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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.

REMISSION – if a prisoner has undergone more than 14 years of actual imprisonment, the State Government, as an appropriate Government, is competent to pass an order of premature release, but if the prisoner has not undergone 14 years or more of actual imprisonment, the Governor has a power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites and remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person de hors the restrictions imposed under Section 433-A of the Constitution

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. RAJ KUMAR @ BITTU — Respondent ( Before : Hemant Gupta and A.S. Bopanna, JJ.…

(IPC) – Ss 425, 427 & 447 – Prevention of Damage of Public Property Act 1984 – S 3(1) – (CrPC) – S 321 – Allowing the prosecution to be withdrawn would only result in a singular result, which is that the elected representatives are exempt from the mandate of criminal law. This is not being in aid of the broad ends of public justice – CJM justified in declining withdrawal of the prosecution under S 321 Cr PC

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF KERALA — Appellant Vs. K. AJITH AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Dr. Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud and M. R. Shah,…

Arbitral award – Ground of Patent Illegality – No evidence at all or an award which ignores vital evidence in arriving at its decision would be perverse and liable to be set aside on the ground of patent illegality – Impugned Award would come under the realm of ‘patent illegality’ and therefore, has been rightly set aside by the High Court – Appeal Dismissed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH PSA SICAL TERMINALS PRIVATE LIMITED — Appellant Vs. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF V.O. CHIDAMBRANAR PORT TRUST TUTICORIN AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before…

Service Matters

Criterion of “seniority – cum – merit” in the matter of promotion postulates that given the minimum necessary merit requisite for efficiency of administration, the senior, even though less meritorious, shall have priority and a comparative assessment of merit is not required to be made

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH TEK CHAND AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. BHAKRA BEAS MANAGEMENT BOARD (B.B.M.S.) AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Navin Sinha and R. Subhash…

HELD definition of “vicarious liability” it can be inferred that the person supervising the driver is liable to pay the compensation to the victim – During such time, however, it will be deemed that that vehicle was transferred along with the insurance policy, even if it were insured at the instance of the original owner

  SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UTTAR PRADESH STATE ROAD TRANSPORT CORPORATION — Appellant Vs. NATIONAL INSURANCE CO. LIMITED AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer…

Compounding Must Be Conferred Statute Which Creates Offence HELD First, that private parties should be allowed to settle a dispute between them at any stage (with or without the permission of the Court, depending on the offence), even of a criminal nature, if proper restitution has been made to the aggrieved party. Second, that, however, this should not extend to situations where the offence committed is of a public nature, even when it may have directly affected the aggrieved party.

Societal interest in the prosecution of crime which has a wider social dimension must be borne in mind “59….The first of these principles is crucial so as to allow for…

Tribunal Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Ordinance, 2021 – Sections 12 and 13 – Finance Act, 2017 – Sections 184 and 186 (2) – Appointment of Tribunal Members or Chairperson – Provisions requiring minimum age for appointment as Chairperson or Members as 50 years and prescribing the tenure of four years is Struck Down

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH MADRAS BAR ASSOCIATION — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao, Hemant Gupta and S. Ravindra…

Court at an earlier instance had taken note of all aspects and had arrived at the conclusion that there is prima facie material against the accused, the mere examination of the wife herein cannot be considered as a change in circumstance for the High Court to consider the fourth bail application of the accused and enlarge him on bail – Opinion that the order passed by High Court impugned herein is not sustainable – Bail cancelled

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH MAMTA NAIR — Appellant Vs. STATE OF RAJASTHAN AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : N.V. Ramana, CJI, A.S. Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy, JJ.…

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