CURRENT AFFAIRS 2025 – MONTH-WISE

FOR LAW COMPETITIVE EXAMS

JANUARY 2025

Judicial Appointments:

• CJI B.R. Gavai assumes office: Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on May 14, 2025, becoming the first Buddhist to hold this constitutional position.

Key Judgments:

• Domicile Reservation Struck Down (January 29): The Supreme Court invalidated Chandigarh’s policy of reserving all postgraduate medical seats for local candidates, holding it discriminatory and violative of Article 14’s right to equality.
• Bail Guidelines Reiterated (January 21): The Court issued strict directions emphasising that bail should be the rule, not the exception, and that undertrial prisoners should not be detained unnecessarily to prevent abuse of arrest powers.

FEBRUARY 2025

Constitutional Law:

• Legislative Expulsion Review (February 25): The Supreme Court held that while legislative bodies have internal autonomy, their decisions to expel members can be judicially reviewed if they appear arbitrary or disproportionate, enhancing checks and balances.

Key Judgments:

• Compassionate Appointment Standards (February 11): In Canara Bank vs. Ajithkumar, the Supreme Court clarified that compassionate appointments should only be granted in “hand-to-mouth” cases where families are below the poverty line and struggling with basic expenses.
• Maintenance in Void Marriages (February): The Court held that a spouse whose marriage is declared void under Section 11 of Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 is entitled to seek permanent alimony under Section 25, with discretionary relief available.

Legal Reforms:

• Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2025 Introduced: The Bill proposes massive changes to the Advocates Act, 1961, expanding the definition of “legal practitioner” beyond court-practicing advocates to include law graduates working in private/public organizations, corporate entities, and statutory bodies.

MARCH 2025

Judicial Appointments:

• Three SC Judges Appointed (March 17): Justice K. Vinod Chandran and Justice Joymalya Bagchi were appointed to the Supreme Court, strengthening the bench composition.

Key Judgments:

• Criminal Procedure & Evidence: The Supreme Court emphasized the importance of consistent eyewitness testimonies, upheld strict scrutiny in dowry-related offenses, and reinforced investigative procedures in corruption cases.
• Dying Declaration & Forensic Evidence (March): In Suresh Hanumant vs. State of NCT Delhi, the Court examined the evidentiary value of dying declarations and highlighted the significance of ballistic reports in strengthening prosecution cases.

APRIL 2025

Major Legislation:

• Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 Implementation: The Act renamed the Waqf Act to “United Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act,” mandating representation of at least two Muslim women, ensuring female inheritance rights, and empowering the Central Government to create rules for transparency and accountability.

Constitutional Law:

• Governor’s Assent Powers (April 8): The Supreme Court ruled that a Governor cannot indefinitely refuse to sign bills passed by state legislatures, as such delays violate parliamentary democracy and constitutional accountability principles, thereby strengthening federalism.

Key Judgments:

• Section 482 CrPC Misuse Warning (April): The Court warned against misuse of Section 482 CrPC (now Section 528 BNSS), emphasizing that extraordinary powers must be exercised cautiously and only to prevent miscarriage of justice.

MAY 2025

Judicial Appointments:

• Three New SC Judges (May 30): The Union notified appointments of Justices N.V. Anjaria (former Karnataka High Court CJ), Vijay Bishnoi, and A.S. Chandurkar as Supreme Court Judges, bringing representation from Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Bombay High Courts.
• Collegium Transparency Enhanced (May 6): The Supreme Court released an eight-page document detailing factors considered by the Collegium in judicial appointments, enhancing transparency in the higher judiciary.

Key Judgments:

• NEET-PG Two-Shift Format Struck Down (May): The Supreme Court invalidated the proposed two-shift format for NEET-PG 2025 exam, directing that all candidates must appear in a single-shift examination to ensure fairness.
• Arbitral Award Modification (May): In ISG Novasoft Technologies Limited, the Court clarified the power of courts to modify arbitral awards under Sections 34 and 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
• Environmental Governance (May): In suo motu action, the Court tasked the Central Empowered Committee with investigating unauthorised land use and environmental violations in the Shivalik ecosystem, particularly in Punjab’s Mohali district.

JUNE 2025

State Legislation:

• Puducherry e-Sakshya Rules, 2025 (June 16): The government notified e-Sakshya digital evidence regulations, enabling courts to manage and share digital evidence through the Inter-operable Criminal Justice System platform, aligning with Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.
• Gujarat OSH Rules, 2025 (June 12): Gujarat announced Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules to implement provisions under the OSHWC Code, 2020, applying to all factories, establishments, and construction sites.
• Himachal Pradesh Land Revenue Amendment (June 4): The state notified amendments introducing Environment Cess up to 2% on assessed land revenue and providing legal protection to Revenue Officers acting in good faith.

Key Developments:

• Criminal Law & Forensic Evidence: The Supreme Court dealt with evidentiary standards of circumstantial proof in murder cases, misuse of matrimonial laws, and the scope of High Court revisional powers.

JULY 2025

Key Legislation:

• Criminal Law Amendments in Force: The 2025 amendments officially recognized the evidentiary value of digital records under the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, permitting E-FIR registration for cognizable offences and allowing citizens to lodge complaints online without physical police station visits.
• Victim-Centric Reforms: Updated provisions increased minimum punishment for sexual offences and child abuse, introduced fast-track procedures for POCSO cases, and mandated video conferencing for sensitive witness testimonies.

State Developments:

• Justice V.M. Pancholi Appointment Controversy (July): Justice V.M. Pancholi was appointed Chief Justice of Patna High Court and is in line to become a future Chief Justice of India, though his appointment sparked dissent from Justice Nagarathna.

AUGUST 2025

Major Legislation:

• Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025: The Act was implemented, introducing significant reforms in India’s banking sector governance and regulatory framework.
• Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025 (August 20): The Bill was introduced providing for the automatic removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, or Ministers if arrested and detained for 30 consecutive days for offences punishable with 5+ years imprisonment.

Justice System Reforms:

• Decriminalization of Minor Offences: Several minor offences including petty thefts, public nuisance, and traffic violations now carry monetary penalties or community service instead of imprisonment, aimed at reducing judicial backlog.
• Forensic Evidence Mandatory: The 2025 reforms institutionalized forensic evidence in criminal investigations, requiring police to involve forensic experts in cases of serious bodily harm, rape, and murder.

Judicial Appointment:

• Justice Alok Aradhe Appointed (August 29): Justice Alok Aradhe was appointed to the Supreme Court of India, bringing the court to its full sanctioned strength of 34 judges.

SEPTEMBER 2025

Key Judgments:

• Legislative Rights in Criminal Trials (September): The Supreme Court addressed sensitive issues regarding rights of legislators in criminal trials, balancing speedy justice with constitutional safeguards.
• Cross-Border Matrimonial Conflicts (September): The Court dealt with complexities of family law in cases involving international jurisdictional disputes and child custody matters.

OCTOBER 2025

Judicial Succession:

• Justice Surya Kant Recommended as 53rd CJI (October 27): CJI B.R. Gavai officially recommended Justice Surya Kant, the senior-most Supreme Court judge, as his successor, paving the way for India’s 53rd Chief Justice. Justice Kant is known for key rulings on Article 370 abrogation, Electoral Bonds case, Pegasus spyware probe, and suspension of sedition law.

Key Judgments:

• Environmental Rights & Corporate Disputes (October): The Supreme Court reaffirmed the right to a pollution-free environment, intervened in major corporate insolvency cases, and took strict measures in criminal cases, ensuring greater accountability in investigations.

NOVEMBER 2025

Judicial Transition:

• CJI Surya Kant Takes Office (November 24): Justice Surya Kant assumed office as the 53rd Chief Justice of India after CJI B.R. Gavai’s retirement on November 23, 2025, with a tenure expected until February 2027.
• Future CJIs Identified (November): Following seniority principle, the next eight Chief Justices have been identified to serve until 2033, including Justices B.V. Nagarathna (first woman CJI in 2027), P.S. Narasimha, and Joymalya Bagchi.

Labour Law Revolution:

• Labour Codes Implementation (November 21): The Government of India officially notified all four consolidated Labour Codes—Wage Code 2019, Industrial Relations Code 2020, Social Security Code 2020, and OSHW Code 2020—subsuming 29 existing labour legislations, representing independent India’s most extensive labour reform.
• Social Security Extended: The SS Code contemplates social security coverage for gig and platform workers, a novel inclusion in Indian law, while fixed-term employees now receive pro-rata benefits including gratuity without minimum continuous service requirements.

Recent Judgments (November 24-28):

• Rape and Relationship Failure (November): In Samadhan vs. State of Maharashtra, the Court held that physical intimacy cannot be retrospectively branded as rape merely because a relationship failed to culminate in marriage.
• Wildlife Management (November): The Supreme Court halted the translocation of deer from Delhi’s A.N. Jha Deer Park, stating that wildlife management cannot be approached as mere administrative convenience.
• Judicial Finality (November): The Court emphasized that finality of judicial verdicts is fundamental to the rule of law while rejecting a plea to modify bail conditions in a murder case.

DECEMBER 2025

Pending Major Legislation:

• Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2025: The Bill proposes amendments to 17 laws to decriminalize minor offences across sectors like municipal governance, motor vehicle regulation, apprenticeships, and export activities, converting offences punishable by fines into civil penalties with administrative adjudication.
• IT Rules Amendments, 2025: New amendments reimagine due diligence obligations for intermediaries, requiring all platforms enabling synthetic/AI-generated content to ensure clear and permanent labeling as artificial, with strict provisions for “significant social media intermediaries” to verify user claims and detect concealed synthetic origins.

IMPORTANT LEGAL TOPICS FOR 2025 COMPETITIVE EXAMS

Constitutional Law:

• Article 124 (2) & (3) – Appointment of Judges and CJI
• Article 14 – Right to Equality (domicile reservation cases)
• Article 21 – Right to Life (bail jurisprudence, environmental rights)
• Article 26 – Freedom of Religion (Waqf amendments)
• Article 142 – Supreme Court’s power to do complete justice
• Governor’s powers and limitations in the federal structure

Criminal Law Reforms 2025:

• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (replacing IPC)
• Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (replacing CrPC)
• Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (replacing Evidence Act)
• E-FIR registration and digital evidence
• Decriminalisation of minor offences
• Mandatory forensic investigation
• Victim-centric reforms

Labour Law Consolidation:

• Code on Wages, 2019
• Industrial Relations Code, 2020
• Social Security Code, 2020 (gig workers coverage)
• Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020

Key Amendments & New Laws:

• Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 / UWMEED Act
• Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025
• Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025
• Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2025
• Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2025
• IT Rules Amendments, 2025

Judicial Appointments Process:

• Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) 1998
• Collegium System
• Transparency in appointments
• Gender and regional diversity concerns

Important Legal Principles Established in 2025:

• Bail is the rule, not the exception
• Judicial review of legislative expulsions
• The governor’s assent cannot be indefinitely withheld
• Forensic evidence is mandatory in serious crimes
• Digital evidence admissibility standards
• Wildlife management requires ecological sensitivity
• Physical intimacy and consent in failed relationships