Latest Post

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.

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Sections 96 and 100 – Transfer of Property Act, 1882 – Section 52 – Right to property – Second Appeal – Appellants were not the parties to the suit nor in the regular appeal – High Court has held that insofar as the locus of the appellants, they being third parties had no right to challenge the judgment and order passed by the Lower Appellate Court HELDSubstantial questions raised have not been appropriately dealt with and answered the matter would require reconsideration by the High Court – Appeal disposed of.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH GAJARABA BHIKHUBHA VADHER AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. SUMARA UMAR AMAD (DEAD) THRU LEGAL HEIRS AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : R. Banumathi,…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 420, 467 and 468 – Evidence Act, 1872 – Section 45 – Forged signature – Indira Vikas Patra – Hand-writing expert – It is fairly well settled that before acting upon the opinion of the hand-writing expert, prudence requires that the court must see that such evidence is corroborated by other evidence either direct or circumstantial evidence

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH PADUM KUMAR — Appellant Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH — Respondent ( Before : R. Banumathi and A.S. Bopanna, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No.…

Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control), Act, 1965 – Sections 11(2), 11(3) and 11(4)(i) and 11(4)(ii) – Eviction – Sub-letting – A bare reading of sub-para (i) of sub-section (4) of Section 11 of the said Act leaves no manner of doubt that the cause arises upon the tenant transferring his rights under a lease and sub-lets the entire building “or any portion thereof”, if the lease does not confer on him any right to do so. Thus, sub-letting of any part of the tenanted premises gives right to eviction from the whole premises

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH K. LUBNA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. BEEVI AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K.M. Joseph, JJ. ) Civil…

IMP: Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 – Sections 140, 166 and 166(1)(c) – Fatal motor accident – Compensation Whether the major sons of the deceased who are married and gainfully employed or earning, can claim compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988? Held:- YES claimants were working as agricultural labourers on contract basis and were earning meagre income between Rs. 1,00,000/­ and Rs. 1,50,000/­ per annum. In that sense, they were largely dependant on the earning of their mother and in fact, were staying with her, who met with an accident at the young age of 48 years.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED — Appellant Vs. BIRENDER AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : A.M. Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari, JJ. ) Civil Appeal…

Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005 – Sections 13, 13(1), 13(2), 13(1)(c), 13(1)(j), 14, 15 and 24 – Large scale trafficking of children – If the State Commission in such a case asks for assistance from the National Commission or some other State Commission where the child may have been illegally trafficked, the National Commission or the other State Commission(s) should cooperate with the Commission inquiring into the matter

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR PROTECTION OF CHILD RIGHTS AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. DR. RAJESH KUMAR AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Deepak Gupta…

SC Directs States To Appoint Exclusive Public Prosecutors In POCSO Courts HELD – POCSO cases. Sub-Section 1 of Section 32 reads as follows: “Every State must by Notification appoint a Special Public Prosecutor for every Special Court for conducting cases only under the provisions of the Act.”

SC Directs States To Appoint Exclusive Public Prosecutors In POCSO Courts [Read Order] LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK 12 Jan 2020 6:47 PM “Public Prosecutors must be trained to deal with child…

You missed