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Meritorious reserved category candidates must be considered against unreserved vacancies at the screening stage without availing any concession, prioritizing merit over category bias. The Commission under the WBCE Act has jurisdiction to adjudicate deficiencies in patient care services and qualifications of personnel, distinct from medical negligence handled by State Medical Councils. Income Tax Act, 1961 — Section 37(1) — Revenue Expenditure vs. Capital Expenditure — Non-compete fee — Whether payment of non-compete fee constitutes allowable revenue expenditure or capital expenditure — Non-compete fee is paid to restrain a competitor, which protects or enhances the business profitability and facilitates carrying on the business more efficiently — Such payment neither creates a new asset nor increases the profit-earning apparatus for the payer, meaning the enduring advantage, if any, is not in the capital field — The length of time of the advantage is not determinative if the advantage merely facilitates business operations, leaving fixed assets untouched — Payment of non-compete fee made by the appellant (formed as a joint venture) to L&T (previous partner) to restrain L&T from competing for 7 years was essentially to keep a potential competitor out and ensure the appellant operated more efficiently and profitably, without creating a new capital asset or monopoly — Held: Payment of non-compete fee is an allowable revenue expenditure under Section 37(1) of the Act. (Paras 16, 25-29) Evidence Act, 1872 — Section 118 — Competency of child witness — Effect of delay and tutoring — Although a minor child is competent to testify, the reliability and evidentiary value of testimony given many years after the event, especially when the child has been residing with the complainant’s family (maternal grandparents), is significantly affected by the high possibility of memory distortion and tutoring. (Paras 5, 7, 10.2) Service Law — High Court Staff — Regularization — Discrimination — Appellants (Operator-cum-Data Entry Assistants/Routine Grade Clerks) appointed by Chief Justice under Rules 8(a)(i), 41, and 45 of Allahabad High Court Officers and Staff (Conditions of Service and Conduct) Rules, 1976 — High Court refused regularization of Appellants while regularizing numerous similarly situated employees appointed through the same channel — Justification based on whether initial appointment was labelled ‘ad-hoc’ or whether appointment letter stipulated an examination — Held, distinction based solely on stipulations in appointment letters, when the channel of appointment and nature of work are identical, is arbitrary, unreasonable, and superficial — Such differential treatment violates Articles 14, 16, and 21 of the Constitution, as equals must be treated equally without rational differentia. (Paras 3, 4, 17, 23-28)
Service Matters

HELD there appears no reason for withholding the names of the present appellants and merely because they were appointed at a later point of time, would not deprive them from claiming to become a member of Tamil Nadu Pension Rules, 1978, which is applicable to the employees who were appointed on or before 1st April, 2003.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH P. RANJITHARAJ — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and Bela M. Trivedi, JJ.…

Cheque – Quashing of complaint at a pre-trial stage – the accused may be given an un-merited advantage in the criminal process – –when the cheque and the signature are not disputed by the appellant – the accused will have due opportunity to adduce defence evidence during the trial, to rebut the presumption

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RATHISH BABU UNNIKRISHNAN — Appellant Vs. THE STATE (GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI) AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : K.M. Joseph and Hrishikesh…

(CrPC) – S 482 – Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986 – S 2 and 3 – Quashing of proceedings – Appellant-accused contended that solely on the basis of a single FIR/charge sheet and that too with respect to a single murder, the appellant cannot be said to be a ‘Gangster’ and/or a member of the ‘Gang’ – HELD Even a single crime committed by a ‘Gang’ is sufficient to implant Gangsters Act on such members of the ‘Gang

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SHRADDHA GUPTA — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ. )…

Specific performance of agreement – Agreement to sell – Three Courts below have recorded the concurrent findings of facts in favour of the respondent-plaintiff with regard to the respondent having proved his readiness and willingness to perform his part of contract, – Appeal dismissed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SATNAM SINGH — Appellant Vs. SATNAM SINGH — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and Bela M. Trivedi, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No. 8037…

Service Matters

Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 – Sections 1(3)(c), 2(a) and 3(1)(b) – Anganwadi centres – Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 – Section 11 – The 1972 Act will apply to Anganwadi centres and in turn to Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) – Anganwadi centres are establishments contemplated by clause (b) of sub­section (3) of Section 1 of the 1972 Act

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MANIBEN MAGANBHAI BHARIYA — Appellant Vs. DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT OFFICER DAHOD AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and Abhay S. Oka, JJ.…

Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 – Section 5 – Date of loading goods onto the vessel, which commenced one day prior to the effective date of the policy, is not as significant as the date on which the foreign buyer failed to pay for the goods exported, which was well within the coverage period of the Policy

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH HARIS MARINE PRODUCTS — Appellant Vs. EXPORT CREDIT GUARANTEE CORPORATION (ECGC) LIMITED — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, S. Ravindra Bhat, and…

Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act, 1999 – Section 2(c) – Deposit – If the financial establishment is obligated to return the deposit without any increments, it shall still fall within the purview of Section 2(c) of the MPID Act, provided that the deposit does not fall within any of the exceptions –

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA — Appellant Vs. 63 MOONS TECHNOLOGIES LTD. — Respondent ( Before : Dr Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, Surya Kant and Bela…

Service Matters

Claim of back wages HELD It is needless to point out that in the first instance, there is an obligation on the part of the employee to plead that he is not gainfully employed. It is only then that the burden would shift upon the employer to make an assertion and establish the same.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ALLAHABAD BANK AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. AVTAR BHUSHAN BHARTIYA — Respondent ( Before : Indira Banerjee and V. Ramasubramanian, JJ. ) Special Leave…

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