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Environment Law — Environmental Clearance — Prior clearance — Mandatory character — Prior environmental clearance under EIA Notification, 2006 is mandatory, being founded on the precautionary principle and couched in imperative terms — Word “prior” and the graded four-stage screening, scoping, public consultation and appraisal process render an anterior assessment the sine qua non of the clearance regime — Decriminalisation of contraventions under Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 does not alter this mandatory character. Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 — Section 415 — Appeal — Maintainability — Conviction recorded for first time by appellate court reversing acquittal — An appeal under Section 374 CrPC (Section 415 BNSS) is not maintainable against a judgment of conviction recorded by a Sessions Court while exercising appellate jurisdiction and reversing an order of acquittal passed by the Trial Court — No such second appeal is contemplated under CrPC or BNSS — The only remedy available is revision under Section 397 r/w 401 CrPC (Section 438 r/w 442 BNSS) Income Tax Act, 1961 — Section 44B — “Carriage” of passengers — Meaning and scope of — Cruise operations by non-resident shipping entity — Held, the word “carriage” under Section 44B cannot be restrictively construed to mean movement only from Port A to Port B. A round-trip cruise voyage, where passengers have the option to disembark at intermediate ports without compulsion to return to the originating port, constitutes carriage of passengers within the meaning of Section 44B. Provision of incidental on-board entertainment and hospitality does not alter the essential character of the activity as carriage of passengers. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Quashing of FIR — Scope of inquiry — Mini-trial impermissible — At the stage of considering quashing of an FIR, the Court’s inquiry is confined to whether the allegations, taken at face value, prima facie disclose commission of a cognizable offence — Court cannot conduct a “mini-trial” by sifting evidence, assessing probabilities, or evaluating witness credibility — High Court exceeding these limits by examining trap proceedings, absence of personal recovery, and departmental enquiry findings, held impermissible. Succession Act, 1925 — Sections 33, 35 and 38 — Hindu/Christian Succession — Applicability of S. 33 confined to property owned by deceased male; erroneous application by High Court set aside — Where property was purchased and registered in the joint names of two wives, the same is owned by them and not by the husband, notwithstanding that he provided the consideration — Section 33, which governs devolution on intestacy of a male’s property between his widow and lineal descendants, is not attracted to property never vested in the husband’s name — High Court’s application of S. 33 to the entirety of the suit property held misconceived.

IBC – Adjudicating Authority cannot interfere on merits with the commercial decision taken by the Committee of Creditors – Limited jurisdiction in matter of approval of resolution plan – Jurisdiction of the Appellate Authority is also circumscribed by the limited grounds of appeal provided in Section 61 of the Code

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH JAYPEE KENSINGTON BOULEVARD APARTMENTS WELFARE ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. NBCC (INDIA) LIMITED AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : A.M. Khanwilkar, Dinesh…

Enquiry at the Stage of Pre-Registration of FIR – Permissibility – Such a preliminary enquiry would be permissible only to ascertain whether cognizable offence is disclosed or not and only thereafter FIR would be registered – Therefore, such a preliminary enquiry would be in the interest of the alleged accused also against whom the complaint is made.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH CHARAN SINGH — Appellant Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Dr. Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah, JJ. )…

Loan moratorium case – There shall not be any charge of interest on interest/compound interest/penal interest for the period during the moratorium from any of the borrowers and whatever the amount is recovered by way of interest on interest/compound interest/penal interest for the period during the moratorium, the same shall be refunded and to be adjusted/given credit in the next instalment of the loan account – There is no rational to restrict such relief with respect to loans up to Rs. 2 crores only

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURES ASSOCIATION (REGD.) — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ashok Bhushan, R. Subhash Reddy…

Service Matters

Suspension – Manipulation in weight measurement – Chairman of the Administrative Committee to be a Disciplinary Authority – Since the Chairman of the Administrative Committee happens to be the Registrar, the decision to impose punishment may not require prior approval

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH CHAIRMAN ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE U.P. MILK UNION AND DAIRY FEDERATION CENTRALIZED SERVICES — Appellant Vs. JAGPAL SINGH — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit,…

For appeals filed under section 37 of the Arbitration Act that are governed by Articles 116 and 117 of the Limitation Act or section 13(1A) of the Commercial Courts Act, a delay beyond 90 days, 30 days or 60 days, respectively, is to be condoned by way of exception and not by way of rule

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH GOVERNMENT OF MAHARASHTRA (WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT) REPRESENTED BY EXECUTIVE ENGINEER — Appellant Vs. M/S BORSE BROTHERS ENGINEERS AND CONTRACTORS PRIVATE LIMITED — Respondent (…

Family Courts Act, 1984 – Sections 7, 10, 14, 15 and 15 – Jurisdiction of Family Court – Family Court does not have plenary powers to do away with the mandatory procedural requirements in particular, which guarantee fairness and transparency in the process to be followed and for adjudication of claims of both sides.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH AMAN LOHIA — Appellant Vs. KIRAN LOHIA — Respondent ( Before : A.M. Khanwilkar, B.R. Gavai and Krishna Murari, JJ. ) Transferred Case (Civil)…

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