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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.
Service Matters

Government of India Act, 1935 – Section 241(2)(b) – Enhancement of age of retirement HELD Appellant who attained the age of 60 years – Age of retirement which prevailed at the relevant time was not entitled to the benefit of the notification – not entitled to the enhanced age of retirement of 65 years

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH CHANDRA MOHAN VARMA — Appellant Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH — Respondent ( Before : Dr Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi, JJ. )…

Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 – Sections 3 and 4 – Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 406, 420 and 498A – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 216 – Framing of additional charges – It is clear that Section 216 provides the court an exclusive and wide-ranging power to change or alter any charge

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH DR. NALLAPAREDDY SRIDHAR REDDY — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Dr. Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud and…

Service Matters

Karnataka State Civil Services (Unfilled Vacancies reserved for the persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) (Special Recruitment) Rules, 2001 – Rule 6 – Eligibility for appointment HELD Merely because the 1st respondent had approached the High Court by filing of a writ petition, that would not be sufficient to exercise jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution in over­reaching the rights of the candidates who were otherwise eligible for appointment – Appeal allowed

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE KARNATAKA STATE SEEDS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LIMITED AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. SMT. H.L. KAVERI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Dr Dhananjaya…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 302, 404 and 34 – Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 – Sections 3 and 3(2)(v) – Murder – Appeal against Order of discharge – HELD In such a situation the proceedings shall proceed in an appropriate court for the offences punishable under IPC notwithstanding investigation and the charge­sheet being not liable to be accepted only in respect of offence under Section 3 of the Act for taking cognizance of that offence

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH — Appellant Vs. BABBU RATHORE AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Indu Malhotra and Ajay Rastogi, JJ. ) Criminal…

Service Matters

Air Force Rules, 1969 – Rule 156 – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 154 – Illegal transportation of Petrol, Oil & Lubricants – Tribunal held that the allegation against the Respondent being theft and misappropriation of kerosene and diesel, the loss caused due to theft required to be reported to the civil police as per Para 804(b) of the Regulations

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. CHANDRA BHUSHAN YADAV — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and Deepak Gupta, JJ. )…

Service Matters

Service Law – Regularization – It is clear from the order of appointment of the appellant that she was provisionally appointed to the post of EDE – It was clarified in the appointment order itself that the provisional appointment will be terminated when regular appointment is made and that she shall have no claim for appointment to any post

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH KAMLESH — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA THROUGH SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF POST AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : S. Abdul Nazeer and Deepak…

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…

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