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Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 166 — Claim Petition for death of bachelor — Selection of Multiplier — Multiplier to be determined based on age of deceased and not age of dependents/parents — Deceased was 33 years old at the time of accident — Correct multiplier applicable according to standardized matrix in Sarla Verma and Pranay Sethi is 16 — Argument of insurer that multiplier should correspond to age of parents rejected — MACT and High Court rightly applied multiplier of 16. Legal Representatives Can Claim Motor Accident Compensation Even Without Financial Dependency On Deceased Execution Of Unregistered Agreement To Sell Does Not Terminate Subsisting Landlord-Tenant Relationship Nor Entitle Tenant To Section 53A TP Act Protection A. Transfer of Property Act, 1882 — Section 111(e) & (f) — Landlord and Tenant — Determination of lease by express or implied surrender — Execution of agreement to sell by landlord in favour of tenant — Effect on jural relationship — Held, mere execution of an agreement to sell between landlord and tenant does not ipso facto determine the subsisting tenancy — Tenancy is determined only when terms of agreement or unequivocal conduct of parties disclose express or implied surrender — Where agreement to sell contained clause for cancellation and restoration of possession in case loan was not sanctioned, existing possession was referable to tenancy and not to agreement to sell — Landlord-tenant relationship continued to subsist. Appellate Courts Should Not Remand Cases Under Order 41 Rule 23 CPC As A Matter Of Course When Sufficient Evidence Is Available On Record. A. Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 41 Rules 23 and 24 — Power of Appellate Court to remand — Remand of case to Trial Court for framing of additional issues and fresh evidence — Permissibility — High Court remitted suit regarding one item of property for framing issues on whether sale deed was sham, limitation, and possession — Held, remand is not to be adopted as a matter of ordinary course and reflects incorrect exercise of discretion when sufficient evidence is available on record — Issues already framed by Trial Court were comprehensive enough to cover core disputes — Appellate Court is fully empowered to decide issues on merits or admit additional evidence if warranted, rather than remitting matter to cause unnecessary delay — Remand set aside and appeals restored to High Court for fresh disposal on merits. Extended Period Of Limitation Under Proviso To Section 11A, Central Excise Act Cannot Be Invoked When Facts Are Known To Department Without Wilful Suppression A. Central Excise Act, 1944 — Section 35L — Maintainability of appeal before Supreme Court — Preliminary objection raised by Department that appeal does not come under Section 35L as issue had no relation to rate of duty or valuation — Held, issue raised regarding extended period of limitation on ground of non-inclusion of certain costs in assessable value has an inextricable link with valuation of goods for purposes of assessment — Issue raised in show cause notice fundamentally dealt with valuation of goods — Supreme Court declined to relegate matter to High Court after almost a decade of pendency — Preliminary objection rejected.
Service Matters

Service Law – Selection Process – The main issue was whether the appellants’ appointments should be regularized after the merger of their posts with the regular establishment of the university – Court relied on UGC’s statutory authority and previous court decisions to conclude that the appellants should be continued after the merger – The appellants are to be reinstated to their posts, and any appointments made by the University under subsequent advertisements were subject to the outcome of this judgment. Disciplinary enquiries may proceed if necessary.

2024 INSC 303 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MEHER FATIMA HUSSAIN — Appellant Vs. JAMIA MILIA ISLAMIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Abhay S. Oka and Pankaj…

Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996 – Sections 34 and 37 – Curative petition – The Court found that the arbitral tribunal’s decision was not perverse or irrational and that the CMRS certificate did not conclusively prove that defects were cured within the cure period – The Court emphasized the tribunal’s domain to interpret the contract and the limited scope of judicial interference in arbitral awards – The Supreme Court concluded that the curative petition was maintainable and that there was no miscarriage of justice in restoring the arbitral award.

2024:INSC:292 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH DELHI METRO RAIL CORPORATION LTD. — Appellant Vs. DELHI AIRPORT METRO EXPRESS PVT. LTD. — Respondent ( Before : Dr Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud,…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Section 302, read with 34 – Murder – The Supreme Court found that the High Court did not properly address whether the Trial Court’s acquittal was a plausible conclusion from the evidence – The Supreme Court emphasized that the burden of proof lies with the prosecution and that the accused do not have to prove their innocence unless there is a statutory reverse onus – The Supreme Court concluded that the evidence did not warrant overturning the acquittal, as the Trial Court’s view was possible and not perverse.

2024 INSC 295 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH BHUPATBHAI BACHUBHAI CHAVDA AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. STATE OF GUJARAT — Respondent ( Before : Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Section 302 – Murder – Dispute over a blocked pathway – The Court found no evidence of provocation by the deceased that would justify the appellants’ brutal attack, nor any exercise of the right to private defence – The Court applied principles from previous judgments to determine the lack of private defence and the presence of intention to cause harm – The Supreme Court concluded that the appellants’ actions were not in self-defence and that their intention was to inflict harm, affirming the lower courts’ decisions.

2024 INSC 294 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SUBHASH @ SUBANNA AND OTHERS Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS — Respondent ( Before : Sudhanshu Dhulia and…

Consumer Law – Insurance Act, 1938 – Section 45 – Policy not to be called in question on ground of mis-statement after two years – The Court found no suppression of material facts and criticized the NCDRC for not requiring proper evidence from the respondent – The judgment discusses the principles of ‘uberrimae fidei’ (utmost good faith) and the burden of proof in insurance contracts – The Court concluded that the insurance company failed to prove the alleged suppression of facts, thus the repudiation was unjustified.

2024 INSC 296 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MAHAKALI SUJATHA — Appellant Vs. THE BRANCH MANAGER, FUTURE GENERALI INDIA LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Section 302 read with 34 and 120B – Murder – The Court found that the prosecution failed to establish that the discovery of the body was solely based on the appellants’ statements and that the chain of evidence was incomplete – The Court applied the principles for circumstantial evidence, emphasizing that the circumstances must fully establish the guilt and exclude all other hypotheses – The Supreme Court concluded that the prosecution did not prove the case beyond reasonable doubt, leading to the acquittal of the appellants.

2024 INSC 299 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAVISHANKAR TANDON — Appellant Vs. STATE OF CHHATTISGARH — Respondent ( Before : B.R. Gavai and Sandeep Mehta, JJ. ) Criminal…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 302 and 201 – Evidence Act, 1872 – Section 27 – Murder – Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender – How much of information received from accused may be proved – The Court found the circumstances not conclusive and not consistent only with the hypothesis of the appellant’s guilt – The Court applied the principles for circumstantial evidence, emphasizing that the circumstances must fully establish the conclusion of guilt and exclude other hypotheses – The appellant’s conviction was not sustained due to doubts about the prosecution’s story and the failure to prove all circumstances forming the chain of evidence – Acquittal.

2024 INSC 298 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ARUN SHANKAR — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH — Respondent ( Before : Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan,…

Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 – Sections 13(4) and 17 – The Court emphasized that the High Court should not entertain petitions under Article 226 when an effective alternative remedy is available, especially in financial recovery matters – The Court reiterated the principle that confirmed auction sales can only be interfered with in cases of fraud or collusion, which were not present in this case – The Supreme Court concluded that the High Court had erred in its decision, and the rights of the auction purchaser should be upheld following the confirmed sale and registration of the property – Appeal Allowed.

2024 INSC 297 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH PHR INVENT EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY — Appellant Vs. UCO BANK AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : B.R. Gavai and Rajesh Bindal…

Consumer Law – Housing – Delay in deleivery of Flat – The appellants, homebuyers, paid 90% of the total sale consideration for a flat, but the respondent-developer failed to deliver possession by the scheduled date, leading to a consumer dispute – The Supreme Court found that the Commission erred in allowing the respondent-developer to charge the said interest and quashed that part of the order – The Court directed the respondent-developer to convey the outstanding amount to the appellants within two months, and upon payment, to hand over possession of the flat immediately.

2024 INSC 300 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SANJAY CHAUDHARY AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. PIONEER URBAN LAND AND INFRASTRUCTURE LTD. AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : B.R.…

Easements Act, 1882 – Sections 4, 13 and 15 – Easements of necessity and quasi-easements – The court reasons that the Appellant ‘s failed to prove uninterrupted use of the road for over 20 years and that there is an alternative way to access their land – The court examines the Indian Easements Act, 1882, and relevant case law to determine the absence of easementary rights by prescription, necessity, or agreement – The court concludes that the Appellant ‘s have not acquired any easementary rights over the disputed road and upholds the decisions of the appellate courts and the High Court.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MANISHA MAHENDRA GALA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. SHALINI BHAGWAN AVATRAMANI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Pankaj Mithal and Prashant Kumar Mishra,…

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