Welcome to today’s Daily Legal Digest India from Sukhdeep Singh Khaira & Associates. Each day we round up the Supreme Court and Punjab & Haryana High Court developments that matter most to ordinary people, families, and businesses in Punjab — explained in plain language, not legal jargon. Here is what happened over the last couple of days.
Supreme Court Says Every Missing Person Case Must Get an Immediate FIR
The Supreme Court has directed police across the country that a First Information Report (FIR) must be registered immediately whenever a person is reported missing, regardless of their age or gender. The Court made clear that families should not be told to “wait and watch” before an FIR is filed, since early registration is often what allows an investigation to actually move.
Why it matters: if you or a family member ever need to report someone missing, you now have clear legal backing to insist on an FIR being filed the same day, whether the missing person is a child, an adult, a man, or a woman. This directly affects how such complaints are handled here in Patiala and across Punjab. If police are hesitant to register your complaint, our criminal law team can help you understand your options.
Source: as reported by LiveLaw
Supreme Court: States Can’t Cite Financial Burden to Delay Raising Judges’ Retirement Age
In a ruling led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, the Supreme Court held that state governments cannot refuse to raise the retirement age of judicial officers from 60 to 62 years merely by citing financial constraints. The Court called this reasoning “misconceived” and asked states to take an independent decision within two weeks, noting that retaining experienced judges is actually more cost-effective than recruiting and training new ones.
Why it matters: a shortage of judges is one of the biggest reasons cases take years to resolve in Indian courts. Retaining experienced judicial officers for longer could, over time, help ease pending caseloads and speed up justice delivery for ordinary litigants.
Source: as reported by Bar & Bench
Punjab & Haryana High Court Calls Absence of a Family Court in Chandigarh “a Serious Issue”
Hearing a public interest litigation, the Punjab & Haryana High Court noted that Chandigarh still has no dedicated Family Court at its District Courts, even though the High Court itself approved setting one up back in 2017. A bench led by Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor has issued notice seeking a response from the authorities on why this has not happened yet.
Why it matters: Family Courts are meant to make divorce, maintenance, custody, and other matrimonial matters faster and less adversarial than ordinary civil courts. Without one, families in the Chandigarh region continue to face longer delays and more formal procedures for what are often deeply personal matters. If you are dealing with a divorce, maintenance, or custody issue in the Patiala or Chandigarh region, our matrimonial and family law team can help you understand the right forum and process for your case.
Source: as reported by LiveLaw
Have a question about a similar issue affecting you or your family? Get in touch with our office — we are happy to help.
This digest is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Advocate Sukhdeep Singh Khaira & Associates, Patiala.