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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.

Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959 – Sections 3, 6(19), 34 and 108 – Specific endowment – Deed of Settlement does create a “specific endowment” HELD In view of Section 108, no suit or legal proceedings in respect of the administration or management of a religious institution or any other matter for determining or deciding which provision is made in the Act shall be instituted in a civil court

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE IDOL OF SRI RENGANATHASWAMY REPRESENTED BY ITS EXECUTIVE OFFICER, JOINT COMMISSIONER — Appellant Vs. P K THOPPULAN CHETTIAR, RAMANUJA KOODAM ANANDHANA TRUST, REP.…

Rajasthan Pre-emption Act 1966 – Sections 5(1)(c), 6, 6(1)(ii) and 6(3) – Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Section 100 – Right of pre-emption – Whether a right of pre-emption was available to plaintiff who is alleged to be a joint owner in possession of the disputed courtyard. HELD plaintiff had a superior right of pre-emption by virtue of the provisions of Section 6(3) since he was the brother of the second defendant – First defendant has an inferior right of pre-emption as compared to plaintiff – Hence his claim cannot prevail over the superior right of pre-emption of plaintiff

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SURESH CHAND AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. SURESH CHANDER (DEAD) THROUGH LRS AND OTHER — Respondent ( Before : Dr. Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud and…

Guardian and Wards Act, 1890 – Sections 7, 8, 10 and 11 – Rights of child – It is indisputed that the rights of the child need to be respected as he/she is entitled to the love of both the parents – Even if there is a breakdown of marriage, it does not signify the end of parental responsibility – It is the child who suffers the most in a matrimonial dispute

Parental Responsibility Does Not End With Breakdown Of Marriage: SC [Read Judgment] LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK 18 Feb 2020 5:14 PM “The Courts should decide the issue of custody on a…

Service Matters

HELD that where the initial appointment is only ad hoc and not according to Rules and made as a stop gap arrangement, the officiation in such post cannot be taken into account for determining seniority. It was further held that the period of officiation can be counted if the initial appointment is not made by following the procedure laid down by the Rules but the appointees continued in the post uninterruptedly till the regularisation of his service in accordance with the Rules

UPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH VINOD GIRI GOSWAMI AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF UTTARAKHAND AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and Deepak…

High Court has totally erred in relying on the lease deed dated 12.3.1997, which was found to be insufficiently stamped and brushing aside the report of the Registrar (Judicial), when the respondents had failed to pay the insufficient stamp duty and penalty as determined by the Registrar (Judicial) of the High Court of Karnataka. Dismissed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH M/S. DHARMARATNAKARA RAI BAHADUR ARCOT NARAINSWAMY MUDALIAR CHATTRAM AND ORS. — Appellant Vs. M/S BHASKAR RAJU & BROTHERS AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before…

HELD we find that the High Court erred in law in interfering with the finding of fact recorded by the trial court as affirmed by the First Appellate Court. The findings of fact cannot be interfered with in a second appeal unless, the findings are perverse. The High Court could not have interfered with the findings of the fact.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH C. DODDANARAYANA REDDY (DEAD) BY LRS. AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. C. JAYARAMA REDDY (DEAD) BY LRS. AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before :…

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