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National Highways Act, 1956 — Amendments and compensation provisions — Section 3-J introduced in 1997 removed applicability of Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (1894 Act) provisions for solatium and interest — Overturned by various High Courts, including reading down Sections 3-G and 3-J to grant solatium and interest — Subsequently, Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (2013 Act) and its amended provisions extended to NH Act — Court clarified that landowners acquired lands under NH Act between 1997 and 2015 are entitled to solatium and interest — Review Petition filed by NHAI arguing financial burden was underestimated rejected, but clarification on delayed claims issued. Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 21 Rule 102 — Applicability — Provision contemplates a situation where a judgment debtor transfers property after institution of suit to a person who then obstructs execution — Not applicable where respondents derived title from independent registered sale deeds, not from the judgment debtor. Land Acquisition Act, 1894 — Section 28-A — Re-determination of compensation — Second application for re-determination based on High Court award maintainable even after accepting compensation based on Reference Court award — Principle of merger means appellate court’s award supersedes earlier award, entitling landowners to benefit from higher compensation — Object of Section 28-A is to ensure equality in compensation among similarly placed landowners. Electricity Act, 2003 — Section 61, 86 — Tariff determination and Generation Based Incentive (GBI) — State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) has exclusive power to determine tariff — Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) introduced GBI to incentivise renewable energy generation — GBI is intended to be over and above the tariff fixed by SERC — SERC must consider GBI while determining tariff, but not necessarily deduct it — SERC’s power to determine tariff includes considering incentives — Parliament’s allocation of funds for GBI does not prevent SERC from considering it in tariff — SERC must exercise its power harmoniously with other stakeholders to achieve policy objectives. Contract Law — Award of Tender — Judicial Review — High Court should exercise restraint when reviewing tender evaluation processes, especially in technical matters, unless there is clear evidence of mala fide, arbitrariness, or irrationality — A marginal difference in scores, as seen in this case, does not automatically warrant interference, especially when the owner has the right to accept or reject bids and the contract is already underway.

For lapsing of acquisition under Section 24(2) of the Act, 2013, twin conditions, namely, possession not taken and compensation not tendered are required to be satisfied – If one of the conditions is not satisfied, there shall not be any lapsing under Section 24(2) of the Act, 2013.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH GOVERNMENT OF NCT OF DELHI AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. KHAJAN SINGH AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and C.T. Ravikumar,…

Land Acquisition Act, 1894 – Section 31(1) – Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 – Section 24(2) – In case a person has been tendered the compensation as provided under Section 31(1) of the 1894 Act, it is not open to him to claim that acquisition has lapsed under Section 24(2) due to non-payment or non-deposit of compensation in court

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DELHI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY — Appellant Vs. SHAKUNTLA DEVI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and C.T. Ravikumar, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957 – Section 2(d), 11, 13 and 18(a) – Payment to State Governments in lieu of royalty – State being person interested in the land shall be entitled to the compensation/rental over and the amount of royalty leviable/payable under Section 18(a) of the Act, 1957

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MAHANADI COALFIELDS LIMITED — Appellant Vs. STATE OF ODISHA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and C.T. Ravikumar, JJ. ) Civil…

Service Matters

Rajasthan Non-Governmental Educational Institutions Act, 1989 – Section 18 – Even in case of termination/removal of an employee of a recognized institution after holding departmental enquiry/proceedings prior approval of the Director of Education has to be obtained as per first proviso to Section 18 of the Act, 1989.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH GAJANAND SHARMA — Appellant Vs. ADARSH SIKSHA PARISAD SAMITI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and C.T. Ravikumar, JJ. ) Civil…

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 – Section 34 – Filing of additional evidence – Exparte award – before the arbitral tribunal, such evidence was not there and nothing was on record on the amalgamation of the plots – High Court has not committed any error in permitting the respondents to file affidavits/additional evidence in the proceedings under section 34 of the Arbitration Act.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M/S ALPINE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PRIVATE LIMITED — Appellant Vs. ASHOK S. DHARIWAL AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and C.T.…

Service Matters

Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 – Rule 54(14)(b) – Family pension – A son or daughter adopted by the widow of a deceased government servant, after the death of the government servant, could not be included within the definition of ‘family’ under Rule 54(14)(b) of the CCS (Pension) Rules, not entitled to family pension

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SHRI RAM SHRIDHAR CHIMURKAR — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : K.M. Joseph and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ. )…

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