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National Highways Act, 1956 — Amendments and compensation provisions — Section 3-J introduced in 1997 removed applicability of Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (1894 Act) provisions for solatium and interest — Overturned by various High Courts, including reading down Sections 3-G and 3-J to grant solatium and interest — Subsequently, Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (2013 Act) and its amended provisions extended to NH Act — Court clarified that landowners acquired lands under NH Act between 1997 and 2015 are entitled to solatium and interest — Review Petition filed by NHAI arguing financial burden was underestimated rejected, but clarification on delayed claims issued. Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 21 Rule 102 — Applicability — Provision contemplates a situation where a judgment debtor transfers property after institution of suit to a person who then obstructs execution — Not applicable where respondents derived title from independent registered sale deeds, not from the judgment debtor. Land Acquisition Act, 1894 — Section 28-A — Re-determination of compensation — Second application for re-determination based on High Court award maintainable even after accepting compensation based on Reference Court award — Principle of merger means appellate court’s award supersedes earlier award, entitling landowners to benefit from higher compensation — Object of Section 28-A is to ensure equality in compensation among similarly placed landowners. Electricity Act, 2003 — Section 61, 86 — Tariff determination and Generation Based Incentive (GBI) — State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) has exclusive power to determine tariff — Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) introduced GBI to incentivise renewable energy generation — GBI is intended to be over and above the tariff fixed by SERC — SERC must consider GBI while determining tariff, but not necessarily deduct it — SERC’s power to determine tariff includes considering incentives — Parliament’s allocation of funds for GBI does not prevent SERC from considering it in tariff — SERC must exercise its power harmoniously with other stakeholders to achieve policy objectives. Contract Law — Award of Tender — Judicial Review — High Court should exercise restraint when reviewing tender evaluation processes, especially in technical matters, unless there is clear evidence of mala fide, arbitrariness, or irrationality — A marginal difference in scores, as seen in this case, does not automatically warrant interference, especially when the owner has the right to accept or reject bids and the contract is already underway.

National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 – Section 17 – Objective of Section 44, UAPA, Section 17, NIA Act, and Section 173(6) is to safeguard witnesses – They are in the nature of a statutory witness protection – On the court being satisfied that the disclosure of the address and name of the witness could endanger the family and the witness, such an order can be passed – They are also in the context of special provisions made for offences under special statutes.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH WAHEED-UR-REHMAN PARRA — Appellant Vs. UNION TERRITORY OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR — Respondent ( Before : Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M.M. Sundresh, JJ. )…

Motor Accident – Compensation – Enhancement of – Post accident – Pain, suffering and trauma suffered by the claimant cannot be compensated in terms of the money – However, still it will be a solace to award suitable compensation under different heads including the pain, shock and suffering, loss of amenities and happiness of life

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SRI BENSON GEORGE — Appellant Vs. RELIANCE GENERAL INSURANCE CO. LIMITED AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ.…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Section 302 – Arms Act, 1959 – Sections 25 and 27 – Murder – Re-appreciation of evidence – evidence cannot be discarded only for the reason that PW allegedly did not raise any alarm or did not try to intervene when the deceased was being ferociously assaulted and stabbed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SURESH YADAV @ GUDDU — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF CHHATTISGARH — Respondent ( Before : Dinesh Maheshwari and Vikram Nath, JJ. ) Criminal…

Work and Contract – Blacklisting/Banning – Considering the seriousness of the matter that due to the omission and commission on the part of the contractor a serious incident had occurred as there was a collapse of a ten meter slab while constructing a flyover in which one person died and eleven others injured, as such the contractor does not deserve any leniency

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF ODISHA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. M/S PANDA INFRAPROJECT LIMITED — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ. )…

Rajasthan Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961 – Sections 9, 9(1), 9(2) and 9(2)(xvii) – Exemption to pay service tax – If the statute mandates that the Market Committees have to provide the land/shop/platform/space on rent/lease then and then only it can be said to be a mandatory statutory obligation otherwise it is only a discretionary function. No exemption from tax.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH KRISHI UPAJ MANDI SAMITI, NEW MANDI YARD, ALWAR — Appellant Vs. COMMISSIONER OF CENTRAL EXCISE AND SERVICE TAX, ALWAR — Respondent ( Before :…

Employees Provident Fund And Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 – Section 14B – Power to recover damages – Held, any default or delay in the payment of EPF contribution by the employer under the Act is a sine qua non for imposition of levy of damages under Section 14B of the Act 1952 and mens rea or actus reus is not an essential element for imposing penalty/damages for breach of civil obligations/liabilities.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH HORTICULTURE EXPERIMENT STATION GONIKOPPAL, COORG — Appellant Vs. THE REGIONAL PROVIDENT FUND ORGANIZATION — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and Abhay S. Oka,…

Service Matters

Application for permission to file review petition – Review Petition is now preferred by those who were not parties to the litigation with an application seeking permission to file Review Petition – No reason to grant the permission as prayed for – Consequently, the instant Review Petition is closed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH VIJAY PRATAP YADAV AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit and Ajay…

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