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National Highways Act, 1956 — Amendments and compensation provisions — Section 3-J introduced in 1997 removed applicability of Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (1894 Act) provisions for solatium and interest — Overturned by various High Courts, including reading down Sections 3-G and 3-J to grant solatium and interest — Subsequently, Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (2013 Act) and its amended provisions extended to NH Act — Court clarified that landowners acquired lands under NH Act between 1997 and 2015 are entitled to solatium and interest — Review Petition filed by NHAI arguing financial burden was underestimated rejected, but clarification on delayed claims issued. Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Order 21 Rule 102 — Applicability — Provision contemplates a situation where a judgment debtor transfers property after institution of suit to a person who then obstructs execution — Not applicable where respondents derived title from independent registered sale deeds, not from the judgment debtor. Land Acquisition Act, 1894 — Section 28-A — Re-determination of compensation — Second application for re-determination based on High Court award maintainable even after accepting compensation based on Reference Court award — Principle of merger means appellate court’s award supersedes earlier award, entitling landowners to benefit from higher compensation — Object of Section 28-A is to ensure equality in compensation among similarly placed landowners. Electricity Act, 2003 — Section 61, 86 — Tariff determination and Generation Based Incentive (GBI) — State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) has exclusive power to determine tariff — Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) introduced GBI to incentivise renewable energy generation — GBI is intended to be over and above the tariff fixed by SERC — SERC must consider GBI while determining tariff, but not necessarily deduct it — SERC’s power to determine tariff includes considering incentives — Parliament’s allocation of funds for GBI does not prevent SERC from considering it in tariff — SERC must exercise its power harmoniously with other stakeholders to achieve policy objectives. Contract Law — Award of Tender — Judicial Review — High Court should exercise restraint when reviewing tender evaluation processes, especially in technical matters, unless there is clear evidence of mala fide, arbitrariness, or irrationality — A marginal difference in scores, as seen in this case, does not automatically warrant interference, especially when the owner has the right to accept or reject bids and the contract is already underway.
Service Matters

The 18-month Diploma in Elementary Education (D. El. Ed.) programme conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) through Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode, pursuant to the NCTE Recognition Order dated 22.09.2017, was a specific, one-time measure necessitated by the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Act, 2017

2025 INSC 448 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH KOUSIK DAS AND OTHERS Vs. STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND OTHERS ( Before : B.R. Gavai and Augustine George Masih, JJ.…

The statutory limitation period for filing an appeal before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) under Section 61(2) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) is thirty days, commencing from the date of pronouncement of the order by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) — The NCLAT possesses discretion to condone delay for a further period not exceeding fifteen days, upon satisfaction of sufficient cause

2025 INSC 447 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FULL BENCH A RAJENDRA Vs. GONUGUNTA MADHUSUDHAN RAO AND OTHERS ( Before : Abhay S. Oka, Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Augustine George Masih, JJ.…

Penal Code, 1860 — Sections 498A & 306 — Cruelty & Abetment of Suicide — Allegations supporting charges under Sections 498A and 306 IPC must be specific and substantiated — Vague complaints about the deceased being lazy or sick, without evidence of physical violence or persistent harassment meeting the threshold of cruelty likely to drive suicide, are insufficient for conviction under these sections.

2025 INSC 460 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JAGDISH GOND Vs. THE STATE OF CHHATTISGARH AND OTHERS ( Before : Sudhanshu Dhulia and K. Vinod Chandran, JJ. ) Criminal…

An FIR registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act and S. 120-B IPC concerning a decades-old land transaction was rightly quashed under S. 482 Cr.P.C. against the Managing Director of the beneficiary cooperative society where the allegations amounted merely to a “bland allegation of connivance” with state officials, without specifying his role in the alleged criminal conspiracy or corruption, and where no personal benefit was alleged to have accrued to him.

2025 INSC 461 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH UNION TERRITORY OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR Vs. BRIJ BHUSHAN ( Before : Sudhanshu Dhulia and K. Vinod Chandran, JJ. ) Special…

Where the complainant was aware that the accused was married at the inception of the relationship, and the relationship was prolonged (spanning several years, even after both parties obtained divorces from their respective spouses), the consent given by a mature complainant is deemed reasoned and conscious, negating the element of “misconception of fact” — A subsequent breach of promise does not automatically convert the initial consent into one obtained by deceit under S. 375 IPC.

2025 INSC 457 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH JASPAL SINGH KAURAL Vs. THE STATE OF NCT OF DELHI AND ANOTHER ( Before : B. V. Nagarathna and Satish Chandra…

Penal Code, 1860 — Section 376 — Rape — Consent — Misconception of Fact — Promise to Marry — Consent to sexual intercourse given by a mature individual, fully aware from the outset that the promisor is already married (though separated), cannot be deemed to be vitiated by a “misconception of fact” under Section 375 IPC merely based on a promise to marry after obtaining a divorce

2025 INSC 458 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH BISWAJYOTI CHATTERJEE Vs. STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ANOTHER ( Before : B. V. Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma, JJ. )…

Registration Act, 1908 — Tamil Nadu Registration Rules — Rule 55A(i) — Validity — Ultra Vires — Rule 55A(i) of the Tamil Nadu Registration Rules, which empowers a registering officer to refuse registration of a document relating to immovable property unless the presentant produces the previous original title deed of the executant or other specified proof of the executant’s right/title, is declared ultra vires the Registration Act, 1908

2025 INSC 462 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH K. GOPI Vs. THE SUB-REGISTRAR AND OTHERS ( Before : Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, JJ. ) Civil Appeal No.…

Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Claim Petitions — Standard of Proof — In motor accident claim proceedings, the standard of proof required to establish the involvement of a vehicle and negligence is based on the preponderance of probabilities, not proof beyond a reasonable doubt as required in criminal cases

2025 INSC 452 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH KUNCHAM LAVANYA AND OTHERS Vs. BAJAJ ALLIANZ GENERAL INSURANCE CO. LTD. AND ANOTHER ( Before : Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah,…

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