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Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 — Section 31 — ‘Clean slate’ doctrine — Effect of approved Resolution Plan on claims — Upon approval under S. 31(1), claims provided in the Plan stand frozen and are binding on the Corporate Debtor and all stakeholders — Claims not incorporated in the Plan stand extinguished, withdrawn or abated — Resolution Applicant entitled to commence operations free from unforeseen liabilities — Ghanashyam Mishra & Sons v. Edelweiss ARC, (2021) 9 SCC 657, followed. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 299 — Record of evidence in absence of accused — Scope and applicability — Exception to the rule that a witness must be examined in presence of the accused and to the principle under S. 33, Evidence Act — Being an exception, all prescribed conditions must be strictly complied with — Deposition recorded in absence of an absconding accused admissible against him upon arrest, if deponent is dead, incapable of giving evidence, cannot be found, or cannot be produced without unreasonable delay, expense or inconvenience. Presidency Towns Insolvency Act, 1909 — Section 9(2) — “Decree or order” — Whether includes a recovery certificate issued by a Debts Recovery Tribunal under the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 (pre-2016 amendment) — Held, no — Insolvency Act, being weighed with grave civil consequence of “civil death”, must be strictly construed — Expression “decree or order” must bear the meaning assigned under Ss. 2(2) and 2(14), CPC, requiring adjudication by a “court” in a “suit” — A DRT recovery certificate, not being a decree or order of a court within this meaning, cannot found an insolvency notice under S. 9(2) — Ratio of Paramjeet Singh Patheja v. ICDS Ltd., (2006) 13 SCC 322 (rendered qua arbitral awards) held to rest on a wider principle applicable equally to DRT recovery certificates — Impugned judgment of Division Bench, Bombay High Court, affirming Single Judge’s quashing of insolvency notice, upheld. Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 — Section 47 — Non-discrimination in government employment — Employee acquiring disability during service — Mandatory obligation on employer to shift employee to alternate post with same pay and service benefits, or, failing that, to accommodate on supernumerary post till superannuation — Respondent, a CRPF Constable (Driver), rendered blind/partially blind in 1996 and medically invalidated from service in 1998 without consideration of alternate posting — Held, S. 47 casts a positive and mandatory obligation on employer to protect disabled employee and not await a request for accommodation — Order of medical invalidation dated 11-3-1998 held ultra vires S. 47 and Arts. 14 and 21 of the Constitution — Single Judge’s direction reinstating respondent, upheld by Division Bench, affirmed in principle, though relief modified in view of respondent’s superannuation — Kunal Singh v. Union of India, (2003) 4 SCC 524; Bhagwan Dass v. Punjab State Electricity Board, (2008) 1 SCC 579; Ravinder Kumar Dhariwal v. Union of India, (2023) 2 SCC 209, relied on. State Financial Corporations Act, 1951 — Sections 29 & 30 — Auction sale of mortgaged property by Financial Corporation for recovery of dues — Judicial review of, scope — Borrowers persistently defaulting over eight years despite multiple opportunities, repayment schedules fixed by High Court, and statutory notices — Financial Corporation auctioning mortgaged property after affording repeated chances including a final 21-day matching offer, which borrowers ignored — Held, fairness required of a Financial Corporation cannot be carried to the extent of disabling it from recovering what is due to it; fairness is not a one-way street — Courts have no say in matters between the Corporation and its debtor except where there is (a) statutory violation, or (b) the Corporation has acted unfairly/unreasonably — Writ court/civil court does not sit as an appellate authority over commercial decisions of the Corporation — Absence of prior valuation report, by itself, held insufficient to vitiate auction where borrowers never objected to the basis of sale (BOS — balance outstanding as on date of possession/sale deed) and themselves sought to retain the property on the very same terms — Concurrent findings of Trial Court and High Court setting aside auction sale, reversed.

We are inclined to accept the contention that the High Court could not have directed the registration of an FIR with a direction to the police to investigate and file the final report in view of the judgment of this Court in Sakiri Vasu v. State Of Uttar Pradesh And Others.” HELD that section 156(3) CrPC is wide enough to include all such powers in a Magistrate which are necessary for ensuring a proper investigation, and it includes the power to order registration of an FIR and of ordering a proper investigation

  SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH M. SUBRAMANIAM AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. S. JANAKI AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : N.V. Ramana, Mohan M. Shantanagoudar And Sanjiv…

Service Matters

Constitution of India, 1950 – Articles 14 and 16 – Delhi Police (Appointment & Recruitment) Rules, 1980 – Rules 7 and 27A – Head Constable – Promotion – It is a settled law that prescribing of any age limit for a given post, as also deciding the extent to which any relaxation can be given if an age limit is prescribed, are essentially the matters of policy. HELD Prescription of such limit or the extent of relaxation to be given, cannot ordinarily be termed as arbitrary or unreasonable.

  SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SUBODH KUMAR AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. COMMISSIONER OF POLICE AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Dr. Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud and Ajay…

The order of the NGT directing the appellant to conduct a rapid EIA is upheld, though for the reasons which we have indicated above. We clarify that no other Court or Tribunal shall entertain any challenge to the ultimate decision of the SEAC or the SEIAA. Liberty is granted to the parties to approach this Court upon any grievance from the decision of the SEAC or the SEIAA pursuant to the order of this Court.

  SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH BENGALURU DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY — Appellant Vs. MR SUDHAKAR HEGDE AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Dr. Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta,…

The instant suit by the legal heirs of “G” was filed more than 30 years later on 11.11.1987 after his death – Plaintiffs failed to established or lead any evidence with regard to availability of funds with “G” so as to make an endeavour to purchase his own property in the auction sale through Govindan. Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Section 66(1) – Auction sale

  SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH PALANIAMMAL AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. KAMALAKANNAN AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ashok Bhushan and Navin Sinha, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Limitation Act, 1963 – Sections 5 and 14 – Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Order 21 Rule 90 – Auction sale – Setting aside of – Extension of time – Section 5 of the Act which deals with extension of time or condonation of delay is not applicable to proceedings under Order XXI Rule 90 of the CPC

  SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH AARIFABEN YUNUSBHAI PATEL AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. MUKUL THAKOREBHAI AMIN AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and Deepak…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 433-A – Army Act, 1950 – Section 69 – Ranbir Penal Code, 1989 – Section 302 – Civil offence of murder – Benefit of remission – Section 433­A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 would also be applicable to a case tried for offence under Section 69 of the Army Act, 1950 and a person who has been imposed with a life sentence cannot be released unless he has actually served 14 years’ of imprisonment, without taking into consideration the remissions earned by him in jail

  SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH EX-GUNNER VIRENDER PRASAD — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : S.A. Bobde, CJI., B.R. Gavai and Surya…

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