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Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 168 — Notional income of skilled worker — Carpenter — Assessment — The appellant, a carpenter aged 38 years, suffered amputation of his right leg below the knee in a road accident in November 2004 — The Claims Tribunal assessed his monthly income at Rs. 3,000/- and the High Court enhanced it to Rs. 5,000/- relying on minimum wages. Held — A carpenter is a skilled artisan who works with precision and manual dexterity — His income cannot be equated with that of an unskilled worker — Where the appellant’s unrefuted evidence showed earnings of Rs. 8,000/- to Rs. 10,000/- per month, and a skilled job always has the potentiality to fetch higher income, the High Court erred in restricting the figure to Rs. 5,000/- — Considering the date of accident, decisions in comparable cases and the fact of the appellant being a skilled worker, his notional monthly income is assessed at Rs. 9,000/- per month. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 304 Part II — Culpable Homicide not Amounting to Murder — Conviction and sentence — Appeal against — Abatement of appeal due to death of co-accused — Death of two appellants during pendency of appeal — Appeal survives only for the third appellant. Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950 — Section 154 — Transfer of land in contravention of ceiling limit — Not void ipso facto — Capable of ratification — Legality of transfer to be judged by law on date of execution — Sale deed executed on 04.06.1957 — Ceiling limit then was 30 acres, subsequently amended to 12.5 acres retrospectively from 01.07.1952 — Transfer in contravention of Section 154 not void but voidable at instance of Gaon Sabha coupled with liability for ejectment of transferee under Section 163 — No suit filed for ejectment within limitation period. Specific Relief Act, 1963 — Section 16(c) — “Readiness and Willingness” — Relief of specific performance is equitable and discretionary — Plaintiff must specifically aver and prove continuous readiness and willingness to perform obligations — Failure to do so disentitles plaintiff to relief — “Readiness” refers to financial capacity, “Willingness” to conduct and intention — Both cumulatively must be seen — Conduct of plaintiff prior and subsequent to suit, along with attending circumstances, must be considered — Availability of funds must be proved with reference to relevant time, not by documents created much later. Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 166 and 140 — Compensation for death in motor vehicular accident — Negligence — Truck stationed on road at night without warning lights or indicators — Wagon-R car collided from behind — Held, truck driver was negligent in leaving the vehicle unattended on the road without adequate precautionary measures, which was the proximate cause of the accident.

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 – Section 10(a)(i) – Terrorists and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 – Section 3(5) – Mere membership of a banned association is sufficient to constitute an offence under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 or Terrorism and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH ARUP BHUYAN — Appellant Vs. STATE OF ASSAM AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah, C.T. Ravikumar and Sanjay Karol, JJ. )…

Plea by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) seeking land for construction of chamber block for lawyers – These are matters which cannot be resolved by the application of judicial standards and have to be taken up on the administrative side of the Supreme Court – Administrative functioning and decision-making, which the current issue requires, cannot be moved to the judicial side – Writ petitions disposed of

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH SUPREME COURT BAR ASSOCIATION — Appellant Vs. MINISTRY OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Dr. Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud, CJI., Sanjay…

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order, 1988 – Order restricts unauthorised possession of gas cylinders – HELD officer or the Department of Food and Civil Supplies of the Government, not below the rank of an Inspector authorised by such Government – It nowhere prescribes that a Sub-Inspector of the Police can take action – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH AVTAR SINGH AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB — Respondent ( Before : Abhay S. Oka and Rajesh Bindal, JJ. ) Criminal…

Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 – Section 24(2) – Lapse of Acquisition proceedings – In case possession has been taken, compensation has not been paid then there is no lapse – Similarly, if compensation has been paid, possession has not been taken then there is no lapse.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DELHI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY — Appellant Vs. BATTI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Abhay S. Oka and Rajesh Bindal, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Central Excise Act, 1944 – Section 4(4)(c) – Valuation of excisable goods – Related person – There is no finding that the price of the goods was lower than what was the price of those goods, in the market – In view of the foregoing discussion, it has to be concluded that the revenue’s decision in rejecting the value at which the goods were sold, by treating the assessee as a related person, was erroneous.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M/S BILAG INDUSTRIES P. LTD. AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. COMMR. OF CEN. EXC. DAMAN AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : S. Ravindra…

Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976 – Section 7 read with 19(1) – Forfeiture of Property – The Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976 has been enacted by the Parliament with an object to provide for the forfeiture of illegally acquired properties of smugglers and foreign exchange manipulators and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto – Order of forfeiture is upheld.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M/S. PLATINUM THEATRE AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. COMPETENT AUTHORITY SMUGGLERS & FOREIGN EXCHANGE MANIPULATORS (FORFEITURE OF PROPERTY) ACT, 1976 AND ANOTHER — Respondent…

(IPC) – Sections 364A, 302 and 201 – Kidnapping and murder of 7 years old child – Death sentence – Review of judgment – “rarest of rare” doctrine requires that the death sentence not be imposed only by taking into account the grave nature of crime but only if there is no possibility of reformation in a criminal

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH SUNDAR @ SUNDARRAJAN — Appellant Vs. STATE BY INSPECTOR OF POLICE — Respondent ( Before : Dr. Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud, CJI., Hima Kohli and…

Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates (Control) Act, 1947 – Section 13(1)(e) and 15(1) – Unless the contract itself permits subletting, it shall not be lawful, after coming into operation of the Act of 1947, for a tenant to sublet the premises let out to him or to assign or transfer in any manner his interest therein with an exception the State Government may permit so by gazette notification.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH YUVRAJ @ MUNNA PRALHAD JAGDALE AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. JANARDAN SUBAJIRAO WIDE — Respondent ( Before : Sudhanshu Dhulia and Sanjay Kumar, JJ.…

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