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Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) — Sections 20(b)(ii)(C), 25 and 29 — Conviction and Sentence — Separate punishments for offences under Section 20 as well as offences under Sections 25 and 29 are permissible, as these are distinct and independent offences, even if they arise from the same transaction. Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 — Section 33C(2) — Maintainability of claim petition — Labour Court and High Court dismissed the appellant’s case on the technical ground of non-maintainability of the petition under Section 33C(2) of the ID Act, primarily because proceedings under this section are in the nature of execution proceedings — The issue of grant of pension was disputed by the respondent-Bank and therefore could not be held to be a pre-existing right — Dismissal of the case at the threshold by both the Labour Court and High Court was upheld. Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 1 Rule 10 — Impleadment of parties — Principles for impleadment — A necessary party is essential for effective order, while a proper party aids complete adjudication — In writ proceedings, a person directly affected by an interim order can be joined even if not an original party. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 374 — Appeal against dismissal of criminal appeal by High Court — Conviction under Section 302 IPC and Section 27 Arms Act — Prosecution case based entirely on circumstantial evidence — No eyewitnesses — Reliability of prosecution witnesses critically examined — Admission by key witness regarding darkness and identification by voice only, materially undermining credibility — Evidence found insufficient to meet standard of proof in criminal law and exclude reasonable hypotheses of innocence — Conviction set aside and appellant acquitted. Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 294(b) — Conviction for uttering obscene words — Held, mere use of the word “bastard” is not sufficient to constitute obscenity, especially in heated conversations during the modern era — Conviction under Section 294(b) IPC is not sustainable and is liable to be set aside.

Abkari Shops Departmental Management Rules, 1972 – Rule 13 – New rule or amendment – Retrospectivity cannot be presumed – No indication that Rule 13 applied retrospectively – There is profusion of judicial authority on the proposition that a rule or law cannot be construed as retrospective unless it expresses a clear or manifest intention, to the contrary.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ASSISTANT EXCISE COMMISSIONER, KOTTAYAM AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. ESTHAPPAN CHERIAN AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and S. Ravindra…

Royalty – Benefit or privilege – Expression ‘Royalty’ has consistently been construed to be compensation paid for rights and privileges enjoyed by the grantee and normally has its genesis in the agreement entered into between the grantor and the grantee-Controlled release of water made available to INDSIL and CUMI, has always gone a long way in helping them in generation of electricity – For such benefit or privilege conferred upon them, the Agreements arrived at between the parties contemplated payment of charges for such conferral of advantage – Such charges were perfectly justified.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M/S. INDSIL HYDRO POWER AND MANGANESE LIMITED — Appellant Vs. STATE OF KERALA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit and…

On the facts of the case the High Court noted that there was absence of common object–What was to be expected was an assault–It was held that A-2 to A-7 were guilty of offence punishable under Section 304 Part II, IPC–Trial Court and the High Court rightly found the appellant guilty–Reasoning given by the High Court finding appellant guilty does not suffer from any infirmity–Penal Code, 1860, Section 304 Part II.

2009(2) LAW HERALD (SC) 797 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. Mukundakam Sharma Criminal Appeal No. 1249…

Appeal against decision of High Court–At very initial stage it was contended by A2 that accident caused before the bus arrived at the scene–Later it was contended that bus driver was negligent therefore, accident was caused–A2 had not come forward to be examined as to how the accident had actually taken place–Reversal of award of MACT cannot be held to be preserve–Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, Section 167.               

2009(2) LAW HERALD (SC) 795 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Altamas Kabir The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph Civil Appeal No. 1104 Of 2009…

Payment of due amount – Construction and improvement of road – the resurvey cannot take place but the measurement books of the work executed from time to time would form a reasonable basis for assessing the amount due and payable to the writ petitioner, but such process could be undertaken only by the agreed forum i.e., arbitration and not by the Writ Court as it does not have the expertise in respect of measurements or construction of roads.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. M/S PUNA HINDA — Respondent ( Before : Hemant Gupta and A.S. Bopanna, JJ. ) Civil…

(IPC) – Section 306, 498A read with Section 114 – to attract the applicability of Section 113-A of the Evidence Act, three conditions are required to be fulfilled :- (i) The woman has committed suicide, (ii) Such suicide has been committed within a period of seven years from the date of her marriage, (iii) The charged-accused had subjected her to cruelty – From the facts of the case at hands, all the three conditions stand fulfilled

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH GUMANSINH @ LALO @ RAJU BHIKHABHAI CHAUHAN AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF GUJARAT — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer…

Service Matters

Appellants have gone through the process of selection provided under the scheme of the Act 1973 regardless of the fact whether the post is temporary or permanent in nature, at least their appointment is substantive in character and could be made permanent as and when the post is permanently sanctioned by the competent authority – It can safely be held that the appellants became entitled to claim their appointment to be in substantive capacity against the permanent sanctioned post and become a member of the teaching faculty of the Central University under the Act 2009 – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SOMESH THAPLIYAL AND ANOTHER ETC. — Appellant Vs. VICE CHANCELLOR, H.N.B. GARHWAL UNIVERSITY AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit and…

Determination of lease – Waiver of forfeiture – when the lessee is given the benefit of such property and the breach of the condition imposed is alleged, the strict construction of the forfeiture clause against the lessor in all circumstances would not arise as otherwise it would render the clause in the lease deed otiose – Parties are governed by the terms in the contract and as such the lessee cannot claim – a court will not assist a lessee in extricating himself or herself from the circumstances that he or she has created, in the name of equitable consideration

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF KERALA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. M/S JOSEPH AND COMPANY — Respondent ( Before : Hemant Gupta and A.S. Bopanna, JJ.…

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