Latest Post

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.

Co-sharer–When a co-sharer sells his share in the joint holding or any portion thereof and puts the vendor into possession of land in his possession what he transfers is his right as a co-sharers in said land and right to remain in its exclusive possession till joint holding is partitioned amongst all co-sharers—Sale of subsequent portion of land out of joint holding by the co-owners is nothing but a sale of a share out of the joint holding and is pre-emptible under Section 15(1)(b) of Act

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 514 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. Mukundakam Sharma Civil Appeal No. 321…

Will can be proved by examining at least one witness–Alongwith it has to be shown that it was free from suspicious circumstances–Transfer of Property Act, 1882, Section 3–Evidence Act, 1872, Section 68–Succession Act, 1925, Section 63(c).–It may be true that deprivation of a due share by the natural heir by itself may not be held to be a suspicious circumstance but it is one of the factors which is taken into consideration by the courts

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 502 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.B. Sinha The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph Civil Appeal No. 7434 of 2008…

Accident–Gratuitous passengers–About 30-40 persons were travelling in the tempo truck–All 30-40 persons by no stretch of imagination could have been the representatives of the owners of goods. Insurance company not liable Accident–Ordinarily an allegation made in FIR would not be admissible in evidence per se but tribunal would be entitled to look into same where allegations made in FIR had been made a part of the part of claim petition.

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 498 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.B. Sinha The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph Civil Appeal No. 7399 of 2008…

Service Matters

Contention that prior to the amendment rules, the promotion to the cadre of District Judges was based on the principle of “Seniority-cum-merit” and now as per amended rules pursuant to the directions of Supreme Court, the principle has now been changed to “merit-cum-seniority” and this has seriously affected the rights of the members of the Civil Judges (Senior Division)–Contention rejected

  2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 495 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan The Hon’ble Mr. Justice P. Sathasivam The Hon’ble Mr. Justice…

Mortgage–Whether a document is mortgage by conditional sale or a sale with a condition of repurchase is a vexed question–One of the ingredients for determining the true nature of transaction, therefore, is that the condition of repurchase should be embodied in the document which effects or purports to effect the sale–Indisputably, the said condition is satisfied– Transfer of Property Act, 1882, Mortgage–In a case where deed of mortgage is executed with a condition of repurchase, the amount of consideration remains the same.

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 489 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice  S.B. Sinha The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph Civil Appeal No. 7400 of 2008…

Interest Law–Interest– Starting Point–Question arises as to from which date interest would be paid–Starting point is on completion of one month from the date on which claim fell due–It cannot be the date of accident–It has to be taken to be the date of adjudication of the claim– Workman’s Compensation Act, 1923, Sections 3, 4A(3)(a). 

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 479 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before  The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Mukundakam Sharma Civil Appeal No. 6691 of 2008…

Succession Law–Will– Probate of–A probate when granted binds the whole world–It is a judgment in rem–The Executor, therefore, has to administer the estate of the testator in terms of the Will and not on the basis of the settlement arrived at by and between the parties which would be inconsistent with the terms of the Will–In case of any conflict between the terms of the Will and the settlement, the former will prevail

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 482 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.B. Sinha The Hon’ble Mr. Justice  Cyriac Joseph Civil Appeal No. 6575 of 2008…

Undue Influence—Merely because the parties are related to each other or merely because the executant was old or of weak character, no presumption of undue influence can arise Redemption of Mortgage—High Court has passed a decree for redemption of mortgage simpliciter without following the provisions of CPC—Impugned order set aside– Muslim Law—Oral Gift—Conditions for making valid oral gift under the Mohammedan law are:- (i) there should be wish or intention on the part of the donor to gift; (ii) acceptance by the donee; and (iii) taking possession of the subject matter of the gift by the donee.

2019(1) Law Herald (SC) 147 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 2053 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mrs. Justice R. Banumathi Hon’ble Mrs. Justice Indira Banerjee Civil Appeal No. 1007…

You missed