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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.

The Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888 – the capital value of the land and building must be based on situation “in presenti”- in projects which are in progress, the value addition to the property would be ongoing feature. However, it would mean that the governing principle must be the actual use and not the intended use in future.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF GREATER MUMBAI AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. PROPERTY OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, CJI.…

Rape and Murder – Death Penalty – Acquittal – Circumstantial evidence – Lapses in investigation and trial – There was no Test Identification parade conducted by any of the Investigating Officers during the course of their respective investigations – Nor any of the witnesses had identified the accused during their respective depositions – As per the settled legal position, in order to sustain conviction, the circumstances taken cumulatively should form a chain so complete

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH RAHUL — Appellant Vs. STATE OF DELHI MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, CJI., S. Ravindra…

Company Secretaries Regulations, 1982 – Regulations 92(2) and 117(2) – Applicability of Regulation 92(2) – Regulation 92(2) shall be applicable only in a case of absence and not in a case where the post of Chairman and/or office bearer has fallen vacant – There is a distinction between the absence and the post fallen vacant

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH INSTITUTE OF COMPANY SECRETARIES OF INDIA — Appellant Vs. BIMAN DEBNATH AND OTHERTS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh, JJ.…

Army Act, 1950 – Sections 45 and 122 – Martial Proceedings – Period of limitation for trial – For the purpose of Section 122, the two dates will be relevant i.e., the date when the alleged offence comes to the knowledge of the person aggrieved and the date on which the authority competent to initiate action comes to know about the alleged offence

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH IC-56663X COL ANIL KUMAR GUPTA — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, CJI., and Bela…

Jharkhand High Court (Public Interest Litigation) Rules, 2010 – HELD allegations made by petitioner vague, very much generalized and not at all substantiated by anything worthy to be called an evidence. Allegations of corruption and siphoning of money from shell companies are nothing but a bald allegation, without substantiating the allegations. Petitioner non- disclosure of the credentials of the petitioner and the past efforts made for similar reliefs. PILs dismissed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH STATE OF JHARKHAND — Appellant Vs. SHIV SHANKAR SHARMA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, CJI., S. Ravindra Bhat and…

Land Acquisition Act, 1894 – Sections 4 and 6 – Acquisition of land – When the acquisition is solely for the purpose of excavation of coal and the entire land is acquired on the basis of the estimates of the coal reserve identified and the entire land is to be mined and used and no further developmental activity is required

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH S. SHANKARAIAH THR. GPA HOLDER AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. THE LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER AND REVENUE DIVISIONAL OFFICER PEDDAPALI KARIMNAGAR DIST. AND OTHERS —…

Mesne profits/compensation – From the date of the decree of eviction, the tenant is liable to pay mesne profits or compensation for use and occupation of the premises at the same rate at which the landlord would have been able to let out the premises – Landlord not bound by contractual rate of rent

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SUMER CORPORATION — Appellant Vs. VIJAY ANANT GANGAN AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 – Section 52(1A) read with Section 102(1)(ca) – Election – Non-disclosure of conviction – Failure to disclose conviction for an offence under the Kerala Police Act for holding a dharna in front of the Panchayat office, not a ground for declaring an election void – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAVI NAMBOOTHIRI — Appellant Vs. K.A. BAIJU AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer and V.Ramasubramanian, JJ. ) Civil Appeal Nos.…

Suit for specific performance – There was no specific issue framed by the learned Trial Court on readiness and willingness on the part of the plaintiff – There must be a specific issue framed on readiness and willingness on the part of the plaintiff in a suit for specific performance and before giving any specific finding, the parties must be put to notice. Remanded

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH V.S. RAMAKRISHNAN — Appellant Vs. P.M. MUHAMMED ALI — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh, JJ. ) Civil Appeal Nos. 8050-8051…

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