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Third Judge under S. 392 CrPC cannot disturb unanimous Division Bench findings; reference confined to disagreed accused only.–Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 392 — Third Judge — Power to give independent opinion — Options available — When an appeal is heard by a Division Bench and the Judges are divided in opinion, the appeal is laid before a third Judge under S. 392 — The third Judge is not confined to choosing between the two views expressed by the Division Bench Judges — The third Judge may: (i) agree with either of the two opinions expressed; (ii) form an independent view at divergence with both opinions; or (iii) where warranted, receive additional evidence under S. 391 before forming an opinion — The opinion of the third Judge governs and the judgment follows therefrom. Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 226(1) — Territorial jurisdiction — Writ petition by CAPF personnel — Delhi High Court — Jurisdiction based on situs of respondent’s office —The Delhi High Court has territorial jurisdiction under Art. 226(1) of the Constitution to entertain a writ petition preferred by any enrolled member of the Border Security Force or any Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) who is aggrieved by an administrative order of termination of service, by reason of the situs of the offices of the Union of India and the Director General of the concerned CAPF in New Delhi — and this jurisdictional competence subsists notwithstanding that the impugned order of termination was issued from a place outside the territorial limits of the Delhi High Court and that no part of the cause of action arose within such limits — The Union of India and the Director General, BSF are necessary parties to such a writ petition by virtue of Ss. 4 and 5 of the BSF Act and the requirement under R. 22(4) of the BSF Rules that every order of dismissal/removal be reported to the Director General; there is, moreover, a presumption that official acts have been regularly performed. Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 168 — Compensation — Death of homemaker — New head of ‘Loss of Domestic Care’ — Basis and quantum — The conventional method of computing compensation upon the death of a homemaker suffers from an inherent disadvantage — Notional income, as assigned by earlier decisions, fails to capture the economic, emotional and managerial contributions that a homemaker makes to the household and to nation-building at large — In recognition of the multifarious yet unquantified roles of a homemaker — (i) contribution towards smooth functioning of the household; (ii) loss of maternal support to children; and (iii) loss of spousal/parental support — a composite sum of Rs. 30,000/- per month shall be added under the head ‘Loss of Domestic Care’ — This sum shall serve as the stand-in monthly income where the homemaker has no conventional monetary income — It shall be revised cumulatively by 10% every three years — Where the homemaker is part of the paid workforce, this head shall be in addition to the proved monthly income. Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 — Section 8(3) — Unauthorized alienation of minor’s property — Such alienation is voidable, not void ab initio, and can be challenged by the minor upon attaining majority or by someone claiming under the minor. Criminal Procedure — Delay in Investigation and Filing of Charge Sheet — Speedy Trial — Right to Speedy Trial and Timely Completion of Investigation are integral parts of Article 21 of the Constitution — Statutory recognition in CrPC for prompt investigation — Investigations should be completed within a reasonable time, not endlessly — Lack of strict timelines in CrPC does not permit indefinite investigations — Inordinate delay without adequate justification warrants intervention by Courts.

Third Judge under S. 392 CrPC cannot disturb unanimous Division Bench findings; reference confined to disagreed accused only.–Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 392 — Third Judge — Power to give independent opinion — Options available — When an appeal is heard by a Division Bench and the Judges are divided in opinion, the appeal is laid before a third Judge under S. 392 — The third Judge is not confined to choosing between the two views expressed by the Division Bench Judges — The third Judge may: (i) agree with either of the two opinions expressed; (ii) form an independent view at divergence with both opinions; or (iii) where warranted, receive additional evidence under S. 391 before forming an opinion — The opinion of the third Judge governs and the judgment follows therefrom.

Constitution of India, 1950 — Article 226(1) — Territorial jurisdiction — Writ petition by CAPF personnel — Delhi High Court — Jurisdiction based on situs of respondent’s office —The Delhi High Court has territorial jurisdiction under Art. 226(1) of the Constitution to entertain a writ petition preferred by any enrolled member of the Border Security Force or any Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) who is aggrieved by an administrative order of termination of service, by reason of the situs of the offices of the Union of India and the Director General of the concerned CAPF in New Delhi — and this jurisdictional competence subsists notwithstanding that the impugned order of termination was issued from a place outside the territorial limits of the Delhi High Court and that no part of the cause of action arose within such limits — The Union of India and the Director General, BSF are necessary parties to such a writ petition by virtue of Ss. 4 and 5 of the BSF Act and the requirement under R. 22(4) of the BSF Rules that every order of dismissal/removal be reported to the Director General; there is, moreover, a presumption that official acts have been regularly performed.

IMP::: Hindu Law—Self Acquired Property—Burden of Proof—Joint Family Property—It is obligatory upon the plaintiffs to have provided that dispute existence of jointness in the family, properties claimed were self acquired properties—Plaintiff failed to adduce any kind of documentary evidence to prove their self acquisition of claimed properties nor they were able to prove the source of its acquisition- -Properties held to be joint family property. 

    (2017) 180 AIC 188 : (2017) AIR(SCW) 4465 : (2017) AIR(SC) 4465 : (2017) 125 ALR 876 : (2018) 1 AndhLD 141 : (2017) 3 ApexCourtJudgments(SC) 730 :…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, S.309–Adjournments–Legal position reiterated—Held; (i) Once examination of witnesses begins, the same has to be continued from day-to-day unless evidence of the available witnesses is recorded, except when adjournment beyond the following day has to be granted for reasons recorded. (ii) When a. witness is available and his examination-in-chief is over, unless compelling reasons are there, the trial court should not adjourn the matter on the mere asking.

  (2018) 1 AICLR 269 : (2018) 1 ALT(Crl) 90 : (2018) 1 ApexCourtJudgments(SC) 304 : (2018) 1 BomCR(Cri) 590 : (2017) CriLR 1256 : (2017) 6 CTC 883 :…

Land Acquisition Act, 1894, S.I8—Market Value—Fruit bearing trees–Appellants submitted that since the holding is very small and since the people have been dependent and the income from the fruit bearing trees they would go by the calculation on the basis of income from fruit bearing trees only and not on basis of land value–Ordered accordingly

(2017) 4 LawHerald(SC) 2880 : (2018) 2 Scale 338 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA DIVISION BENCH ISMAIL HUSHEN GHANCHI — Appellant Vs. NATIONAL HIGHWAYS AUTHORITY OF INDIA — Respondent ( Before : Kurian Joseph and…

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, S.378«Appeal against Acquittal- -When the High Court while reversing the decision of the Session Court acquits the accused and assigns the reasons by appreciating the entire evidence in support of the acquittal, then Supreme Court would not be inclined to interfere in the order of acquittal. 

(2018) 102 ACrC 316 : (2018) 181 AIC 269 : (2018) 1 AICLR 273 : (2017) AIR(SCW) 5353 : (2017) AIR(SC) 5353 : (2018) ALLMR(Cri) 445 : (2018) 1 ApexCourtJudgments(SC)…

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