Legal Insights

January 2026

11 min read

Does the transition to the BNSS alter the well-settled principles governing the High Court's inherent power to quash criminal proceedings? An early assessment.

Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 re-enacts the inherent power formerly housed in Section 482 CrPC. The provision is textually identical in its operative part, yet the renumbering and broader statutory transition have prompted fresh arguments before the Punjab and Haryana High Court about whether the pre-existing quashing jurisprudence survives intact.

February 2026

7 min read

A practical guide for non-resident Indians who discover they are named in criminal proceedings in Punjab or Haryana.

Non-resident Indians who discover they are named in an FIR or criminal complaint in Punjab or Haryana face a distinct set of risks and procedural options. This article maps the landscape — from lookout circulars to anticipatory bail to quashing — and sets out the practical steps that should be taken before any return to India.

May 2026

10 min read

When does a private entity become amenable to writ jurisdiction? A survey of the Supreme Court's evolving doctrine and its application in Punjab and Haryana.

The traditional understanding of writ jurisdiction under Article 226 confined its reach to "the State" as defined under Article 12. Over the past two decades, the Supreme Court has progressively extended the High Courts' supervisory reach to private bodies that discharge public functions or are imbued with public character.

February 2026

6 min read

An examination of the Punjab and Haryana High Court's approach to seniority-cum-merit promotions and the remedies available to aggrieved government employees.

Seniority and promotion disputes in Punjab and Haryana government service generate a steady stream of writ petitions before the High Court. The court has over the years developed a consistent — if nuanced — jurisprudence on the interplay between seniority, merit, and the rules governing departmental promotion committees.

April 2026

7 min read

A practitioner's guide to the compensation framework under the Right to Fair Compensation Act and the procedural avenues available to landowners in Punjab and Haryana.

Land acquisition disputes remain among the most heavily litigated matters before the district courts and the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013 introduced a significantly more generous compensation framework than its predecessor.

March 2026

9 min read

From fraudulent transfers to encroachment and family partition — how non-resident Indians can protect and recover property interests in Punjab and Haryana.

Property disputes are the single most common legal matter for non-resident Indians with roots in Punjab and Haryana. This article surveys the principal categories of NRI property disputes, the remedies available, and the strategic considerations that should inform the choice of forum and approach.

March 2026

9 min read

How the Supreme Court's landmark directions on maintenance have reshaped proceedings in family courts across Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh.

In Rajnesh v. Neha (2020), the Supreme Court issued comprehensive directions aimed at rationalising the maintenance regime across all personal law statutes and the criminal procedure code. The directions have had a significant practical impact on proceedings before the family courts of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh.

April 2026

10 min read

A guide for non-resident Indians navigating divorce, custody, and maintenance proceedings that span Indian and foreign jurisdictions.

NRI matrimonial disputes are among the most complex matters in Indian family law — involving questions of jurisdiction, the recognition of foreign decrees, international child abduction, and the enforcement of maintenance orders across borders. This article surveys the key issues and the Punjab and Haryana High Court's approach.