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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.

An award can be set aside only if the award is against the public policy of India. The award can be set aside under Sections 34/37 of the Arbitration Act, if the award is found to be contrary to, (a) fundamental policy of Indian Law; or (b) the interest of India; or (c) justice or morality; or (d) if it is patently illegal.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH HARYANA TOURISM LIMITED — Appellant Vs. M/S KANDHARI BEVERAGES LIMITED — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Word ‘dowry’ and takes in its ambit any kind of property or valuable security, demand for money for construction of house as falling within the definition of the word ‘dowry’ – Trial Court was correct and the husband deserved to be convicted under Sections 304-B and 498-A IPC – Appeal partly allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH — Appellant Vs. JOGENDRA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : N.V. Ramana, CJI, A.S. Bopanna and Hima Kohli, JJ.…

Service Matters

Bank pension scheme – Non­availability of financial resources would not be a defence available to the Bank in taking away the vested rights accrued to the employees that too when it is for their socio­economic security – It is an assurance that in their old age, their periodical payment towards pension shall remain assured – Pension which is being paid to them is not a bounty and it is for the Bank to divert the resources from where the funds can be made available

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE PUNJAB STATE COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT BANK LIMITED — Appellant Vs. THE REGISTRAR, COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi…

Constitution of India, 1950 – Article 227 – Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Order 9 Rule 13 – Setting aside of exparte decree – Power under Article 227 is exercised sparingly in appropriate cases, like when there is no evidence at all to justify, or the finding is so perverse that no reasonable person can possibly come to such a conclusion that the court or tribunal has come to – It is axiomatic that such discretionary relief must be exercised to ensure there is no miscarriage of justice.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M/S GARMENT CRAFT — Appellant Vs. PRAKASH CHAND GOEL — Respondent ( Before : Sanjiv Khanna and Bela M. Trivedi, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Uttar Pradesh Imposition of Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1960 – Sections 3(17) and 9(3) – Government Grants Act, 1895 – Transfer of land — Terms of the lease deed though provide for sub-lease for agricultural purposes but sub-lessees can claim no independent rights as a tenure holder – High Court rightly observed that appellants herein being sub-lessees would be tenure holder as per sub-Section 9(3) of the Ceiling Act – Appeal dismissed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH HARDEV SINGH — Appellant Vs. PRESCRIBED AUTHORITY, KASHIPUR AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari, JJ. ) Civil…

Cancellation of bail – Director of Prosecution in the administration of justice is crucial – He is appointed by the State Government in exercise of powers under Section 25A of the Code of Criminal Procedure – That his is a crucial role is evident from conditions such as in Section 25A (2) of the Code, which stipulates a minimum legal experience of not less than ten years for a person to be eligible to be Directorate of Prosecution and that such an appointment shall be made with the concurrence of the C J of the High Court – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JAYABEN — Appellant Vs. TEJAS KANUBHAI ZALA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No.…

Maharashtra Electricity Duty Act, 2016 – Section 3(2) – Levy of electricity duty on educational charitable institutions- Other than the State Government, Central Government and the local bodies and the Government hostels, no exemption from payment of electricity duty has been provided – Charitable education institutions registered under the provisions of the Societies Registration Act and/or under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, are not entitled to any exemption

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA — Appellant Vs. SHRI VILE PARLE KELVANI MANDAL AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and Sanjiv Khanna,…

Service Matters

Uttar Pradesh Sub-Inspector and Inspector (Civil Police) Service Rules, 2015 – Rules 15(b) and 15(e) — Rule 15(b) of Recruitment Rules requires every candidate to obtain minimum 50% marks in each of the subjects and states, “candidates failing to obtain 50% marks in each of the above subjects shall not be eligible for recruitment”.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. ATUL KUMAR DWIVEDI AND OTHER — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit and Vineet…

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