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Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 21 — Right to Life and Healthy Environment — Environmental Degradation: Pollution of Jojari, Bandi, and Luni Rivers in Rajasthan due to untreated industrial effluents and municipal sewage threatens the lives of 2 million people and the ecosystem — This constitutes a gross dereliction of constitutional duty and a direct constitutional injury — The right to a healthy environment, including pollution-free water and air, is an indispensable facet of the right to life under Article 21, reinforced by Articles 48A and 51A(g) — Judicial intervention is warranted when environmental degradation strikes at the foundation of these guarantees. (Paras 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 28) Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 11(6), Section 11(12)(a), Section 2(1)(f), Section 2(2) — Applicability of Part I, including Section 11, to International Commercial Arbitration (ICA) — Dispute arising from a Buyer and Seller Agreement (BSA) where Respondent No. 1 is foreign company (incorporated in Benin) — BSA stipulates arbitration “will take place in Benin” and is governed by laws of Benin — Held: Dispute is an ICA under Section 2(1)(f) — Under Section 2(2), Part I of the Act applies only where the place of arbitration is in India — Designation of Benin as the place of arbitration, coupled with choice of Benin law as governing/curial law, unequivocally establishes Benin as the juridical seat — Indian Courts lack jurisdiction under Section 11 to appoint an arbitrator for a foreign-seated arbitration — Petition seeking appointment of an arbitrator in India is fundamentally misconceived and legally untenable. (Paras 2, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30) Government Contracts and Tenders — Letter of Intent (LoI) — Legal Nature — An LoI is ordinarily a precursor to a contract, indicating intent to enter into a future agreement, but does not itself create a concluded contract or vested, enforceable rights unless the necessary preconditions are satisfied — A bidder’s commercial expectation that a contract will follow an LoI is not a juridical entitlement — If the LoI explicitly stipulates conditions precedent (like compatibility testing, live demonstration, and cost disclosure) before execution of an agreement/final award letter, the LoI remains provisional and conditional until such prerequisites are met. (Paras 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) — Section 7 — Application by Financial Creditor — Rejection for technical defects — Affidavit Verification — Whether an application under Section 7 of the IBC, verified later than the date of the supporting affidavit, is liable to be rejected at the threshold — Mere filing of a ‘defective’ affidavit (e.g., dated before application verification) does not render the Section 7 application non est and liable to be rejected; such a defect is curable and not fundamental. (Paras 1, 17) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Inherent powers of High Court — Quashing of criminal proceedings — Scope — Principles for quashing FIR or complaint under Section 482 CrPC, including where allegations, taken at face value, do not constitute any offence, or where the proceeding is manifestly attended with mala fide or maliciously instituted with an ulterior motive (referring to State of Haryana vs. Bhajan Lal) — High Court error in refusing to quash proceedings despite clear absence of ingredients for the alleged offences. (Paras 12, 17, 25, 26, 27)

Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 21 — Right to Life and Healthy Environment — Environmental Degradation: Pollution of Jojari, Bandi, and Luni Rivers in Rajasthan due to untreated industrial effluents and municipal sewage threatens the lives of 2 million people and the ecosystem — This constitutes a gross dereliction of constitutional duty and a direct constitutional injury — The right to a healthy environment, including pollution-free water and air, is an indispensable facet of the right to life under Article 21, reinforced by Articles 48A and 51A(g) — Judicial intervention is warranted when environmental degradation strikes at the foundation of these guarantees. (Paras 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 28)

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — Section 11(6), Section 11(12)(a), Section 2(1)(f), Section 2(2) — Applicability of Part I, including Section 11, to International Commercial Arbitration (ICA) — Dispute arising from a Buyer and Seller Agreement (BSA) where Respondent No. 1 is foreign company (incorporated in Benin) — BSA stipulates arbitration “will take place in Benin” and is governed by laws of Benin — Held: Dispute is an ICA under Section 2(1)(f) — Under Section 2(2), Part I of the Act applies only where the place of arbitration is in India — Designation of Benin as the place of arbitration, coupled with choice of Benin law as governing/curial law, unequivocally establishes Benin as the juridical seat — Indian Courts lack jurisdiction under Section 11 to appoint an arbitrator for a foreign-seated arbitration — Petition seeking appointment of an arbitrator in India is fundamentally misconceived and legally untenable. (Paras 2, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30)

IMP – PAY & RECOVER — Accident—Tractor-trailer—No evidence that any trailer was insured or trailer was attached to the tractor—Thus, it would follow that injured person (other than driver of tractor) travelled in tractor as a passenger–Insurance company not liable to pay-However, insurance company directed to pay & recover.

  2018(3) Law Herald (SC) 2288 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1489 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Chief Justice Dipak Misra                  Hon’ble Mr. Justice A.M. Khanwilkar CIVIL…

Rape—Injuries on Prosecutrix—Gang Rape—Admittedly, there was a tussle at a time of alleged incident and she tried to save herself—However, victim has not sustained any injury except some bruises on her cheeks–Her clothes were not even soiled with mud—Accused acquitted Rape—Gang Rape—Medical record and the Doctor’s evidence do not specify whether there were any signs of forcible sexual intercourse-Accused acquitted Rape—Absence of semen—Gang Rape—Clothes worn by victim (petticoat) did not contain any seminal stain—Hard to believe that sexual assault had taken place on the victim—Accused acquitted Identification of Accused—Identification from the voice of the accused may be possible if there is evidence to show that the witness was sufficiently acquainted with the accused in order to recognize him or her by voice.

  2018(3} Law Herald (SC) 2274 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1454 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Honble Mr. Justice N.V. Ramana Honble Mr. Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar Criminal Appeal…

Lis Pendence—Agreement to Sell-During pendency of litigation some more transaction took place in relation to suit property—Such transactions are directly hit by the principle of lis pendence-These transaction are not binding on parties to the suit much less on plaintiffs—Such parties would be at liberty to now work out their inter se rights

2018(3) Law Herald (SC) 2245 : 2017 LawHerald.Org 2213   SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH NADIMINTI SURYANARAYAN MURTHY(DEAD) THROUGH LRS. — Appellant Vs. KOTHURTHI KRISHNA BHASKARA RAO & ORS. — Respondent ( Before…

Rape—Medical Evidence—Doctor has opined that the possibility of sexual assault upon the victim cannot be ruled out, though she did not specify as to whether the sexual assault was in the recent past-­Accused acquitted.  Rape—Improbable Story—Prosecutrix specifically disposed that at the time of incident, the wife, children, sister and mother of the accused persons were present in the house—Accused acquitted.

    2018(3) Law Herald (SC) 2237: 2018 LawHerald.Org 1488   SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH SHAM SINGH — Appellant  Vs.  STATE OF HARYANA — Respondent ( Before : N.V. Ramana and Mohan M…

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