Law & Justice This Week: Big Wins, Court Orders & Legal Milestones [November 3- November 9, 2025]
Key Judicial Developments of the Week In India
1. Stray dogs: Having regard to the alarming rise of dog bites in the institutional areas, the Supreme Court of India has ordered the State governments and Union Territories to identify such educational, health institutions and ensure that the premises are secured with fences to restrict the ingress of stray dogs.
Read more here
2. 2023 Akola riots and SC's remark on secularism: In a review petition against its own order directing a Special Investigation Team comprising Hindu and Muslim officers, the Supreme Court delivered a split verdict, with one judge calling out “total dereliction of duty” by police. Notably, Justice Sanjay Kumar remarked that secularism must be actively exercised and cannot remain a mere constitutional ideal, while upholding the order for a mixed-community SIT.
Read more on SC split verdict here and on Justice Kumar's remarks here
3. Property ownership: The Supreme Court has ruled that simply proving ownership or title over a property is not enough if the plaintiff is not in possession. The person must also seek recovery of possession through the court.
Read more here
4. Gender disparity in Bar councils: The Supreme Court issued notice on a plea challenging striking gender disparities in the leadership of bar councils, where only 9 women lead compared to 432 men across India.
Read more here
5. Demolition of Ujjain’s Takiya mosque: The Supreme Court upheld the legality of the demolition of a mosque in Ujjain, reiterating state power over unauthorised religious structure removals.
Read more here
6. Air pollution: A public interest litigation has been filed in the apex court seeking to have air pollution declared as a national public health emergency with corresponding legal and policy mechanisms. In another matter, the Supreme Court called for a report from Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Central Pollution Control Board on the steps taken to prevent the pollution from worsening further.
Read more on the PIL here and on the SC order here
7. Rajasthan’s anti-conversion law: The Supreme Court issued notice on a plea challenging the constitutional validity of the Rajasthan Freedom of Religion Act, 2024 (anti-conversion law) passed by the state legislature.
Read more here
8. Gross misuse of SC/ST law: The Allahabad High Court found misuse of SC/ST (A) Act and ordered two women to refund Rs 4.5 lakh compensation while the accused must deposit Rs 5 lakh as fine.
Read more here
9. Christians' monopoly on public land: The Madras High Court allowed Hindus to conduct Annadhanam on the public ground near Dindigul's Kaliyamman Temple, stressing that government land cannot be reserved exclusively for Christians' Easter use.
Read more here
10. Disturbing trend of media reporting: The Delhi High Court observed a worrisome practice where media outlets sensationalise routine judicial commentary, distracting from actual legal issues.
Read more here
11. Assam demographic change: The Gauhati High Court recently observed that Assam is facing a “silent and invidious demographic invasion” due to unabated illegal migration from Bangladesh, describing the phenomenon as “external aggression” and upholding the State’s absolute authority to expel declared foreign nationals even if deportation is not possible.
Read more here