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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

Manipur Police Service Rules, 1965 – Rules 28, 28(i) and Rule 28(iii) – Seniority – Rule 28 of the MPS Rules, 1965 shows that seniority in the service shall be determined based on the date of appointment to the service – In particular Rule 28(i) of the MPS Rules, 1965 which is applicable to both promotees and direct recruits

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH K. MEGHACHANDRA SINGH AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. NINGAM SIRO AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : R. Banumathi, A.S.Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy, JJ.…

Succession Act, 1925 – Sections 250, 263, 268, 276, 278, 283, 283(1)C and 283(1) – Probate of Will – Revocation of – If it is accepted that in probate proceedings persons who have been dis-inherited in the Will on mere no objection certificates by them without either being called by probate court to appear and certify their no objections or to file any pleading will lead to unsatisfactory result and may cause prejudice to persons who were not aware of the proceedings and are yet claimed to have submitted no objections

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH MANJU PURI — Appellant Vs. RAJIV SINGH HANSPAL — Respondent ( Before : Ashok Bhushan and Navin Sinha, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No. 8455…

Central Excise Act, 1944 – Section 11A – Recovery of duties not levied or not paid or short-levied or short-paid or erroneously refunded – Scheme of Section 11A does not contemplate that before issuance of any show cause notice, there must, prima facie determination or hearing.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH COMMISSIONER OF CENTRAL EXCISE, HALDIA — Appellant Vs. M/S. KRISHNA WAX (P) LTD. — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit and Vineet Saran,…

Inter-State River Dispute Act, 1956 – Sections 3, 4, 9 and 11 – Use, control and distribution of waters of an Inter-State River – It must be stated that Section 3 of the Act postulates that a request be made in such form and manner as may be prescribed, whereafter the requisite power can be exercised by the Central Government

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE OF TAMIL NADU — Appellant Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : Uday Umesh Lalit and Vineet Saran, JJ.…

Consumer Protection Act, 1986 – Sections 12 and 24A – Banking Regulation Act, 1949 – Imposition of costs -the Society would now be required to pay stamp duty at an enhanced rate, that by itself does not give any entitlement to seek relief against the Appellant

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH THE MANAGER, THE MAHARASHTRA STATE COOPERATIVE BANK LTD — Appellant Vs. FARMER BANK EMPLOYEES COOPERATIVE HOUSING SOCIETY LTD. AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before…

East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949 – Sections 13-B and 18-A – Constitutional validity of Section 13-B of the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949 – Right of Non-Resident Indians to initiate eviction under the summary procedure provided in Section 18-A of the Rent Act is not an unfettered and absolute right – Held such amendment, Constitutional

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH RAM KRISHAN GROVER AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Ranjan Gogoi, CJI, L. Nageswara Rao…

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 – Section 11(6) – Contract Act, 1872 – Section 62 – Alteration of contract – As the very jurisdiction of the arbitrator is dependent upon the existence of the arbitration clause under which he is appointed, the parties have no right to invoke a clause which perishes with the contract.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH WAPCOS LIMITED — Appellant Vs. SALMA DAM JOINT VENTURE AND ANOTHER — Respondent ( Before : A.M. Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari, JJ. ) Civil…

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