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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)

Second Appeal Cannot Be Dismissed On Merits When Appellant Is Unrepresented HELD Explanation to subrule (1) of Rule 17 of Order 41 CPC The reason for introduction of such an Explanation is due to the fact that it gives an opportunity to the appellant to convince the appellate court that there was sufficient cause for nonappearance. Such an opportunity is lost, if the courts decide the appeal on merits in absence of the counsel for the appellant.

  SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SRI PRABODH CH. DAS AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. MAHAMAYA DAS AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer and Sanjiv…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Section 85 – Murder of Wife – Act of pouring kerosene – Influence of liquor -HELD merely establishing that his mind was affected by drink so that he more readily gave way to some violent passion, does not rebut the presumption that a man intends the natural consequences of his acts

  SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SURAJ JAGANNATH JADHAV — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA — Respondent ( Before : Ashok Bhushan and M. R. Shah, JJ. )…

“………..the awards were signed in New Delhi, and not at Faridabad, would lead to the conclusion that both parties have chosen New Delhi as the “seat” of arbitration under Section 20(1) of the Arbitration Act, 1996. This being the case, both parties have, therefore, chosen that the Courts at New Delhi alone would have exclusive jurisdiction over the arbitral proceedings. Therefore, the fact that a part of the cause of action may have arisen at Faridabad would not be relevant once the “seat” has been chosen

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH BGSSGS SOMAJV — Appellant Vs. NHPC LIMITED — Respondent ( Before : R.F. Nariman, Aniruddha Bose and V. Ramasubramanian, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No.…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 195(1)(a)(i) – Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Section 181 – Contempt of court – Making a false statement on oath is an offence punishable under Section 181 of the IPC while furnishing false information with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person is punishable under Section 182 of the IPC. These offences by virtue of Section 195(1)(a)(i) of the Code can be taken cognizance of by any court only upon a proper complaint in writing as stated in said Section.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ABCD — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit and Indu Malhotra, JJ. ) Writ Petition…

Service Matters

Fundamental Rules – Rule 73 – Summoning of officers to the Court and eventually affect the public at large – High Court was not right in directing the Principal Secretary to appear in the court and explain the reason for passing the order – Observing that merely because an order has been passed by the officer, it does not warrant the personal presence of the officer in the Court

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. SUDARSHANA CHATTERJEE — Respondent ( Before : R. Banumathi and A.S. Bopanna, JJ. ) Civil…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 109, 120B, 394, 395, 396 and 449 – Evidence Act, 1872 – Section 9 – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 162 – Test Identification Parade – It is trite to say that the substantive evidence is the evidence of identification in court. The facts, which establish the identity of the accused persons, are relevant under Section 9 of the Evidence Act.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAJA — Appellant Vs. STATE BY THE INSPECTOR OF POLICE — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit and Indu Malhotra, JJ. ) Criminal…

Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 – Section 9 – Guardianship and custody – Jurisdiction – Court where the child ‘ordinarily resides’ would have jurisdiction to decide the issues of guardianship and custody.As a consequence, the courts in Delhi would have no jurisdiction to entertain the Petition u/S. 9 of the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JASMEET KAUR — Appellant Vs. STATE (NCT OF DELHI) AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit and Indu Malhotra, JJ. )…

Service Matters

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 467, 468, 471, 474, 420, 406 and 120B – Uttar Pradesh Fundamental Rules – Rule 56(C) – Compulsory retirement-A person discharging judicial duties acts on behalf of the State in discharge of its sovereign functions – Dispensation of justice is not only an onerous duty but has been considered as akin to discharge of a pious duty, and therefore, is a very serious matter – Standards of probity, conduct, integrity that may be relevant for discharge of duties by a careerist in another job cannot be the same for a judicial officer. HELD But a conduct which creates a perception beyond the ordinary cannot be countenanced

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH RAM MURTI YADAV — Appellant Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Ashok Bhushan and Navin Sinha, JJ. )…

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