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Constitution of India, 1950 — Articles 14, 21 — Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act) — Substantive Equality and Inclusion — Scope and Spirit — The measure of a just society demands the removal of barriers for all citizens to realize their potential, transforming formal equality into substantive inclusion — Constitutional vision requires every person, regardless of physical or sensory limitation, to participate with dignity — Rights guaranteed to persons with disabilities are expressions of the constitutional promise of equality, dignity, and non-discrimination, not acts of benevolence. (Paras 1, 12, 13) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 321 — Withdrawal from prosecution — Requirement of High Court permission for withdrawal of cases against sitting or former MPs/MLAs — Following Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay v. Union of India — High Court must exercise judicial mind and give a reasoned order when considering an application for permission to withdraw prosecution against sitting/former legislators — Application must disclose reasons for withdrawal and records of the case must be before the High Court — Absence of requisite permission from the High Court means that the withdrawal application cannot be granted and the criminal proceedings cannot be quashed on this ground — High Court’s rejection of quashing petition confirmed. (Paras 2, 7, 9, 10) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 313 — Examination of Accused — Object and Scope — Non-compliance with mandatory requirement — Fair Trial — The object of Section 313 CrPC is to ensure a fair trial by providing the accused with an opportunity to explain all incriminating circumstances appearing in the prosecution evidence against them personally — It is a mandatory, non-negotiable obligation upon the Court and is not a mere formality; it is based on the cardinal principle of natural justice (audi alterum partem) — The statement cannot be the sole basis for conviction and is neither substantive nor a substitute piece of evidence. (Paras 6, 7.1, 7.2) Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971 — Section 14(1) — Mandamus to acquire land — Power of State Government to acquire land for Slum Rehabilitation Scheme — Preferential Right of Owner — The power of the State Government to acquire land under Section 14 read with Section 3D(c)(i) of the Slum Act is subject to the preferential right of the owner to redevelop the area — Acquisition is not warranted when the owner is willing to undertake development in exercise of their preferential right, and the process must be kept in abeyance until such right is extinguished — No mandamus can be issued to the State Government to acquire the subject property under Section 14 of the Slum Act where the subsequent purchaser from the original owner (Respondent No. 4) has a subsisting preferential right to develop the property. (Paras 63, 64, 71, 72, 77(1)) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 — Section 227 — Discharge of Accused — Principles for deciding discharge application — Standard of proof for framing charge — The Court, at the stage of framing charge, must sift the evidence to determine if there is a “sufficient ground for proceeding”; a prima facie case must be established — If two views are possible and one gives rise to “suspicion only, as distinguished from grave suspicion,” the trial Judge is empowered to discharge the accused — The Judge is not a “mere post office” but must exercise judicial mind to determine if a case for trial is made out — The strong suspicion required to frame a charge must be founded on material that can be translated into evidence at trial — Where the profile of allegations renders the existence of strong suspicion patently absurd or inherently improbable, the accused should be discharged. (Paras 14, 15, 16, 17)
Service Matters

Uttar Pradesh Avas Evam Vikas Parishad Adhiniyam, 1965 – Section 94(1)(nn) and 95(1)(f) – Pension Scheme – State Government can always exercise the powers under clause (nn) of subsection (1) Section 94 of the 1965 Act for determining the conditions of service of the officers (other than the Housing Commissioner) and employees of the Board

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF U.P. AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. VIRENDRA KUMAR AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Abhay S. Oka and…

Lapse of land acquisition proceedings – – if the compensation has not been paid due to inter se dispute between the co-owners, thereafter, it will not be open for the landowners to make a grievance that once the compensation was not paid, the acquisition is deemed to have lapsed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE SECRETARY, THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND BUILDING AND ORS. — Appellant Vs. ANJEET SINGH (DEAD) THROUGH LRS. AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before…

Maharashtra Land Revenue (Extraction and Removal of Minor Minerals) Rules, 1968 – Rule 4A – – The object and purpose of Rule 4A would be permitting the family of Vadar community to continue their traditional profession of stone crushing by hand by extracting the stone up to 200 brass annually without payment of any fee or royalty – Rule 4A is not meant for the lease for commercial use.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MAHARASHTRA RAJYA VADAR SAMAJ SANGH — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh, JJ.…

Income Tax Act, 1961 – Section 45(4) – Capital gains – Assets revalued and the credit into the capital accounts of the respective partners can be said to be “transfer” and which fall in the category of “OTHERWISE” and therefore, the provision of Section 45(4) inserted by Finance Act, 1987 w.e.f. 01.04.1988 shall be applicable.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX – 23 — Appellant Vs. M/S. MANSUKH DYEING AND PRINTING MILLS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and…

Acquisition of land – If there is a large tract of land under acquisition but is capable of being used for the purpose for which smaller plots are used and is situate in a fully developed area with little or no requirement of any further development to be made, there would be no need for deduction of the value.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. RADHESHYAM AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari, JJ.…

Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949 – Sections 129 and 132 – Exemption from payment of general tax – – correct to hold that provisions from Section 141AA to Section 141F form a complete code when tax has to be computed and paid on the carpet area method, and for such computation, reference cannot be made to the provisions of Sections 129 to 133 which relate to property tax payable on annual rateable value.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH PARIVAR SEVA SANSTHA — Appellant Vs. AHMEDABAD MUNICIPAL CORPORATION — Respondent ( Before : Sanjiv Khanna and J.K. Maheshwari, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No.…

Service Matters

Service Law – Dismissal – CISF Constable – Gross negligence and dereliction of duty – – Desirability of continuing the constable in the Armed Forces is certainly questionable and the Disciplinary Authority could not be expected to wear blinkers in respect of his past conduct while imposing the penalty of dismissal from service on him

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS @PPELLANT Vs. SUBRATA NATH — Respondent ( Before : Dr. Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud, CJI. and Hima Kohli, JJ. )…

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