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Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 168 — Notional income of skilled worker — Carpenter — Assessment — The appellant, a carpenter aged 38 years, suffered amputation of his right leg below the knee in a road accident in November 2004 — The Claims Tribunal assessed his monthly income at Rs. 3,000/- and the High Court enhanced it to Rs. 5,000/- relying on minimum wages. Held — A carpenter is a skilled artisan who works with precision and manual dexterity — His income cannot be equated with that of an unskilled worker — Where the appellant’s unrefuted evidence showed earnings of Rs. 8,000/- to Rs. 10,000/- per month, and a skilled job always has the potentiality to fetch higher income, the High Court erred in restricting the figure to Rs. 5,000/- — Considering the date of accident, decisions in comparable cases and the fact of the appellant being a skilled worker, his notional monthly income is assessed at Rs. 9,000/- per month. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 304 Part II — Culpable Homicide not Amounting to Murder — Conviction and sentence — Appeal against — Abatement of appeal due to death of co-accused — Death of two appellants during pendency of appeal — Appeal survives only for the third appellant. Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950 — Section 154 — Transfer of land in contravention of ceiling limit — Not void ipso facto — Capable of ratification — Legality of transfer to be judged by law on date of execution — Sale deed executed on 04.06.1957 — Ceiling limit then was 30 acres, subsequently amended to 12.5 acres retrospectively from 01.07.1952 — Transfer in contravention of Section 154 not void but voidable at instance of Gaon Sabha coupled with liability for ejectment of transferee under Section 163 — No suit filed for ejectment within limitation period. Specific Relief Act, 1963 — Section 16(c) — “Readiness and Willingness” — Relief of specific performance is equitable and discretionary — Plaintiff must specifically aver and prove continuous readiness and willingness to perform obligations — Failure to do so disentitles plaintiff to relief — “Readiness” refers to financial capacity, “Willingness” to conduct and intention — Both cumulatively must be seen — Conduct of plaintiff prior and subsequent to suit, along with attending circumstances, must be considered — Availability of funds must be proved with reference to relevant time, not by documents created much later. Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 166 and 140 — Compensation for death in motor vehicular accident — Negligence — Truck stationed on road at night without warning lights or indicators — Wagon-R car collided from behind — Held, truck driver was negligent in leaving the vehicle unattended on the road without adequate precautionary measures, which was the proximate cause of the accident.

V IMP : LEVY OF SERVICE TAX BY INCORPORATED CLUBS – HELD – We are also of the view that from 2005 onwards, the Finance Act of 1994 does not purport to levy service tax on members’ clubs in the incorporated form. The expression “body of persons” may subsume within it persons who come together for a common purpose, but cannot possibly include a company or a registered cooperative society. Thus, Explanation 3(a) to Section 65B(44) does not apply to members’ clubs which are incorporated. Consequently, show-cause notices, demand notices and other action taken to levy and collect service tax from incorporated members’ clubs are declared to be void and of no effect in law.

1.The definition of “club or association” contained in Section 65 (25a) makes it plain that any person or body of persons providing services for a subscription or any other amount…

Society Matters – we are of the view that the only way to bring to an end all the litigations between the parties before various fora is to set aside the impugned order and the elections held pursuant thereto and to appoint an Advocate Commissioner to convene the General Body as well as the Executive Committee for the election of office bearers.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH  VIRUDHUNAGAR HINDU NADARGAL DHARMA PARIBALANA SABAI AND OTHERS — Appellant Vs. TUTICORIN EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Rohinton Fali Nariman…

Service Matters

Entitlement Rules for Casualty Pensionary Awards, 1982 – Rule 14 – Grant of disability pension – Provision of grant of disability pension is a beneficial provision but, mental disorder at the time of recruitment cannot normally be detected when a person behaves normally – Since there is a possibility of non-detection of mental disorder, therefore, it cannot be said that Schizophrenia is presumed to be attributed to or aggravated by military service.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH  NO. 14666828M EX CFN NARSINGH YADAV — Appellant Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : L. Nageswara Rao and Hemant…

Madhya Pradesh Nagar Tatha Gram Nivesh Adhiniyam, 1973 – Sections 58 and 86 – Allotment of land – considered view that directing the Indore Development Authority to revisit the matter afresh at this stage when the lease deed of the plot has been executed and the appellant has raised construction – No purpose.

We are of the considered view that directing the Indore Development Authority to revisit the matter afresh at this stage when the lease deed of the plot has been executed…

Specific Relief Act, 1963 – Section 16(1)(c) – Suit for specific performance of agreement – Readiness and willingness – The application for extension of time made after expiry of the time prescribed is sufficient evidence for the incapacity of the plaintiff to perform his obligations demonstrating readiness and willingness

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH  RAVI SETIA — Appellant Vs. MADAN LAL AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Navin Sinha and Indira Banerjee, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No(s).…

Conviction under Section 302/149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) – The appellants were undoubtedly the members of an unlawful assembly some of whom were also armed with spears and assaulted the deceased. All the accused surrounded the deceased obviously to prevent his escape.The fact that the co-accused may have assaulted on the head again cannot be considered very relevant to eschew the absence of common object.

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH  FAINUL KHAN — Appellant Vs. STATE OF JHARKHAND — Respondent ( Before : Navin Sinha and B.R. Gavai, JJ. ) Criminal Appeal No(s). 937…

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Section 9A (inserted by the Maharashtra Amendment Act, 1977) – word “jurisdiction” – include the issue of limitation as the expression has been used in the broader sense and is not restricted to conventional definition under pecuniary or territorial jurisdiction

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH  NUSLI NEVILLE WADIA — Appellant Vs. IVORY PROPERTIES AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : Arun Mishra, M.R. Shah and B.R. Gavai, JJ. )…

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