Contradictory Doctor Testimony In POCSO Case Prompts Madras High Court To Order Guidelines For Medical Witnesses

After taking note of contradictory testimony of a Doctor in a POCSO case, the Madras High Court recently directed the Secretary to Government, Health and Family Welfare Department and the Director of Medical Education to issue a comprehensive circular/guideline to all Government Medical Colleges, Government Hospitals, etc, detaling the duties and responsibilities of Government medical professionals while acting as expert witnesses before court in POCSO cases [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 402] ...

Employer Cannot Constitute Its Own Appellate Authority Under POSH Act: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court has held that Section 18 of the POSH Act read with Rule 11 of the POSH Rules does not confer any authority or jurisdiction on an employer to create or constitute an Appellate Authority. The Court further cautioned that public institutions must be cautious in interpreting, as a misconceived interpretation can lead to a chaotic situation. A Division Bench comprising Justice...

Right To Marry Human Right, Post-Divorce Marriage Valid When Appeal Was Dismissed For Default: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court recently held that a re-marriage that took place post-divorce was valid when the appeal against the order of divorce was dismissed for default. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 400]. The bench of Justice GR Swaminathan and Justice MD Sumathi noted that when there was no stay on the divorce order, the status of the woman was that of a “divorced woman” and she was thus...

'No Action Against Consensual Sex Work': Chhattisgarh High Court Quashes Immoral Trafficking Case Against Sex Worker

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that where it is clear that the sex worker is an adult and is participating with consent, the police must refrain from interfering or taking any criminal action. The Court observed that continuation of the criminal proceedings based on such a basis would amount to subjecting a woman to the very harassment against which the Supreme Court had issued...

Madras High Court Flags Systemic Gaps In POCSO Act Implementation, Including FIRs Against Minor Boys In Consensual Relationships

The Madras High Court has directed the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu to constitute committees comprising Secretaries from various departments to address the systematic gaps in the implementation of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in the State. The bench of Justice GR Swaminathan and Justice V Lakshminarayanan noted that there were correctional...

Valmiki Corporation Scam: Karnataka High Court Allows Minister B Nagendra To Travel Across India, Retains Bar On Foreign Travel

The Karnataka High Court on August 20 (Thursday) allowed a petition filed by B. Nagendra, a Cabinet Minister in the Karnataka Government, permanently relaxing a bail condition imposed on him in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case arising out of the alleged misappropriation of funds from the Valmiki Scheduled Castes Development Corporation. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 311]The single...

Rajasthan High Court Stays Termination Of Govt Employee For Concealing Stayed Conviction

The Rajasthan High Court has stayed the termination of a government employee whose services were terminated over allegations that he had suppressed and concealed information relating to his criminal conviction, which had already been stayed by a coordinate bench of the Court.The bench of Justice Anuroop Singhi took note of the earlier order staying the petitioner's conviction in a criminal...

Motor Accident Claim | Acquittal In Criminal Case Per Se Won't Prove Lack Of Negligence : Supreme Court Explains Principles

Acquittals in Criminal Court cannot control or dictate the outcome of MACT proceedings, the Supreme Court has held, reiterating that criminal proceedings and motor accident compensation claims operate in distinct legal spheres and are governed by different standards of proof."A subsequent acquittal in a criminal case does not affect the assessment of tortious liability under the MV Act......

PC Act | Recovery Of Bribe Amount Alone Insufficient Without Proof Of Demand: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (19.08.2026) has acquitted a former Talati-cum-Mantri and a Peon of a Gram Panchayat, who were convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (PCA), holding that the prosecution has failed to prove the initial demand of bribe beyond reasonable doubt. It was also observed that mere recovery of a currency note from the co-accused could not sustain...

Men, Working Women & Professionals Who Take Care Of Family Are Also 'Home Makers': Karnataka High Court

Interpreting the term 'homemaker', the Karnataka High Court has held that even highly qualified post-graduates who render services at home are entitled to compensation for loss of future earnings if they are not working elsewhere at the relevant time. [2026 LiveLaw (Kar) 310].The Court rejected KSRTC's argument that the claimant, who holds a Master's Degree in Biotechnology and had worked as...

Trial Court Cannot Reject Charge-Sheet Over Absconding Co-Accused: Tripura High Court

The Tripura High Court has set aside an order granting bail to an accused in an NDPS case, holding that the Trial Court erred in refusing to accept the charge-sheet merely because the investigating officer had not sought a warrant and proclamation against an absconding co-accused. The Court observed that the Trial Court's approach was “wholly illegal, unreasonable and unjustified,”...

“Child Protection Cannot Criminalise Adolescence”: Uttarakhand High Court Quashes POCSO FIR Over Relationship Between 17 & 21-Yr-Old

The Uttarakhand High Court has observed that “treating the consensual relationship between a 17 years old and 21 years old on par with sexual assault collapses meaningful distinctions and results in manifest arbitrariness under Article 14,” thus holding that “child protection does not require criminalising adolescence.” Hence, taking into consideration the victim's age, her statement...