Latest Post

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.
Service Matters

Employees Compensation – Death in accident – Relationship of employer and employee has not been proved before the Commissioner – Same being the basic requirement to be fulfilled for claiming compensation under the Employees Compensation Act, 1923, the appellants may not be entitled to receive any compensation.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SHANTABAI ANANDA JAGTAP AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. JAYRAM GANPATI JAGTAP AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Abhay S. Oka and Rajesh Bindal,…

Pet-coke is cheaper and burns hotter than coal and is, therefore, used as a fuel, for several industrial uses – HELD the clarification of APPCB, that as on a particular date, the production capacity was 3,30,000 MTPA was of no consequence, because it was the CTO that was considered all along, in all previous meetings – High Court rightly set aside the minutes of the meeting as well as the decision of the Central Government allocating pet-coke – Appeal dismissed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M/S. SANVIRA INDUSTRIES — Appellant Vs. RAIN CII CARBON (VIZAG) LTD. AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Ravindra Bhat and Dipankar Datta,…

Determination of sentence – Culpable homicide not amounting to murder – the imposition of the “sentence undergone” criteria, amounted to an aberration, and the sentencing is for that reason, flawed – HELD the appropriate sentence would be five years rigorous imprisonment.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UGGARSAIN — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Ravindra Bhat and Dipankar Datta, JJ. ) Criminal…

(IPC) – Sections 376, 452 and 506 – Rape – where there is a gap or infirmity in the prosecution case which could have been supplied or made good by examining a witness who though available is not examined, the prosecution case can be termed as suffering from a deficiency and withholding of such a material witness would oblige the court to draw an adverse inference against the prosecution

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DAVINDER SINGH — Appellant Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB — Respondent ( Before : Surya Kant and M. M. Sundresh, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No.…

Circumstantial evidence – they must exclude all hypotheses consistent with the innocence of the accused and inconsistent with his guilt – Incriminating circumstances were not proved beyond reasonable doubt and otherwise also the circumstance of last seen was inconclusive – Appeal dismissed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF PUNJAB — Appellant Vs. KEWAL KRISHAN — Respondent ( Before : B.V. Nagarathna and Manoj Misra, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No. 2128…

Service Law – Compassionate appointment – If the monthly income is less than 60% of the total emoluments (which the deceased was drawing at the time of death) less Tax @ 15% (if the income is more than Rs. 10,000/- p.m.) the case for compassionate appointment can be considered

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH BANK OF BARODA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. BALJIT SINGH — Respondent ( Before : B.V. Nagarathna and Manoj Misra, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

HELD In order to ensure the purity of the election process it was thought by our Constitution- makers that the responsibility to hold free and fair elections in the country should be entrusted to an independent body which would be insulated from political and/or executive interference.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. SUVENDU ADHIKARI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : B.V. Nagarathna and Manoj Misra,…

You missed