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Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — Section 168 — Just Compensation — Award of compensation for prosthetic limb — No fixed guidelines for compensation amount — Courts can deviate from governmental notifications if they are too low — Emphasis on “restitutio in integrum” principle to restore the claimant as close as possible to their pre-injury state — Claimants are entitled to choose private centres for prosthetic limbs and renewal costs should be considered — Compensation can be awarded for periodic replacement and maintenance of prosthetic limbs. Dispute over cadre change versus mere transfer — A transfer is a change of posting within the same service without altering seniority or substantive status, differing from a cadre change which involves a structural shift between services with significant implications for seniority and promotional avenues, requiring specific authority. Evidence Act, 1872 — Eyewitness testimony vs. Medical evidence — In case of conflict, eyewitness testimony, especially of an injured witness who is found to be reliable and has withstood cross — examination, is generally superior to expert medical opinion formed by an expert witness — Lack of independent witnesses does not automatically compromise the prosecution case, especially when societal realities suggest potential fear or hesitation Protracted Government Inaction and Third — Party Rights — Despite an initial timeline of two months for an inquiry and subsequent hopes for completion within six months, the government showed significant delay, stretching over six years without a final decision — During this period, extensive third — party rights were created through land sales and construction of villas and flats by innocent purchasers — The Court observed that it’s inappropriate for a welfare state to attempt to undo decades — old transactions, especially when innocent citizens have invested their hard — earned money, and basic amenities should not be denied to occupants of constructed properties. Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958 vs. Government Grants Act, 1895 — Relationship Governed by Grant — A lease originating from a Government grant, as governed by the Government Grants Act, 1895, is not subject to the Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958 — The incidence and enforceability of such a grant are governed solely by its tenor — The legal character of the grant does not derive from conventional landlord — tenant relationships but from the sovereign grant and its embedded conditions — Therefore, eviction proceedings under the Delhi Rent Control Act are not maintainable for holdings originating from a Government grant.

Maintenance–Wife cannot be denied maintenance on the ground that she has been capable of earning but she was not making an effect to earn. Maintenance–Income of the wife is insufficient–The test is whether the wife is in a position to maintain herself in the way she was used to in the place of her husband. Maintenance–Claim by wife– The phrase “unable to maintain herself” would mean that means available to the deserted wife while she was living with her husband and would not take within itself the efforts made by the wife after desertion to survive somehow.

  2007(5) LAW HERALD (SC) 4100   IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Aftab Alam Criminal Appeal No. 1627…

Relation witness–Relationship is not a factor to affect credibility of a witness. Culpable homicide not amounting to murder–Applicability of Section 300 Exception 4–Discussed. Culpable homicide not amounting to murder–Sudden fight– A “sudden fight” implies mutual provocation and blows on each side–The homicide committed is then clearly not traceable to unilateral provocation, nor in such cases could the whole blame be placed on one side–For if it were so, the Exception more appropriately applicable would be Exception 1. Medical evidence and ocular evidence–Variation in–Effect of–Held; Eyewitnesses’ account would require a careful independent assessment and evaluation for its credibility which should not be adversely prejudged making any other evidence, including medical evidence, as the sole touchstone for the test of such credibility.

  2007(5) LAW HERALD (SC) 4087 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Aftab Alam Criminal Appeal No. 1592 of…

Relation witness–Relationship is not a factor to affect credibility of a witness. Culpable homicide not amounting to murder–Applicability of Section 300 Exception 4–Discussed. Culpable homicide not amounting to murder–Sudden fight– A “sudden fight” implies mutual provocation and blows on each side–The homicide committed is then clearly not traceable to unilateral provocation, nor in such cases could the whole blame be placed on one side–For if it were so, the Exception more appropriately applicable would be Exception 1.

  2007(5) LAW HERALD (SC) 4073   IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice P. Sathasivam Criminal Appeal No. 1533 of…

Service Matters

Pension–High Court dismissed the petition as respondent produced fabricated documents–Allowed another petition extending benefit of governing rules–Not justified. Writ Jurisdiction–Miscellaneous Application–Where a proceedings stands terminated by final disposal of writ petition–It is not open to the court to re-open the proceedings by means of a miscellaneous application in respect of a matter which provided a fresh cause of action.

   2007(5) LAW HERALD (SC) 4066 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice H. K. Sema The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Lokeshwar Singh Panta Civil Appeal No.…

Death by Negligence–Negligence and rashness to be punishable in terms of Section 304-A must be attributable to a state of mind wherein the criminality arises because of no error in judgment but of a deliberation in the mind risking the crime as well as the life of the person who may lose his life as a result of the crime. Death by Negligence–Accident on unmanned railway crossing, where appellant was driving a bus and engine of train struck and rear of bus–Several injured and two died–Section 302 IPC has no application. Death by Negligence– The provision of section is not limited to rash or negligent driving–Any rash or negligent act whereby death of any person is caused becomes punishable

  2007(5) LAW HERALD (SC) 4060     IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice P. Sathasivam Criminal Appeal No.…

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