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Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 — Section 8(3) — Unauthorized alienation of minor’s property — Such alienation is voidable, not void ab initio, and can be challenged by the minor upon attaining majority or by someone claiming under the minor. Criminal Procedure — Delay in Investigation and Filing of Charge Sheet — Speedy Trial — Right to Speedy Trial and Timely Completion of Investigation are integral parts of Article 21 of the Constitution — Statutory recognition in CrPC for prompt investigation — Investigations should be completed within a reasonable time, not endlessly — Lack of strict timelines in CrPC does not permit indefinite investigations — Inordinate delay without adequate justification warrants intervention by Courts. Contract Law — Statutory Amendment — Impact on existing contracts — Where a statutory amendment alters a fundamental aspect like royalty rates, a pre-existing contract cannot prevent the application of the amended law, especially when the payment of royalty is linked to the removal or consumption of minerals — [MMDR Act] Applicability of S.9 — Scope — Section 9 applies broadly to all entities engaged in removal/dispatch of minerals, not only direct mining lessees. Criminal Procedure — Passport — Return/Surrender of Passport — Accused facing serious criminal charges — Right to travel abroad vis-à-vis right to speedy trial — Balance between individual liberty and societal interest — Accused charged with abetment of suicide and criminal conspiracy since 2014, trial still at stage of committal despite lapse of over ten years — Accused, a US citizen, had misused interim protection in prior proceedings to leave the country without Court’s leave — Whether High Court justified in permitting accused to travel abroad on grounds of medical treatment — Held, not justified — High Court indulgent rather than judicially restrained — Medical facilities in India comparable to those abroad — High Court’s revisional order set aside — Accused restrained from travelling abroad without express permission of Sessions Court — Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, S. 442 — Constitution of India, Art. 21 Service Law — Promotion — Entitlement to promotion to Chief Medical Director (Higher Administrative Grade) in Indian Railway Medical Service — Appellant was denied promotion despite being eligible, with a junior officer being promoted instead — Appellant’s case was rejected by the Tribunal and High Court based on her grading in Annual Confidential Reports

Madhya Bharat Land Revenue and Tenancy Act, 2007 – Sections 57, 158 and 159 – Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code, 1959 – Sections 108, 114 and 258 – Pujari is only to perform puja and to maintain the properties of the deity – Circulars issued by Madhya Pradesh Government to delete the names of Pujari from revenue record so as to protect the temple properties from unauthorized sale by the Pujaris upheld.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. PUJARI UTTHAN AVAM KALYAN SAMITI AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Hemant Gupta…

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…

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