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Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 168 — Notional income of skilled worker — Carpenter — Assessment — The appellant, a carpenter aged 38 years, suffered amputation of his right leg below the knee in a road accident in November 2004 — The Claims Tribunal assessed his monthly income at Rs. 3,000/- and the High Court enhanced it to Rs. 5,000/- relying on minimum wages. Held — A carpenter is a skilled artisan who works with precision and manual dexterity — His income cannot be equated with that of an unskilled worker — Where the appellant’s unrefuted evidence showed earnings of Rs. 8,000/- to Rs. 10,000/- per month, and a skilled job always has the potentiality to fetch higher income, the High Court erred in restricting the figure to Rs. 5,000/- — Considering the date of accident, decisions in comparable cases and the fact of the appellant being a skilled worker, his notional monthly income is assessed at Rs. 9,000/- per month. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 304 Part II — Culpable Homicide not Amounting to Murder — Conviction and sentence — Appeal against — Abatement of appeal due to death of co-accused — Death of two appellants during pendency of appeal — Appeal survives only for the third appellant. Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950 — Section 154 — Transfer of land in contravention of ceiling limit — Not void ipso facto — Capable of ratification — Legality of transfer to be judged by law on date of execution — Sale deed executed on 04.06.1957 — Ceiling limit then was 30 acres, subsequently amended to 12.5 acres retrospectively from 01.07.1952 — Transfer in contravention of Section 154 not void but voidable at instance of Gaon Sabha coupled with liability for ejectment of transferee under Section 163 — No suit filed for ejectment within limitation period. Specific Relief Act, 1963 — Section 16(c) — “Readiness and Willingness” — Relief of specific performance is equitable and discretionary — Plaintiff must specifically aver and prove continuous readiness and willingness to perform obligations — Failure to do so disentitles plaintiff to relief — “Readiness” refers to financial capacity, “Willingness” to conduct and intention — Both cumulatively must be seen — Conduct of plaintiff prior and subsequent to suit, along with attending circumstances, must be considered — Availability of funds must be proved with reference to relevant time, not by documents created much later. Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 166 and 140 — Compensation for death in motor vehicular accident — Negligence — Truck stationed on road at night without warning lights or indicators — Wagon-R car collided from behind — Held, truck driver was negligent in leaving the vehicle unattended on the road without adequate precautionary measures, which was the proximate cause of the accident.

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…

Deferred Spectrum charges – Dismissal of Appeal for Refund – Centre’s Appeal against TDSAT order to refund of Rs 104 Crores to Reliance Communications – Order of the TDSAT does not call for any interference – The Union nowhere disputes that the respondent licensees’ liability toward payment of deferred spectrum charges, in May, 2018, was to the tune of Rs. 774.25 crores – The total amount realized upon encashment of the bank guarantees furnished by the respondents, however, was to the extent of Rs. 908.91 crores

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UNION OF INDIA — Appellant Vs. RELIANCE COMMUNICATION LIMITED AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : R. F. Nariman and S. Ravindra Bhat, JJ.…

Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1960 – Sections 10(2)(i), 10(2)(ii)(a)(b) and 10(2)(iii) – Eviction – Subletting – There is no genuine partnership between respondent no.1 and respondent no.2 – Respondent no.1 has come out with a case of partnership only to get out from the allegation of subletting – The exclusive possession of the suit premises is with respondent no.2. Respondent

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH A.MAHALAKSHMI — Appellant Vs. BALA VENKATRAM (D) THROUGH LR AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Ashok Bhushan and M.R. Shah, JJ. ) Civil…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 300-Exception 4, 302, 304, 304-Part-I, 304-Part-II – Death due to injury in quarrel – Alteration of sentence – It is true that the deceased died because of the injuries caused by the accused – However, as observed above, the incident had taken place on the spur of the moment and after some altercation the accused took the lathi which was lying there and caused the injury on the head of the deceased – The offence committed does not amount to murder.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ANANTA KAMILYA — Appellant Vs. STATE OF WEST BENGAL — Respondent ( Before : Ashok Bhushan and M. R. Shah, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

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