Latest Post

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Sections 5, 34, and 37 — Scope of Judicial Intervention — Minimum intervention of judicial authority in domestic arbitration matters is required under Section 5 — Challenge to an arbitral award under Section 34 is limited to specific grounds, including patent illegality or conflict with the public policy of India — Scope of interference by the Appellate Court under Section 37 is akin to and cannot travel beyond the restrictions laid down under Section 34 — Appellate Court cannot undertake an independent assessment of the merits of the award or re-interpret contractual clauses if the interpretation by the Arbitral Tribunal was a plausible view and upheld under Section 34 — Setting aside an arbitral award under Section 37, which was upheld under Section 34, based on providing a different interpretation of contractual clauses is unsustainable in law. (Paras 24, 25, 30, 31, 36, 37, 39, 50, 51) Limitation Act, 1963 — Article 54 — Suit for specific performance — Commencement of limitation period — Where the defendant subsequently executed an affidavit ratifying the agreement to sell and conveying no-objection to the transfer, the period of limitation commences from the date of the admitted affidavit, as this is the stage at which the executant finally refused to execute the sale deed to the extent of her share — Trial court and High Court erred in dismissing the suit on the ground of limitation calculated from an earlier disputed date. (Paras 13, 35, 36, 37) Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 9(2) read with Rule 9(4) of 2001 Rules — Setting aside High Court judgment — High Court erroneously treated the date of filing of the Section 11 petition (28.06.2024) as the commencement date, leading to the conclusion that proceedings commenced beyond the statutory period — Where the arbitration notice was served (on 11.04.2024) well within the 90-day period from the ad-interim injunction order (17.02.2024), proceedings commenced in time as per Section 21 — High Court’s finding unsustainable, resulting in the restoration of the Trial Court’s initial ad-interim injunction order. (Paras 28, 31, 32) E. Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 9 — Interim injunction — Dispute regarding existence Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 2(28) — Definition of “motor vehicle” — Components — Definition has two parts: an inclusive part (mechanically propelled vehicle adapted for use upon roads) and an exclusive part — The second part expressly excludes “a vehicle of a special type adapted for use only in a factory or in any other enclosed premises” — Although Dumpers, Loaders, etc., may fall under the first part of the definition, they are excluded if their nature of use is confined to factory or enclosed premises, being special type vehicles/Construction Equipment Vehicles. (Paras 36, 37, 38, 39) Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities of BootLeggers, Dacoits, Drug-Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders etc. Act, 1986 — Section 3(2) — Preventive Detention — Grounds for Detention — Requirement of finding ‘prejudicial to the maintenance of public order’ — Detenu, a ‘drug offender’, was detained based on three criminal cases involving Ganja, with an apprehension that if released on bail, she would engage in similar activities — Held, mere apprehension that the detenu, if released on bail, would be likely to indulge in similar crimes would not be a sufficient ground for ordering preventive detention — Order of detention failed to indicate how the detenu’s activities were prejudicial to ‘public order’ as opposed to ‘law and order’ and was therefore unsustainable. (Paras 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11)

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Sections 5, 34, and 37 — Scope of Judicial Intervention — Minimum intervention of judicial authority in domestic arbitration matters is required under Section 5 — Challenge to an arbitral award under Section 34 is limited to specific grounds, including patent illegality or conflict with the public policy of India — Scope of interference by the Appellate Court under Section 37 is akin to and cannot travel beyond the restrictions laid down under Section 34 — Appellate Court cannot undertake an independent assessment of the merits of the award or re-interpret contractual clauses if the interpretation by the Arbitral Tribunal was a plausible view and upheld under Section 34 — Setting aside an arbitral award under Section 37, which was upheld under Section 34, based on providing a different interpretation of contractual clauses is unsustainable in law. (Paras 24, 25, 30, 31, 36, 37, 39, 50, 51)

Limitation Act, 1963 — Article 54 — Suit for specific performance — Commencement of limitation period — Where the defendant subsequently executed an affidavit ratifying the agreement to sell and conveying no-objection to the transfer, the period of limitation commences from the date of the admitted affidavit, as this is the stage at which the executant finally refused to execute the sale deed to the extent of her share — Trial court and High Court erred in dismissing the suit on the ground of limitation calculated from an earlier disputed date. (Paras 13, 35, 36, 37)

Income Tax Act, 1961 – Section 10(23C) – Exemption – Charitable institution, society or trust etc. – Requirement of the charitable institution, society or trust etc., to ‘solely’ engage itself in education or educational activities, and not engage in any activity of profit, means that such institutions cannot have objects which are unrelated to education.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH M/S NEW NOBLE EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY — Appellant Vs. THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX 1 AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh…

Arbitration – Death of arbitrator – Appointment of fresh arbitrator – This Court Appoint Shri Justice K. Chandru, Former Judge of Madras High Court as the Sole Arbitrator in place of Shri Ram Prakash Bajaj, Retired District Judge (now deceased), to settle the dispute between the parties.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SUNIL JAIN (D) THR. LRS. AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. CHANDRA KALA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and Krishna Murari,…

Compassionate Appointment – HELD in the facts and circumstances of the case, the department rightly appointed the respondent’s daughter on the post of Assistant Meter Reader considering her qualification at the time of making the application for compassionate appointment.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DELHI JAL BOARD — Appellant Vs. NIRMALA DEVI — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and Krishna Murari, JJ. ) Civil Appeal N0. 7047…

Commercial Courts Act, 2015 – S 3 – A and C Act, 1996 – Ss 2(1)(e) 9, 14 and 34 -HELD Civil Judge (Senior Division) designated as Commercial Court to decide the applications or appeals arising out of arbitration under the provisions of Act, 1996 cannot be said to be illegal and bad in law. On the contrary, the same can be said to be absolutely in consonance with Sections 3 & 10 of Act, 2015.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JAYCEE HOUSING PVT. LTD. AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. REGISTRAR (GENERAL), ORISSA HIGH COURT, CUTTACK AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah…

Sections 11, 12, 12-A and 13 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 HELD Section 11(4A) must be interpreted harmoniously with Section 2(15), with which there is no conflict. Carrying out activity in the nature of trade, commerce or business, or service in relation to such activities, should be conducted in the course of achieving the general public utility object, and the income, profit or surplus or gains must, therefore, be incidental.

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…

NDPS, 1985 – Section 2(xvii)(a) and 15 – Once a Chemical Examiner established that the seized ‘poppy straw’ tests positive for the contents of ‘morphine’ and ‘meconic acid’, no other test would be necessary for bringing home the guilt of the accused under the provisions of Section 15 of the 1985 Act.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH — Appellant Vs. NIRMAL KAUR @ NIMMO AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : B.R. Gavai and C.T. Ravikumar, JJ.…

Looking to the location and the potentiality of the lands acquired and as the acquired lands were required to be used for Liquified Petroleum Gas Plant, not much development was required HELD the original landowners shall be entitled to Rs. 12,16,800/- per acre towards compensation for the lands acquired against 7,00,000 lakh per acre granted by HC.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH HARI RAM (DECEASED) THR. HIS LRS. AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. LAND ACQUISITION COLLECTOR CUM DISTRICT REVENUE OFFICER GURGAON AND OTHERS — Respondent (…

Environment – Establishment of new wood-based industries – Appeals challenges the order passed by NGT HELD Forest Survey of India (FSI), undisputedly an expert body, arrived at its estimation based on the scientific method – NGT could not have sat in appeal over the opinion of the expert. NGT order set aside

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND OTHERS ETC. ETC. — Appellant Vs. UDAY EDUCATION AND WELFARE TRUST AND ANOTHER ETC. ETC. — Respondent (…

You missed