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Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 226 — Writ jurisdiction — Maintainability — Inclusion of advocate’s name in IBA “Caution List” — High Court dismissing writ petition on ground that Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) is not “State” under Art. 12 — Held, focus of maintainability has shifted from formal character of respondent body to nature of function performed and effect of impugned action on legally protected rights — Caution List operates as sector-wide adverse accreditation mechanism with public law element, having direct bearing on advocate’s right to practise profession under Art. 19(1)(g) — Writ petition against IBA held maintainable notwithstanding IBA not being “State” — Kishor S. Bhat v. Indian Banks’ Association, 2018 SCC OnLine Bom 2857, distinguished — Andi Mukta Sadguru Shree Muktajee Vandas Swami Suvarna Jayanti Mahotsav Smarak Trust v. V.R. Rudani, (1989) 2 SCC 691; Zee Telefilms Ltd. v. Union of India, (2005) 4 SCC 649; S. Shobha v. Muthoot Finance Ltd., 2025 SCC OnLine SC 177, relied on. Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Section 100 — Second appeal — Scope of interference with concurrent findings on genuineness of a Will — Whether suspicious circumstances surrounding execution of a Will exist, and stand explained, is essentially a question of fact; a second appellate court cannot re-appreciate evidence and substitute its own view merely because another view is possible — Interference is permissible only where the finding is perverse, based on circumstances that are mere “figments of a doubting mind,” or is vitiated by an erroneous placement of onus — High Court exceeded its jurisdiction under S. 100 CPC in reversing well-reasoned concurrent findings of the Trial Court and First Appellate Court discarding the Will. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 — Sections 209, 244 — Commitment of case exclusively triable by Court of Session — Whether Magistrate is required to record prosecution evidence under Section 244 CrPC before committing such a case, where the complaint is one instituted otherwise than on a police report — Held, no — Section 244 CrPC, which mandates the Magistrate to hear the prosecution and take evidence, occurs in Chapter XIX (Part B — “Cases instituted otherwise than on a police report”) and governs warrant-case trials before a Magistrate; it has no application where the offence (here, under Section 302 IPC) is exclusively triable by the Court of Session, which is governed instead by Section 209 CrPC — Under the scheme of the 1973 Code (unlike the erstwhile 1898 Code, which mandated a full committal inquiry with recording of evidence under Section 207-A), the Magistrate’s role at the pre-commitment stage is confined to ascertaining whether the offence is exclusively triable by the Sessions Court, and no evidence need be taken or evaluated by the Magistrate at that stage — Requiring witnesses to depose twice, once before the Magistrate and again before the Sessions Court, would serve no purpose and is not the mandate of law — High Court’s contrary view, requiring compliance with Section 244 CrPC even in a Sessions-triable case, proceeds on an erroneous reading of law and is unsustainable. Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Sections166, 168 — Compensation — Assessment of annual income of a self-employed deceased (wholesale grocery business) — Two ITRs filed after the death of the deceased excluded by the High Court altogether from the assessment of income — Held, following the principles in Rashmirekha Tripathy and Anr. v. The Branch Manager (Legal Claims), Sriram General Insurance Company Limited and Ors. [C.A. @ SLP(C) No.27220 of 2024, 2026 INSC 661], ITRs filed post-death call for closer scrutiny with reference to surrounding financial statements, since income may be inflated in such returns, but such returns are not to be excluded outright merely for being filed post-death — In the absence of the benefit of such surrounding financial statements on record, and it being inexpedient at this stage to remand the matter, annual income fixed with reference to the nature of the deceased’s wholesale grocery business at Rs.3,25,000 — Compensation recomputed applying 40% addition for future prospects (age 28 years), 1/4th deduction for personal expenses, and a multiplier of 17, together with conventional heads (loss of estate, funeral expenses, consortium) — Total compensation enhanced to Rs.60,79,550 (as against Rs.15,36,560 awarded by the Tribunal and Rs.38,40,850 awarded by the High Court), with interest as awarded by the Tribunal — Appeal allowed. Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Sections 166, 168 — Compensation — Assessment of annual income of a self-employed deceased (Insurance Agent) from Income Tax Returns — High Court had averaged the last four ITRs on record — Held, erroneous — Following the principles laid down in Rashmirekha Tripathy and Anr. v. The Branch Manager (Legal Claims), Sriram General Insurance Company Limited and Ors. [C.A. @ SLP(C) No.27220 of 2024, 2026 INSC 661], for a self-employed person the average of up to the previous three years’ ITRs, not four, is the appropriate reference point — A performance-linked spike in the income of an Insurance Agent in a particular year does not justify reaching back to an additional, earlier ITR to dilute that spike — On the facts, taking the average of the income for AY 2015-16 (Rs.4,03,180), AY 2016-17 (Rs.9,59,665) and AY 2017-18 (Rs.7,00,559), annual income assessed at Rs.6,87,802 — Compensation recomputed applying 25% addition for future prospects (age 49 years), 1/4th deduction for personal expenses, and a multiplier of 13, together with conventional heads (loss of estate, funeral expenses, consortium) — Total compensation enhanced to Rs.87,09,282 (as against Rs.49,77,000 awarded by the Tribunal and Rs.76,09,500 awarded by the High Court), with interest as awarded by the Tribunal — Appeal allowed.

Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 226 — Writ jurisdiction — Maintainability — Inclusion of advocate’s name in IBA “Caution List” — High Court dismissing writ petition on ground that Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) is not “State” under Art. 12 — Held, focus of maintainability has shifted from formal character of respondent body to nature of function performed and effect of impugned action on legally protected rights — Caution List operates as sector-wide adverse accreditation mechanism with public law element, having direct bearing on advocate’s right to practise profession under Art. 19(1)(g) — Writ petition against IBA held maintainable notwithstanding IBA not being “State” — Kishor S. Bhat v. Indian Banks’ Association, 2018 SCC OnLine Bom 2857, distinguished — Andi Mukta Sadguru Shree Muktajee Vandas Swami Suvarna Jayanti Mahotsav Smarak Trust v. V.R. Rudani, (1989) 2 SCC 691; Zee Telefilms Ltd. v. Union of India, (2005) 4 SCC 649; S. Shobha v. Muthoot Finance Ltd., 2025 SCC OnLine SC 177, relied on.

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Section 100 — Second appeal — Scope of interference with concurrent findings on genuineness of a Will — Whether suspicious circumstances surrounding execution of a Will exist, and stand explained, is essentially a question of fact; a second appellate court cannot re-appreciate evidence and substitute its own view merely because another view is possible — Interference is permissible only where the finding is perverse, based on circumstances that are mere “figments of a doubting mind,” or is vitiated by an erroneous placement of onus — High Court exceeded its jurisdiction under S. 100 CPC in reversing well-reasoned concurrent findings of the Trial Court and First Appellate Court discarding the Will.

Unprotected worker–Definition of–Every worker, who is doing manual work and is engaged or to be engaged in any scheduled employment, would be covered by that definition and would become an unprotected worker–Merely because some workmen are manual workers and not casual workers, that by itself, would not make any difference.

2010(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 1 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before  The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Tarun Chatterjee The Hon’ble Mr. Justice V.S.Sirpurkar Civil Appeal No. 8452 of 2009 [Arising…

Attempt to Murder—Improvement in Statement—In FIR complainant stated, shot was fired by unknown person but before court he stated that he recognised appellant as person who fired shot as he was known to him earlier—Appellant acquitted.

2018(3) Law Herald (SC) 2590 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1601 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA                                              Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ranjan Gogoi Hon’ble Mr. Justice Navin Sinha Criminal Appeal No.…

Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, S.30–Prohibition on sale of Tobacco–FIR for transportation and sale of Gutka/Pan Masala-Two questions were framed by High Court for consideration- Whether the Food Safety Officers can lodge complaints for offences punishable under the IPC? Whether the acts complained amounted to any offence punishable under the provisions of the IPC? Since all the submissions were not raised before High Court—Matter remanded back with liberty to parties to raise detailed submissions-Directions issued that no coercive action should be taken by police during pendency of matter before High Court—Indian Penal Code, 1860, S.272 & S.328.

2018(3) Law Herald (SC) 2587 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1600 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.A. Bobde Hon’ble Mr. Justice L. Nageswara Rao Criminal Appeal No.…

Forest Land—Unauthorized Construction—Construction was allowed on forest land (Aravalli Hills near Faridabad, Haryana) unauthorizedly by town planning authorities in blatant violation of notification declaring the area as Forest Land—State directed to demolish all the constructions—Developer to pay the investors the invested amount with interest and cost of construction thereon Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900–Unauthorized Construction-Construction was allowed on forest land (Aravalli Hills near Faridabad, Haryana) unauthorizedly by competent authorities and construction was raised in blatant violation of notification dated 10th August 1992 and subsequent order of court prohibiting any kind of construction—Area was declared forest land since 1980 much before said notification—In fact, building plans and sanction plans were approved by concerned authorities—It has caused great irreversible damage to environment and ecology of the area—Badkal lake has dried up and there is water scarcity in the areas—Following directions issued regarding constructions and land sold after date of notification as follows: (i) Developer would refund full amount to land purchaser along with 18% interest p.a. payable entirely by developer; (ii) State of Haryana to demolish all the illegal and unauthorized constructions before 31st December 2018; (iii) Developer and Town Planning Department to bear equally the cost of constructions which are ordered to be demolished—Amount quantified at Rs. 50 lakhs to be paid by 31th Dec 2018; (iv) If anyone who’s construction is demolished and is not satisfied with amount of Rs. 50 lakhs they can claim more by way of civil suit; (v) According to developer they have invested Rs. 50 crores in developing a housing complex—Developer directed to deposit 10% of said amount for rehabilitation of damaged area—Haryana Development & Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975, S.23.

2018(3) Law Herald (SC) 2422 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1518 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Madan B. Lokur Hon’ble Mr. Justice Deepak Gupta W.P. (C)No. 4677…

Adultery—A law which deprives women of the right to prosecute, is not gender-neutral—Wife of the adulterous male, cannot prosecute her husband for marital infidelity—S.497 IPC struck down being unconstitutional. Adultery—It is not a criminal offence but undoubtedly is a moral wrong qua the spouse and the family Adultery—Section 497 is a denial of the constitutional guarantees of dignity, liberty, privacy and sexual autonomy which are intrinsic to Article 21 of the Constitution

                                 2018(3) Law Herald (SC) 2462 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1598 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF…

Accident—Personal Expenses—Where the family of the bachelor is large and dependent on the income of the deceased, his personal and living expenses may be restricted to one-third, as contribution to the family will be taken as two-third. Accident—Just Compensation—More than claimed—Court is duty bound and entitled to award “just compensation”, irrespective of whether any plea in that behalf was raised by the claimant or not. Accident—Filial Consortium—It is the right of the parents to compensation in the case of an accidental death of a child—An accident leading to the death of a child causes great shock and agony to the parents and family of the deceased. Accident—Interest on Compensation—Deceased was aged 24 years and his income assessed as that of unskilled worker—Compensation awarded with 12% interest p.a. from date of filing claim petition.

2018(3) Law Herald (SC) 2410 : 2018 LawHerald.Org 1582 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice R. F. Nariman Hon’ble Mrs. Justice Indu Malhotra Civil Appeal No.…

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