disciplinary proceedings that had already attained finality in accordance with law."

Public Service Commission Can't Introduce Minimum Interview Marks For Medical Faculty Posts After Selection Process Begins: P&H High Court

Title: Dr. Surender Singh and another v. State of Haryana and others, and connected matters

2026 LiveLaw (PH) 287

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has quashed the Haryana Public Service Commission's introduction of minimum qualifying marks for the interview stage in the recruitment of Assistant Professors for Government Medical Colleges, holding that a recruiting authority cannot alter eligibility criteria after the selection process has commenced, particularly once the list of shortlisted candidates already stands published.

Fix Responsibility On Heads Of Office For Delayed Retiral Benefits: High Court Directs Punjab, Haryana And Chandigarh

Title: Jasbir Singh v. State of Punjab and others

2026 LiveLaw (PH) 288

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to issue circulars fixing responsibility on erring Heads of Office wherever they fail to follow the procedure prescribed for timely processing of pension and gratuity papers.

The Court was dealing with a case where a retired Junior Engineer was denied interest on retiral dues paid more than a year after his retirement.

Burns Accidental As Per Dying Declaration: Punjab & Haryana High Court Acquits Man Of Dowry Death After 22 Years

Case Title: Bhanu Parkash v. State of Haryana & Anr.

2026 LiveLaw (PH) 289

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted a man who was convicted in a 1998 dowry death case, holding that the prosecution must first establish the foundational ingredients of Section 304-B IPC before the statutory presumption under Section 113-B of the Evidence Act can be invoked.

Other Developments

Authorities Duty Bound To Take Steps If Protest Turn Violent: Punjab & Haryana High Court

Case Title: Vivek Singla v. U.T., Chandigarh Administration and Others

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has observed that while citizens have a fundamental right to assemble and express their views through peaceful protest, the competent authorities are duty-bound to take appropriate preventive and remedial measures in accordance with law if a protest turns violent or poses a threat to public safety.

A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor said, “It is well settled that, in a democracy, citizens have a fundamental right to assemble and express their views through peaceful protest. Ordinarily, such a right ought not to be interfered with by the authorities. However, where a protest ceases to be peaceful, turns violent, or poses a threat to public safety, the competent authorities are duty-bound to take appropriate preventive and remedial measures in accordance with law to ensure the maintenance of public peace, order, and security.”