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Specific Relief Act, 1963 — Section 20 — Specific performance — Discretionary and equitable relief — Clean hands — Grant of specific performance is discretionary, not automatic even where a valid contract subsists; a plaintiff must approach the Court with clean hands. Where the plaintiff’s spouse lodged a criminal complaint seeking recovery of the advance paid, alleging the vendor fraudulently suppressed a subsisting injunction, while simultaneously maintaining a civil suit for specific performance, such conduct amounts to blowing “hot and cold” and disentitles the plaintiff to equitable relief. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 299 — Absence of order — Effect on conviction — Where no order under S. 299 was ever passed at the stage the co-accused was tried (case having been split due to abscondence), the earlier deposition of a witness (since deceased) could not be relied upon to convict the accused apprehended and tried years later; identification by surviving eyewitnesses being doubtful and other witnesses having turned hostile, conviction based on such uncorroborated prior testimony unsustainable — appellant acquitted. Hindu female’s property devolves equally on husband and daughter separately; gift of undivided coparcenary share needs no co-owner’s consent. A. Hindu Succession Act, 1956 — Section 15(1)(a) — Devolution of Female Intestate’s Property — Properties of a Hindu female dying intestate devolve, in the absence of sons/daughters’ issue predeceasing her, upon her husband and daughter in equal shares under Section 15(1)(a); such undivided share in the husband’s hands does not partake the character of coparcenary property. Armed Forces — Air Force Order No. 33/2017 — Prior Permission for Civil Post — Mandatory Nature — Requirement of seeking prior permission before applying for a civil post, and subsequent grant of NOC, held mandatory and not merely procedural/directory, since AFO 33/2017 has necessary nexus with regulating premature discharge of Airmen and its object of maintaining operational preparedness of the Air Force. Consumer Protection Act, 2019 — Deficiency of Service — Maintenance Contractor’s Liability — Elevator Malfunction — Comprehensive maintenance contractor, being both manufacturer and repair contractor with exclusive technical knowledge of safety interlocks and brake mechanisms, held principally deficient in service for failing to act on its own identified remedy (voltage stabiliser) despite repeated notice of persistent malfunction over several months preceding fatal accident.

Sections 11, 12, 12-A and 13 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 HELD Section 11(4A) must be interpreted harmoniously with Section 2(15), with which there is no conflict. Carrying out activity in the nature of trade, commerce or business, or service in relation to such activities, should be conducted in the course of achieving the general public utility object, and the income, profit or surplus or gains must, therefore, be incidental.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (EXEMPTIONS) — Appellant Vs. AHMEDABAD URBAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, CJI., S. Ravindra…

NDPS, 1985 – Section 2(xvii)(a) and 15 – Once a Chemical Examiner established that the seized ‘poppy straw’ tests positive for the contents of ‘morphine’ and ‘meconic acid’, no other test would be necessary for bringing home the guilt of the accused under the provisions of Section 15 of the 1985 Act.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH — Appellant Vs. NIRMAL KAUR @ NIMMO AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : B.R. Gavai and C.T. Ravikumar, JJ.…

Looking to the location and the potentiality of the lands acquired and as the acquired lands were required to be used for Liquified Petroleum Gas Plant, not much development was required HELD the original landowners shall be entitled to Rs. 12,16,800/- per acre towards compensation for the lands acquired against 7,00,000 lakh per acre granted by HC.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH HARI RAM (DECEASED) THR. HIS LRS. AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. LAND ACQUISITION COLLECTOR CUM DISTRICT REVENUE OFFICER GURGAON AND OTHERS — Respondent (…

Environment – Establishment of new wood-based industries – Appeals challenges the order passed by NGT HELD Forest Survey of India (FSI), undisputedly an expert body, arrived at its estimation based on the scientific method – NGT could not have sat in appeal over the opinion of the expert. NGT order set aside

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND OTHERS ETC. ETC. — Appellant Vs. UDAY EDUCATION AND WELFARE TRUST AND ANOTHER ETC. ETC. — Respondent (…

HELD modify the sentence imposed for the offence under Sections 376(2)(i) and 376(2)(m) of IPC and for the offence under Section 5 (i) and 5 (m) read with Section 6 of the POCSO Act, so as to commensurate the said sentences with the sentence imposed for the offence under Section 376(A) of IPC, and accordingly imposes sentence directing the appellant/petitioner to undergo imprisonment for a period of twenty years instead of life imprisonment for the said offences.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH MOHD. FIROZ — Appellant Vs. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit, CJI, S. Ravindra Bhat and Bela M.…

Held Trial court directions restored whereby temporary injunction granted – defendants to maintain status quo with respect to the Will property till final disposal of the suit and, the defendants would furnish the details and account of the movable property of the deceased-Ishwarbhai Madhavbhai Patel from the date of his death within 30 days from the date of the order – Suit be expedited

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH HARISH ISHWARBHAI PATEL — Appellant Vs. JATIN ISHWARBHAI PATEL AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Aniruddha Bose and Vikram Nath, JJ. ) Civil…

Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 – Section 168 – Just Compensation – Section 168 of the Act deals with the concept of “just compensation” and the same has to be determined on the foundation of fairness, reasonableness and equitability on acceptable legal standard – claimants cannot expect a wind fall but compensation so granted cannot be PITTANCE

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAJ BALA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. RAKEJA BEGAM AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : B.R. Gavai and C.T. Ravikumar, JJ. ) Civil…

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