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Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 — Section 8(3) — Unauthorized alienation of minor’s property — Such alienation is voidable, not void ab initio, and can be challenged by the minor upon attaining majority or by someone claiming under the minor. Criminal Procedure — Delay in Investigation and Filing of Charge Sheet — Speedy Trial — Right to Speedy Trial and Timely Completion of Investigation are integral parts of Article 21 of the Constitution — Statutory recognition in CrPC for prompt investigation — Investigations should be completed within a reasonable time, not endlessly — Lack of strict timelines in CrPC does not permit indefinite investigations — Inordinate delay without adequate justification warrants intervention by Courts. Contract Law — Statutory Amendment — Impact on existing contracts — Where a statutory amendment alters a fundamental aspect like royalty rates, a pre-existing contract cannot prevent the application of the amended law, especially when the payment of royalty is linked to the removal or consumption of minerals — [MMDR Act] Applicability of S.9 — Scope — Section 9 applies broadly to all entities engaged in removal/dispatch of minerals, not only direct mining lessees. Criminal Procedure — Passport — Return/Surrender of Passport — Accused facing serious criminal charges — Right to travel abroad vis-à-vis right to speedy trial — Balance between individual liberty and societal interest — Accused charged with abetment of suicide and criminal conspiracy since 2014, trial still at stage of committal despite lapse of over ten years — Accused, a US citizen, had misused interim protection in prior proceedings to leave the country without Court’s leave — Whether High Court justified in permitting accused to travel abroad on grounds of medical treatment — Held, not justified — High Court indulgent rather than judicially restrained — Medical facilities in India comparable to those abroad — High Court’s revisional order set aside — Accused restrained from travelling abroad without express permission of Sessions Court — Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, S. 442 — Constitution of India, Art. 21 Service Law — Promotion — Entitlement to promotion to Chief Medical Director (Higher Administrative Grade) in Indian Railway Medical Service — Appellant was denied promotion despite being eligible, with a junior officer being promoted instead — Appellant’s case was rejected by the Tribunal and High Court based on her grading in Annual Confidential Reports

The NGT has already directed the appellant to deposit Rupees one crore and has set up an expert committee to evaluate the impact of the appellant’s project and suggest remedial measures. In view of these circumstances, we uphold the directions of the NGT and direct that the committee continue its evaluation of the appellant’s project so as to bring its environmental impact as close as possible to that contemplated in the EC dated 2 May 2013 and also suggest the compensatory exaction to be imposed on the appellant

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH KEYSTONE REALTORS PVT. LTD. — Appellant Vs. SHRI ANIL V THARTHARE AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Dr Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and Ajay…

NCLT and NCLAT would have jurisdiction to enquire into questions of fraud, they would not have jurisdiction to adjudicate upon disputes such as those arising under MMDR Act, 1957 and the rules issued thereunder, especially when the disputes revolve around decisions of statutory or quasi-judicial authorities, which can be corrected only by way of judicial review of administrative action.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH M/S EMBASSY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENTS PRIVATE LIMITED — Appellant Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Rohinton Fali Nariman, Aniruddha Bose…

Service Matters

Service Law – Technical Assesment Reports (TAR) – Mandatory requirement for fulfilling the eligibility criteriTAR may be taken into consideration while grading the officer for the purposes of ACR but once the ACR is being taken into consideration then in view of the office memorandum dated 12.05.2011 – TAR is the criteria which could not have been taken into consideration – Appeal dismissed.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. LT.COL. SAMEER SINGH — Respondent ( Before : Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose, JJ. ) Civil…

Electricity Act, 2003 – Sections 62, 65 and 108 – Levy of wheeling charges and grid support charges – Plea of promissory estoppel is not attracted, and there was no unequivocal promise – There was no material change in the facts and circumstances of the case to attract the plea of promissory estoppel based on Government orders

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH TRANSMISSION CORPORATION OF ANDHRA PRADESH LIMITED — Appellant Vs. M/S RAIN CALCINING LIMITED AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Arun Mishra, M.R. Shah…

Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) – Sections 302 and 149 – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) – Section 161 – Murder -If the deposition of PW2 and PW3 are not reliable qua one of the accused on the grounds stated hereinabove and one of the accused came to be acquitted by giving benefit of doubt, the same benefit ought to have been given to the other accused also, unless there is some further material/evidence against the other accused.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JODHRAJ AND ANOTHER — Appellant Vs. STATE OF RAJASTHAN — Respondent ( Before : Ashok Bhushan and M. R. Shah, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal…

Service Matters

Service Law – Rate of wages – Contract Casual Labourers – Held, The contractor shall not be entitled to 471% ASOR basis with respect to supply of casual labourers as claimed by him – Therefore, it is specifically observed and held that the FCI shall be liable to pay the wages payable to the casual labourers under the subject contract according to the rates specified in the judgment and order dated 14.01.2010 passed by this Court in Civil Appeal Nos. 9472-9473/2003 and not on 471% ASOR basis

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH FOOD CORPORATION OF INDIA — Appellant Vs. PRATAP KUNDU — Respondent ( Before : Ashok Bhushan and M.R. Shah, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No.…

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