The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court held that women doctors cannot be denied salaries during maternity leave once leave is granted under service rules. The Court ruled maternity benefits are constitutional rights flowing from dignity, equality and reproductive autonomy, not government charity.
The Patna High Court quashed a photo studio owner’s conviction for attempted rape, holding that the allegations constituted outraging modesty but did not satisfy the legal ingredients of attempt to rape. The Court cited absence of medical evidence and any unequivocal overt act establishing attempted rape.
The Madras High Court held that appointments of public prosecutors and government law officers must be based on merit, competence and integrity, not political recommendations. The Court emphasised that an independent, efficient prosecution system is essential for fair criminal justice and effective representation of victims and the State.
The Madras High Court ruled that advocates have no vested or fundamental right to demand out-of-turn listing of pending cases. Dismissing a lawyer’s plea, the Court held that only genuinely urgent matters may receive priority through established judicial procedures and exceptional listing protocols.