High Court
Himachal Pradesh High Court
Shimla
The Himachal Pradesh High Court was established in 1971. It has jurisdiction over the state of Himachal Pradesh.
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News & Updates Published
Order
Keeping Unlicensed Medicines on Clinic Rack Amounts to “Offer for Sale”, Violates Section 27 of Drugs & Cosmetics Act: Himachal Pradesh High Court
In a crucial judgment reinforcing the strict compliance of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has ruled that merely keeping allopathic drugs on racks in a clinic without a valid license amounts to an offer for sale, thus attracting penal action under Section 27(b)(ii), Drugs and Cosmetics…
Order
Love Letters Sent by Victim to Accused Are Pure Reflections of Her Feelings': Acquittal in Rape Case Upheld: Himachal Pradesh High Court '
In a significant ruling dated 29 August 2025, the High Court of Himachal Pradesh at Shimla dismissed an appeal filed by the State against an acquittal order passed in a case involving charges under Section 376, Section 504, Section 506 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and Section 3(i)(xii) of the Scheduled Castes and…
Order
Promotional Benefits Can't Be Denied Post-Retirement If Juniors Were Promoted Earlier: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court, in a significant ruling on service rights, held that an employee cannot be deprived of the benefits of regular promotion and consequential entitlements simply on the ground that he retired, especially when his juniors were promoted and regularized during his tenure. The judgment was…
Order
Divisional Commissioner Has No Power to Review an Already Decided Appeal: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court, in a significant ruling on administrative powers, held that a Divisional Commissioner has no jurisdiction to reopen or rehear an appeal once it has been finally decided. The decision was delivered by Justice Ajay Mohan Goel in the matter titled Manish Dharmaik VERSUS State of H.P. &…
Order
POCSO Act | Bail Cannot Be Denied to Accused Merely Because Victims Were Traumatised: Himachal Pradesh High Court
In a significant ruling related to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, the Himachal Pradesh High Court, on 27 August 2025, granted regular bail to four accused in a case involving allegations of sexual harassment of minor girls. The Court emphasized that bail cannot be denied solely on the…
Order
Mandatory to Implead Alleged Paramour of Spouse in Divorce Petitions on Grounds of Adultery: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has clarified a crucial legal position under Section 13(1)(i) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, holding that it is not just necessary but mandatory to implead the alleged paramour when a divorce is sought on the ground of adultery. The Court emphasized that this is not a procedural formality but a…
Order
Person Not Liable for Encroachment Under Section 33 of Indian Forest Act Without Notification of Reserved Forest: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court recently delivered a significant judgment regarding liability under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, specifically dealing with encroachment on forest land. The petitioner was accused under Section 447 of the Indian Penal Code for trespass and Sections 32 and 33 of the Indian Forest Act for…
Order
Teachers in Himachal Cannot Claim Pay Parity with Punjab Teachers Merely Because HP Follows Punjab Pay Commission: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has dismissed a petition filed by the Himachal Pradesh Polytechnic Teachers Welfare Association and other petitioners, who had sought a direction to the State Government for granting them pay scale parity with their counterparts in the State of Punjab. The High Court held that Himachal…
Order
Welfare State Must Be Impartial, Cannot Be "Touchy" When Employees Approach Court for Rightful Claim: Himachal Pradesh High Court
In a significant judgment under service jurisprudence, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has extended the retirement age of Professor Susheela Rana, criticizing the state authorities for acting with bias simply because the petitioner sought judicial redress for her lawful service claims. Justice Sandeep Sharma, while…
Order
Employee Cannot Claim Promotion Merely on Eligibility If Departmental Promotion Committee Was Not Convened Before Retirement: Himachal Pradesh High Court
In a significant ruling, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has clarified that an employee cannot claim promotion as a matter of vested right merely because he was found eligible for promotion, particularly when the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) was convened after his retirement. The judgment was delivered by…
Order
NDPS Act | Non-Production of Seal Used to Secure Recovered Contraband Does Not Vitiate Trial: Himachal Pradesh High Court
On the night of 26 September 2018, police officials in a village in Himachal Pradesh were on routine night patrolling when they noticed a Bolero vehicle parked in a lonely area with its internal light switched on. Suspicious of the situation, the police approached the vehicle and questioned the driver for documents.…
Order
HP Co-Operative Societies Act | No One Can Be Condemned Unheard, Even If Act Lacks Provision for Filing Objections: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has ruled that even though the Himachal Pradesh Co-operative Societies Act, 1968 does not expressly provide for filing objections during execution proceedings, the principles of natural justice must be upheld. The Court emphasized that the judgment debtor must be given an opportunity to…
Judgment
No Prima Facie Offence of Deceitful Sexual Intercourse When Both Parties Were Married to Others: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court granted regular bail to Vinod Kumar, who had been in custody since 17.08.2026 in connection with FIR No. 12 of 2026 registered at Women Police Station, Bilaspur. The case involves allegations under Sections 64 and 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s)…
Judgment
Maintenance for Wife Under Section 125 Cr.P.C. Enhanced to Protect Women’s Rights: Himachal Pradesh High Court
In a significant judgment delivered by the High Court of Himachal Pradesh at Shimla, Hon'ble Justice Vivek Singh Thakur has modified an order related to maintenance of a wife under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.P.C.). The case involved the wife, Kusum Thakur, who challenged a lower court’s decision to…
Judgment
Security Cheque Can Trigger Section 138 Depending on the Circumstances, High Court Explains: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has dismissed an appeal filed by R.S. Shukla against the acquittal of Manjeet Singh and other accused in a cheque dishonour case under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. Justice Rakesh Kainthla delivered the judgment on 21 August 2026, holding that although the accused…
Judgment
Cheque Dishonour Under Section 138 NI Act: Statutory Presumption Against Drawer Explained: Himachal Pradesh High
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has dismissed a criminal revision filed by Dalel Singh and upheld the conviction arising from a cheque dishonour case involving Satish Kumar. Justice Rakesh Kainthla delivered the judgment on 19 August 2026 in Cr. Revision No. 451 of 2015. The Court examined important issues concerning…
Judgment
FIR Against Liquor Bottling Unit Quashed Over Failure to Affix Holograms; ₹1 Lakh Penalty Imposed Under Excise Act: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has declared that the failure to affix holograms on liquor bottles does not amount to a criminal offence under Sections 39(1) and 39(2) of the Himachal Pradesh Excise Act, 2011. The Court clarified that such an omission falls under Section 43 of the Act, which deals with penalties that…
Judgment
Prisoner's Parole Cannot Be Denied Solely Because Six Months Have Not Elapsed Since the Previous Release: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has delivered an important judgment emphasizing that a prisoner’s request for parole cannot be rejected just because six months have not passed since their last release. The Court clarified that the statutory provisions do not restrict prisoners from applying for parole before the…
Judgment
Kasol 'Rave Party' Row | Court Takes Suo Motu Note of News Report, Orders Spot Inspection: Himachal Pradesh High Court
In a significant order concerning alleged illegal rave parties and drug-related activities in Himachal Pradesh's tourism belt, the Himachal Pradesh High Court directed the Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, Kullu, to conduct a spot inspection of the suspected event site in Kasol. The Court passed the…
Judgment
Defamation and Misconduct During Matrimonial Interaction Initiated Through a Matrimonial Website: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The High Court of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla decided a Criminal Revision Petition filed by Hritik Gupta challenging an order of the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kangra at Dharamshala. The dispute arose from a private criminal complaint filed by the petitioner against Amritanshu Gupta alleging cheating, defamation,…
Judgment
State Cannot Escape Liability for Unsafe Road Repair Work, Compensation Upheld for Youth Killed in Accident: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has upheld compensation awarded to the mother of a 25-year-old man who died in a motorcycle accident caused by unsafe road repair work on National Highway-20. The Court held that the State authorities and contractor were negligent because they failed to install proper warning signboards…
Judgment
Bail Granted in POCSO Case After Victim Expresses Desire to Marry Accused: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has granted regular bail to a man accused under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 after considering the statement of the victim that she was in a consensual relationship with him and intended to marry him. The Court observed that although consent of a minor has…
Judgment
Bail Granted in Alleged Stalking and Assault Case Under IPC and POCSO Act: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The High Court of Himachal Pradesh at Shimla decided a bail petition filed by the petitioner Rajesh Kumar in connection with Criminal Miscellaneous Petition (Main) No. 451 of 2026 arising out of FIR No. 47 of 2022 registered at Police Station Patlikuhal, District Kullu. The case involved allegations under Sections…
Judgment
Cheque Dishonour Conviction Upheld in Loan Default Case Under Section 138 NI Act: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court delivered an important judgment on 25.03.2026 in a cheque dishonour case under Section 138 Negotiable Instruments Act. The case involved Daulat Ram, who had taken a loan of ₹1,50,000 from H.P. State Co-Operative Agriculture & Rural Development Bank. Due to default in repayment, the…
Order
Civil Court Can Seek Police Aid to Enforce Injunction: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed police to enforce an injunction protecting Prem Lal, a senior citizen, from alleged interference with his house and land by his son Ravinder Kumar and daughter-in-law Sapna. The case concerns 8-12 bighas of land in Village Bhagwani, District Bilaspur. Prem Lal had filed a…
Order
Pre-Arrest Bail Granted in Case Concerning Proposed Road Through 0.50 Hectares of Forest Land: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court on 28 September 2026 granted pre-arrest bail to Manish Aggarwal and Yashpal Aggarwal in a case arising from FIR No. 1 of 2026, registered on 3 March 2026 at Police Station SV and ACB, Nahan, District Sirmaur. The FIR concerns alleged offences under Sections 420, 447 and 120B of the…
Order
School With Just 12 Students Merged With Nearby Government School, Decision Upheld: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has dismissed a petition challenging the merger of Government Middle School, Sandyar, in District Bilaspur, with Government Senior Secondary School, Chhat. The School Management Committee had challenged a government notification dated 10.06.2026, seeking restoration of Government Middle…
Order
Penetration to Any Extent Constitutes Penetrative Sexual Assault Under POCSO, Sentence Upheld: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has dismissed an appeal filed by Shyam Veer against his conviction in a sexual assault case involving a minor child. The judgment was delivered on 16 September 2026 in Criminal Appeal No. 347 of 2022. The case arose from an incident on 27 April 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown. The…
Order
Courts Cannot Reassess Interview Marks Without Evidence of Bias or Illegality, PGT Selection Upheld: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Manju Devi challenging the selection of Gitanjali as a Post-Graduate Teacher in Political Science at GSSS Gai Ghat in Solan district. The selection was conducted by the School Management Committee (SMC) after an advertisement for one vacant post. A…
Order
Nepalese Citizen Serving Life Sentence Granted Four-Week Parole, Citizenship Alone Cannot Bar Parole: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered the release of Vicky Rana on parole for four weeks, setting aside the order that had rejected his request. The order was passed in CWP No. 11238 of 2026 by sentences for offences under Sections 120B and 396 Justice Rakesh Kainthla on 12.08.2026. Rana was convicted by the…
Order
‘A Mother Is a Mother’: Maternity Leave Rights of Commissioning Mothers Upheld: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has ruled in favour of Dr. Juhi Manhas, a commissioning mother who had been denied maternity leave by the State authorities. The dispute concerned whether a female Government employee who becomes a mother through surrogacy can receive maternity leave under the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972.…
Order
Co-Employee Cannot Challenge Colleague’s ACR Grading Merely Because It Resulted in Supersession for Promotion: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court dismissed a petition filed by Dr. Mukesh Surya challenging the ACR gradings and promotion of Dr. Shikha Sood. Dr. Surya argued that several of Dr. Sood’s ACRs had been improperly upgraded to “Outstanding”, helping her supersede him for promotion as Assistant Professor in Radiology. The…
Order
State Rules on VC Appointments in Agricultural Universities Struck Down, UGC Regulations Held to Prevail: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has struck down provisions introduced by the State Government concerning the appointment of Vice-Chancellors in agricultural universities. A Division Bench of Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Ranjan Sharma held that the State legislation could not subordinate the appointment of a…
Order
Accused Who Repeatedly Fails to Appear Before Court Cannot Claim Bail as an Automatic Right Under Negotiable Instruments Act: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has refused to interfere with the custody of Pradeep, who failed to appear before the Trial Court in a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. The High Court held that an accused who repeatedly fails to appear before the Court cannot claim bail as a matter…
Order
Dishonoured Loan Cheque Attracts Section 138 Liability When Borrower Fails to Rebut Statutory Presumption Under Negotiable Instruments Act: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has dismissed a criminal revision petition filed by Deepna, holding that the conviction for dishonour of a cheque under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 was fully supported by the evidence on record. Justice Sandeep Sharma delivered the judgment on 10 August 2026. The…
Order
Cheque Issued Within Limitation Can Extend Limitation, But Accused Acquitted After Complainant Fails to Prove ₹50 Lakh Loan: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has dismissed an appeal filed by Veena Devi against the acquittal of Prakash Vashisht in a cheque dishonour case involving a claimed loan of ₹1,50,000. Justice Rakesh Kainthla held that although the trial court was not correct in treating the complaint as time-barred, the acquittal was…
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About the Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court was established in 1971. It has jurisdiction over the state of Himachal Pradesh.
Seat
Shimla
State / UT
Himachal Pradesh
Region
North India
