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Specific Relief Act, 1963 — Section 20 — Specific performance — Discretionary and equitable relief — Clean hands — Grant of specific performance is discretionary, not automatic even where a valid contract subsists; a plaintiff must approach the Court with clean hands. Where the plaintiff’s spouse lodged a criminal complaint seeking recovery of the advance paid, alleging the vendor fraudulently suppressed a subsisting injunction, while simultaneously maintaining a civil suit for specific performance, such conduct amounts to blowing “hot and cold” and disentitles the plaintiff to equitable relief. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 299 — Absence of order — Effect on conviction — Where no order under S. 299 was ever passed at the stage the co-accused was tried (case having been split due to abscondence), the earlier deposition of a witness (since deceased) could not be relied upon to convict the accused apprehended and tried years later; identification by surviving eyewitnesses being doubtful and other witnesses having turned hostile, conviction based on such uncorroborated prior testimony unsustainable — appellant acquitted. Hindu female’s property devolves equally on husband and daughter separately; gift of undivided coparcenary share needs no co-owner’s consent. A. Hindu Succession Act, 1956 — Section 15(1)(a) — Devolution of Female Intestate’s Property — Properties of a Hindu female dying intestate devolve, in the absence of sons/daughters’ issue predeceasing her, upon her husband and daughter in equal shares under Section 15(1)(a); such undivided share in the husband’s hands does not partake the character of coparcenary property. Armed Forces — Air Force Order No. 33/2017 — Prior Permission for Civil Post — Mandatory Nature — Requirement of seeking prior permission before applying for a civil post, and subsequent grant of NOC, held mandatory and not merely procedural/directory, since AFO 33/2017 has necessary nexus with regulating premature discharge of Airmen and its object of maintaining operational preparedness of the Air Force. Consumer Protection Act, 2019 — Deficiency of Service — Maintenance Contractor’s Liability — Elevator Malfunction — Comprehensive maintenance contractor, being both manufacturer and repair contractor with exclusive technical knowledge of safety interlocks and brake mechanisms, held principally deficient in service for failing to act on its own identified remedy (voltage stabiliser) despite repeated notice of persistent malfunction over several months preceding fatal accident.

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Order 8 Rule 1 – Decree of specific performance of an agreement to sell – Right to file written statement – within the shorter timeline of 90 days HELD – taking a lenient view given the unique circumstances of the case, and without laying down the discretion being exercised hereinafter, as a precedent, This Court direct that the written statement filed by the appellant on 02.11.2017 (as claimed), be taken on record – Cost Rs 25000

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH DESH RAJ — Appellant Vs. BALKISHAN (D) THROUGH PROPOSED LR MS. ROHINI — Respondent ( Before : S. A. Bobde, CJI., B.R. Gavai and…

Service Matters

Indian Defence Service of Engineers (Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2016 – Rule 12 – Rules not apply to Army Officers – It is categorically laid down in Rule 12 of the IDSE Rules that the Rules shall not apply to Army Officers appointed on a tenure basis as they are governed by the Army Act and the Rules framed thereunder – There is no dispute that the Respondent was appointed on a tenure basis in accordance with the MES Regulations

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. BRIG. BALBIR SINGH (RETD.) — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and Hemant Gupta, JJ.…

Environmental Clearance (EC) for the development of a greenfield International airport at Mopa in Goa – HELD This Court direct the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute to be appointed to oversee compliance with the directions cumulatively issued by this Court – Project proponent shall bear the costs, expenses and fees of NEERI – The suspension on the EC shall accordingly stand lifted – The Miscellaneous Application is accordingly disposed of.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH HANUMAN LAXMAN AROSKAR — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Dr Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta, JJ.…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 439 – Special powers of High Court or Court of Session regarding bail HELD Jurisdiction of the Court under Section 439 of the Code is limited to grant or not to grant bail pending trial – Even though the object of the Hon’ble Judge was laudable but the jurisdiction exercised was clearly erroneous

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE REP. BY THE INSPECTOR OF POLICE — Appellant Vs. M. MURUGESAN AND ANOTHERS — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and Hemant…

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