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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)

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 – Section 18(2) – Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 – Section 80 – Facilitation Council, which had initiated the Conciliation proceedings under Section 18(2) of the MSMED Act, 2006 would be entitled to act as an arbitrator despite the bar contained in Section 80 of the Arbitration Act.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH GUJARAT STATE CIVIL SUPPLIES CORPORATION LIMITED — Appellant Vs. MAHAKALI FOODS PRIVATE LIMITED (UNIT 2) AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh…

Service Matters

HELD Commission Vendors/bearers working in the Northern Railway are entitled to the same benefits which are held to be entitled to all the similarly situated Commission Vendors/Bearers working under different Zones/Divisions. There cannot be different criteria/parameters with respect to similarly situated employees-Commission Vendors/bearers working in different Zones/Divisions, but working under the same employer

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. MUNSHI RAM — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Defamation complaint – Nothing specific has been attributed to A-1, Editor-in-Chief – not liable for the acts committed by the author of the Article, namely, A-2 HELD This Court accept the appeals insofar as Editor in chief A-1 and the public servants (A-3, A-4 and A-8) set aside the summoning order, quash Complaint

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH AROON PURIE — Appellant Vs. STATE OF NCT OF DELHI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, CJI. and Bela M.…

Money-laundering – By handing over money with the intent of giving bribe, such person will be assisting or will knowingly be a party to an activity connected with the proceeds of crime – Without such active participation on part of the person concerned, the money would not assume the character of being proceeds of crime – The relevant expressions from Section 3 of the PML Act are thus wide enough to cover the role played by such person

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT — Appellant Vs. PADMANABHAN KISHORE — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, CJI and Bela M. Trivedi, JJ. ) Criminal…

Section 319 CrPC HELD examined the material on record, the evidence recorded during the course of prosecution, if remains unrebutted, will not be sufficient to lead the conviction so far as the present appellant is concerned and accordingly the order passed by the High Court is not sustainable in law and deserves to be set aside.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH NAVEEN — Appellant Vs. STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and C.T. Ravikumar, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No(s).…

Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 – Section 24(2) – Lapse of acquisition proceedings — The proviso to Section 24(2) of the 2013 Act is to be treated as part of Section 24(2), not part of Section 24(1)(b) – Impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court ordering lapse of the acquisition with respect to the land in question under Section 24(2) of the Act, 2013 is hereby quashed and set aside – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DELHI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY — Appellant Vs. BHAGWAT SINGH AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 – Section 24(2) – Lapse of acquisition proceedings — The proviso to Section 24(2) of the 2013 Act is to be treated as part of Section 24(2), not part of Section 24(1)(b) – Impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court ordering lapse of the acquisition with respect to the land in question under Section 24(2) of the Act, 2013 is hereby quashed and set aside – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DELHI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY — Appellant Vs. KRISHAN LAL ARORA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh, JJ. ) Civil…

POCSO – (CrPC) – Sections 161, 164, 173(2) and 482 – HELD prima facie case against the persons named therein as accused, the truthfulness, sufficiency or admissibility of the evidence are not matters falling within the purview of exercise of power under Section 482 Cr.P.C. and undoubtedly they are matters to be done by the Trial Court at the time of trial –

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. DR. MAROTI S/O KASHINATH PIMPALKAR — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and C.T. Ravikumar, JJ.…

Clarification of judgment – Revenue seeks a clarification of the judgment dated 19.10.2022, Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax (Exemptions) vs. Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority, Civil Appeal No. 21762 of 2017 -HELD that for the assessment years which this court was not called upon to decide, the concerned authorities will apply the law declared in the judgment, having regard to the facts of each such assessment year. In view of this discussion, no further clarification is necessary or called for.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (EXEMPTIONS) — Appellant Vs. AHMEDABAD URBAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, CJI., S. Ravindra…

HELD concerned landowners who have continued to occupy the lands shall vacate it upon the deposit of compensation. The Collector or the concerned authority shall issue a certificate in this regard which shall entitle them to the one-time rehabilitation payment or payment in lieu of compensation or any other benefit under the Act, according to the choice exercised by them in the manner ..

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH MAHANADI COAL FIELDS LIMITED AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. MATHIAS ORAM AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, CJI., S. Ravindra…

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