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Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Sections 5, 34, and 37 — Scope of Judicial Intervention — Minimum intervention of judicial authority in domestic arbitration matters is required under Section 5 — Challenge to an arbitral award under Section 34 is limited to specific grounds, including patent illegality or conflict with the public policy of India — Scope of interference by the Appellate Court under Section 37 is akin to and cannot travel beyond the restrictions laid down under Section 34 — Appellate Court cannot undertake an independent assessment of the merits of the award or re-interpret contractual clauses if the interpretation by the Arbitral Tribunal was a plausible view and upheld under Section 34 — Setting aside an arbitral award under Section 37, which was upheld under Section 34, based on providing a different interpretation of contractual clauses is unsustainable in law. (Paras 24, 25, 30, 31, 36, 37, 39, 50, 51) Limitation Act, 1963 — Article 54 — Suit for specific performance — Commencement of limitation period — Where the defendant subsequently executed an affidavit ratifying the agreement to sell and conveying no-objection to the transfer, the period of limitation commences from the date of the admitted affidavit, as this is the stage at which the executant finally refused to execute the sale deed to the extent of her share — Trial court and High Court erred in dismissing the suit on the ground of limitation calculated from an earlier disputed date. (Paras 13, 35, 36, 37) Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 9(2) read with Rule 9(4) of 2001 Rules — Setting aside High Court judgment — High Court erroneously treated the date of filing of the Section 11 petition (28.06.2024) as the commencement date, leading to the conclusion that proceedings commenced beyond the statutory period — Where the arbitration notice was served (on 11.04.2024) well within the 90-day period from the ad-interim injunction order (17.02.2024), proceedings commenced in time as per Section 21 — High Court’s finding unsustainable, resulting in the restoration of the Trial Court’s initial ad-interim injunction order. (Paras 28, 31, 32) E. Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 9 — Interim injunction — Dispute regarding existence Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 2(28) — Definition of “motor vehicle” — Components — Definition has two parts: an inclusive part (mechanically propelled vehicle adapted for use upon roads) and an exclusive part — The second part expressly excludes “a vehicle of a special type adapted for use only in a factory or in any other enclosed premises” — Although Dumpers, Loaders, etc., may fall under the first part of the definition, they are excluded if their nature of use is confined to factory or enclosed premises, being special type vehicles/Construction Equipment Vehicles. (Paras 36, 37, 38, 39) Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities of BootLeggers, Dacoits, Drug-Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders etc. Act, 1986 — Section 3(2) — Preventive Detention — Grounds for Detention — Requirement of finding ‘prejudicial to the maintenance of public order’ — Detenu, a ‘drug offender’, was detained based on three criminal cases involving Ganja, with an apprehension that if released on bail, she would engage in similar activities — Held, mere apprehension that the detenu, if released on bail, would be likely to indulge in similar crimes would not be a sufficient ground for ordering preventive detention — Order of detention failed to indicate how the detenu’s activities were prejudicial to ‘public order’ as opposed to ‘law and order’ and was therefore unsustainable. (Paras 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11)

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Sections 5, 34, and 37 — Scope of Judicial Intervention — Minimum intervention of judicial authority in domestic arbitration matters is required under Section 5 — Challenge to an arbitral award under Section 34 is limited to specific grounds, including patent illegality or conflict with the public policy of India — Scope of interference by the Appellate Court under Section 37 is akin to and cannot travel beyond the restrictions laid down under Section 34 — Appellate Court cannot undertake an independent assessment of the merits of the award or re-interpret contractual clauses if the interpretation by the Arbitral Tribunal was a plausible view and upheld under Section 34 — Setting aside an arbitral award under Section 37, which was upheld under Section 34, based on providing a different interpretation of contractual clauses is unsustainable in law. (Paras 24, 25, 30, 31, 36, 37, 39, 50, 51)

Limitation Act, 1963 — Article 54 — Suit for specific performance — Commencement of limitation period — Where the defendant subsequently executed an affidavit ratifying the agreement to sell and conveying no-objection to the transfer, the period of limitation commences from the date of the admitted affidavit, as this is the stage at which the executant finally refused to execute the sale deed to the extent of her share — Trial court and High Court erred in dismissing the suit on the ground of limitation calculated from an earlier disputed date. (Paras 13, 35, 36, 37)

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 – Sections 7 and 12A – Real estate project – the Promoter has filed a specific undertaking specifying therein that the cost of the flat would not be escalated and that he would honour the BBA signed by the previous management – Promoter is permitted to complete the project as per the deliberations.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ANAND MURTI — Appellant Vs. SONI INFRATECH PRIVATE LIMITED AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and B.R. Gavai, JJ. )…

Gujarat Stamp Act, 1958 – Section 9(a), Articles 20(a) and 45(f) – Once a single instrument has been charged under a correct charging provision of the Statute, namely Article 20(a), the Revenue cannot split the instrument into two, because of the reduction in the stamp duty facilitated by a notification of the Government issued under Section 9(a)

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ASSET RECONSTRUCTION CO. (INDIA) LIMITED — Appellant Vs. CHIEF CONTROLLING REVENUE AUTHORITY — Respondent ( Before : Hemant Gupta and V. Ramasubramanian, JJ. )…

Constitution of India, 1950 – Article 300-A – Construction/widening of road no doubt would be a public purpose but there being no justification for not paying compensation the action of the respondents would be arbitrary, unreasonable and clearly violative of Article 300-A of the Constitution.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH KALYANI (DEAD) THROUGH LRS. AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. THE SULTHAN BATHERY MUNICIPALITY AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Dinesh Maheshwari and Vikram…

Constitution of India, 1950 – Articles 14, 15(1), 341 and 342 – Promotion – SC/ST Category -An obligation on the part of Parliament, to provide clarity about the kind of protection, regarding the status of such individuals forced to chose one among the newly reorganized states, and ensure that they are not worse off as a result of reorganization –

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH AKHILESH PRASAD — Appellant Vs. JHARKHAND PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and S.…

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.…

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