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An unregistered agreement of sale is admissible as evidence of the contract in a specific performance suit, under the proviso to Section 49, Registration Act. Prosecution for obstructing public servant (S.186 IPC) requires mens rea and compliance with S.195 Cr.PC; absence renders proceedings an abuse of process. Freedom of Speech and Expression — Open Justice — Subjudice Principle — Contempt of Court – Such a direction, being a form of prior restraint, must satisfy twin tests of necessity and proportionality, applicable only in cases of real and substantial risk of prejudice to fairness of trial or proper administration of justice — Courts must be open to public observations, debates, and constructive criticism, even on subjudice matters, as open justice instills faith and checks judicial caprice Hostile witnesses — Effect — When a large number of witnesses, including eyewitnesses, turn hostile, prosecution case often collapses for want of evidence — While reasons for hostility can be varied (coercion, fear, monetary consideration, etc.), it cannot automatically lead to conviction based on prior S. 161 statements or IO’s testimony about such statements, as these are not substantive evidence — Court’s consternation at collapse of a serious case due to witness hostility cannot be a reason to convict on insufficient or inadmissible evidence, amounting to a moral conviction anathema to criminal jurisprudence. Sales Tax — Kerala General Sales Tax Act, 1963 (Kerala Act) — Section 5A — Tamil Nadu General Sales Tax Act, 1959 (Tamil Nadu Act) — Section 7A — Purchase Tax — Liability of assessee purchasing goods from dealers exempt from sales tax — Where goods are purchased from dealers who are exempt from payment of sales tax by virtue of notifications or exemptions under the Kerala Act or Tamil Nadu Act, such a purchase is considered a purchase of “goods, the sale or purchase of which is liable to tax” within the meaning of Section 5A of the Kerala Act or Section 7A of the Tamil Nadu Act

Civil Procedure Code, 1908, S.4(1)–Special or Local Law-Applicability of CPC– Held; whenever there is a special, local, or other law which deals with any matter specified in the Code, those laws will continue to have full force and effect notwithstanding that they deal with the same matter as is contained in the Code of Civil Procedure

(2016) 161 AIC 157 : (2016) AIR(SCW) 1213 : (2016) AIR(SC) 1213 : (2016) AllSCR 1820 : (2016) 1 BBCJ 516 : (2016) 3 CalHCN 126 : (2016) 3 CalHCN…

Service Matters

Service Law-Postal Delay-Delay in receipt of application by appointing authority-­Unexplained delay often days by portal department in dispatch of application sent by speed post-Application received one day after prescribed day—Direction issued that application of petitioner not to be rejected on ground of delay of one day in receipt of application.

  (2017) 2 LawHerald(SC) 1701 : (2017) 4 SCT 539 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ASHUTOSH AGNIHOTRI — Appellant Vs. HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH — Respondent ( Before : Madan B. Lokur…

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