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Environment Law — Environmental Clearance — Prior clearance — Mandatory character — Prior environmental clearance under EIA Notification, 2006 is mandatory, being founded on the precautionary principle and couched in imperative terms — Word “prior” and the graded four-stage screening, scoping, public consultation and appraisal process render an anterior assessment the sine qua non of the clearance regime — Decriminalisation of contraventions under Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 does not alter this mandatory character. Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 — Section 415 — Appeal — Maintainability — Conviction recorded for first time by appellate court reversing acquittal — An appeal under Section 374 CrPC (Section 415 BNSS) is not maintainable against a judgment of conviction recorded by a Sessions Court while exercising appellate jurisdiction and reversing an order of acquittal passed by the Trial Court — No such second appeal is contemplated under CrPC or BNSS — The only remedy available is revision under Section 397 r/w 401 CrPC (Section 438 r/w 442 BNSS) Income Tax Act, 1961 — Section 44B — “Carriage” of passengers — Meaning and scope of — Cruise operations by non-resident shipping entity — Held, the word “carriage” under Section 44B cannot be restrictively construed to mean movement only from Port A to Port B. A round-trip cruise voyage, where passengers have the option to disembark at intermediate ports without compulsion to return to the originating port, constitutes carriage of passengers within the meaning of Section 44B. Provision of incidental on-board entertainment and hospitality does not alter the essential character of the activity as carriage of passengers. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Quashing of FIR — Scope of inquiry — Mini-trial impermissible — At the stage of considering quashing of an FIR, the Court’s inquiry is confined to whether the allegations, taken at face value, prima facie disclose commission of a cognizable offence — Court cannot conduct a “mini-trial” by sifting evidence, assessing probabilities, or evaluating witness credibility — High Court exceeding these limits by examining trap proceedings, absence of personal recovery, and departmental enquiry findings, held impermissible. Succession Act, 1925 — Sections 33, 35 and 38 — Hindu/Christian Succession — Applicability of S. 33 confined to property owned by deceased male; erroneous application by High Court set aside — Where property was purchased and registered in the joint names of two wives, the same is owned by them and not by the husband, notwithstanding that he provided the consideration — Section 33, which governs devolution on intestacy of a male’s property between his widow and lineal descendants, is not attracted to property never vested in the husband’s name — High Court’s application of S. 33 to the entirety of the suit property held misconceived.

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…

Second Complaint—There is no provision in the Criminal Procedure Code or any other statute which debars a complainant from making a second complaint on the same allegations, when the first complaint did not lead to conviction, acquittal or discharge Second Complaint—The failure to mention the first complaint in the subsequent one is inconsequential—Mentioning of reasons for withdrawal of an earlier complaint is also not a condition precedent for maintaining a second complaint.

2019(1) Law Herald (SC) 134 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 2049 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mrs. Justice R. Banumathi Hon’ble Mrs. Justice Indira Banerjee Criminal Appeal No. Ill…

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