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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.
Service Matters

Constitution of India, 1950 – Art 14, 16 & 21 – Pension Scheme – Retired employees – Whenever such new benefit is extended for the existing employees, retired employees cannot seek such benefit, merely on the ground that they too were the former employees of the Corporation.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH HIMACHAL ROAD TRANSPORT CORPORATION AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. HIMACHAL ROAD TRANSPORT CORPORATION RETIRED EMPLOYEES UNION — Respondent ( Before : Ashok Bhushan, R.…

Education Law – Affiliation for conducting MBBS and post graduate courses- In case of non-compliance, the order passed by the ASC for withdrawal of the affiliation would continue – Not find anything wrong in the letter whereby KUHS has rejected KMC’s application for continuation of affiliation for the academic year 2020-21 as it is a necessary sequitur and consequence of the two orders passed by this Court.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH LALITHA R NATH AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. KANNUR MEDICAL COLLEGE AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer and Sanjiv Khanna,…

Service Matters

Motor Transport – Selection process is mandated due to the posts of Head Constable Motor Transport being highly technical – Rules are neither discriminatory nor arbitrary – Constable Drivers can be promoted on the basis of seniority to Head Constable Drivers – If they desire to be appointed as Head Constable Motor Transport, then they have to go through selection process –

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAJESH KUMAR SINGH AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and…

U L (Ceiling & Reg) Repeal Act, 1999 – Ss 3(1)(a) and S 3(2) – Ownership and possession -There is nothing on record, that conclusively establishes possession of the suit property either by the Competent Authority or the Appellant herein. Given the conflicting averments made by the parties, this is a pure question of fact – Matter to be remitted to the D B of the Karnataka High Court to consider the case afresh.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH U.A. BASHEER THROUGH G.P.A. HOLDER — Appellant Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Mohan M. Shantanagoudar and Vineet Saran,…

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