Madras High Court Directs Registry Not To Register Article 226 Pleas Against DRT, DRAT Orders

The Madras High Court has directed its Registry not to register petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution challenging orders passed by the Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT) or Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal (DRAT). A Bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan permitted petitioner R. Ravi to withdraw his petition and dismissed it as withdrawn. The judges stated: “Registrar Judicial is directed to instruct the Registry not to register petition under...

Andhra Pradesh High Court Says Agricultural Land Outside SARFAESI Scope, Sets Aside Canara Bank Auction

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has held that properties which are agricultural lands fall outside the scope of the SARFAESI Act, and that banks must exercise due diligence before accepting such properties as security, particularly when registered documents describe them as agricultural lands. A Division Bench comprising Justices Battu Devanand and Sunitha Gandham allowed a writ petition challenging Canara Bank's sale notice and auction of two lands, holding that the properties were agricultural...

Madras High Court Quashes ₹20 Lakh Penalty On Customs Broker, Finds No Proof Of Collusion

The Madras High Court on 17 September set aside the Rs. 20 lakh penalty imposed on Newport Shipping and Logistics, holding that the material relied upon by the Customs authorities did not establish the broker's knowledge, conscious involvement or collusion in the attempted export of prohibited bull/ox meat. Justice Hemant Chandangoudar observed that a Customs Broker cannot be held liable for abetment of the attempted export of prohibited goods merely on the basis of routine activities such as...

Stay Period Must Be Excluded Before Testing TOLA Extension To Assessment Limitation: Madras High Court

On 23 September, the Madras High Court held that the period during which assessment proceedings remain stayed by a court must be excluded while computing the limitation period before determining whether an extension under the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Act, 2020 (TOLA) is available. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan held that the limitation period under Section 153B of the Income Tax...

Delhi High Court Issues Notice To JioStar On Zee Entertainment's Contempt Plea Over Copyrighted Music

The Delhi High Court has issued notice on a contempt application filed by Zee Entertainment against JioStar India, alleging continued violation of an injunction order restraining use of Zee's copyrighted music.Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani cautioned JioStar against any further non-compliance with the May 2026 order in the meantime, while directing Zee to hand JioStar a specific list of works it says are still being used without authorisation, so these can be verified and taken down.The dispute...

“No Perceptible Difference”: Delhi High Court Restrains Bombay Shaving Co. From Running Revised Ad In Gillette Suit

The Delhi High Court has restrained Bombay Shaving Company from running its "revised" advertisement, holding that on a first look, there is "no perceptible difference in the impact" between this version and the original ad the company had already agreed to take down.Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani passed the order while issuing notice on a contempt application filed by Gillette India, which accused the company of going back on its undertaking to the court.Senior Advocate Chander M. Lall, appearing...

Audit Objection Can't Reopen Scrutiny-Completed Assessment Without Fresh Material: Gujarat High Court

The Gujarat High Court on 17 September held that an assessment cannot be reopened merely on the basis of an audit objection when the underlying issue was examined during the original scrutiny and no fresh or tangible material indicates escapement of income. A Division Bench comprising Justices A.S. Supehia and Vaibhavi D. Nanavati quashed the Section 148A(3) order and consequential Section 148 notice issued to Lodestone Software Services Pvt. Ltd. for Assessment Year 2022-23, finding that the...

Delhi High Court Restrains Restaurant From Using “Social Circle” Mark Similar To Impresario's “SOCIAL”

On 21 September, the Delhi High Court granted an interim injunction restraining a Dehradun restaurant operating as “Social Circle” from using a mark deceptively similar to Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality's “SOCIAL” trademark. A Bench comprising Justice Vikas Mahajan observed that “the mark adopted by the defendant is identical/deceptively similar to the trade mark of the plaintiff.” Impresario has operated restaurants and bars under the “SOCIAL” brand since 2012 and currently has 52...

Delhi High Court Orders Meta, WhatsApp To Block Fake 'Purplle' Franchise Seeking ₹15 Lakhs From Public

The Delhi High Court on 15 September passed an interim injunction restraining an anonymous Facebook and WhatsApp operation from impersonating beauty and personal-care platform Purplle and soliciting Rs. 15 lakh from people through a fake franchise opportunity. Justice Jyoti Singh passed the order in a suit filed by Manash Lifestyle Private Limited, which owns and operates Purplle, against the unidentified operators as well as Meta, WhatsApp, Reliance Jio and Truecaller. The Bench observed that...

Madhya Pradesh High Court Advises GST Department To Send SMS/Email Alerts For Hearing Dates

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has advised the GST Department to introduce SMS or email alerts to parties or their advocates about hearing dates, after noting that many taxpayers were approaching the court complaining that they had not been served with hearing notices.A Division Bench of Justice Subodh Abhyankar and Justice Alok Awasthi made the suggestion while allowing a petition filed by Maple Overseas Trade Private Limited. The court set aside the dismissal of the company's appeal against a...

'There Should Be A Separate 'META Court': Delhi HC Judge Jests As Another Instagram Copyright Case Lands In Court

The Delhi High Court judge hearing a copyright dispute involving a content creator and Meta remarked in jest that “there should be a separate court, a META court, funded by META” after yet another Instagram copyright-strike dispute came up before the court.Justice A.J. Bhambhani made the oral remark while hearing Jitender Singh's suit against Meta and other defendants over copyright strikes on his Instagram account.The court declined to pass a blanket order protecting Singh from future copyright...

Drishti IAS Founder Vikas Divyakirti Moves Delhi High Court Seeking Protection Of Personality Rights

Vikas Divyakirti of Drishti IAS has moved the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality rights, The suit was listed on Thursday before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav The court directed that the matter be transferred to a coordinate bench already dealing with personality rights disputes, rather than proceeding before it.Divyakirti, the founder of Drishti IAS, a UPSC coaching institute, filed the suit through counsel who told the court that it seeks protection against three...