Latest StoriesRegulatory

SC Limits Activity on 100 Acres of Disputed Shamshabad Land

HYDERABAD: The Supreme Court has instructed private parties claiming a significant 100-acre disputed parcel in Shamshabad and Paigah village, allegedly owned by HMDA, to halt any construction or transfer of property until their appeal is resolved in the Telangana high court. The division bench, comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma, was reviewing a petition from Mohammad Taher Khan, who claims ownership of the land based on specific survey numbers. HMDA (formerly HUDA) argued it had acquired approximately 180 acres in the 1990s, and that when objections arose over the increased compensation amounts, the Supreme Court mandated an enhancement…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

SC grants bail to ex-DHFL promoters in loan scam case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has granted bail to former DHFL promoters Kapil Wadhawan and his brother Dheeraj, acknowledging that an undertrial should not be detained indefinitely in relation to a multi-crore bank loan scam. In a ruling on December 11, Justices J K Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi stated that prolonged incarceration without trial undermines Article 21, which safeguards the right to life and personal liberty. The court emphasized that under Indian law, “bail is the rule, and jail is the exception,” a principle fundamental to criminal jurisprudence. It added that pretrial imprisonment must not evolve into punitive action without…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

SC Grants One-Week Stay for UP Property Demolition Petitions

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday granted temporary relief for one week to two petitioners whose properties in Uttar Pradesh are slated for demolition. The court directed that the current state of affairs be preserved until the specified time. A bench comprised of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta instructed the petitioners, who claimed that partial demolition of their residential or banquet hall properties had already occurred, to seek further orders from the Allahabad High Court. The court cited the ongoing partial demolition as the basis for granting this week of interim relief. “Taking into consideration the aforementioned scenario,…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

No GST on Leasing Residential Premises as Student Hostels: SC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that leasing residential premises to entities utilizing them as hostels for students and working professionals is exempt from GST. Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan upheld the Karnataka High Court’s decision, affirming that such leasing practices are indeed exempt under GST. “In this instance, the primary purpose of the property as a residence is unchanged. Imposing an 18% GST on the transaction between the respondent No. 1 and the lessee, M/s DTwelve Spaces Private Limited, would eventually burden students and working professionals, undermining the legislative intent of providing exemptions for residential use,”…

Latest StoriesResidential

Vasant Kunj Residents Protest Group Housing on Morphological Ridge

NEW DELHI: Residents of B-1, Vasant Kunj, protested at Jantar Mantar on Sunday against the approval of a group housing project proposed on the Morphological Ridge. The project received clearance from the Supreme Court-appointed Centre Empowered Committee, along with NoCs from DDA, MCD, the Airports Authority of India, and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, as well as the State Level Expert Appraisal Committee. Protesters carried placards that read “Our Air, Our Right — Not for Sale” and “Building Towers, Burying Lungs,” voicing their opposition to the plans for three 10-storey luxury towers with three-level basements on…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

SC Directs ED to Release V Hotels Assets to Lodha Developers

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has ordered the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to unfreeze 12 properties of corporate debtor V Hotels Ltd, which includes land in Maharashtra valued at approximately ₹4,000 crore. This decision marks a significant victory for Lodha Developers, which acquired V Hotels through the insolvency resolution process last year. Among the assets to be released is Mumbai’s prestigious Centaur Hotel located in Juhu. Lodha Developers, previously known as Macrotech Developers, acquired V Hotels via a ₹890-crore resolution plan sanctioned by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in April of last year. The company had deposited ₹520.80 crore as…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

SC Delays Sahara’s Property Sale Hearing to Adani by 6 Weeks

NEW DELHI: On Monday, the Supreme Court postponed the hearing on Sahara Group’s request to sell properties to the Adani Group by six weeks. The court directed the Centre to respond to the note submitted by the amicus curiae regarding the matter. A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justices Surya Kant and MM Sundresh incorporated the Ministry of Cooperation after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed that multiple cooperative societies formed by the Sahara Group may be impacted. Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, acting as an amicus curiae, presented a note to the court, highlighting numerous objections regarding the properties…

IndustryLatest Stories

Unitech’s Q2 FY26 Loss Shrinks to ₹739 Crore

NEW DELHI: Realty company Unitech Ltd has narrowed its consolidated net loss to ₹738.72 crore for the most recent September quarter. This is a decrease from a net loss of ₹766.76 crore in the same quarter last year. Total revenue rose to ₹151.01 crore in the second quarter of this fiscal year, up from ₹79.94 crore during the previous year, as per a regulatory announcement. In 2020, the company’s board was superseded by the central government following a directive from the Supreme Court. Following this, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs proposed a new board’s formation, which received Supreme Court approval…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

SC nullifies Bombay HC ruling on ‘private forests’ classification

Supreme Court of India MUMBAI: In a blow to the state government, the Supreme Court annulled a 2018 Bombay High Court decision that allowed the Maharashtra revenue department to designate land across Mumbai, Thane, and elsewhere as “private forests,” which curtailed development potential. The SC criticized the HC ruling for failing to adhere to a binding precedent mandating a meticulous process before classifying private land as part of the green pool. The plots varied in size from one acre to 100 acres. The HC bench, led by Justice S C Dharmadhikari, had dismissed 173 petitions and endorsed the state’s initiative…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

SC Flags Issues, Urges Law Panel to Explore Blockchain for Property

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has raised concerns about systemic weaknesses in colonial-era property laws, advocating for nationwide reform. The court has instructed the Law Commission to create a comprehensive report examining the use of Blockchain technology to modernize property registration processes. Blockchain technology offers a secure, transparent, and immutable digital ledger for property transactions, significantly reducing fraud and improving verification processes for ownership and transactions through smart contracts. This directive followed a landmark ruling from a bench consisting of Justices Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi, which invalidated Bihar’s 2019 amendment that allowed registration authorities to deny registration of…