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Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 168 — Notional income of skilled worker — Carpenter — Assessment — The appellant, a carpenter aged 38 years, suffered amputation of his right leg below the knee in a road accident in November 2004 — The Claims Tribunal assessed his monthly income at Rs. 3,000/- and the High Court enhanced it to Rs. 5,000/- relying on minimum wages. Held — A carpenter is a skilled artisan who works with precision and manual dexterity — His income cannot be equated with that of an unskilled worker — Where the appellant’s unrefuted evidence showed earnings of Rs. 8,000/- to Rs. 10,000/- per month, and a skilled job always has the potentiality to fetch higher income, the High Court erred in restricting the figure to Rs. 5,000/- — Considering the date of accident, decisions in comparable cases and the fact of the appellant being a skilled worker, his notional monthly income is assessed at Rs. 9,000/- per month. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 304 Part II — Culpable Homicide not Amounting to Murder — Conviction and sentence — Appeal against — Abatement of appeal due to death of co-accused — Death of two appellants during pendency of appeal — Appeal survives only for the third appellant. Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950 — Section 154 — Transfer of land in contravention of ceiling limit — Not void ipso facto — Capable of ratification — Legality of transfer to be judged by law on date of execution — Sale deed executed on 04.06.1957 — Ceiling limit then was 30 acres, subsequently amended to 12.5 acres retrospectively from 01.07.1952 — Transfer in contravention of Section 154 not void but voidable at instance of Gaon Sabha coupled with liability for ejectment of transferee under Section 163 — No suit filed for ejectment within limitation period. Specific Relief Act, 1963 — Section 16(c) — “Readiness and Willingness” — Relief of specific performance is equitable and discretionary — Plaintiff must specifically aver and prove continuous readiness and willingness to perform obligations — Failure to do so disentitles plaintiff to relief — “Readiness” refers to financial capacity, “Willingness” to conduct and intention — Both cumulatively must be seen — Conduct of plaintiff prior and subsequent to suit, along with attending circumstances, must be considered — Availability of funds must be proved with reference to relevant time, not by documents created much later. Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 166 and 140 — Compensation for death in motor vehicular accident — Negligence — Truck stationed on road at night without warning lights or indicators — Wagon-R car collided from behind — Held, truck driver was negligent in leaving the vehicle unattended on the road without adequate precautionary measures, which was the proximate cause of the accident.
Service Matters

Appellant continues to work as a lecturer in English on a half time basis – Therefore, for doing substantial justice, this is a fit case to invoke power under Article 142 of the Constitution of India for continuing her appointment on full time basis – Direction issued to State Government to release grant-in aid for paying salary.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH VIJAYA BHIKU KADAM — Appellant Vs. MAYANI BHAG SHIKSHAN PRASARAK MANDAL AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Abhay S. Oka and Sanjay Karol,…

Hindu Succession Act 1956 – Essential ingredient of Section 14 subsection (1) is possession over the property – Possession being a prerequisite to sustain a claim under subsection (1) of Section 14 of the 1956 Act – Admittedly the plaintiff was never in possession of the property – Appeal dismissed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M. SIVADASAN (DEAD) THROUGH LRS. AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. A. SOUDAMINI (DEAD) THROUGH LRS. AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : C.T. Ravikumar…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 432 – Remission of sentence – Overemphasis on the presiding judge’s opinion and complete disregard of comments of other authorities, while arriving at its conclusion, would render the appropriate government’s decision on a remission application, unsustainable

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAJO @ RAJWA @ RAJENDRA MANDAL — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF BIHAR AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Ravindra Bhat and…

Remarks by a court should at all times be governed by the principles of justice, fair play and restraint – Words employed should reflect sobriety, moderation and reserve – It should not be lost sight of and per contra, always be remembered that such remarks, “due to the great power vested in our robes, have the ability to jeopardize and compromise independence of judges”

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF PUNJAB AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. M/S. SHIKHA TRADING COMPANY — Respondent ( Before : Abhay S. Oka and Sanjay Karol, JJ.…

Service Matters

Increase/Enhancement of Retirement age – Retired Employees cannot claim a vested right to apply the extended age of retirement to them retrospectively and assume that by virtue of the enhancement in age ordered by the State at a later date, they would be entitled to all the benefits including the monetary benefits flowing from G.O. dated 9th April, 2012, on the ground of legitimate expectation

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DR. PRAKASAN M.P. AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. STATE OF KERALA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Hima Kohli and Rajesh Bindal, JJ.…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Ss 167, 173 and 272 – A charge sheet filed within the period provided either under Section 167 of CrPC or any other relevant statute in a language other than the language of the Court or the language which the accused does not understand, is not illegal and no one can claim a default bail on that ground – the investigating agency/officer to file charge sheet in the language of the Court determined in accordance with Section 272 of CrPC

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. NAROTTAM DHAKAD AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Abhay S. Oka and Rajesh Bindal,…

An accused is under an obligation to stand for identification parade – An accused cannot resist subjecting himself to the TIP on the ground that he cannot be forced or coerced for the same – Conduct of Test Identification Parade not violates the fundamental right of an accused under Article 20(3) of the Constitution

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MUKESH SINGH — Appellant Vs. THE STATE (NCT OF DELHI) — Respondent ( Before : M.M. Sundresh and J.B. Pardiwala, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

Not finding of material to satisfy that release of the Appellant on bail shall be a liberty to the Appellant to influence the witnesses or there is any danger of justice being thwarted by such order being passed – In agreement with the ultimate view of the High Court – Order granting bail is upheld – Appeal dismissed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH XXX — Appellant Vs. UNION TERRITORY OF ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, JJ.…

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