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Meritorious reserved category candidates must be considered against unreserved vacancies at the screening stage without availing any concession, prioritizing merit over category bias. The Commission under the WBCE Act has jurisdiction to adjudicate deficiencies in patient care services and qualifications of personnel, distinct from medical negligence handled by State Medical Councils. Income Tax Act, 1961 — Section 37(1) — Revenue Expenditure vs. Capital Expenditure — Non-compete fee — Whether payment of non-compete fee constitutes allowable revenue expenditure or capital expenditure — Non-compete fee is paid to restrain a competitor, which protects or enhances the business profitability and facilitates carrying on the business more efficiently — Such payment neither creates a new asset nor increases the profit-earning apparatus for the payer, meaning the enduring advantage, if any, is not in the capital field — The length of time of the advantage is not determinative if the advantage merely facilitates business operations, leaving fixed assets untouched — Payment of non-compete fee made by the appellant (formed as a joint venture) to L&T (previous partner) to restrain L&T from competing for 7 years was essentially to keep a potential competitor out and ensure the appellant operated more efficiently and profitably, without creating a new capital asset or monopoly — Held: Payment of non-compete fee is an allowable revenue expenditure under Section 37(1) of the Act. (Paras 16, 25-29) Evidence Act, 1872 — Section 118 — Competency of child witness — Effect of delay and tutoring — Although a minor child is competent to testify, the reliability and evidentiary value of testimony given many years after the event, especially when the child has been residing with the complainant’s family (maternal grandparents), is significantly affected by the high possibility of memory distortion and tutoring. (Paras 5, 7, 10.2) Service Law — High Court Staff — Regularization — Discrimination — Appellants (Operator-cum-Data Entry Assistants/Routine Grade Clerks) appointed by Chief Justice under Rules 8(a)(i), 41, and 45 of Allahabad High Court Officers and Staff (Conditions of Service and Conduct) Rules, 1976 — High Court refused regularization of Appellants while regularizing numerous similarly situated employees appointed through the same channel — Justification based on whether initial appointment was labelled ‘ad-hoc’ or whether appointment letter stipulated an examination — Held, distinction based solely on stipulations in appointment letters, when the channel of appointment and nature of work are identical, is arbitrary, unreasonable, and superficial — Such differential treatment violates Articles 14, 16, and 21 of the Constitution, as equals must be treated equally without rational differentia. (Paras 3, 4, 17, 23-28)
Service Matters

Appointment–Enquiry by State Vigilance Bureau–State’s disinclination to make an appointment till then cannot said to be faulted – Such a decision cannot said to be arbitrary or unreasonable. Cadre Strength–What would be the need of the State and how an administration shall be run is within the exclusive domain of the State–The power of judicial review in such matter is very limited. Appointment–Decision taken by the previous Government in public interest cannot be reviewed at the hands of successor Government. Cadre Strength–Increase in–Determination of cadre strength on the basis of the representation made by the Association or exercise of suo motu power by the Chief Minister without any material having been brought before him for the purpose of increase in the cadre strength must be deprecated in strongest terms .

  2008(1) Law Herald (SC) 38 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice  S.B. Sinha The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Harjit Singh Bedi  Civil Appeal No. 5803…

Circumstantial evidence–Whether a chain is complete or not would depend on the facts of each case emanating from the evidence and no universal yardstick should ever be attempted. Circumstantial evidence–In such case, motive plays an important role, but absence of motive would not dislodge entire prosecution case.

  2008(1) Law Herald (SC) 29 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.B. Sinha The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Harjit Singh Bedi Appeal (crl.) 1044 of…

Framing of charges–Even strong suspicion founded on material which leads the court to form a presumptive opinion as to the existence of the factual ingredients constituting the offence alleged would justify the framing of charge against the accused in respect of the commission of that offence. Cruelty to wife–Not even a whisper of wilfull conduct of appellants of harassment of the complainant at their hands with a view to coercing her to meet any unlawful demand by then so as to attract Section 498-A IPC–Proceedings quashed.

2008(1) Law Herald (SC)  8 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ashok Bhan The Hon’ble Mr. Justice D.K. Jain Criminal Appeal No. 1716 of 2007…

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