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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.

Constitution of India, 1950 – Articles 370 and 370(2) – Abrogation of Article 370 – Refering the issue of scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir to a larger bench – There is no conflict between the judgments in the Prem Nath Kaul v. State of Jammu and Kashmir, AIR 1959 SC 749 and the Sampat Prakash v. State of Jammu and Kashmir, AIR 1970 SC 1118 – Plea of the counsel to refer the present matter to a larger Bench is rejected.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CONSTITUTION BENCH DR. SHAH FAESAL AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : N.V. Ramana, Sanjay Kishan Kaul, R.…

Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950 – Sections 161 and 157-B – Transfer of lands by persons belonging to Scheduled Tribe – HELD there is clear bar under Section 157-B of the Act for transfer of land by a Scheduled Tribe even by way of exchange as the word “or otherwise” indicates. When there is a clear statutory provision barring the transfer, it was not open to the High Court to substitute its view in the place of that provision.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER REVENUE AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. AKHALAQ HUSSAIN AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : R. Banumathi, S. Abdul Nazeer and A.S.…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 482 – Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 511, 109, 34, 120­B, 406, 409, 420, 405, 417 and 426 – Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest Act, 2002 (SARFAESI) – Section 13(2) – Quashing of criminal proceeding – HELD The SARFAESI Act is a complete code in itself which provides the procedure to be followed -A criminal proceeding would not be sustainable in a matter of the present nature, exposing the appellants even on that count to the proceedings before the Investigating Officer or the criminal court would not be justified

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH K. VIRUPAKSHA AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : R. Banumathi, S. Abdul Nazeer and…

Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 – Sections 9, 13 and 13(1)(ia) – Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Section 100 – Dissolution of marriage – Restitution of Conjugal rights – Unsubstantiated allegation of dowry demand or such other allegation has been made – Husband and his family members are exposed to criminal litigation and ultimately it is found that such allegation is unwarranted and without basis and if that act of the wife itself forms the basis for the husband to allege that mental cruelty

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH MANGAYAKARASI — Appellant Vs. M. YUVARAJ — Respondent ( Before : R. Banumathi, S. Abdul Nazeer and A.S. Bopanna, JJ. ) Civil Appeal Nos.…

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Sections 92 and 92(1) – Public Charities – Public charity is perpetual and the Court is the guardian of a charity HELD If in respect of a trust which had set up a hospital, a request was made for framing of a proper scope of administration by appointing trustee from medical profession and from public for proper and effective administration of the Trust, the matter would definitely fall within the scope of Section 92 of the Code

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ASHOK KUMAR GUPTA AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. M/S. SITALAXMI SAHUWALA MEDICAL TRUST AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit and…

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