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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.

Motor Accident – – Even in cases of permanent disablement incurred as a result of a motor-accident, the claimant can seek, apart from compensation for future loss of income, amounts for future prospects as well- From the world of the able bodied, the victim is thrust into the world of the disabled, itself most discomfiting and unsettling – If courts nit-pick and award niggardly amounts oblivious of these circumstances, there is resultant affront to the injured victim.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SIDRAM — Appellant Vs. THE DIVISIONAL MANAGER, UNITED INDIA INSURANCE CO. LTD. AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Surya Kant and J.B. Pardiwala,…

(SARFAESI) – Section 13(2) – Proceedings under Section 13(2) SARFAESI Act – mere typographical error due to inadvertence which has not caused any prejudice to the borrowers, that in itself could not be considered to be the ground to annul the process held by the secured creditor which is in due compliance with the requirement as contemplated under the provisions of Security Interest (Enforcement) Rules, 2002.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH VARIMADUGU OBI REDDY — Appellant Vs. B. SREENIVASULU AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and C.T. Ravikumar, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

HELD there were several Inverters having numbers which were common/duplicate and interchangeably used in the same or other blocks. It was alleged that for about 186 Invertors serial numbers were commonly, duplicably and interchangeably used. Some of the inverter numbers were not legible. Therefore, it was alleged that there was lack of due diligence by the authorised personnel of the CEIG. Appeal dismissed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M.P. POWER MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED, JABALPUR — Appellant Vs. M/S. SKY POWER SOUTHEAST SOLAR INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before :…

HELD It is not disputed that enhanced power tariff became effective from 1st January, 1992 and the Government of Kerala came with the GO dated 6th February, 1992 to provide exemption from enhanced power tariff to new industrial units starting commercial production between 1st January, 1992 and 31st December, 1996 for a period of 5 years from the date the unit started commercial production. . Appeal allowed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD LIMITED AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. RUBFILA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and C.T.…

Rajeev Gandhi assassination case – HELD therefore, direct that all the appellants/applicants be deemed to have served their respective sentences in connection with Crime No. 329 of 1991. The appellants/applicants are, therefore, directed to be set at liberty forthwith, if not required in any other case.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH R.P. RAVICHANDRAN — Appellant Vs. STATE OF TAMIL NADU REP. BY ITS CHIEF SECRETARY AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : B.R. Gavai and…

Test Identification Parade (TIP) – even if held, cannot be considered in all the cases as trustworthy evidence on which the conviction of an accused can be sustained – Conduct of the TIP, coupled with the hovering presence of the police during the conduct of the TIP vitiated the entire process

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH GIREESAN NAIR AND OTHERS ETC. — Appellant Vs. STATE OF KERALA — Respondent ( Before : B.R. Gavai and Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha, JJ. )…

TDS on Commission and Brokerage – If a relationship between two parties as culled out from their intentions as manifested in the terms of the contract between them indicate the existence of a principal­ agent relationship as defined under Section 182 of the Contract Act, then the definition of “Commission” under Section 194H of the IT Act stands attracted and the requirement to deduct TDS arises

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SINGAPORE AIRLINES LIMITED — Appellant Vs. C.I.T., DELHI — Respondent ( Before : Surya Kant and M.M. Sundresh, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No. 6964-6965…

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.…

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