Latest Post

Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 168 — Notional income of skilled worker — Carpenter — Assessment — The appellant, a carpenter aged 38 years, suffered amputation of his right leg below the knee in a road accident in November 2004 — The Claims Tribunal assessed his monthly income at Rs. 3,000/- and the High Court enhanced it to Rs. 5,000/- relying on minimum wages. Held — A carpenter is a skilled artisan who works with precision and manual dexterity — His income cannot be equated with that of an unskilled worker — Where the appellant’s unrefuted evidence showed earnings of Rs. 8,000/- to Rs. 10,000/- per month, and a skilled job always has the potentiality to fetch higher income, the High Court erred in restricting the figure to Rs. 5,000/- — Considering the date of accident, decisions in comparable cases and the fact of the appellant being a skilled worker, his notional monthly income is assessed at Rs. 9,000/- per month. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 304 Part II — Culpable Homicide not Amounting to Murder — Conviction and sentence — Appeal against — Abatement of appeal due to death of co-accused — Death of two appellants during pendency of appeal — Appeal survives only for the third appellant. Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950 — Section 154 — Transfer of land in contravention of ceiling limit — Not void ipso facto — Capable of ratification — Legality of transfer to be judged by law on date of execution — Sale deed executed on 04.06.1957 — Ceiling limit then was 30 acres, subsequently amended to 12.5 acres retrospectively from 01.07.1952 — Transfer in contravention of Section 154 not void but voidable at instance of Gaon Sabha coupled with liability for ejectment of transferee under Section 163 — No suit filed for ejectment within limitation period. Specific Relief Act, 1963 — Section 16(c) — “Readiness and Willingness” — Relief of specific performance is equitable and discretionary — Plaintiff must specifically aver and prove continuous readiness and willingness to perform obligations — Failure to do so disentitles plaintiff to relief — “Readiness” refers to financial capacity, “Willingness” to conduct and intention — Both cumulatively must be seen — Conduct of plaintiff prior and subsequent to suit, along with attending circumstances, must be considered — Availability of funds must be proved with reference to relevant time, not by documents created much later. Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 166 and 140 — Compensation for death in motor vehicular accident — Negligence — Truck stationed on road at night without warning lights or indicators — Wagon-R car collided from behind — Held, truck driver was negligent in leaving the vehicle unattended on the road without adequate precautionary measures, which was the proximate cause of the accident.

ADVOCATE SENIOR GOWN – Constitution of India, 1950 – Articles 32 and 142 – Making allegations of impropriety against the Institution of the High Court – Withdrawal of Senior Gown – Contempt of Court – This Court views of the High Court but still endeavour to give one more and last chance to the petitioner – In a way this can really be done by recourse to Article 142 of the Constitution of India as there is merit in the contention of the learned counsel for the High Court that there is no real infringement of the fundamental rights of the petitioner – Ends of justice would be served by seeking to temporarily restore the designation of the petitioner for a period of two years from 1.1.2022.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH YATIN NARENDRA OZA — Appellant Vs. HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT — Respondent ( Before : Sanjay Kishan Kaul and R. Subhash Reddy, JJ. )…

Andhra Pradesh (Andhra Area) Tenancy Act, 1956 – Sections 14, 15 and 16(1) – Cultivating tenants, right to first purchase the land leased to him – Surrender of tenancy – Notice – Requirement of notice for the prescribed period of three months, to the landlord, and the concerned revenue official is mandatory – This provision, in the form of a procedure enacted for the welfare and protection of a tenant (like the appellant) has to be construed in its literal and plain terms

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MUSUNURI SATYANARAYANA — Appellant Vs. DR. TIRUMALA INDIRA DEVI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit and S. Ravindra Bhat, JJ.…

Motor Accident – Permanent disability – Loss of Earning Capacity – – Courts should strive to provide a realistic recompense having regard to the realities of life, both in terms of assessment of the extent of disabilities and its impact including the income generating capacity of the claimant. In cases of similar nature, wherein the claimant is suffering severe cognitive dysfunction and restricted mobility, the Courts should be mindful of the fact that even though the physical disability is assessed at 69%, the functional disability is 100% in so far as claimant’s loss of earning capacity is concerned – Loss of earning capacity must be fixed at 100% – Compensation enhanced to Rs.27,67,800 – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JITHENDRAN — Appellant Vs. THE NEW INDIA ASSURANCE CO. LIMITED AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : R. Subhash Reddy and Hrishikesh Roy, JJ.…

Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 – Section 25F – Termination – Claim benefit under Section 25F- Nature of service rendered by the appellants as daily wager for a short period, while upholding the termination of the appellants being in violation of Section 25F of the Act 1947 – It just and reasonable to award a lumpsum monetary compensation of Rs.2,50,000/- to each of the appellants-workmen in full and final satisfaction of the dispute in lieu of right to claim reinstatement with 50% back wages as awarded by the Tribunal.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH K.V. ANIL MITHRA AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. SREE SANKARACHARYA UNIVERSITY OF SANSKRIT AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and Abhay…

Punjab Scheduled Roads and Controlled Areas Restriction of Unregulated Development Act, 1963 – Section 5 – Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975 – Section 3 – Grant of licence to set up a group housing colony – – Principle of First Come First Serve basis adopted in grant of licences is not a valid consideration, the only consequence available was to cancel such licence which have been granted based on the so­called alleged practice which is unsustainable in law and in our considered view no error was committed in passing the order of cancellation of grant of licence to the Appellants under the judgment impugned – Appeal dismissed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ANANT RAJ LIMITED (FORMERLY M/S. ANANT RAJ INDUSTRIES LIMITED) — Appellant Vs. STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi…

Specific performance of Agreement – Not to grant the decree of specific performance despite the execution of the agreement to sell is proved; part sale consideration is proved and the plaintiff is always ready and willing to perform his part of the contract would encourage the dishonesty. In such a situation, the balance should tilt in favour of the plaintiff rather than in favour of the defendant – executant of the agreement to sell, while exercising the discretion judiciously. HELD Section 10(a) and now the specific performance is no longer a discretionary relief. As such the question whether the said provision would be applicable retrospectively or not and/or should be made applicable to all pending proceedings including appeals is kept open. However, at the same time, as observed hereinabove, the same can be a guide.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SUGHAR SINGH — Appellant Vs. HARI SINGH (DEAD) THROUGH LRS. AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and Aniruddha Bose, JJ. )…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 452, 323, 325, 504, 506(2) and 114 – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 482 – Criminal proceedings quashed – Appeal against – Observation made by the High Court that in view of bar under Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and no sanction was obtained is concerned cannot be ground to quash criminal proceedings in exercise of powers under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure – On the ground of delay in lodging FIR/complaint, the criminal proceedings cannot be quashed under Section 482 of the Cr P C

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SHANTABEN BHURABHAI BHURIYA — Appellant Vs. ANAND ATHABHAI CHAUDHARI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and Aniruddha Bose, JJ. ) Criminal…

Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 – Section 9A – Transferring the respective workman from Dewas to Chopanki, which is at about 900 Kms. away is in violation of Section 9A read with Fourth Schedule of the Industrial Disputes Act and is arbitrary, mala fide and victimization – By such transfer, their status as “workman” would be changed to that of “supervisor” – By such a change after their transfer to Chopanki and after they work as supervisor they will be deprived of the beneficial provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act and, therefore, the nature of service conditions/service would be changed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH CAPARO ENGINEERING INDIA LIMITED — Appellant Vs. UMMED SINGH LODHI AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : M.R. Shah and A.S. Bopanna, JJ. )…

Constitution of India, 1950 – Articles 14 and 226 – Allotment of quarters – Ex-employees of Mills – Right to equality – No justification at all in treating 318 ex-employees different from those 134 ex-employees who were allotted 200 Sq. Yards of plots free of cost – As such the equals are treated unequally and therefore, when the equals are treated unequally, there is a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution and therefore, the appellants were entitled to the relief sought even in exercise of powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MODIFIED VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT SCHEME OF 2002 OF AZAM JAHI MILL WORKERS ASSOCIATION — Appellant Vs. NATIONAL TEXTILE CORPORATION LIMITED AND OTHERS — Respondent (…

Service Matters

Military Engineering Service (Non-Industrial Class III and IV Posts) Rules, 1971 – Seniority – Determination of – In the matter of adjudging seniority of the candidates selected in one and the same selection, placement in the order of merit can be adopted as a principle for determination of seniority but where the selections are held separately by different recruiting authorities, the principle of initial date of appointment/continuous officiation may be the valid principle to be considered for adjudging inter se seniority of the officers in the absence of any rule or guidelines in determining seniority to the contrary.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SUDHIR KUMAR ATREY — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and Abhay S. Oka, JJ. )…

You missed