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Environment Law — Environmental Clearance — Prior clearance — Mandatory character — Prior environmental clearance under EIA Notification, 2006 is mandatory, being founded on the precautionary principle and couched in imperative terms — Word “prior” and the graded four-stage screening, scoping, public consultation and appraisal process render an anterior assessment the sine qua non of the clearance regime — Decriminalisation of contraventions under Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 does not alter this mandatory character. Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 — Section 415 — Appeal — Maintainability — Conviction recorded for first time by appellate court reversing acquittal — An appeal under Section 374 CrPC (Section 415 BNSS) is not maintainable against a judgment of conviction recorded by a Sessions Court while exercising appellate jurisdiction and reversing an order of acquittal passed by the Trial Court — No such second appeal is contemplated under CrPC or BNSS — The only remedy available is revision under Section 397 r/w 401 CrPC (Section 438 r/w 442 BNSS) Income Tax Act, 1961 — Section 44B — “Carriage” of passengers — Meaning and scope of — Cruise operations by non-resident shipping entity — Held, the word “carriage” under Section 44B cannot be restrictively construed to mean movement only from Port A to Port B. A round-trip cruise voyage, where passengers have the option to disembark at intermediate ports without compulsion to return to the originating port, constitutes carriage of passengers within the meaning of Section 44B. Provision of incidental on-board entertainment and hospitality does not alter the essential character of the activity as carriage of passengers. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Quashing of FIR — Scope of inquiry — Mini-trial impermissible — At the stage of considering quashing of an FIR, the Court’s inquiry is confined to whether the allegations, taken at face value, prima facie disclose commission of a cognizable offence — Court cannot conduct a “mini-trial” by sifting evidence, assessing probabilities, or evaluating witness credibility — High Court exceeding these limits by examining trap proceedings, absence of personal recovery, and departmental enquiry findings, held impermissible. Succession Act, 1925 — Sections 33, 35 and 38 — Hindu/Christian Succession — Applicability of S. 33 confined to property owned by deceased male; erroneous application by High Court set aside — Where property was purchased and registered in the joint names of two wives, the same is owned by them and not by the husband, notwithstanding that he provided the consideration — Section 33, which governs devolution on intestacy of a male’s property between his widow and lineal descendants, is not attracted to property never vested in the husband’s name — High Court’s application of S. 33 to the entirety of the suit property held misconceived.

Constitution of India, 1950 – Articles 21 and 32 – Transfer of Criminal Trial to CBI Special Court, Andhra Pradesh to CBI Special Court, Hyderabad or CBI Special Court, New Delhi – Murder of former AP Minister – Considering the facts and circumstances, it cannot be said that apprehension on the part of the petitioners being daughter and wife of the deceased that there may not be a fair trial – justice is not to be done but the justice is seen to have been done also — Case transferred to Hyderabad – Appeal allowed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SUNEETHA NARREDDY AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. THE CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh,…

Central Excise Act, 1944 – Section 11B – Central Excise Rules, 2002 – Rule 18 – Rebate of duty – While making claim for rebate of duty under Rule 18 of the Central Excise Rules, 2002, the period of limitation prescribed under Section 11B of the Central Excise Act, 1944 shall have to be applied and applicable

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SANSERA ENGINEERING LIMITED — Appellant Vs. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, LARGE TAX PAYER UNIT, BENGALURU — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh, JJ.…

Pharmacy – Fake Pharmacist – Under the provisions of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 as well as the Pharmacy Practice Regulations, 2015, it is the duty cast upon the Pharmacy Council and the State Government to see that the hospitals/medical stores, etc., are not run by the fake pharmacist and are run by the registered pharmacist only – Remanded

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MUKESH KUMAR — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF BIHAR AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M. R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh, JJ. )…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 482 – Quashing of Complaint/FIR – Complaint on the basis of which FIR came to be registered at the instance of the de-facto complainant does not disclose any act of the accused or their participation in the commission of crime – FIR quashed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAMESH CHANDRA GUPTA — Appellant Vs. STATE OF U.P. AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and C.T. Ravikumar, JJ. ) Criminal…

Service Matters

Uttar Pradesh Avas Evam Vikas Parishad Adhiniyam, 1965 – Section 94(1)(nn) and 95(1)(f) – Pension Scheme – State Government can always exercise the powers under clause (nn) of subsection (1) Section 94 of the 1965 Act for determining the conditions of service of the officers (other than the Housing Commissioner) and employees of the Board

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF U.P. AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. VIRENDRA KUMAR AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Abhay S. Oka and…

Lapse of land acquisition proceedings – – if the compensation has not been paid due to inter se dispute between the co-owners, thereafter, it will not be open for the landowners to make a grievance that once the compensation was not paid, the acquisition is deemed to have lapsed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE SECRETARY, THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND BUILDING AND ORS. — Appellant Vs. ANJEET SINGH (DEAD) THROUGH LRS. AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before…

Maharashtra Land Revenue (Extraction and Removal of Minor Minerals) Rules, 1968 – Rule 4A – – The object and purpose of Rule 4A would be permitting the family of Vadar community to continue their traditional profession of stone crushing by hand by extracting the stone up to 200 brass annually without payment of any fee or royalty – Rule 4A is not meant for the lease for commercial use.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MAHARASHTRA RAJYA VADAR SAMAJ SANGH — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh, JJ.…

Income Tax Act, 1961 – Section 45(4) – Capital gains – Assets revalued and the credit into the capital accounts of the respective partners can be said to be “transfer” and which fall in the category of “OTHERWISE” and therefore, the provision of Section 45(4) inserted by Finance Act, 1987 w.e.f. 01.04.1988 shall be applicable.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX – 23 — Appellant Vs. M/S. MANSUKH DYEING AND PRINTING MILLS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and…

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