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Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 — Section 59(d), 92 and 95(1) — Delhi Municipal Corporation Service (Control and Appeal) Regulations, 1959 — Regn. 7, Schedule — Disciplinary Authority — Competency of Commissioner to dismiss Group ‘A’ Officer — Substitution of Section 59(d) by Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 1993, w.e.f. 01.10.1993 — Legislative Intent — Post-1993 amendment, the Commissioner is put in complete control both as the appointing authority and the disciplinary authority — Phrase “subject to any regulation that may be made in this behalf” used in Section 59(d) refers to regulations that may be made in future and not the existing 1959 Regulations — Commissioner held fully competent to pass dismissal orders against Group ‘A’ officers despite old regulations naming the ‘Corporation’ as the disciplinary authority. Constitution of India, 1950 — Art. 16 and 226 — Public Employment — Direct Recruitment — Eligibility Criteria — Workshop Experience — Pendency of workshop renewal applications — Effect on candidates — Where a recruitment notification mandates a minimum of one year of experience in a Government-approved workshop, candidates cannot be prejudiced or disqualified merely because the workshop’s application for renewal of approval was pending with the State authorities during the period they gained experience — Depriving an otherwise eligible candidate of employment due to an administrative “period of eclipse” or delay on the part of state machinery is arbitrary and discriminatory–Ashok Kumar Yadav v. State of Haryana, 1985 INSC 137, relied on; State of Uttar Pradesh v. Atul Kumar Dwivedi, 2022 INSC 24, Distinguished. Right to Information Act, 2005 — S. 24(4) — Madhya Pradesh Special Police Establishment Act, 1947 — S. 2(1), S. 3 — “Intelligence and Security Organisation” — Scope and Applicability of Exemption — Jurisdiction of Special Police Establishment (SPE) — The expression “intelligence and security organisations” under Section 24 of the RTI Act implies that the concerned entity must be statutory or institutionally empowered to handle matters of intelligence and national/state security — The Special Police Establishment (SPE) of Madhya Pradesh, established under Section 2(1) of the Act of 1947, is clothed with a limited jurisdiction restricted strictly to investigating offences punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and select economic/fraud offenses under Sections 409, 420, and Chapter XVIII of the Indian Penal Code — Because neither the Lokayukt nor the SPE handles matters connected to general ‘intelligence’ and ‘security’, the SPE cannot be deemed an “intelligence and security organisation” under Section 24(4) of the RTI Act — Principle of institutional parity cannot be invoked to grant blanket exemptions to a anti-corruption investigation agency. Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Section 11, Explanation IV — Constructive Res Judicata — Application of the principle depends on the facts and circumstances of each case, considering the ambit of earlier proceedings and the nexus of the matter to the controversy — It is founded on public policy to prevent multiplicity of proceedings and avoid parties being vexed twice over for the same litigation — Parties are expected to exercise reasonable diligence and bring forward every point that properly belonged to the subject of litigation and which they might and ought to have brought forward — Negligence, inadvertence, or accident in omitting a part of the case does not exempt from its application. Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 165 and 166 — Liability for injuries sustained due to falling tree branch — Injuries caused by falling tree branch while vehicle was stationary under the tree during rain — Held, not an accident “arising out of the use of a motor vehicle” as the motor vehicle did not play an active role. [

Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 — Section 59(d), 92 and 95(1) — Delhi Municipal Corporation Service (Control and Appeal) Regulations, 1959 — Regn. 7, Schedule — Disciplinary Authority — Competency of Commissioner to dismiss Group ‘A’ Officer — Substitution of Section 59(d) by Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 1993, w.e.f. 01.10.1993 — Legislative Intent — Post-1993 amendment, the Commissioner is put in complete control both as the appointing authority and the disciplinary authority — Phrase “subject to any regulation that may be made in this behalf” used in Section 59(d) refers to regulations that may be made in future and not the existing 1959 Regulations — Commissioner held fully competent to pass dismissal orders against Group ‘A’ officers despite old regulations naming the ‘Corporation’ as the disciplinary authority.

Constitution of India, 1950 — Art. 16 and 226 — Public Employment — Direct Recruitment — Eligibility Criteria — Workshop Experience — Pendency of workshop renewal applications — Effect on candidates — Where a recruitment notification mandates a minimum of one year of experience in a Government-approved workshop, candidates cannot be prejudiced or disqualified merely because the workshop’s application for renewal of approval was pending with the State authorities during the period they gained experience — Depriving an otherwise eligible candidate of employment due to an administrative “period of eclipse” or delay on the part of state machinery is arbitrary and discriminatory–Ashok Kumar Yadav v. State of Haryana, 1985 INSC 137, relied on; State of Uttar Pradesh v. Atul Kumar Dwivedi, 2022 INSC 24, Distinguished.

Common Intention–Even a past enmity by itself may not be a ground to hold for drawing any inference of formation of common intention amongst the parties. –Criminal Law–Common Intention–It is well settled that Section 34 of IPC does not create a distinct offence, it only lays down the principle of joint criminal liability–The necessary conditions for the application of Section 34 of Code are common intention to commit an offence and participation by all the accused in doing act or acts in furtherance of common intention–Penal Code, 1860, Section 34. 

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 131 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.B. Sinha The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph Criminal Appeal No. 2067 of 2008…

Accident Law–Impleading of Insurance–Liability of the insurance company arises for the purpose of reimbursement of the amount of compensation found to be payable by the owner of the vehicle insured–It is only in exceptional cases and as provided for under Section 170 of the Act, the insurance company can defend a claim petition–Only on limited grounds it may be permitted to question the quantum of compensation–Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, Section 170.     

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 126 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. 7318 of 2008…

Held; while considering an application for bail, detailed discussion of evidence and elaborate documentation of merit is to be avoided–No party should have impression that his case has been pre-judged–Existence of prima facie case is only to be considered–No merit–Appeal dismissed

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 117 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. Mukundakam Sharma Criminal Appeal No. 406…

Service Matters

Service and Labour Law–Absence without leave–Dismissal from service–Misconduct–Proportionality of punishment–Appellant claimed that punishment of termination is disproportionate to gravity of offence charged–No mitigating circumstances could be shown–Similar offence committed earlier–Punishment of simplicitor dismissed not disproportionate to gravity of offence–Appeal dismissed

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 93 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.B. Sinha The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Cyriac Joseph Criminal Appeal No. 2061 of 2008…

Dowry Death–Soon before death–Words “Soon before her death” occurring in section 304-B of Penal Code, are to be understood in relative and flexible sense–Those words cannot be construed as lying down a rigid period of time to be mechanically applied in each case–Whether or not the cruelty or harassment meted out to the victim for or in connection with the demand of dowry was soon before her death and the proximate cause of her death, under abnormal circumstances, would depend upon the facts of each case–There can be no fixed period of time in this regard–Penal Code, 1860, Section 304-B.  

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 88 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Lokeshwar Singh Panta The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Aftab Alam Criminal Appeal No.67 of 2006…

Territorial Jurisdiction–Ouster clause–Agreement between parties that only Courts at Jaipur alone would have jurisdiction–Even though Courts at Calcutta would have jurisdiction but in view of ouster clause it would only the Courts at Jaipur which would have jurisdiction to entertain such proceeding.

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 81 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Tarun Chatterjee The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. Mukundakam Sharma Civil Appeal Nos. 5430-5431 of…

Accident–Owner of vehicle already dead–Vehicle not transferred in the name of his heirs–Insurance renewed in the name deceased owner–Accident took place and driver died–No witnesses examined by insurance company that they were not aware about death of original owner–Compensation rightly granted to wife of deceased driver.

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 74 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. 7009 of 2008…

COMPLAINANT HAS NOT TO WAIT FOR MISUSE OF BAIL ORDER CAN STRAIGHTWAY CHALLENGE IT–Cancellation of Bail–Complainant can always question the order granting bail if the said order is not validly passed–It is not as if once a bail is granted by any Court, the only way is to get it cancelled on account of its misuse–Bail order can be tested on merits also–Complainant could question the merits of order granting bail– Penal Code, 1860, Section 302–Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, Section 439(2).         

2009(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 72   IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Tarun Chatterjee The Hon’ble Mr. Justice V.S. Sirpurkar Criminal Appeal No. 2087 of…

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