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Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 168 — Just Compensation — Award of compensation for prosthetic limb — No fixed guidelines for compensation amount — Courts can deviate from governmental notifications if they are too low — Emphasis on “restitutio in integrum” principle to restore the claimant as close as possible to their pre-injury state — Claimants are entitled to choose private centres for prosthetic limbs and renewal costs should be considered — Compensation can be awarded for periodic replacement and maintenance of prosthetic limbs. Dispute over cadre change versus mere transfer — A transfer is a change of posting within the same service without altering seniority or substantive status, differing from a cadre change which involves a structural shift between services with significant implications for seniority and promotional avenues, requiring specific authority. Evidence Act, 1872 — Eyewitness testimony vs. Medical evidence — In case of conflict, eyewitness testimony, especially of an injured witness who is found to be reliable and has withstood cross — examination, is generally superior to expert medical opinion formed by an expert witness — Lack of independent witnesses does not automatically compromise the prosecution case, especially when societal realities suggest potential fear or hesitation Protracted Government Inaction and Third — Party Rights — Despite an initial timeline of two months for an inquiry and subsequent hopes for completion within six months, the government showed significant delay, stretching over six years without a final decision — During this period, extensive third — party rights were created through land sales and construction of villas and flats by innocent purchasers — The Court observed that it’s inappropriate for a welfare state to attempt to undo decades — old transactions, especially when innocent citizens have invested their hard — earned money, and basic amenities should not be denied to occupants of constructed properties. Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958 vs. Government Grants Act, 1895 — Relationship Governed by Grant — A lease originating from a Government grant, as governed by the Government Grants Act, 1895, is not subject to the Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958 — The incidence and enforceability of such a grant are governed solely by its tenor — The legal character of the grant does not derive from conventional landlord — tenant relationships but from the sovereign grant and its embedded conditions — Therefore, eviction proceedings under the Delhi Rent Control Act are not maintainable for holdings originating from a Government grant.

Hindu Succession Act, 1956 – Section 29A – Coparcenary rights – Partition and separate possession of one-third in the plaint schedule property – Property is not available partition as of the date of coming into force of Section 29A – There is no prohibition to effect a partition otherwise than through an instrument in writing by duly complying with the requirement of law – Division may also be effected under a settlement or oral understanding

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH H. VASANTHI — Appellant Vs. A. SANTHA (DEAD) THROUGH LRS. AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Bela M. Trivedi and S.V.N. Bhatti, JJ.…

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Order 17 Rule 2 – Procedure if parties fail to appear on day fixed – Where the evidence or a substantial portion of the evidence of any party has already been recorded and such party fails to appear on any day to which the hearing of the suit is adjourned, the Court would be at liberty to proceed with the case as if such party were present

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH Y.P. LELE — Appellant Vs. MAHARASHTRA STATE ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION COMPANY LTD. AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, JJ.…

Right to Education Act, 2009 – Section 23(1) – Appointment to Post of Primary School Teachers – Decision of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) to include B.Ed. as a qualification for teachers in a primary school seems arbitrary, unreasonable and in fact has no nexus with the object sought to be achieved by the Act i.e. Right to Education Act, which is to give to children not only free and compulsory but also ‘quality’ education

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DEVESH SHARMA — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanshu Dhulia, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Complaint to SDM — Held, no case is made out to put the appellant to trial for the alleged offence — No defamation as such — Exception 8 to Section 499 clearly indicates that it is not a defamation to prefer in good faith an accusation against any person to any of those who have lawful authority over that person with regard to the subject-matter of accusation.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before: J.B. Pardiwala & Manoj Misra, JJ. Criminal Appeal No.2291 of 2011 Decided on: 02.08.2023 Kishore Balkrishna Nand – Appellant(s) Versus State of Maharashtra & Anr.…

Acquittal – Criminal conspiracy and dishonestly receiving stolen property – Sole connecting evidence that the recovery based on disclosure statements of accused, along with those of the other co-accused but this evidence is not sufficient to qualify as “fact … discovered” within the meaning of Section 27 of Evidence Act, 1872 – Conviction and sentence set-aside – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MANOJ KUMAR SONI AND OTHER — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH — Respondent ( Before : S. Ravindra Bhat and Dipankar Datta,…

Judicial review becomes necessary where there is an illegality, irrationality or procedural impropriety. A policy decision which is totally arbitrary; contrary to the law, or a decision which has been taken without proper application of mind, or in total disregard of relevant factors is liable to be interfered with, as that also is the mandate of law and the Constitution.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DEVESH SHARMA — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanshu Dhulia, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Abkari Act – Offence in question is 2003, Final report after delayed investigation was submitted in 2006, Accused-appellant was convicted in 2008, and that more than 20 years have passed since the commission of the offence – It fit to modify the sentence of the Accused-appellant to serve a period of three months – Appeal partly allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SATHYAN — Appellant Vs. STATE OF KERALA — Respondent ( Before : Abhay S. Oka and Sanjay Karol, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No. 2363…

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