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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)

Contract Act, 1872 – Section 62 – One Time Settlement Scheme – – Impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court granting further time to the borrower to make the balance payment under the OTS Scheme in exercise of powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India is unsustainable and the same deserves to be quashed and set aside

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE BANK OF INDIA — Appellant Vs. ARVINDRA ELECTRONICS PRIVATE LIMITED — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and Krishna Murari, JJ. ) Civil…

Consumer – Illegal sold of hypothecated vehicle – Compensation – Hypothecated vehicle was detained/seized and thereafter, sold which was found to be illegal, the complainant shall be entitled to the compensation/loss suffered because of not plying of the vehicle seized and sold illegally

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MAHINDRA AND MAHINDRA FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED — Appellant Vs. NIZAMUDDIN — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

(IPC) – S 302, 376A, 376(2)(i) and 376(2)(m) – POCSO Act, 2012 – Ss 5 (i) and 5(m) 6 – HELD modify the sentence imposed for the offence under Sections 376(2)(i) and 376(2)(m) of IPC and for the offence under Section 5 (i) and 5 (m) read with Section 6 of the POCSO Act, so as to commensurate the said sentences with the sentence imposed for the offence under Section 376(A) of IPC, and accordingly imposes sentence directing the appellant/petitioner to undergo imprisonment for a period of twenty years instead of life imprisonment for the said offences – Petition allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH MOHD. FIROZ — Appellant Vs. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, CJI, S. Ravindra Bhat and Bela M.…

Trial court  allowed application for temporary injunction – defendants  directed to maintain status quo of the property mentioned in the Will –  required the defendants to furnish the list and account of the movable properties within 30 days from the date of the order – HELD the trial court recorded specific findings on the three ingredients for grant of temporary injunction i.e. prima facie case, balance of convenience and irreparable loss.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH HARISH ISHWARBHAI PATEL — Appellant Vs. JATIN ISHWARBHAI PATEL AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Aniruddha Bose and Vikram Nath, JJ. ) Civil…

Education – Admission to Postgraduate Dental Course – Even if on the last date of admission, seats remained vacant was no ground by the institutions/colleges to grant admissions unilaterally and that too without intimating the vacant seats to the Directorate – High Court directing admissions quashed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DENTAL COUNCIL OF INDIA — Appellant Vs. SAILENDRA SHARMA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh, JJ. ) Civil…

Service Matters

UGC Regulations – Appointment of Vice Chancellor – – State Act if not on a par with the UGC Regulations, must be amended to bring it on a par with the applicable UGC Regulations and until then it is the applicable UGC Regulations that shall prevail – A subordinate legislation, UGC Regulations become part of the Act –

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH PROFESSOR (DR.) SREEJITH P.S. — Appellant Vs. DR. RAJASREE M.S. AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and C.T. Ravikumar, JJ. )…

Service Matters

All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969 – Rules 6, 8 and 10 – Neither the procedure as being known to the scheme of Rules 1969 nor further action, if any, initiated has been placed on record – The stage to inflict penalty upon the appellant, in the given facts and circumstances, does not arise.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DR. AJIT KUMAR SHRIVASTAVA — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and C.T. Ravikumar,…

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