Google’s Antitrust Fine Slashed, Govt Criticises X’s Lawsuit

“75 years into our republic, we cannot be seen to be so shaky on our fundamentals that mere recital of a poem or for that matter, any form of art or entertainment, such as, stand-up comedy, can be alleged to lead to animosity or hatred amongst different communities.” 
– The Supreme Court, while quashing an FIR against a Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi over a poem he uploaded on social media. 

Key Rulings of the Week: 

• The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal has upheld the CCI’s finding against Google indulging in anti-competitive activities in its Play Store billing case but granted the company a breather by slashing the fine imposed on it down to ₹216 crore from ₹934.44 crore.
• The Delhi High Court confirmed the 2022 guidelines set by the Central Consumer Protection Authority, which state that hotels and restaurants must not automatically or by default add a service charge to food bills.

The Week That Was

Courts

• India has criticised Elon Musk's X for incorrectly referring to an official website, which enables tech companies to be notified about harmful online content, as a "censorship portal” as per its reply filed in the Karnataka High Court.
• The Madras High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, who is under scrutiny for his jokes about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
• The Delhi High Court recently issued an injunction in favour of Star India Private Limited, prohibiting several unauthorised websites from illegally streaming the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 matches.
• The Delhi High Court has temporarily restrained the use of the Bharatpay trademark, based on an initial finding that it closely resembles the trademark used by the fintech company BharatPe.
• Supreme Court has stayed the controversial judgment passed by the Allahabad High Court that said that grabbing breasts and breaking string of pyjama of a minor do not constitute as offence of rape.
• The Bombay High Court agreed to hear an appeal by a Pune-based eatery for right to use the name “Burger King” in a dispute with the US-based fast-food chain.
• The Delhi High Court agrees to hear a trademark dispute between Elon Musk’s Tesla Inc. and an Indian firm after the mediation attempts failed between the two.

Quasi Courts

• Ola Electric Mobility Ltd’s subsidiary Ola Electric Technologies Pvt Ltd settled its dues with Rosmerta Group consequently leading to withdrawal of insolvency petition against the company from the NCLT.
• NCLT in Bengaluru ordered a status quo on the shareholding of Aakash Educational Services Ltd. following a petition from the resolution professional of Byju’s parent company, Think and Learn Pvt Ltd.

 Others

• Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Lok Sabha that the Competition Commission of India has investigated 35 cartel cases over the past five years.

The big listings next week*

• March 31: The NCLAT’s Chennai bench will continue hearing the appeals in the Byju’s insolvency case that challenge the bankruptcy court’s order that reinstated the financial creditors on the lenders’ panel
• April 3: Karnataka High Court is set to hear X’s lawsuit against the Indian government over “unrestrained censorship” of content on its platform
• April 8: The Bombay High Court will resume its hearing on the case filed by Skoda Volkswagen’s India unit against the show-cause notices issued to it by customs authority
• April 15: The Delhi High Court will hear a trademark case filed by Elon Musk’s Tesla Inc. against an Indian firm called Tesla Power India Pvt. Ltd.
• April 30: NCLT Bengaluru bench will hear the case about Aakash Educational Services Ltd’s shareholding amid Byju’s insolvency case

* The dates of hearing can change and a concrete list is prepared just a day before.

People Moves 

• The Supreme Court collegium has approved a proposal to appoint two advocates, Amitabh Kumar Rai and Rajiv Lochan Shuka, as judges of the Allahabad High Court. 
• The central government has approved transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma who is in the middle of a controversy currently, to Allahabad High Court. The administrative head of the Allahabad High Court has been asked not to assign any judicial work to Justice Varma for the time being as per a statement issued by the Supreme Court.
• The collegium has also recommended transfer of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma from Delhi High Court to Calcutta High Court. 
• TT&A promotes Gayatri Chadha and Rebha Dakshini to Partnership
  JSA onboards Luthra & Luthra's Karan Mitroo To strengthen Equity Practice