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Civil Procedure Code, 1908 — Order 7 Rule 11 — Rejection of plaint — Abuse of process — Family arrangement (KBPP) and Conciliation Award — Allegations of undue influence, coercion, misrepresentation, and fabrication — Grounds for challenge were distinct for KBPP and Award — Lower courts erred in rejecting plaint by treating documents as one Conciliation Award and dismissing allegations of fraud due to admitted execution of KBPP — Allegations of coercion need not be limited to life threat and can arise from subservience — Rejection of plaint was erroneous as prima facie cause of action disclosed, suit not vexatious or abuse of process. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — Section 108, 80, 103, 85 — Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 — Sections 3, 4 — Offences — Abetment to suicide, Dowry death, Murder — Allegations of extra-marital relationship, demand of money/dowry — Deceased died of poisoning/injection — Autopsy findings — Prosecution case not strong at bail stage. Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 — Section 33(1) — Requirement for employer to seek permission before altering service conditions or stopping work of workmen during pendency of dispute — Failure to do so constitutes a breach of the Act. Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 — Sections 10(1), 12 — Reference of industrial dispute — Apprehended dispute — Appropriate Government’s power to refer — The appropriate Government has the power to refer an industrial dispute for adjudication if it is of the opinion that such dispute exists or is apprehended. The initiation of conciliation proceedings under Section 12 does not statutorily require a prior demand notice to the employer as a pre-condition to approaching the Conciliation Officer. The management’s argument that a prior demand notice is essential, based on certain previous judgments, fails as it ignores the provision for referring an apprehended dispute, which can be invoked to prevent industrial unrest Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) — Section 175(4) — Complaints against public servants alleged to have committed offenses in discharge of official duties — Interpretation — This provision is not a standalone provision, nor is it a proviso to Section 175(3) — It must be read in harmony with Section 175(3), with Section 175(4) forming an extension of Section 175(3) — The power to order investigation under Section 175(3) is conferred upon a judicial magistrate, while Section 175(4) also confers such power but prescribes a special procedure for complaints against public servants — The expression “complaint” in Section 175(4) does not encompass oral complaints and must be understood in the context of a written complaint supported by an affidavit, as required by Section 175(3) — This interpretation ensures that the procedural safeguard of an affidavit, mandated by Priyanka Srivastava v. State of U.P., is not undermined even when dealing with public servants — The intention is to provide a two-tier protection: first, at the threshold stage under Section 175(4) with additional safeguards, and second, at the post-investigation stage under Section 218(1) regarding previous sanction. (Paras 26, 31, 37.1, 37.2, 37.4, 37.5, 37.6, 37.8, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44)

IMP : Central Excise Act, 1944 Section 35L(1)(b) – HELD allegation of wilful suppression, I find no merit given that this was not the allegation or scope of the Show-Cause Notices issued. Moreover, the representations sent by the Indian Bank Association to the Joint Secretary, TRU, Central Board of Excise and Customs confirm that there was a lack of clarity with regards to the method of payment of this tax, for which there was an ongoing dialogue between the banking institutions and Central Government, negating any claims of “wilful suppression”. One cannot also be oblivious of the fact that the position of law, was in a state of flux, at the relevant period. Hence, and in view of the reasons given above, the present case does not warrant remand to the Tribunal, and this dispute should, in my opinion, stand finally concluded at this stage.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA SINGLE BENCH COMMISSIONER OF GST AND CENTRAL EXCISE — Appellant Vs. M/S CITI BANK N.A — Respondent ( Before : K.M Joseph, J. ) Civil Appeal…

Service Matters

Uttar Pradesh Government Servants Seniority Rules, 1991 – Rule 5 and 8 – Challenge to seniority – It is well settled that impleadment of a few of the affected employees would be sufficient compliance of the principle of joinder of parties and they could defend the interest of all affected persons in their representative capacity – Non-joining of all the parties cannot be held to be fatal

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH AJAY KUMAR SHUKLA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. ARVIND RAI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Dr. D.Y. Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and B.V.…

Land Acquisition Act, 1894 – Section 18 – Acquisition of Land – Compensation – Suppression of material facts -appellants have not disclosed the filing of the suit and its dismissal and also the dismissal of the appeal against the judgment of the civil court, the appellants have to be non-suited on the ground of suppression of material facts – They have not come to the court with clean hands and they have also abused the process of law – Therefore, they are not entitled for the extraordinary, equitable and discretionary relief.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SHRI K. JAYARAM AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. BANGALORE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari,…

HELD we are of the view that in order to curtail the pendency before the High Courts and for speedy disposal of the appeals concerning payment of compensation to the victims of road accident, it would be just and proper to consider constituting ‘Motor Vehicle Appellate Tribunals’ by amending Section 173 of the Motor Vehicles Act so that the appeals challenging the award of a Tribunal could be filed before the Appellate Tribunal so constituted. The Registry is directed to send a copy of this Judgement to the Secretary, Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, forthwith.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RASMITA BISWAL AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. DIVISIONAL MANAGER, NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer and…

In National Insurance Company Limited v. Pranay Sethi and Others, (2017) 16 SCC 680, this Court has awarded a total sum of Rs.70,000/- under conventional heads, namely, loss of estate, loss of consortium and funeral expenses – The said Judgment of the Constitution Bench was pronounced in the year 2017. Therefore, the claimants are entitled to 10% enhancement. Rs.16,500/- is awarded towards loss of estate and conventional expenses and Rs.44,000/- is awarded towards spousal consortium. Thus, the total compensation payable to the claimants is Rs.31,01,000 – Appeal disposed of.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RASMITA BISWAL AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. DIVISIONAL MANAGER, NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer and…

Service Matters

Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 – Section 11A – Misconduct – Conductor not issue tickets to 17 passengers -The initiation of criminal proceedings against an employee or not initiating the proceedings has no bearing to prove misconduct in departmental proceedings – Order of removal from service cannot be said to be unfair and unjust in any manner which would warrant an interference at the hands of the Tribunal and the High Court – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UTTAR PRADESH STATE ROAD TRANSPORT CORPORATION — Appellant Vs. GAJADHAR NATH — Respondent ( Before : Hemant Gupta and V. Ramasubramanian, JJ. ) Civil…

A sweeping statement has been made that the husband and in-laws of the deceased had inflicted cruelty or it has been stated that the husband and his mother had done so, without specifying their roles – However, the said evidence would be sufficient to hold the appellant No.1 guilty but same would be insufficient to hold the appellant No.2 guilty – Conviction and sentence imposed on the appellant No.1 is affirmed, while the conviction and sentence imposed on the appellant No.2 is set aside – Appeal allowed in part.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH KULJIT SINGH AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF PUNJAB — Respondent ( Before : N.V. Ramana, CJI, A.S. Bopanna and Hima Kohli,…

Service Matters

Service Law – Regularization of Ad-hoc employees – Seniority – employees qualified typing test at the later stage, in absence of the scheme of rules in determining seniority, at least could not have a right to march over such of the employees who were appointed on substantive basis after going through the process of selection for holding regular selection and their right of seniority in no manner be relegated qua such of the ad-hoc employees

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SHYAM SUNDER OBEROI AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. DISTRICT AND SESSION JUDGE TIS HAZARI COURT, DELHI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ajay…

Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 – Section 138 – Dishonour of cheque – When a cheque is drawn out and is relied upon by the drawee, it will raise a presumption that it is drawn towards a consideration which is a legally recoverable amount; such presumption of course, is rebuttable by proving to the contrary – Onus is on the accused to raise a probable defence and the standard of proof for rebutting the presumption is on preponderance of probabilities – Conviction under Section 138 of NI Act uphold.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH K.S. RANGANATHA — Appellant Vs. VITTAL SHETTY — Respondent ( Before : N.V. Ramana, CJI, A.S. Bopanna and Hima Kohli, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

Civil suit – Declaration of ownership – Sale deed – Registration of document is always subject to adjudication of rights of the parties by the competent civil court – HELD parties with regard to the land in question will be governed by the judgment in pending suit in O.S. No.142 of 2008 on the file of the IIIrd Additional Subordinate Court, Coimbatore – Civil suit shall be decided on its own merits.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH AMUDHAVALI AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. P. RUKUMANI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : R. Subhash Reddy and Hrishikesh Roy, JJ. ) Civil…

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