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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

The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 as well as The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 is that even if a juvenile is convicted, the same should be obliterated, so that there is no stigma with regard to any crime committed by such person as a juvenile.

There Is No Stigma With Regard To Any Crime Committed By A Juvenile, Says SC “Even if a juvenile is convicted, the same should be obliterated” The Supreme Court has…

Contents Of Memory Card Will Be ‘Document’ And Not ‘Material Object’ HELD “we hold that the contents of the memory card/pen drive being electronic record must be regarded as a document. If the prosecution is relying on the same, ordinarily, the accused must be given a cloned copy thereof to enable him/her to present an effective defence during the trial.

Contents Of Memory Card Will Be ‘Document’ And Not ‘Material Object’ : SC [Read Judgment] The contents of a memory card in relation to a crime amount to a ‘document’…

Service Matters

Order Convening General Court Martial Can Be Challenged Before AFT, Holds SC HELD Any matter relating to the conditions of service falls within the definition of ‘service matters’ under Section 3 (o) of the Act and can be the subject matter of an application filed before the Tribunal. Therefore, conditions of service also include dismissal from service.

Order Convening General Court Martial Can Be Challenged Before AFT, Holds SC BY: ASHOK KINI 28 Nov 2019 11:09 AM The Supreme Court has held that an order convening a…

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Order 41 Rule 5 – Section 96 and Order 41 – Determination – Recovery of loss – A chart showing the original price as against the resale price, thereby projecting the net loss suffered by the appellant, the correctness of the same cannot be adjudicated in a proceeding of the present nature arising out of a writ proceeding – The matter being contractual and also requiring factual determination

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH ODISHA FOREST DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION — Appellant Vs. M/S ANUPAM TRADERS AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : R. Banumathi, A.S. Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy,…

Service Matters

Assam Public Service Commission (Procedure and Conduct of Business) Rules, 2010 – Rule 29 and Rule 30 – Assam Public Service Commission (Conduct of Business) Procedure, 2019 – Clause 12.2 – Interviews/selection – This Court are persuaded to hold that the recruitment process initiated by the APSC through the advertisement dated 21.12.2018 for the 65 posts of Assistant Engineer (Civil), of the Water Resources Department should be finalised under the 2010 Rules

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH THE ASSAM PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. PRANJAL KUMAR SARMA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : R. Banumathi, A.S. Bopanna…

Service Matters

Service Law – One Man Commission – Revision of pay-scales – The 6th Central Pay Commission comprising of experts in the field had recommended certain pay-scales for various posts – HELD but if further anomalies were found which called for action on part of the Government, any exercise to reconsider the matter by the State Government could not be faulted nor could the constitution of the PGRC (Pay Grievance Redressal Cell) be said to be invalid or illegal –

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH TAMIL NADU RURAL DEVELOPMENT ENGINEERS AND ASSISTANT ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION — Appellant Vs. GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Uday…

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