September 2025 witnessed landmark judicial rulings, key policy reforms, and major global developments. From Supreme Court verdicts shaping constitutional principles to India’s entry into global AI health regulation and advances in women’s rights and digital governance, the month reflected significant progress in law, justice, and international cooperation. Legal Bites brings you a concise roundup of these pivotal legal, national, and international highlights.
September 2025: Key Legal, National, and International Highlights
- Murder Conviction Cannot Rest Solely on a Dying Declaration with Infirmities: In Tarun Sharma v. State of Haryana, the Supreme Court acquitted the accused by ruling that a dying declaration riddled with infirmities (such as lack of medical certification, contradictions, and procedural lapses) cannot by itself sustain a murder conviction. (September 01, 2025)
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Delhi High Court on Parole for Foreign Nationals: In Jahangir @ Ekka @ Ibrahim v. State Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Delhi High Court granted four weeks’ parole to a Bangladeshi convict serving life sentences in multiple cases, observing that long incarceration, good conduct, and rehabilitative aims may outweigh rigid procedural bars, and that nationality alone cannot justify denial of parole. (September 01, 2025)
- No Leniency in Crimes Against Women, Bail Denied: In Syed Parveez Musharaff v. State of Karnataka, the Karnataka High Court refused bail to an accused who allegedly facilitated a rape, holding that crimes against women warrant a strict judicial response and no leniency. Citing the Manusmriti and Mahatma Gandhi, the Court underscored that women’s dignity is integral to India’s moral and constitutional fabric. (September 04, 2025)
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India Joins Global HealthAI Regulatory Network: India has joined the HealthAI Global Regulatory Network (GRN), a worldwide initiative aimed at ensuring safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence in healthcare. Through collaboration with ICMR-NIRDHDS and IndiaAI, India will help develop global standards, share regulatory expertise, and strengthen oversight of AI-driven medical technologies. (September 04, 2025)
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Relief to Tribal Woman Denied Job for One-Day Delay: In Shreya Kumari Tirkey v. State of Jharkhand & Ors., The Supreme Court granted relief to a tribal woman whose job offer was cancelled for being one day late in completing a mandatory medical test, holding that such a technical rejection was disproportionate and violative of her rights under Articles 14 & 16. (September 04, 2025)
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Married Daughter Entitled to Compassionate Appointment: In Savita v. State of H.P. & Ors., Himachal Pradesh High Court held that a married daughter cannot be excluded from consideration for compassionate appointment merely because of her marital status, deeming such exclusion arbitrary and violative of Articles 14 and 15; it directed the authorities to reconsider her claim afresh, factoring her as part of the deceased employee’s family for income and eligibility assessment. (September 05, 2025)
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Refund of Unutilized ITC Allowed on Business Closure under CGST Act: In Union of India & Ors. v. SICPA India Pvt. Ltd., the Sikkim High Court held that refund of unutilized Input Tax Credit (ITC) can be claimed upon business closure under Sections 49(6) and 54 of the CGST Act, even though Section 54(3) restricts refund to specific cases. The Court reasoned that retaining credit without lawful authority would be unjust and contrary to the scheme of the Act. (September 05, 2025)
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India Clinch 2025 Men’s Hockey Asia Cup Title: India defeated South Korea 4–1 in the final held at Rajgir, Bihar, to win their fourth Asia Cup title, ending an eight-year trophy drought. (September 07, 2025)
- Matrimonial Discord Alone Not Enough to Prove Abetment of Suicide: In Rachana Devi & Ors. v. State of U.P., the Allahabad High Court held that mere matrimonial discord or domestic disputes, without evidence of instigation or guilty intention, cannot sustain a charge of abetment of suicide under Section 306 IPC (now Section 108 BNS). (September 08, 2025)
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India, Iran & Armenia Agree to Advance Cooperation on INSTC: In a trilateral meeting held in Tehran, India, Iran, and Armenia agreed to intensify collaboration on the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), highlighting the strategic role of Iran’s Chabahar Port in expanding regional connectivity and trade. (September 08, 2025)
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International Conference on Space 2025: The CII-organised International Conference on Space was held on 8–9 September 2025 at Bengaluru, bringing together policymakers, industry, researchers, and space agencies to discuss India’s evolving “NewSpace” trajectory, private sector participation, indigenous capabilities, satellite communications, Earth observation, and international collaboration. (September 08, 2025)
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Derogatory Facebook Posts Against the National Flag, Bail Denied: In Vasik Tyagi v. State of U.P., Allahabad High Court rejected bail to an individual accused of posting morphed images insulting the Indian flag and glorifying Pakistan, holding that such acts threaten the unity, integrity, and dignity of the nation and cannot receive sympathetic consideration. (September 08, 2025)
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Neighbourhood Quarrels Alone Insufficient to Constitute Abetment of Suicide: In Geeta v. State of Karnataka, the Supreme Court acquitted a woman convicted under Section 306 IPC, holding that routine disputes, insults, or verbal altercations between neighbours—even if protracted—do not amount to abetment unless there is clear proof of instigation or conduct intended to drive the victim to suicide. (September 09, 2025)
- Supreme Court Prohibits Photography and Videography Inside High Security Zone: The Supreme Court, through a circular, barred all photography and videography within its High Security Zone, permitting media coverage only from designated Low Security areas. The directive prohibits the use of cameras, mobile phones, or recording devices in restricted zones and warns that any violation by advocates, litigants, staff, or media personnel may attract disciplinary action or suspension of entry privileges. (September 10, 2025)
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Medical Reimbursement Cannot Be Refused Due to Change in Hospital’s Name: In Dr. Shivanandappa Doddagoudar v. State of Karnataka & Ors., Karnataka High Court held that a government servant’s claim for medical reimbursement cannot be denied merely because the hospital changed its name, so long as the hospital continues to be the same legal entity that was earlier recognized; administrative failure to update the name in official lists cannot prejudice the claimant. (September 10, 2025)
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Rajasthan HC Defends Right to Education: Employee’s Transfer Halted for Daughter’s Exams: In Pushkar Naraian Sharma v. Union of India & Ors., Rajasthan High Court stayed the transfer of a BSNL engineer from Jaipur to Karnataka until March 2026, concluding that relocating him during his daughter’s Class XII board exams would disrupt her education and violate her constitutional right under Article 21. (September 10, 2025)
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Duty to Decide on Merits Prevails Until Case Is Dismissed by Formal Order: In Mangat Ram (deceased) through LRs v. State of Himachal Pradesh & Ors., Himachal Pradesh High Court held that a plaintiff’s withdrawal application or statement does not automatically terminate a suit; until the court passes a formal dismissal order under Order XXIII CPC, the plaintiff may retract the withdrawal and insist the dispute be decided on merits. (September 10, 2025)
- MP High Court on Police Use of Mobiles: In Ashok Kumar Tripathi v. State of Madhya Pradesh & Ors., the Madhya Pradesh High Court upheld the compulsory retirement of a constable found intoxicated on guard duty, and used the case to warn that police must keep their “eyes on duty, not on screen,” cautioning that mobile/social media distraction among officers is akin to a new form of intoxication undermining discipline. (September 11, 2025)
- Father Cannot Reclaim Overpaid Maintenance After Children Attain Majority: Himachal Pradesh High Court in Rishita Kapur & Anr. v. Vijay Kapur & Anr. held that a father cannot reclaim maintenance paid to children after they reach majority, even if payments were made in excess, since such payments arise from a moral parental duty rather than a recoverable legal debt. (September 12, 2025)
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Albania Appoints AI “Minister” Diella to Cabinet: Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced Diella, an AI-powered virtual entity, as a “Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence” overseeing public procurement and tenders. Diella originally functioned as a digital assistant on the e-Albania portal; now elevated to a cabinet role, she is tasked with ensuring transparency and reducing corruption in government tendering processes. (September 12, 2025)
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PM Modi Launches Gyan Bharatam Portal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Gyan Bharatam Portal, a digital platform under the Gyan Bharatam Mission aimed at preserving, digitising, and disseminating India’s vast manuscript heritage. (September 12, 2025)
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Supreme Court Grants Interim Relief, Stays Key Provisions but Keeps Registration Requirement: In re: Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, the Supreme Court, accepting a challenge to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, issued interim directions restraining fresh appointments to Waqf Boards and protecting existing waqfs from alteration or de-notification, while maintaining that the mandatory registration of waqfs under Section 36 must continue pending final adjudication. (September 15, 2025)
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Leniency in Delay Condonation of Written Statements Will Undermine CPC’s Objective: In Kewal Krishan v. Gulshan Kumar & Ors., Delhi High Court held that delay in filing a written statement under Order VIII Rule 1 CPC can be condoned only in exceptional circumstances, warning that routinely granting leniency would erode procedural discipline and defeat the objective of the 2002 CPC amendments. (September 15, 2025)
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Playing Video Evidence Before Witness Not Mandatory for Admissibility: In Kailas v. State of Maharashtra, the Supreme Court held that once a video recording satisfies the authentication requirements under Section 65B of the Evidence Act, it becomes admissible like any other document, and there is no legal necessity to play it before every witness or include its full transcription in evidence. (September 15, 2025)
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Participation in Another Religion’s Festival Does Not Violate Constitutional Rights: In H.S. Gaurav v. State of Karnataka, Karnataka High Court dismissed petitions challenging the invitation of a Muslim author as the chief guest for the Dasara festival inauguration at a temple, holding that interfaith participation in religious‐cultural events does not infringe Articles 25 or 26, and that inviting a non-Hindu dignitary to a State-sponsored function is constitutionally valid. (September 15, 2025)
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Polygamy Under Muslim Law Conditional on Equal Responsibility: In Jubairiya v. Saidalavi, Kerala High Court held that Muslim men do not have an unfettered right to polygamy; they may only marry additional wives if they can ensure fairness, justice, and equal maintenance to all. (September 15, 2025)
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Spouse Can Sue Partner’s Lover for Ruining Marriage: In Shelly Mahajan v. Ms. Bhanushree Bahl & Anr., Delhi High Court held that a spouse may file a civil suit claiming damages against their partner’s lover under the tort of Alienation of Affection, recognising intentional and wrongful interference with marital bonds as a possible cause of action. (September 15, 2025)
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Xerox Copy of a Cheque Admissible as Secondary Evidence: In Mohammed Iqbal v. S. Manonmanian, Madras High Court held that when an original cheque was earlier produced, verified by court, and then lost, its xerox copy can be admitted as secondary evidence under Sections 63 & 65 of the Evidence Act, and the trial court’s refusal to accept it solely for lack of proof of loss was unsustainable. (September 16, 2025)
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Karta’s Power to Alienate Family Property Upheld: In Dastagirsab v. Sharanappa @ Shivasharanappa Police Patil & Ors., the Supreme Court held that a Karta of a Hindu Undivided Family may validly sell HUF property to meet marriage expenses—even if the marriage occurred years earlier—because such debts can have a cascading effect, and such transactions bind all coparceners if bona fide and substantiated. (September 16, 2025)
- Allahabad HC Initiates Contempt Action Over Defamatory WhatsApp Message Against Judge: In Re: Krishna Kumar Pandey, Allahabad High Court initiated criminal contempt proceedings against a man for spreading a defamatory WhatsApp message accusing a judge of corruption. The Court held that such digital misconduct undermines judicial authority and that free speech cannot be used to malign the judiciary. (September 18, 2025)
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Denial of Intimacy and Child Alienation as Matrimonial Cruelty: In Dhan Vati @ Dhanno v. Satish Kumar, Delhi High Court affirmed that prolonged refusal of marital intimacy (without valid reason) and deliberate alienation of a child from a parent together constitute cruelty under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, justifying divorce. (September 19, 2025)
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Sports as a Tool of Social Unity: Supreme Court Calls for Equal Access Beyond Urban Elite: In All India Football Federation v. Rahul Mehra & Ors., the Supreme Court observed that sports serve as a vital means to foster fraternity, social justice, and cohesion, and urged the State to ensure inclusive access by investing in grassroots infrastructure and extending opportunities beyond metropolitan elites. (September 19, 2025)
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Value-Added Processes on Imported Goods Qualify as ‘Manufacture’ for Excise Purposes: In Quippo Energy Ltd. v. Commissioner of Central Excise, Ahmedabad-II, the Supreme Court held that when imported goods are repackaged, modified, and combined with additional components to create a new, distinct, and marketable product, such activity constitutes “manufacture” under Section 2(f) of the Central Excise Act. (September 19, 2025)
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Arshdeep Singh Becomes First Indian Men’s Bowler to Claim 100 T20I Wickets — Arshdeep Singh achieved the milestone during India’s final group match of the 2025 Asia Cup by dismissing Oman’s Vinayak Shukla. Reaching 100 wickets in just 64 T20Is, he became the 25th bowler overall and the 13th fast bowler in the elite 100-plus wicket club, marking a historic moment for Indian men’s cricket. (September 20, 2025)
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Supreme Court Clarifies Principles Governing Retrospective Operation of Laws: In M. Rajendran & Ors. v. KPK Oils & Proteins India & Ors., the Supreme Court clarified that the 2016 amendment to Section 13(8) of the SARFAESI Act applies prospectively, reiterating that laws affecting vested or substantive rights cannot operate retrospectively unless the legislature expressly provides so. The Court emphasized that retrospective application is permissible only for procedural or clarificatory provisions and not when it alters existing rights or obligations. (September 22, 2025)
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PhonePe Receives Final RBI Nod to Operate as Online Payment Aggregator: The Reserve Bank of India has granted PhonePe its final authorization to function as an online payment aggregator, enabling it to onboard online merchants and expand its payment gateway services, particularly for small and medium businesses. (September 22, 2025)
- No Parity Between PG Diploma and PG Degree in Promotions: In Dr. Sunil Dutt v. State of Himachal Pradesh & Ors., Himachal Pradesh High Court held that a PG Diploma is not equivalent to a PG Degree for promotions to Assistant Professor under the Himachal Pradesh Medical Education Service Rules, 1999. (September 23, 2025)
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Madras HC on Duty to Wife and Mother: In R. Ananda Prakash & Ors. v. A. Malarvizhi, Madras High Court affirmed that a man cannot evade his legal and moral duty to maintain his wife and mother, upholding a Family Court’s order directing the husband and his sons to pay ₹21,000 per month as maintenance. (September 23, 2025)
- Wife’s Right to Maintenance Stands Independent of Voidable Marriage: In Sweta Jaiswal v. State of U.P. & Another, the Allahabad High Court held that a wife’s entitlement to maintenance under Section 125 CrPC (or Section 144 BNSS) cannot be denied simply because the marriage might be voidable; until a competent court annuls it, the marital status and attendant rights remain. (September 24, 2025)
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States Cannot Impose Discriminatory Taxes on Goods from Other States: In M/s U.P. Asbestos Ltd. v. State of Rajasthan & Ors., the Court struck down a Rajasthan notification granting VAT exemption to asbestos products manufactured within the State but not to identical goods imported from other States, holding that such preferential treatment violated Article 304(a) by discriminating against inter-state goods. (September 24, 2025)
- Separate Divorce Pleas Cannot Be Converted into Mutual Consent Petition: In Upinder Kaur Malhotra v. Capt. Teghjeet Singh Malhotra, Delhi High Court held that two independent divorce petitions filed on fault grounds (under Section 13 HMA), even if filed by both spouses, cannot be converted into a mutual consent petition under Section 13B because mutual consent must pre-exist and persist; only the Supreme Court under Article 142 may exceptionally do so. (September 24, 2025)
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Government Functions Cannot Be Restricted by Estoppel: In Divyagnakumari Harisinh Parmar & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors., the Supreme Court reaffirmed that sovereign or regulatory actions, such as rescinding land grants or enforcing statutory conditions, cannot be barred by estoppel, delay, or waiver because government functions serve the public interest and must remain unfettered. (September 24, 2025)
- Kerala HC Awards ₹3 Lakh Compensation in Domestic Acid Attack Case: In XXXXXXXX v. State of Kerala, the Court upheld the conviction of a husband who committed an acid attack on his wife and four children, holding him liable under Section 326A IPC. It directed the State to pay ₹3,00,000 each in compensation to all the victims, emphasising that courts must ensure both punishment and relief in heinous crimes like acid attacks. (September 25, 2025)
- SC Cancels Property Auction Sale for Non-Disclosure of Encumbrances, Orders Refund: In Delhi Development Authority v. Corporation Bank & Ors., the Supreme Court invalidated a property auction after finding that encumbrances were not disclosed in the notice. The Court held the mortgage void due to a lack of government consent and ordered the bank to refund the auction purchaser with interest, stressing transparency, accountability of banks, and protection of bona fide buyers in judicial sales. (September 25, 2025)
- When Trial Court Lacks Jurisdiction, Return of Plaint Is Mandatory: In Akshay Quenim v. Royce Savio Pereira, Bombay High Court held that when a trial court lacks jurisdiction—be it territorial, pecuniary, or subject matter—it must return the plaint under Order VII Rule 10 of the CPC instead of proceeding with the case. The Court further clarified that a plaint filed without proper jurisdiction cannot be cured through amendment, as jurisdiction must exist at the time of filing. (September 25, 2025)
- Delhi HC Rules Courtship Isn’t a Binding Promise to Marry: In Naveen Yadav v. State (NCT of Delhi), the Delhi High Court held that ending a courtship does not amount to a criminal “breach of promise” to marry under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The court observed that courtship is meant to assess compatibility, and withdrawing from an earlier intention to marry—without dishonest intent from the start—cannot be equated with deception. It granted bail to the accused, reiterating that mere change of mind does not establish criminal liability. (September 26, 2025)
- Marriage Between Victim and Accused Does Not Nullify POCSO Proceedings: In Mirza Aslam Beigh v. State of Maharashtra, the Bombay High Court held that a later marriage between the victim and the accused does not erase liability under the POCSO Act, as consent of a minor is legally invalid and marriage cannot legitimise a sexual offence. (September 26, 2025)
- Using “Croose” Found to Infringe on “Crocs” Trademark: In Crocs Inc. v. Registrar of Trade Marks & Anr., court held that “Croose” is deceptively similar to “Crocs” in visual, phonetic, and structural aspects when used for footwear (same class), making it likely to confuse consumers, and directed cancellation of the “Croose” registration. (September 26, 2025)
- Personality Rights of Asha Bhosle Against AI Misuse: In Asha Bhosle v. Mayk Inc. & Ors., the Bombay High Court recognised that a celebrity’s personality rights extend to protection against unauthorised AI misuse of her voice, image, and likeness, and granted ad-interim injunctions restraining such exploitation. (September 29, 2025)
- Awareness or Incidental Benefit Alone Doesn’t Confer Contractual Rights: In Shree Construction Company v. Bagwe Housing Pvt. Ltd. & Ors., the Bombay High Court held that simply being aware of a contract or receiving incidental advantages from it does not establish privity of contract, and thus cannot grant enforceable rights against third parties. (September 29, 2025)