Chief Justice led Division Bench delivered 114 judgements during January 7-February 26, 2026

Patna High Court's Division Bench led by Chief Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo delivered 114 judgements during January 7-February 26, 2026 in 1. LPA-157/2025 Meera Devi Vs. The State of Bihar through the Secretary of the Department of Animal Husnbandry and Fisheries 07-Jan-2026, 2     LPA-280/2025        Saroj Kumar Rakshit @ Nanu Da @ Saroj Rakshit @ Nanu Baba Vs. The State of Bihar through Additional Chief Secretary,     07-Jan-2026, 3     LPA-39/2025        Kamta Prasad Sharma @ Kamta Pandey Vs. The State of Bihar     08-Jan-2026, 4     LPA-259/2025        Kaminee Kumari Vs. The State of Bihar     08-Jan-2026, 5     LPA-323/2025        Mukesh Kumar Singh Vs. The Managing Director Cum Chairman     08-Jan-2026, 6     LPA-619/2025        Dr. Mona Bala Vs. The Patna University     09-Jan-2026, 7     LPA-638/2025        Uday Raj Uday Vs. Dr. Usha Vidyarthi     09-Jan-2026, 8    CWJC-19287/2025        Manish Kumar Ray Vs. The State of Bihar     09-Jan-2026, 9  CWJC-20935/2025  Laddu Sahani Vs. The State of Bihar     09-Jan-2026, 10     CWJC-154/2026        Firoj Ansari, Vs. The State of Bihar     09-Jan-2026, 11     LPA-565/2025        The State of Bihar Vs. Dr. Shyam Sundar Singh     12-Jan-2026, 12     LPA-605/2025        Ranjeet Kumar @ Ranjit Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar     12-Jan-2026, 13     LPA-607/2025        The State of Bihar, through Mr. Amrit Lal Mina, Chief Secretary, Vs. Mr. Anil Kumar     12-Jan-2026, 14     LPA-649/2025        Chanda Sinha Vs. The State of Bihar     12-Jan-2026, 15     LPA-660/2025        Poonam Kumari Vs. The State of Bihar     12-Jan-2026    16     LPA-666/2025        Sudha Trivedy Vs. The State of Bihar     12-Jan-2026, 17     CWJC-4616/2025        Dr. Shyam Sunder Singh Vs. The State of Bihar     12-Jan-2026,    18     CWJC-201/2026        Sunil Shahi Vs. State of Bihar     12-Jan-2026, 19     CWJC-13813/2024        In  of Honble courts order dt. 19-07-2024 passed in CWJC No.6995 of 2019 Vs. The State of Bihar     16-Jan-2026, 20     CWJC-12541/2025        Kumar Sidharth Vs. The State of Bihar     16-Jan-2026, 21     LPA-64/2025        Dharam Deo Jha Vs. Pushpa Devi     19-Jan-2026 , 22     LPA-526/2025        Dr. Achyutesh Dixit Vs. The Bihar State University Service Commission     19-Jan-2026, 23     LPA-621/2025        The State of Bihar Vs. Dr. Shameem Shohreay Afaque     19-Jan-2026, 24     LPA-628/2025        The State of Bihar Vs. Himtech Sales Private Limited     19-Jan-2026, 25     LPA-640/2025        Dr. Vivek Kumar Vs. That Bihar State University Service Commission     19-Jan-2026, 26     CWJC-3530/2025        Sadan Chandra Vs. The State of Bihar     19-Jan-2026, 27     LPA-644/2025        Shailesh Kumar Vs. State of Bihar,     20-Jan-2026, 28     LPA-813/2025        Om Sai Services Vs. The State of Bihar,  20-Jan-2026, 29      LPA-893/2025        Chanup Lal Raut Vs. The State of Bihar     20-Jan-2026, 30  CWJC-15426/2025        Gita Mandal Vs. The State of Bihar     20-Jan-2026,    31     LPA-878/2025        The State of Bihar Vs. Ranjeet Kumar Rajak     21-Jan-2026, 32     LPA-974/2025        The State of Bihar Vs. Ranjeet Kumar Rajak     21-Jan-2026,   33     CWJC-3138/2025        Jyoti Joshi Vs. Bihar Public Service Commission     21-Jan-2026, 34     CWJC-5947/2025        Harsha Shekhar Vs. The State of Bihar     21-Jan-2026,    35     LPA-281/2025        Kumari Sanju Vs. The State of Bihar through the Additional Chief Secretary,     22-Jan-2026, 36     CWJC-17840/2025        Pramod Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar     22-Jan-2026,    37     CWJC-7853/2025        Rakesh Kumar Roy Vs. The State of Bihar     27-Jan-2026, 38     LPA-549/2025        Manjaura Primary Agriculture Credit Society, Vs. The State of Bihar,     28-Jan-2026, 39     LPA-188/2025        Chandra Bhushan Pathak Vs. The Regional Manager, Central Bank of India     29-Jan-2026, 40     LPA-217/2025        Sushil Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar     29-Jan-2026, 41     CWJC-3818/2025        Ankit Raj Vs. The State of Bihar     31-Jan-2026, 42     LPA-211/2025        The State of Bihar Vs. Dileep Kumar     02-Feb-2026, 43     LPA-818/2025        Jivachh Ray Vs. The State of Bihar     02-Feb-2026, 44     LPA-33/2026        St. Pauls International School Vs. The State of Bihar     02-Feb-2026, 45     LPA-765/2025        Lakhan Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar  05-Feb-2026, 46     LPA-1/2025        Swati Agrawal Vs. The State of Bihar     09-Feb-2026, 47     LPA-946/2025        The State of Bihar Vs. Jyoti Kumar     09-Feb-2026, 48     CWJC-14933/2025        Shiv Mahato Vs. The State of Bihar     09-Feb-2026, 49     CWJC-14945/2025        Ashok Kumar Anal Vs. The State of Bihar     09-Feb-2026 and 50     LPA-106/2025        Ganesh Rai @ Ganesh Roy Vs. The State of Bihar     10-Feb-2026, 51     LPA-129/2025        The State of Bihar Vs. Ramashankar Gupta     10-Feb-2026,     52     CWJC-11061/2025        Dr. Niraj Kumar @ Niraj Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar     10-Feb-2026    53     CWJC-11732/2025        Abhay Shukla Vs. The State of Bihar     10-Feb-2026, 54     LPA-122/2025        M/s Kakan Rice Mill Pvt. Ltd. Vs. Bank of Baroda     11-Feb-2026, 55     CWJC-908/2026        Nandlal Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar     11-Feb-2026, 56     CWJC-16051/2025        Lalu Ray Vs. The State of Bihar     13-Feb-2026, 57     REQ. CASE-41/2025        Reyazul Abedin Vs. Ameer Faiyaz alias Osama Faiyaz alias Ameer Meezan     13-Feb-2026, 58     REQ. CASE-52/2025        J. K. Engicon Private Limited Vs. The State of Bihar     13-Feb-2026, 59     LPA-86/2025        Mohammad Shabbir @ Md. Shabbir Alam Vs. The State of Bihar     16-Feb-2026, 60     CWJC-18584/2025        Narendra Kumar Vs. The East Central Railway, Hajipur,     16-Feb-2026, 61     CWJC-18744/2025        Badal Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar,     16-Feb-2026, 62     CWJC-20409/2025        Bijay Bhushan Prasad Vs. The State of Bihar,     16-Feb-2026, 63     CWJC-21047/2025        Thakur Prasad Tyagi Vs. The State of Bihar,     16-Feb-2026, 64     CWJC-419/2026        Avadhkishor Rai Vs. The State of Bihar,     16-Feb-2026, 65     CWJC-1155/2026        Devnandan Rai @ Deonandan Rai Vs. The Union of India     16-Feb-2026, 66     LPA-177/2025        Rajendra Upadhyay Vs. The State of Bihar through Principal Secretary,     17-Feb-2026, 67     LPA-199/2025        The State of Bihar Vs. Ramyati Singh,     17-Feb-2026,  68     LPA-381/2025        Satyendra Prasad @ Satyendra Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar,     17-Feb-2026, 69     LPA-950/2025        Tarak Chaudhary Vs. Indian Oil Corporation Limited     17-Feb-2026, 70     LPA-1118/2025        The State of Bihar Vs. Vijay Achari     17-Feb-2026, 71     LPA-57/2025        Ashok Kumar Singh Vs. The State of Bihar     18-Feb-2026, 72     LPA-85/2025        Ram Bahadur Pandit Vs. The State of Bihar     18-Feb-2026, 73     LPA-491/2025        The Chairman, Bihar Staff Selection Commission Vs. Vinay Kumar     18-Feb-2026, 74     LPA-1143/2025        Bhushan Prasad @ Shashi Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar     18-Feb-2026, 75     CWJC-3022/2022        Vipin Kumar (NH-30-Patna Bakhtiyarpur section on BOT (Toll)) Vs. The Union of India     18-Feb-2026, 76     LPA-424/2025        Md Shakir Raza@ Md.Sakir Raza Vs. The State of Bihar     19-Feb-2026, 77     LPA-1044/2025        The State of Bihar Vs. Kailash Prasad     19-Feb-2026, 78     CWJC-4363/2025        Ritesh Kumar Singh Vs. The State of Bihar     19-Feb-2026, 79     LPA-140/2025        Binod Kumar Mishra Vs. The Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. Regd. Office,     20-Feb-2026, 80     CWJC-6197/2025        Santosh Kumar Yadav @ Santosh Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar     20-Feb-2026, 81     CWJC-10134/2025        Chandra Kishor Parashar @ Acharya Chandra Kishore Parashar Vs. The Union of India     20-Feb-2026, 82     CWJC-10973/2025        Sanjay Kumar Singh Vs. The State of Bihar     20-Feb-2026, 83     CWJC-15181/2025        Sayad Abid Hussain Vs. The State of Bihar through the Principal Secretary, Food and Consumer Protection Department     20-Feb-2026, 84     CWJC-1364/2026        Anil Kumar Vs. The Election Commission of India     20-Feb-2026, 85     LPA-7/2025        Manoj Kumar Vs. The Patliputra University     23-Feb-2026, 86     LPA-165/2025        Subodh Kumar Singh Vs. The State of Bihar     23-Feb-2026, 87     LPA-210/2025        Kanchan Kumari Vs. The State of Bihar through the Principal Secretary,     23-Feb-2026, 88     LPA-213/2025        Chandan Kumar @ Chandan Sharma Vs. The State of Bihar     23-Feb-2026, 89     LPA-229/2025        Vivek Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar     23-Feb-2026, 90     LPA-474/2025        Jasumati Devi Vs. The State of Bihar     23-Feb-2026, 91     CWJC-1514/2026        Onkar Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar     23-Feb-2026, 92  CWJC-1998/2026    Binod Kumar Singh Vs. State of Bihar     23-Feb-2026,    93     CWJC-664/2025        Sheo Murat Prasad Vs. The State of Bihar     24-Feb-2026, 94     CWJC-697/2025        Baij Nath Ram Vs. The State of Bihar     24-Feb-2026, 95     CWJC-1081/2025        Jagdish Prasad Vs. The State of Bihar     24-Feb-2026, 96     CWJC-9443/2025        Md. Sultan Ahmad Vs. The State of Bihar     24-Feb-2026,  97     LPA-182/2025        Pradeep Kumar Shah Vs. The State of Bihar,     25-Feb-2026, 98     LPA-290/2025        Md Aslam Ali Quadri @ Md. Aslam Ali Kadri Vs. The State of Bihar     25-Feb-2026, 99     LPA-569/2025        Md Idrish Vs. The State of Bihar     25-Feb-2026, 100     LPA-65/2025        Vijay Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar     26-Feb-2026, 101     LPA-111/2025        Kashinath Mishra Vs. The State of Bihar     26-Feb-2026, 102 ,    LPA-534/2025        The State of Bihar through the Principal Secretary, Vs. Janardan Prasad Singh     26-Feb-2026, 103     LPA-552/2025        Janardan Prasad Singh Vs. The State of Bihar     26-Feb-2026, 104     CWJC-4241/2025        Dhiraj Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar     26-Feb-2026, 105     CWJC-7821/2025        Rinkoo Kumari Vs. The State of Bihar     26-Feb-2026, 106     CWJC-8190/2025        Govind Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar     26-Feb-2026, 107     CWJC-8299/2025        Tinku Kumar Vs. Bihar Nurses Registration Council, Patna,     26-Feb-2026   108     CWJC-8505/2025        Surya Prakash Vs. The State of Bihar     26-Feb-2026, 109     CWJC-10101/2025        Ravi Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar     26-Feb-2026, 110     CWJC-632/2026        Ram Nandan Prasad Sinha (R.N.P. Sinha) Vs. The Union of India, Ministry of Power     26-Feb-2026, 111     CWJC-1846/2026        Radha Krishna Dwarika Mandir Samiti Vs. The State of Bihar     26-Feb-2026, 112     CWJC-2021/2026        Sushma Kumari Vs. The State of Bihar     26-Feb-2026, 113     CWJC-2117/2026        Kamlesh Paswan Vs. The State of Bihar     26-Feb-2026    and 114     CWJC-2127/2026  Anand Legal Aid Forum Trust Vs. Central Bureau of Investigation     26-Feb-2026   

 

Supreme Court sets aside order by Justices P. B. Bajanthri, Alok Kumar Pandey, all points on merits are left open

In United Spirits Limited vs. The State of Bihar (2026), Supreme Court's Division Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma passed a 4-page long order dated February 27, 2026, wherein, it set aside the order dated July 1, 2024 by Justices P. B. Bajanthri and Alok Kumar Pandey of Patna High Court.  The order reads:"Bearing in mind the fact that during the pendency of the special leave petition, a further order dated 22nd April, 2025 has been passed by the State adversely affecting the respondent’s interest, we dispose of the appeal by granting liberty to the respondent to challenge such order dated 22nd April, 2025 before the appropriate forum in appropriate proceedings, if so advised. 4. The order dated 01st July, 2024 impugned in this appeal, however, stands set aside. 5. Mr. Nadkarni assures that for a period of four weeks, no coercive action shall be taken against the respondent.6. All points on merits are left open."A.N.S. Nadkarni, the senior counsel appeared for the State of Bihar. 

The High Court's 4-page long judgement dated July 1, 2024 by Justices Bajanthri and Pandey in United Spirits Limited vs. The State of Bihar & Ors. (2024) Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.11851 of 2022 recorded the following prayers of the petitioner. :-
“i. Issuance of a writ of certiorari or any other appropriate writ(s), order (s), or direction, quashing the letter dated 19.07.2019 (First Impugned Order), as contained in letter no. 361 (Annexure-14), by which the respondent no.5, has notified that demurrage charges has been imposed on the petitioner, for the stocks or liquor lying in its godown, during the period from April, 2016 to September, 2017 which had been supplied by the petitioner and its related manufacturers;
ii. Issuance of a writ of certiorari or any other appropriate writ(s), order(s), or direction, quashing the letter dated 09.03.2022 (Second Impugned Order), as contained in letter no. 178 (Annexure-16), by which the petitioner has been threatened with coercive action on failure to deposit the balance amount of demurrage charges imposed on it and its related manufacturers/suppliers;
iii. Direct the respondent no. 4 & 5 to refund a sum of Rs. 3,82,65,314.40, unlawfully adjusted from the impugned demand of demurrage charges imposed upon the petitioner;
iv. To restrain the respondents from taking any coercive steps for recovery of impugned Demurrage charges from the petitioner;
v. Pass such other order(s) as your Lordship may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the present case.”

The judgement states that insofar as prayer no. (iii) namely "iii. Direct the respondent no. 4 & 5 to refund a sum of Rs. 3,82,65,314.40, unlawfully adjusted from the impugned demand of demurrage charges imposed upon the petitioner;" the counsel for the petitioner submitted that the aforementioned amount was stated to be towards sale transaction by the Bihar State Beverage Corporation Limited on behalf of petitioner as an agency read with security deposit with Corporation. The aforementioned amount was required to be disbursed.  

The counsel for the respondents raised objection to the extent that he needs instruction in this regard. The matter was re-listed this matter on June 21, 2024. One more opportunity was given to the State-Respondent on June 21, 2024. On July 1, 2024 also, counsel for the Respondents sought time but was  declined for the reasons that sufficient time was provided.

The High Court's judgement set aside the impugned letter/order no. 361, dated 11.07.2019 (Annexure-14) and Letter/order no. 178, dated 09.03.2022 (Annexure-16) in the light of Co-ordinate Bench order dated 20.03.2024 passed in C.W.J.C. No. 7463 of 2020 in the case of Malson Coors Cobra India Pvt. Ltd. Versus The State of Bihar and Ors. The judgement concluded: "5. The concerned respondent is hereby directed to
calculate which are dues to be paid to the petitioner and refund the same in accordance with law within a period of three months from the date of receipt of this order. 6. With the aforementioned directions, the present petition stands allowed." Supreme Court has set aside this order authored by Justice Bajanthri.  

The High Court's order dated June 21, 2024 by Justices Bajanthri and Pandey reads: "Learned counsel for the State seeks time insofar as securing instruction in the light of earlier order dated 08.05.2024. 2. Re-list this matter on 28.06.2024." 

Prior to this an order dated May 8, 2024 was passed by Justice Bajanthri. It reads: "Today, learned counsel for the respondents on instruction submitted that the present matter is covered by orders of this Court dated 20.03.2024 passed in CWJC No. 7463 of 2020 (Molson Coors Cobra India Pvt. Ltd. vs. The State of Bihar & Ors.). 2. On the other hand, learned counsel for the petitioner insofar as prayer no. (iii) namely "iii. Direct the respondent no. 4 & 5 to refund a sum of Rs. 3,82,65,314.40, unlawfully adjusted from the impugned demand of demurrage charges imposed upon the petitioner;" 3. It is submitted that the aforementioned amount is stated to be towards sale transaction by the Bihar State Beverage Corporation Limited on behalf of petitioner as an agency read with security deposit with Corporation. The aforementioned amount was required to be disbursed. 4. At this juncture, learned counsel for the respondents raised objection to the extent that he needs instruction in this regard. 5. Re-list this matter on 21.06.2024."

Notably, the High Court's order dated April 24, 2024 reveals that counsel for the respondents had sought time to verify whether the present matter is covered by earlier decision of this Court passed in C.W.J.C. No. 7463 of 2020 or not?"

Earlier,  on September 2, 2022, by the High Court's order the case was admitted. The order reads: "No coercive action shall be taken against the petitioner without the leave of the Court." The proceedings of the Court were conducted by Justice Sanjay Karol, the Chief Justice and Justice S. Kumar through video conferencing from their residential offices/residences. The Advocates and the Staffs joined the proceedings through Video Conferencing from their residences/offices. The case was filed in the High Court on August 5, 2022 and registered on August 17, 2022. The five respondents were: The State of Bihar through the Principal Secretary, Registration, Excise and Prohibition Department, Government of Bihar, Excise Commissioner, Bihar, Assistant Commissioner of Excise, Patna, Bihar State Beverage Corporation Limited through its Managing Director and General Manager, Operation - I, The Bihar State Beverage Corporation Limited.  

The case was filed in the Supreme Court on September 25, 2024. It was registered on October  23, 2024. It was verified on November 25, 2024.