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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) Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — Sections 316(4), 344, 61 (2) — Bail — Appeal against grant of bail — Distinguished from cancellation of bail — An appeal against the grant of bail is not on the same footing as an application for cancellation of bail — Superior Court interference in bail grant requires grounds such as perversity, illegality, inconsistency with law, or non-consideration of relevant factors including gravity of the offense and societal impact — The Court must not conduct a threadbare analysis of evidence at the bail stage, but the order must reflect application of mind and assessment of relevant factors — Conduct of the accused subsequent to the grant of bail is not a ground for appeal against grant of bail, but for cancellation. (Paras 7, 8) Penal Code, 18602 (IPC) — Sections 302 and 460 — Appreciation of Evidence — Prior Enmity and Delayed Disclosure of Accused’s Name — Where the star eyewitness (PW-2), the wife of the deceased, provided a detailed account of the assault to the informant (PW-1) immediately after the incident, but failed to name the accused in the First Information Report (FIR), this omission is fatal to the prosecution case, especially when there existed a palpable prior enmity between the witness’s family and the accused (who was the brother of the deceased’s second wife). (Paras 28, 31, 40, 41, 45) Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (SC/ST Act) — Section 3(1)(s) — Essential ingredient — Requirement of caste-based abuse occurring “in any place within public view” — Interpretation — For an offence under Section 3(1)(s) to be made out, the place where the utterance is made must be open, enabling the public to witness or hear the abuse — Abuse uttered within the four corners of a house, where public members are not present, does not satisfy the requirement of being “within public view” — Allegation that casteist abuses were hurled inside the complainant’s residence does not meet the statutory requirement — House of the complainant cannot be considered “within public view.” (Paras 9, 10, 11, 13) Public Interest Litigation (PIL) — Property Tax Revision — Akola Municipal Corporation — Challenge to legality of property tax revision (2017-18 to 2021-22) via Public Interest Litigation (PIL) — Financial Autonomy of Municipal Bodies — Property tax is main source of income for Municipal Corporations to perform vital statutory obligations (urban planning, public health, infrastructure upkeep) — Financial stability and independence are integral to functional efficacy of municipal bodies — Revision of tax structure is necessary to match rising costs and sustain functions — Municipal bodies must have independent revenue sources to avoid dependency on State grants — Failure to revise tax structure for long periods (here, 2001-2017) constitutes gross laxity. (Paras 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 27)
Service Matters

Absorption and regularisation – When the employee were appointed on a fixed term and on a fixed salary in a temporary unit which was created for a particular project, no such direction could have been issued by the High Court to absorb them in Government service and to regularise their services –

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF GUJARAT AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. R.J. PATHAN AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ.…

When the contract not entered under MSME and parties would not be governed by the MSME Act and the parties shall be governed by the laws of India applicable and/or prevailing at the time of execution of the contract – Small Medium Enterprises Facilitation Council would have no jurisdiction

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M/S. VAISHNO ENTERPRISES — Appellant Vs. HAMILTON MEDICAL AG AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ. ) Civil…

Service Matters

Appellant has been teaching the very same subject for the past nearly 16 years – Original Selection Committee which found him eligible for appointment, comprised of Professors from the Department of Sanskrit of which the diploma course in ‘Karm Kand’ was a part, a direction is issued to the University to regularise the services of the appellant.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DINESH CHANDRA SHUKLA — Appellant Vs. STATE OF U.P. AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Hemant Gupta and V. Ramasubramanian, JJ. ) Civil…

When the auction bid of the respondent had been Rs. 1.935 crores for the assets under sale, the Company Court had fixed the value of immovable property therein at Rs. 1.4 crores; and the District Registrar was also satisfied with that valuation. Therefore, stamp duty was to be collected only on the said valuation i.e., Rs. 1.4 crores

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE SUB REGISTRAR ERNAKULAM KOCHI 16 — Appellant Vs. K. SYED ALI KADAR PILLAI AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Dinesh Maheshwari and…

(CrPC) – Section 188 – Sanction – In terms of Section 188, even if an offence is committed outside India, (a) by a citizen whether on the high seas or anywhere else or (b) by a non-citizen on a ship or aircraft registered in India, the Section gets attracted when the entirety of the offence is committed outside India; and the grant of sanction would enable such offence to be enquired into or tried in India.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH SARTAJ KHAN — Appellant Vs. STATE OF UTTARAKHAND — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, S. Ravindra Bhat and Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha, JJ.…

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CrPC) – Order 7 Rule 11 – Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code, 1959 – Section 257 – the defendants cannot be permitted to approbate and reprobate and to take just a contrary stand than taken before the Revenue Authority – Therefore, the learned trial Court rightly rejected the application under Order 7 Rule 11 CPC and rightly refused to reject the plaint –

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH PREMLATA @ SUNITA — Appellant Vs. NASEEB BEE AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

HELD lotteries’ is a species of gambling activity and hence lotteries is within the ambit of ‘betting and gambling’ as appearing in Entry 34 List II. if lotteries are conducted by private parties or by instrumentalities or agencies authorized, by Government of India or the Government of State, it would come within the scope and ambit of Entry 34 of List II – State Legislatures have legislative competence to impose tax on the lotteries conducted by other States in their State

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF KARNATAKA AND ANOTHER ETC. — Appellant Vs. STATE OF MEGHALAYA AND ANOTHER ETC. — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V.…

Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966 – Sections 31(6) and 126 -The land owner cannot be deprived of the use of the land for years together. Once an embargo has been put on a land owner not to use the land in a particular manner, the said restriction cannot be kept open-ended for indefinite period – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH LAXMIKANT AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Hemant Gupta and V. Ramasubramanian, JJ. ) Civil…

Service Matters

Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007 – Section 71(e) – Army Act, 1950 – Section 52(f) and 123 – Dismissal from service – Procurement of ration by Army purchase organisation – It cannot be said that the respondent has actually committed fraud or did any such act, which resulted in actual loss or wrongful gain to any person – Dismissal not sustainable

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. LT. GEN. (RETD.) S.K. SAHNI — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and B.R. Gavai,…

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