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Meritorious reserved category candidates must be considered against unreserved vacancies at the screening stage without availing any concession, prioritizing merit over category bias. The Commission under the WBCE Act has jurisdiction to adjudicate deficiencies in patient care services and qualifications of personnel, distinct from medical negligence handled by State Medical Councils. Income Tax Act, 1961 — Section 37(1) — Revenue Expenditure vs. Capital Expenditure — Non-compete fee — Whether payment of non-compete fee constitutes allowable revenue expenditure or capital expenditure — Non-compete fee is paid to restrain a competitor, which protects or enhances the business profitability and facilitates carrying on the business more efficiently — Such payment neither creates a new asset nor increases the profit-earning apparatus for the payer, meaning the enduring advantage, if any, is not in the capital field — The length of time of the advantage is not determinative if the advantage merely facilitates business operations, leaving fixed assets untouched — Payment of non-compete fee made by the appellant (formed as a joint venture) to L&T (previous partner) to restrain L&T from competing for 7 years was essentially to keep a potential competitor out and ensure the appellant operated more efficiently and profitably, without creating a new capital asset or monopoly — Held: Payment of non-compete fee is an allowable revenue expenditure under Section 37(1) of the Act. (Paras 16, 25-29) Evidence Act, 1872 — Section 118 — Competency of child witness — Effect of delay and tutoring — Although a minor child is competent to testify, the reliability and evidentiary value of testimony given many years after the event, especially when the child has been residing with the complainant’s family (maternal grandparents), is significantly affected by the high possibility of memory distortion and tutoring. (Paras 5, 7, 10.2) Service Law — High Court Staff — Regularization — Discrimination — Appellants (Operator-cum-Data Entry Assistants/Routine Grade Clerks) appointed by Chief Justice under Rules 8(a)(i), 41, and 45 of Allahabad High Court Officers and Staff (Conditions of Service and Conduct) Rules, 1976 — High Court refused regularization of Appellants while regularizing numerous similarly situated employees appointed through the same channel — Justification based on whether initial appointment was labelled ‘ad-hoc’ or whether appointment letter stipulated an examination — Held, distinction based solely on stipulations in appointment letters, when the channel of appointment and nature of work are identical, is arbitrary, unreasonable, and superficial — Such differential treatment violates Articles 14, 16, and 21 of the Constitution, as equals must be treated equally without rational differentia. (Paras 3, 4, 17, 23-28)

Witness Protection Scheme—Scheme as prepared by Union of India approved by SC and shall come into force with immediate effect Witness Protection Scheme–Vulnerable Witness Deposition Complexes—Directions issued to State and Union Territories to set up such complexes in all the district Courts in India by the end of the year 2019.

2018(4) Law Herald (SC) 3342 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1940 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice A.K. Sikri Hon’ble Mr. Justice S. Abdul Nazeer Writ Petition (Criminal)…

Civil Procedure Code, 1908, O.21 R.66–Auction Sale—Setting aside of- -Inadequate Publicity—Authorities committed error in not giving adequate publicity in leading newspaper keeping in view, the value and the potentiality of the land—Directions issued to re-auction the land in question by giving wide publicity in various leading national newspapers having circulation all over India

2018(4) Law Herald (SC) 3338 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1939 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre Hon’ble Mr. Justice Indu Malhotra Civil Appeal No.…

Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, S.15–Nullity of Marriage-Second Marriage– During pendency of appeal against divorce decree of first marriage-The restriction placed on a second marriage in Section 15 of the Act till the dismissal of an appeal would not apply to a case where parties have settled and decided not to pursue the appeal

2018(4) Law Herald (SC) 3318 : 2018 LawHerald.org 1798 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.A. Bobde Hon’ble Mr. Justice L. Nageswara Rao Civil Appeal No.…

Service Law–Wages–Any isolated one time ex-gratia payment made by way of an interim relief cannot be regarded as wages or its component—If such amount had been paid regularly by the employer to the employee in compliance with his terms of employment, it would have been regarded as wages or its component—Industrial Disputes Act, 1947,

2018(4) Law Herald (SC) 3381 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1944 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre Hon’ble Mrs. Justice Indu Malhotra Civil Appeal No.3168…

Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, S.13-B—Divorce—By Mutual Consent-­Once both the parties have consciously obtained a decree of divorce by mutually agreed terms and moved ahead in life, later they cannot be allowed to claim that divorce decree is null and void and not binding on them.

2018(4) Law Herald (SC) 3307 : 2018 LawHerald.org 1795 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Kurian Joseph Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul Civil Appeal No.…

Will—To challenge the genuineness of the Will inter alia indicates challenge to the genuineness of the signature of testator. Expert Evidence—If the scientific investigation of the document in question facilitates the ascertaining of truth, it can be done even after closure of the evidence from both sides.

2018(4) Law Herald (SC) 3304 : 2018 LawHerald.org 1794 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mrs. Justice R. Banumathi Hon’ble Mrs. Justice Indira Banerjee Civil Appeal Nos. 10684-10685…

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