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Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Sections 5, 34, and 37 — Scope of Judicial Intervention — Minimum intervention of judicial authority in domestic arbitration matters is required under Section 5 — Challenge to an arbitral award under Section 34 is limited to specific grounds, including patent illegality or conflict with the public policy of India — Scope of interference by the Appellate Court under Section 37 is akin to and cannot travel beyond the restrictions laid down under Section 34 — Appellate Court cannot undertake an independent assessment of the merits of the award or re-interpret contractual clauses if the interpretation by the Arbitral Tribunal was a plausible view and upheld under Section 34 — Setting aside an arbitral award under Section 37, which was upheld under Section 34, based on providing a different interpretation of contractual clauses is unsustainable in law. (Paras 24, 25, 30, 31, 36, 37, 39, 50, 51) Limitation Act, 1963 — Article 54 — Suit for specific performance — Commencement of limitation period — Where the defendant subsequently executed an affidavit ratifying the agreement to sell and conveying no-objection to the transfer, the period of limitation commences from the date of the admitted affidavit, as this is the stage at which the executant finally refused to execute the sale deed to the extent of her share — Trial court and High Court erred in dismissing the suit on the ground of limitation calculated from an earlier disputed date. (Paras 13, 35, 36, 37) Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 9(2) read with Rule 9(4) of 2001 Rules — Setting aside High Court judgment — High Court erroneously treated the date of filing of the Section 11 petition (28.06.2024) as the commencement date, leading to the conclusion that proceedings commenced beyond the statutory period — Where the arbitration notice was served (on 11.04.2024) well within the 90-day period from the ad-interim injunction order (17.02.2024), proceedings commenced in time as per Section 21 — High Court’s finding unsustainable, resulting in the restoration of the Trial Court’s initial ad-interim injunction order. (Paras 28, 31, 32) E. Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 9 — Interim injunction — Dispute regarding existence Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 2(28) — Definition of “motor vehicle” — Components — Definition has two parts: an inclusive part (mechanically propelled vehicle adapted for use upon roads) and an exclusive part — The second part expressly excludes “a vehicle of a special type adapted for use only in a factory or in any other enclosed premises” — Although Dumpers, Loaders, etc., may fall under the first part of the definition, they are excluded if their nature of use is confined to factory or enclosed premises, being special type vehicles/Construction Equipment Vehicles. (Paras 36, 37, 38, 39) Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities of BootLeggers, Dacoits, Drug-Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders etc. Act, 1986 — Section 3(2) — Preventive Detention — Grounds for Detention — Requirement of finding ‘prejudicial to the maintenance of public order’ — Detenu, a ‘drug offender’, was detained based on three criminal cases involving Ganja, with an apprehension that if released on bail, she would engage in similar activities — Held, mere apprehension that the detenu, if released on bail, would be likely to indulge in similar crimes would not be a sufficient ground for ordering preventive detention — Order of detention failed to indicate how the detenu’s activities were prejudicial to ‘public order’ as opposed to ‘law and order’ and was therefore unsustainable. (Paras 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11)

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Sections 5, 34, and 37 — Scope of Judicial Intervention — Minimum intervention of judicial authority in domestic arbitration matters is required under Section 5 — Challenge to an arbitral award under Section 34 is limited to specific grounds, including patent illegality or conflict with the public policy of India — Scope of interference by the Appellate Court under Section 37 is akin to and cannot travel beyond the restrictions laid down under Section 34 — Appellate Court cannot undertake an independent assessment of the merits of the award or re-interpret contractual clauses if the interpretation by the Arbitral Tribunal was a plausible view and upheld under Section 34 — Setting aside an arbitral award under Section 37, which was upheld under Section 34, based on providing a different interpretation of contractual clauses is unsustainable in law. (Paras 24, 25, 30, 31, 36, 37, 39, 50, 51)

Limitation Act, 1963 — Article 54 — Suit for specific performance — Commencement of limitation period — Where the defendant subsequently executed an affidavit ratifying the agreement to sell and conveying no-objection to the transfer, the period of limitation commences from the date of the admitted affidavit, as this is the stage at which the executant finally refused to execute the sale deed to the extent of her share — Trial court and High Court erred in dismissing the suit on the ground of limitation calculated from an earlier disputed date. (Paras 13, 35, 36, 37)

Service Matters

Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007 – Section 34 – Transfer of pending cases – Whether an appeal against an order of a single judge of a High Court deciding a case related to an Armed Forces personnel pending before the High Court is required to be transferred to the Armed Forces Tribunal or should be heard by the High Court – Held, NO TRANSFER

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH BALKRISHNA RAM — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Deepak Gupta And Aniruddha Bose, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 – Section 2(33) – Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Section 304 – Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 – Sections 2(k), 2(l), and 15 – Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 – Section 2(h) – Offences Prescribing Max Sentence Of More Than 7 Years But Not Providing Minimum Sentence Are Not ‘Heinous Offences’, But ‘Serious Offences’

  SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SHILPA MITTAL — Appellant Vs. STATE OF NCT OF DELHI AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose, JJ.…

Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 – Natural Guardians – Section 6 and 8 – A Karta is the manager of the joint family property – He is not the guardian of the minor members of the joint family – What Section 6 of the Act provides is that the natural guardian of a minor Hindu shall be his guardian for all intents and purposes except so far as the undivided interest of the minor in the joint family property is concerned HELD In such an eventuality it would be the mother alone who would be the natural guardian and, therefore, the document executed by her cannot be said to be a void document

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH M. ARUMUGAM — Appellant Vs. AMMANIAMMAL AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No.…

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 – Section 17 – Interim measures ordered by arbitral tribunal – Gujarat Public Works Contracts Disputes Arbitration Tribunal Act, 1992 – Section 3 – Works contract – Whether the Gujarat Public Works Contract Disputes Arbitration Tribunal constituted under Section 3 of the Gujarat Public Works Contracts Disputes Arbitration Tribunal Act, 1992 has jurisdiction to make interim orders in terms of Section 17 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 – Held, YES

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF GUJARAT THROUGH CHIEF SECRETARY AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. AMBER BUILDERS — Respondent ( Before : Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose, JJ.…

Service Matters

Canara Bank Officers and Employees (Discipline and Appeal) Regulations, 1976 – Regulation 4(h) – Discipline and Appeal Regulations, 1976 – Regulations 5 and 5(3) – Misconduct – Order of punishment – It is clear from the Regulation 5(3) that the Disciplinary Authority or any other authority higher than it, may impose any penalties specified in Regulation 4 on any officer employee

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH CANARA BANK AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. KAMESHWAR SINGH — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer and Sanjiv Khanna, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Service Matters

Service Law – Appointment under compassionate grounds – Family pension – Appeal against HELD Basic principles applicable to the cases of compassionate employment, i.e., succor being provided at the stage of unfortunate demise, coupled with compassionate employment not being an alternate method of public employment

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH INDIAN BANK AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. PROMILA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K.M. Joseph, JJ. ) Civil…

Service Matters

Service Law – Termination – Benefit of arrears of salary, seniority and continuity, arrears of salary and related benefits HELD the petitioner should be reinstated, and at the same time, the pay fixation order should ensure that the period of absence which would otherwise be treated as dies non is ignored for the purpose of fixation and fitment of salary alone – The order can also expressly state that the benefit of arrears of salary would not accrue to the petitioner

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MANGILAL KAJODIA — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : R.F. Nariman and S. Ravindra Bhat, JJ. ) Writ…

Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 – Section 138 – Dishonour of cheque – Suspension of sentence: Section 148 Has Retrospective Application, But 143A Is Prospective HELD non-compliance of the condition can very well hold that the suspension of sentence stands vacated due to non-compliance

NI Act: Section 148 Has Retrospective Application, But 143A Is Prospective, Reiterates SC [Read Judgment] Ashok Kini 8 Jan 2020 4:57 PM The Supreme Court has reiterated that Section 148…

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