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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.

Death in accident – Driven negligently by not maintaining sufficient distance – Compensation – Appeal against Enhancement – It is to be noted that PW–1 herself travelled in the very car and PW–3, who has given statement before the police, was examined as eye–witness – In view of such evidence on record, there is no reason to give weightage to the contents of the First Information Report – High Court has rightly held that the accident occurred only due to the negligence of the driver of Eicher van – Appeal dismissed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED — Appellant Vs. CHAMUNDESWARI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : R. Subhash Reddy and Hrishikesh Roy, JJ. ) Civil…

Loss of dependency – Enhancement of compensation – Merely because claimants were unable to produce documentary evidence to show the monthly income of deceased, same does not justify adoption of lowest tier of minimum wage while computing the income – Deceased was in possession of heavy vehicle driving licence and was driving such vehicle on the day of accident – the income of the deceased at Rs.8000/­ per month for the purpose of loss of dependency – By applying the multiplier of ’16’ the claimants are entitled for compensation of Rs.14,33,664/­.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH CHANDRA @ CHANDA @ CHANDRARAM AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. MUKESH KUMAR YADAV AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : R. Subhash Reddy and…

Evidence Act S 92 – Exclusion of evidence or oral agreement – The feigned ignorance about the nature of document cannot be said to be an instance of fraud. In the absence of any plea or proof of fraud, respondent is bound by the written document on which he admitted his signatures and of his wife. There is no oral evidence which could prove fraud, intimidation, illegality or failure of consideration to permit the respondents to lead oral evidence to dispute the sale deed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH PLACIDO FRANCISCO PINTO (D) BY LRS AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. JOSE FRANCISCO PINTO AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Hemant Gupta and…

Service Matters

HELD upper age limit as directory would be conferring unbridled power in the executive to choose persons of their choice by relaxing the age beyond 35 years. In such case, the provision would have to be declared as unconstitutional – High Court has correct in opinion that 35 years is the upper age limit for appointment as Rehbar-e-Taleem (Recruitment of teachers in primary schools across the state of Jammu and Kashmir) scheme and cut-off date was not eligible for appointment.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. SHAHEENA MASARAT AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and…

(CPC) – Section 100 – Punjab Courts Act, 1918 – Section 41 – Findings of fact – Second appeal – Jurisdiction – Jurisdiction in second appeal is not to interfere with the findings of fact on the ground that findings are erroneous, however, gross or inexcusable the error may seem to be – Findings of fact will also include the findings on the basis of documentary evidence – Jurisdiction to interfere in the second appeal is only where there is an error in law or procedure and not merely an error on a question of fact.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH AVTAR SINGH AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. BIMLA DEVI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : K.M. Joseph and S. Ravindra Bhat, JJ. )…

IMP : When a notice is sent by registered post and is returned with a postal endorsement “refused” or “not available in the house” or “house locked” or “shop closed” or “addressee not in station”, due service has to be presumed – Defendant cannot seek setting aside of an ex-parte decree – Orders passed by the High Court set aside and dismiss the application preferred by defendant under Order IX Rule 13 of the Code – Appeal allowed. Counsel for Appearing Parties

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH VISHWABANDHU — Appellant Vs. SRI KRISHNA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit and S. Ravindra Bhat, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 – Sections 25L and 25N – Termination – Held, Irrigation Department of state will not be an Industrial Establishment within the meaning of Section 25L – Labour Court as well the learned Single Judge and the learned Division Bench of the High Court have not adverted to the question whether the Irrigation Department of the state is an Industrial Establishment within the meaning of Section 25L – There is no finding recorded that the Irrigation Department of the state is doing manufacturing activity as provided in sub-clause (k) of Section 2 of the Factories Act – Termination of the employment of the respondent was legal and valid – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. SOMDUTT SHARMA — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and Abhay S. Oka, JJ.…

Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 – Section 11­A – Dismissal – Allegation of drunkenness – Its jurisdiction under Section 11­A of the Act 1947 although is a wide one but it must be judiciously exercised – Judicial discretion, it is trite, cannot be exercised either whimsically or capriciously. It may scrutinize or analyse the evidence but what is important is how it does so – Award passed by the Tribunal and confirmed by the High Court under impugned judgment is not sustainable in law – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STANDARD CHARTERED BANK — Appellant Vs. R.C. SRIVASTAVA — Respondent ( Before : Ajay Rastogi and Abhay S. Oka, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No(s).…

Service Matters

Held, In the absence of the recommendations made by the review selection committee pursuant to which the appointments were made by notifications, being challenged, there was no justification for the High Court to pass such omnibus directions more particularly when the officer on whose insistence the writ petition was filed, stood retired from service in November 1996 on attaining the age of superannuation – Impugned order passed by High Court is unsustainable

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UNION OF INDIA, THROUGH THE SECRETARY MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FOREST — Appellant Vs. TRILOK S. BHANDARI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before :…

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