Latest Post

Environment Law — Environmental Clearance — Prior clearance — Mandatory character — Prior environmental clearance under EIA Notification, 2006 is mandatory, being founded on the precautionary principle and couched in imperative terms — Word “prior” and the graded four-stage screening, scoping, public consultation and appraisal process render an anterior assessment the sine qua non of the clearance regime — Decriminalisation of contraventions under Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 does not alter this mandatory character. Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 — Section 415 — Appeal — Maintainability — Conviction recorded for first time by appellate court reversing acquittal — An appeal under Section 374 CrPC (Section 415 BNSS) is not maintainable against a judgment of conviction recorded by a Sessions Court while exercising appellate jurisdiction and reversing an order of acquittal passed by the Trial Court — No such second appeal is contemplated under CrPC or BNSS — The only remedy available is revision under Section 397 r/w 401 CrPC (Section 438 r/w 442 BNSS) Income Tax Act, 1961 — Section 44B — “Carriage” of passengers — Meaning and scope of — Cruise operations by non-resident shipping entity — Held, the word “carriage” under Section 44B cannot be restrictively construed to mean movement only from Port A to Port B. A round-trip cruise voyage, where passengers have the option to disembark at intermediate ports without compulsion to return to the originating port, constitutes carriage of passengers within the meaning of Section 44B. Provision of incidental on-board entertainment and hospitality does not alter the essential character of the activity as carriage of passengers. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 482 — Quashing of FIR — Scope of inquiry — Mini-trial impermissible — At the stage of considering quashing of an FIR, the Court’s inquiry is confined to whether the allegations, taken at face value, prima facie disclose commission of a cognizable offence — Court cannot conduct a “mini-trial” by sifting evidence, assessing probabilities, or evaluating witness credibility — High Court exceeding these limits by examining trap proceedings, absence of personal recovery, and departmental enquiry findings, held impermissible. Succession Act, 1925 — Sections 33, 35 and 38 — Hindu/Christian Succession — Applicability of S. 33 confined to property owned by deceased male; erroneous application by High Court set aside — Where property was purchased and registered in the joint names of two wives, the same is owned by them and not by the husband, notwithstanding that he provided the consideration — Section 33, which governs devolution on intestacy of a male’s property between his widow and lineal descendants, is not attracted to property never vested in the husband’s name — High Court’s application of S. 33 to the entirety of the suit property held misconceived.

Narcotics—Conscious Possession—Presumption against the accused of culpability are rebuttable—It does not dispense with the obligation of the prosecution to prove the charge beyond all reasonable doubt. Narcotics—Non-joining of independent witness—If an independent witness is available, and the prosecution initially seeks to rely upon him, it cannot suddenly discard the witness because it finds him inconvenient, and place reliance upon police witnesses only.

2017(2) Law Herald (SC) 1592 : 2017 LawHerald.org 1140 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Navin Sinha Criminal Appeal No. 1053 of 2016 Naresh Kumar Alias…

Admissibility of Document—Objection as to method—An objection relating to the mode or method of proof has to be raised at the time of making of the document as an exhibit and not later. Admissibility of document—Objections regarding admissibility of documents which are per se inadmissible can be taken even at the appellate stage because it is a fundamental issue. Electronic Record—Objection as to admissibility—Call records of mobile was admitted during trial without any objection that required certificate is not tendered—Such objection regarding mode or method of proof cannot be taken a t appella te stage.

2017(2) Law Herald (SC) 1578 : 2017 LawHerald.org 1135 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mr. Justice S. A. Bobde Hon’ble Mr. Justice L. Nageswara Rao CRIMINAL APPEAL…

Letter Patent Appeal—An order passed by the single judge in exercise of Article 226 of the Constitution relating to criminal jurisdiction, cannot be made the subject matter of infra-court appeal—It is not provided for and it would be legally inappropriate to think so. Quashing—Letter Patent Appeal against order of single judge under criminal jurisdiction is not maintainable.

2017(2) Law Herald (SC) 1556 : 2017 LawHerald.Org 1214 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Befor.e Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dipak Misra Hon’ble Mr. Justice A.M. Khanwilkar Hon’ble Mr. Justice Mohan…

Landlord & Tenant-Eviction-Arrears of Rent-Landlord made statement before High Court that they have no objection if tenant pays enhanced rent-In compliance of High Court’s order tenant deposited the amount as directed-Thereafter, landlord cannot agitate that no such concession was made

  2017(2) Law Herald (SC) 1541 : 2017 LawHerald.Org 526 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before Hon’ble Mrs. Justice R. Banumathi Hon’ble  Mr. Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar Civil Appeal Nos.…

You missed