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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)

Section 498- A, Judgement ” In the aforesaid analysis, while declaring the directions pertaining to Family  Welfare  Committee  and  its  constitution  by  the  District  Legal Services   Authority   and   the   power   conferred   on   the   Committee   is impermissible.  Therefore,  we  think  it  appropriate  to  direct  that  the investigating officers be careful and be guided by the principles stated in Joginder  Kumar  (supra),  D.K.  Basu  (supra),   Lalita  Kumari  (supra) and  Arnesh  Kumar  (supra).  It  will  also  be  appropriate  to  direct  the Director  General  of  Police  of  each  State  to  ensure  that  investigating officers  who  are  in  charge  of  investigation  of  cases  of  offences  under Section  498-A IPC  should  be  imparted  rigorous  training with  regard  to the principles stated by this Court relating to arrest. In view  of  the  aforesaid  premises,  the  direction  contained  in paragraph 19(i) as a whole is not in accord with the statutory framework and the direction issued in paragraph 19(ii) shall be read in conjunction with the direction given hereinabove. Direction No. 19(iii) is modified to the extent that if a settlement is arrived at, the parties can approach the High Court under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the High Court, keeping in view the law laid down in Gian Singh (supra), shall dispose of the same. As far  as  direction  Nos.  19(iv),  19(v)  and  19(vi)  and  19(vii)  are concerned, they shall be governed by what we have stated in paragraph 35.

    REPORTABLE     IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) NO. 73 OF 2015 Social Action Forum for Manav Adhikar                    …Petitioner(s) and another…

Narcotics—Personal Search—Accused posed faith in raiding party and gave written consent for being searched by raiding party—Held; this does not satisfy the requirement ofS.50 NDPS Act—Accused acquitted. Narcotics–Personal Search—Search before Magistrate or Gazetted officer is mandatory requirement and strict compliance thereof is mandated.

2018(2) Law Herald (P&H) 1617 (SC) : 2018 LawHerald.Org 925   SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ARIF KHAN @ AGHA KHAN — Appellant Vs. STATE OF UTTARAKHAND — Respondent ( Before : R.K. Agrawal…

Constitution of India, 1950, Article 141-Precedent-Judgments are not legislations, they have to be. read in the context and background discussions. Police Diary—Absence of entries in the General Diary concerning the preliminary enquiry would not be per se illegal or fatal to prosecution.

(2018) 5 JT 387 : (2018) 7 SCALE 6492018(2) Law Herald (SC) 746 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1023   SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH STATE BY LOKAYUKTHA POLICE — Appellant Vs. H. SRINIVAS —…

Indian Penal Code, 1860, S.302—Murder- Gunshot Injury-Seven gunshot injuries found in body of deceased—Defense version that deceased committed suicide—Held; It is not possible for a person to commit suicide by firing seven gun shots one after the other on his/her body with the use of DBBL Gun in hands

2018(2) Law Herald (SC) 738 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1021   SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH CHANDRA BHAWAN SINGH — Appellant Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH — Respondent ( Before : R.K. Agrawal…

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