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Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 11(4) — Appointment of Arbitrator — Existence of Arbitration Agreement — Non-Signatory/Third Party — The Referral Court (Appointing Authority) is required to inspect and scrutinize the dealings between the parties to prima facie examine the existence of an arbitration agreement, including whether a non-signatory is a “veritable party” to the agreement. (Paras 24, 25, 27, 28, 35) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Quashing of First Information Report (FIR) — Abuse of process of law — When civil dispute is masked as criminal complaint — Allegations in FIR (claiming criminal conspiracy, forcible occupation, and caste abuse) found inconsistent with contemporaneous civil suit filed by the informant regarding the same property and on the same day — Suit’s cause of action traced to earlier dates and did not mention the specific criminal incident alleged in the FIR — Absence of relief to set aside primary sale deeds in the suit suggests the criminal allegations are an afterthought or exaggerated — FIR quashed as a clear abuse of the process of law. (Paras 3, 6, 8, 9, 10) Service Law — Resignation — Forfeiture of past service — Central Civil Service (Pension) Rules, 1972 — Rule 26(1) — Distinction between Resignation and Voluntary Retirement — An employee who resigns from service forfeits past service as per Rule 26(1) of the 1972 Rules, regardless of the length of service completed (20 years or more) — The act of resignation cannot be re-classified as voluntary retirement to claim pensionary benefits, as this would nullify the distinction between the two concepts and render Rule 26 nugatory — Claim for pension correctly denied where the employee resigned from service. (Paras 3, 4, 6, 9, 9.1, 9.5, 9.6, 12) Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006 — Section 30 — Maintenance of Map and Field Book — Correction of Revenue Map — Scope of Section 30 — Section 30 allows the Collector to record annual changes in boundaries or correct errors or omissions detected in the map or field book (khasra) — It does not permit reopening an issue settled previously between parties regarding the location or extent of plots, especially when the earlier decision attained finality and was based on determined possession and ownership — Efforts to change the location of a purchased plot, which has already been subject to final determination under the predecessor law (Uttar Pradesh Land Revenue Act, 1901), do not fall within the scope of “correction of errors or omissions” under Section 30. (Paras 5.1, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 — Section 3(1)(xi) — Conviction and Requirement of Caste-Based Intention — High Court’s finding that the offence was committed “simply for reason that the complainant was belonging to scheduled caste” held perverse — No statement in court by the victim or PW-2 suggesting that the accused were motivated by the victim’s caste — Finding based on mere observation without evidence is unsustainable. (Para 20)
Service Matters

Service Law – Teacher is entitled to get the benefits of enhanced age of superannuation of 65 years at par with his counterpart teachers serving in Government Colleges and Universities – Teacher shall be entitled to all consequential and monetary benefits including the arrears of salaries and allowances for the intervening period, as if he would have been retired at the age of 65 years

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DR. JACOB THUDIPARA — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M. R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna,…

HELD the ground on which the High Court had allowed the review applications was thereafter not available. Under the circumstances, and in view of the subsequent development, which was even pointed out to the High Court while filing the recall application being CMA No. 23091/2017, the order(s) passed by the High Court in Review Petition Nos. 309/2008 and 310/2008 deserve(s) to be quashed and set aside. All appeals allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SH. RAM CHANDER (DEAD) THR LRS — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ. )…

Service Matters

HELD It is not in dispute that the appointment of all the applicants/respondents/teachers have been made directly by the respective Management without following the procedure as prescribed under the Rules/Statute. It is a trite law that the appointments made in contravention of the statutory provisions are void ab initio.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF ODISHA AND OTHERS ETC. ETC. — Appellant Vs. SULEKH CHANDRA PRADHAN ETC. ETC. — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and…

Consumer Protection Act, 1986 – Section 14(1) – Sale of Goods Act, 1930 – Section 2(7) – Manufacturer defect – Failure to provide an airbag system which would meet the safety standards as perceived by a car­buyer of reasonable prudence, should be subject to punitive damages which can have deterrent effect.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH HYUNDAI MOTOR INDIA LIMITED — Appellant Vs. SHAILENDRA BHATNAGAR — Respondent ( Before : Vineet Saran and Aniruddha Bose, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No.…

Contempt Petition – Non-compliance of directions – Builder is guilty of delaying the construction by not taking suitable steps in complete disobedience of the orders passed by this Court based on its undertaking – Contempt Petition is closed with liberty to the tenants/occupants to approach this Court in case of non-compliance of the directions.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JAGDISH MAVJI TANK (DEAD) THROUGH LRS. AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. HARRESH NAVNITRAI MEHTA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao…

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