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Lalita Kumari v. Government of UP

Lalita Kumari v. Government of UP (Supreme Court of India (Constitution Bench), 2013-11-12) (2014) 2 SCC 1 is a ruling on the Right to Information Act, 2005 — Section 154-CrPC. FIR registration mandatory upon information of cognisable offence. Registration of FIR under §154(1) of CrPC is mandatory when information disclosing a cognisable offence is received.

Holding

FIR registration mandatory upon information of cognisable offence.

Ratio

Registration of FIR under §154(1) of CrPC is mandatory when information disclosing a cognisable offence is received. Preliminary inquiry is permitted only in 7 narrow categories — matrimonial, commercial, medical-negligence, corruption, abnormal-delay reporting, suspect information, jurisdiction-verification — and must conclude within 7 days.

Section(s) applied

Practitioner takeaway

§154(1) CrPC; preliminary inquiry only in 7 narrow categories.

Citation

Last reviewed: 23 April 2026.