High Court
Orissa High Court
Cuttack
The Orissa High Court was established in 1948. It has jurisdiction over the state of Odisha.
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News & Updates Published
Judgment
Divorce Upheld After Cumulative Matrimonial Conduct Established Cruelty: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court at Cuttack has upheld a Family Court decree dissolving the marriage of Sadasivuni Siva Santosh Kumar and Sadasivuni Anusha Patnaik on the ground of cruelty under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Chittaranjan…
Order
Pollution Case Against Tata Steel Quashed: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court at Cuttack has quashed criminal proceedings against M/s. Tata Steel Limited in connection with a pollution-control case involving erstwhile Bhushan Steel Limited (BSL). Justice Sibo Sankar Mishra passed the judgment on 30 September 2026 in CRLMC No.2406 of 2022. The State Pollution Control Board,…
Order
Victim Cannot Introduce Evidence During Trial That Was Not Included in Chargesheet: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has dismissed a criminal revision petition filed by Shashmita Nayak, who sought to introduce a pen drive as evidence during an ongoing trial. Justice V. Narasingh passed the judgment on 19th September, 2026 in CRLREV No. 997 of 2025. The case arises from S.T. Case No. 35 of 2022, connected to…
Judgment
Judicial Officer’s Resignation Quashed, Reinstatement Ordered After Finding It Was Tendered Under Duress: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has set aside the resignation of judicial officer Ipsita Mohanty after finding that her decision to resign was made under compelling circumstances arising from difficulties in securing continuous medical treatment and therapy for her autistic son. The Court held that the resignation could not be…
Order
Advocate Cannot Be Prosecuted for Client’s Acts Merely for Sending Legal Notice on Instructions: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has ruled that an advocate cannot be criminally prosecuted merely because he prepared and sent a legal notice on the instructions of his senior and on behalf of a client, unless there is prima facie material showing that the advocate knowingly participated in the alleged illegal activity or…
Order
Retirement No Ground to Drop Contempt Proceedings for Non-Compliance With Court Order; Notice Issued to Ex-DGP: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has issued a contempt notice to the former Director General of Police (DGP), Yogesh Bahadur Khurania, for repeatedly failing to comply with a court order. The court also found that the ex-DGP misled the court by hiding the department’s intention to file an appeal before the Supreme Court against…
Order
Pre-Arrest Bail Denied to Journalist Booked for Alleging Odisha Minister Offered Him a Bribe: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has refused to grant anticipatory bail to Sudhanshu Sekhar Rout, Editor-in-Chief of the digital news platform Focus Plus, in a criminal case concerning alleged defamatory statements against Odisha School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond. Justice V. Narasingh held that, considering the…
Order
Breach of Promise to Marry Later Does Not Amount to Cheating Without Dishonest Intent from the Beginning: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court at Cuttack has delivered a landmark judgment, ruling that a promise to marry made by a man, which he later refuses to fulfill, does not automatically amount to cheating under Section 417 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Justice Sibo Sankar Mishra, in his judgment on July 30, 2026, emphasized that…
Judgment
'Judicial Harakiri': Magistrate Criticized for Ignoring Direction to Decide Maintainability of Cheque Bounce Case: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has sharply criticized a Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) for dismissing a petition that questioned the maintainability of a cheque bounce case, despite clear instructions from the High Court to consider the matter. The High Court expressed serious concern over the Magistrate’s conduct,…
Order
Order Directing FIR Against Three Police Officers in Ponnani Rape Case Upheld: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has held that allegations of rape and sexual assault against police officers cannot be treated as acts committed in the discharge of official duty for the purpose of claiming protection under Section 175(4) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS). The Court ruled that such…
Order
Refusal to Accept Court Notice Cannot Stall Proceedings; Affixture and Postal Service Held Sufficient: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has ruled that a party cannot intentionally avoid court notices and use such refusal as a method to delay judicial proceedings. In a matrimonial appeal, the Division Bench held that when a notice is sent to the correct address, refused by the recipient or family members, and later affixed at the…
Order
'Complete Apathy': Concern Over Police Treatment of Juvenile Prompts PIL Over 'Rampant Violation' of JJ Act: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has expressed serious concern over the manner in which children are being treated by the police during investigations and has converted a habeas corpus petition into a regular Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to address the alleged widespread violations of the Juvenile Justice (Care and…
Judgment
Divorce Upheld After Cumulative Matrimonial Conduct Established Cruelty: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court at Cuttack has upheld a Family Court decree dissolving the marriage of Sadasivuni Siva Santosh Kumar and Sadasivuni Anusha Patnaik on the ground of cruelty under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Chittaranjan…
Judgment
Judicial Officer’s Resignation Quashed, Reinstatement Ordered After Finding It Was Tendered Under Duress: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has set aside the resignation of judicial officer Ipsita Mohanty after finding that her decision to resign was made under compelling circumstances arising from difficulties in securing continuous medical treatment and therapy for her autistic son. The Court held that the resignation could not be…
Judgment
'Judicial Harakiri': Magistrate Criticized for Ignoring Direction to Decide Maintainability of Cheque Bounce Case: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has sharply criticized a Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) for dismissing a petition that questioned the maintainability of a cheque bounce case, despite clear instructions from the High Court to consider the matter. The High Court expressed serious concern over the Magistrate’s conduct,…
Judgment
Supreme Court's 'Mihir Rajesh Shah' Directive Mandating Written Grounds Of Arrest Applies Prospectively: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court recently examined an important legal issue regarding the requirement of providing written grounds of arrest to an accused. This issue was linked with the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Mihir Rajesh Shah v. State of Maharashtra & Anr., which made it mandatory to provide written…
Judgment
20-Year Sentence in POCSO Case Upheld, Later Marriage Cannot Erase Sexual Offence Against Minor: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court delivered an important judgment relating to sexual offences against minors and the effect of a later marriage between the accused and the victim. The case was decided under the provisions of Section 6(1) Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and Section 376(2)(n) Indian Penal…
Judgment
Sukinda MLA Election Challenge Dismissed, Court Says Plea Lacks Material Facts: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court dismissed an election petition challenging the victory of Pradeep Bal Samant, the Member of Legislative Assembly from the 54-Sukinda Assembly Constituency in the 2024 Odisha Assembly Elections. The judgment was delivered on 27 February 2026 by Justice Sashikanta Mishra. The Court held that the…
Judgment
Teacher’s Removal Upheld for 7 Years of Unauthorized Absence, Court Says He Never Bothered About Fate of School Children: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court on 2 March 2026 upheld the disengagement of a female school teacher who had remained absent from duty for more than seven years without authorization. The Division Bench comprising Justice Dixit Krishna Shripad and Justice Chittaranjan Dash refused to interfere with the earlier order of the…
Judgment
Criminal Procedure Code and Dowry Prohibition Act Case Involving Quashing of FIR and Recall of Witness in Domestic Violence Proceedings: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court at Cuttack delivered an important judgment on 13 February 2026 in a matrimonial dispute involving allegations under Section 498A IPC, Section 406 IPC, Section 294 IPC, Section 323 IPC, Section 506 IPC, and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. The judgment was passed by Dr. Justice…
Judgment
Tribunal Order on Compassionate Appointment of Adopted Son in Railway Case Upheld: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has refused to interfere with an order passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal, Cuttack, which directed the Railway authorities to reconsider a claim for compassionate appointment made by the adopted son of a deceased railway employee. The Court held that the Tribunal’s reasoning was…
Judgment
JMFC Cognizance Order Set Aside in ₹70 Lakh Misappropriation Case; Fresh Reasoned Decision Directed: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court recently intervened in a criminal case involving alleged misappropriation of about ₹70 lakh and set aside an order passed by a trial court which had taken cognizance of two criminal offences at the same time. The High Court held that the order suffered from non-application of judicial mind and…
Judgment
Writ Petition Not Maintainable After GSTAT Becomes Functional; Assessees Must Avail Remedy under Section 112 of the GST Act: Orissa High Court
The High Court of Orissa at Cuttack recently addressed a writ petition filed by Mahendra Suniani challenging the order dated 11th November 2022 passed by the State Tax Officer-cum-Proper Officer, Sundargarh Circle, Sundargarh. The order pertained to tax periods from April 2019 to March 2020 under Section 74 of the…
Judgment
Father Cannot Be Denied Custody Merely for Failing to Produce Minor Child’s Birth Certificate: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has ruled that a father cannot be denied custody of his minor child merely because he failed to submit documents like a birth certificate or death certificate to prove paternity. The judgment came in the case Ramakanta Majhi v. Santan Majhi & Anr., where the Court stressed that the welfare of the…
Order
Death Sentence of Man Convicted of Double Murder and Killing Pregnant Woman's Foetus Commuted, Court Notes His Prayers and Gita Reading: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court, in a significant judgment, commuted the death sentence of Niranjan Mallik, who was convicted of double murder, attempted murder, and sexual assault on a pregnant woman, to life imprisonment for the rest of his life. The Division Bench of Justice Bibhu Prasad Routray and Justice Chittaranjan Dash…
Order
S.156(3) CrPC | Failure to File Affidavit with Complaint Is a Fatal Procedural Defect: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has held that failure to file an affidavit supporting the contents of a complaint under Section 156(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) is a fatal procedural defect that vitiates the entire criminal proceeding. The Court emphasized that such omission renders the initiation of criminal action…
Order
S. 224 BNSS | Magistrate Without Cognisance Power Must Return Complaint to Jurisdictional Court: Orissa High Court धारा 224
The Orissa High Court, while adjudicating a cheque bounce matter, has reiterated that a Magistrate lacking territorial jurisdiction cannot take cognizance of a complaint and must return the written complaint with an endorsement for presentation before the jurisdictionally competent Court. Citing Section 224 of the…
Order
SIT Probe Declined For Now In Balasore Student Self-Immolation Case, But Sexual Harassment At Reputed College 'Disturbing': Orissa High Court
In a tragic and sensitive case, the Orissa High Court on July 22, 2025, heard a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Advocate Shivsankar Mohanty, seeking the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) through judicial order to investigate the self-immolation of a female student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous…
Order
Wife Can't Be Treated As Commodity, Frivolous Habeas Corpus Plea Dismissed with ₹25K Cost: Orissa High Court
In a stern judgment dated 10th July 2025, the Orissa High Court at Cuttack, comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Murahari Sri Raman, dismissed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India which sought a writ of habeas corpus for the alleged illegal detention of the petitioner’s wife and…
Order
Judicial Functions Increasingly Sensitive Due to Unregulated Social Media: Orissa High Court
Judicial functioning in the digital era is under increasing pressure, especially from unregulated social media criticism. The Orissa High Court, in a recent decision delivered on July 11, 2025, raised concerns over online trolling and its effect on the independence and morale of the judiciary. This observation came…
Order
Magistrate Can Take Cognizance Again for Different Offences If Prima Facie Case Is Made Out: Orissa High Court
In a recent judgment, the Orissa High Court held that a Magistrate is not barred from taking subsequent cognizance of more serious offences in the same case, even after cognizance has already been taken under lesser provisions. This can be done if prima facie material exists, justifying the new charges. Justice Sibo…
Order
Mocking Husband’s Disability By Calling Him ‘Kempa’ & ‘Nikhatu’ Amounts To Mental Harassment: Orissa High Court
In a recent judgment, the Orissa High Court upheld a decree of divorce granted under Section 13(1)(i-a) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, on the ground of mental cruelty. The case involved a marriage solemnized on June 1, 2016, between the Petitioner (husband) and Respondent (wife) as per Hindu rituals. The husband…
Order
O. 39 R.7 CPC | Pleader Commissioner's Report Not Admissible as Evidence for Deciding Suit: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court in the case of Ramakrushna Nayak versus Manoj Kumar Behera and Another has clarified the scope and utility of the report submitted by a Pleader Commissioner appointed under Order 39 Rule 7 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC). The Court held that while such a report is important for limited…
Order
POCSO Act Not Meant to Enforce Society's Outdated Morality, Says Court While Granting Interim Bail to Accused to Marry Victim: Orissa High Court
In a significant ruling, the Orissa High Court has held that the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act) cannot be misused to punish consensual romantic relationships between adolescents close in age. The Single Bench of Dr. Justice Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi emphasized that the objective of the…
Order
Child Not an Object to Be Passed Between Parents, Says Court While Upholding Father’s Visitation Rights: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court, while dealing with a child custody dispute, emphasized that a child, especially of tender age, needs the love and affection of both parents and cannot be treated like an inanimate object amid conflicts between the parents. Justice Gourishankar Satapathy underscored that the welfare of the child…
Order
Litigation Expenses Granted But Extra Maintenance Denied To Wife Under Section 24: Orissa High Court
In a recent ruling dated 15th May 2025, the Orissa High Court addressed a legal conflict involving Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, relating to pendente lite maintenance and litigation expenses. The case was brought before the High Court by Ananya Routray, the estranged wife of Dr. Nihar Ranjan Ray,…
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About the Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court was established in 1948. It has jurisdiction over the state of Odisha.
Seat
Cuttack
State / UT
Odisha
Region
East India
