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Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996 – Sections 34 and 37 – Curative petition – The Court found that the arbitral tribunal’s decision was not perverse or irrational and that the CMRS certificate did not conclusively prove that defects were cured within the cure period – The Court emphasized the tribunal’s domain to interpret the contract and the limited scope of judicial interference in arbitral awards – The Supreme Court concluded that the curative petition was maintainable and that there was no miscarriage of justice in restoring the arbitral award. Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Section 302, read with 34 – Murder – The Supreme Court found that the High Court did not properly address whether the Trial Court’s acquittal was a plausible conclusion from the evidence – The Supreme Court emphasized that the burden of proof lies with the prosecution and that the accused do not have to prove their innocence unless there is a statutory reverse onus – The Supreme Court concluded that the evidence did not warrant overturning the acquittal, as the Trial Court’s view was possible and not perverse. Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Section 302 – Murder – Dispute over a blocked pathway – The Court found no evidence of provocation by the deceased that would justify the appellants’ brutal attack, nor any exercise of the right to private defence – The Court applied principles from previous judgments to determine the lack of private defence and the presence of intention to cause harm – The Supreme Court concluded that the appellants’ actions were not in self-defence and that their intention was to inflict harm, affirming the lower courts’ decisions. Consumer Law – Insurance Act, 1938 – Section 45 – Policy not to be called in question on ground of mis-statement after two years – The Court found no suppression of material facts and criticized the NCDRC for not requiring proper evidence from the respondent – The judgment discusses the principles of ‘uberrimae fidei’ (utmost good faith) and the burden of proof in insurance contracts – The Court concluded that the insurance company failed to prove the alleged suppression of facts, thus the repudiation was unjustified. Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Section 302 read with 34 and 120B – Murder – The Court found that the prosecution failed to establish that the discovery of the body was solely based on the appellants’ statements and that the chain of evidence was incomplete – The Court applied the principles for circumstantial evidence, emphasizing that the circumstances must fully establish the guilt and exclude all other hypotheses – The Supreme Court concluded that the prosecution did not prove the case beyond reasonable doubt, leading to the acquittal of the appellants.
Service Matters

Service Law – Promotion – Tribunal was right in holding that no prejudice is caused to the Appellant by applying Navy Order. Violation of every provision does not furnish a ground for the Court to interfere unless the affected person demonstrates prejudice caused to him by such violation – Appeals dismissed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SURGEON REAR ADMIRAL MANISHA JAIPRAKASH — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and Hemant Gupta,…

Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 – Sections 11A and 33(2)(b) – Misconduct – Order of dismissal – Domestic enquiry -The Labour Court or Tribunal, therefore, while holding enquiry under Section 33(2)(b) cannot invoke the adjudicatory powers vested in them under Section 10(i)(c) and (d) of the Act nor can they in the process of formation of their prima facie view under Section 33(2)(b), dwell upon the proportionality of punishment, as erroneously done in the instant case, for such a power can be exercised by the Labour Court or Tribunal only under Section 11A of the Act – Appeal allowed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JOHN D’SOUZA — Appellant Vs. KARNATAKA STATE ROAD TRANSPORT CORPORATION — Respondent ( Before : Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Surya Kant, JJ. ) Civil…

Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board (Sale and transfer of Plots) (First Amendment) Rules, 2008 – Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board (Sale and Transfer of Plots) Rules, 1999 – Rule 3(iii) and (iv) – Where the old dealers are to be allotted shops if they can satisfy the concerned authority, be it the market committee or the board that a particular condition could not be met for a short period due to reasons beyond the control of the dealer, then even though he may not be in strict compliance of the rules, the power of relaxation must be read into the Rules.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH WALAITI RAM CHARAN DASS AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose,…

Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 – Sections 3, 5 and 20-A, 20­A(1) – Arms Act, 1959 – Section 25(1B)(a) and 27 – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Sections 154 and 154(1) – Recovery of arms – The bar under Section 20­A(1) of TADA Act applies to information recorded under Section 154 of CrPC. This bar will not apply to a rukka or a communication sent by the police official to the District Superintendent of Police seeking his sanction. Otherwise, there could be no communication seeking sanction, which could not have been the purpose of TADA Act.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH EBHA ARJUN JADEJA AND OTHERS Vs. THE STATE OF GUJARAT — Respondent ( Before : Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 – Sections 118(a) and 138 – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 313 – Dishonour of cheque – Appeal against acquittal – it is presumed that the cheques in question were drawn for consideration and the holder of the cheques i.e., the appellant received the same in discharge of an existing debt. The onus, thereafter, shifts on the accused-appellant to establish a probable defence so as to rebut such a presumption, which onus has not been discharged by the respondent.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UTTAM RAM — Appellant Vs. DEVINDER SINGH HUDAN AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and Hemant Gupta, JJ. ) Criminal…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Sections 161, 164, 319 – Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Section 376(2) – Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 – Sections 5 and 6 – Sexual harassment – Order of summoning – The statement of the child so as to involve a person wearing spectacles as an accused does not inspire confidence disclosing more than prima facie to make him to stand trial of the offences. Therefore, This Court hold that the order of summoning the appellant under Section 319 of the Code is not legal

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MANI PUSHPAKJOSHI — Appellant Vs. STATE OF UTTARAKHAND AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and Hemant Gupta, JJ. ) Criminal…

Service Matters

Service Law – it cannot be said that the appointment of the employees in the present set of appeals were irregular appointments. Such appointments are illegal appointment in terms of the ratio of Supreme Court judgment in Uma Devi. As such appointments were made without any sanctioned post, without any advertisement giving opportunity to all eligible candidates to apply and seek public employment and without any method of recruitment.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE STATE OF BIHAR AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. DEVENDRA SHARMA — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and Hemant Gupta, JJ. )…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 482 – Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 – Section 35 read with Section 3 – Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976 – Section 23, 23(1) read with Section 4 and 4(1) – Cognizance of offence – The very fact that the High Court, in this case, went into the most minute details, on the allegtions made by the appellant-C.B.I., and the defence put-forth by the respondent, led us to a conclusion that the High Court has exceeded its power, while exercising its inherent jurisdiction under Section 482 Cr.P.C.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION — Appellant Vs. ARVIND KHANNA — Respondent ( Before : R. Banumathi and R. Subhash Reddy, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 34, 417, 418, 420, 422, 120(B), 403, 406, 420 and 506(B) – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 482 – Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (NI) – Section 138 – Though the contract is of civil nature, if there is an element of cheating and fraud it is always open for a party in a contract, to prosecute the other side for the offences alleged. Equally, mere filing of a suit or complaint filed under Section 138 of the N.I. Act, 1881 by itself is no ground to quash the proceedings. Appeal allowed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DR. LAKSHMAN — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : R. Banumathi and R. Subhash Reddy, JJ. )…

Land Acquisition Act, 1894 – Section 31 A – Review of award – It is settled legal proposition that unless the statute/rules so permit, the review application is not maintainable in case of judicial/quasi­judicial orders -the law on the point can be summarised to the effect that in the absence of any statutory provision providing for review, entertaining an application for review or under the garb of clarification /modification/ correction is not permissible

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH NARESH KUMAR AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI — Respondent ( Before : Arun Mishra, Vineet Saran and S. Ravindra…

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