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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.

Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) — Section 43, 313, 354(3) — Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) — Section 302, 307, 436 —Conviction and sentence — Whether the death sentence awarded to the Appellant is excessive, disproportionate on the facts and circumstances of the case, i.e. whether the present case can be termed to be a ‘rarest of the rare case’ —

  AIR 2014 SC 2486 : (2014) AIRSCW 3905 : (2014) 7 JT 552 : (2014) 8 SCALE 113 : (2014) 7 AD 615 : AIR 2014 SC 2486 :…

Service Matters

Constitution of India, 1950 – Articles 12, 14 and 16 – Assam Industrial Development Corporation (A1DC) Voluntary Retirement Scheme, 1992, Clauses 3 to 8 – AIDC Limited (Employees) Service Rules, 1992 – Rule 18 – Voluntary retirement – Golden hand-shake voluntary retirement scheme – An open option made available to all employees subject to fulfilment of conditions prescribed under the scheme – Option once made not to be allowed to be withdrawn

  AIR 2000 SC 2769 : (2000) 87 FLR 190 : (2000) 10 JT 9 : (2000) 2 LLJ 1125 : (2000) 6 SCALE 198 : (2000) 7 SCC 390…

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Section 100 – Appeal – Second appeal – Non-consideration of material evidence by First Appellate Court – Wrong assessment of facts – Second Appellate Court can decide true nature of a transaction on the basis of admitted facts – Interference in second appeal affirmed.

  AIR 1971 SC 1049 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA RADHA NATH SEAL (DEAD) BY HIS LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES — Appellant Vs. HARIPADA JANA AND OTHERS — Respondent ( Before : J.…

Kannan Devan Hills (Resumption of Lands) Act, 1971 – Sections 4 and 5 – Land in question – State has legislative competence to legislate on Entry 18, List II and Entry 42 List III. This power cannot be denied on the ground that it has some effect on an industry controlled under Entry 52, List I. Effect is not the same thing as subject-matter

  AIR 1972 SC 2301 : (1972) 2 SCC 218 : (1973) 1 SCR 356 SUPREME COURT OF INDIA THE KANNAN DEVAN HILLS PRODUCE — Appellant Vs. THE STATE OF…

Partnership Act, 1932 – Section – 69 – Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) – Order 30 Rule 4 – Promissory note – The respondents filed a suit to recover a sum of Rs. 58,880 on the foot of a promissory note dated April 1, 1960 to recover the principal sum of Rs. 46,380 and interest which accrued thereon – The respondent- firm is a registered partnership firm and under Section 69 of the Partnership Act, the suit is maintainable

  (1996) 8 AD 562 : (1997) 1 BC 503 : (1996) 10 JT 38 : (1996) 8 SCALE 17 : (1996) 11 SCC 480 : (1996) 7 SCR 152…

Partition – What manner the property are required to be enjoyed in equal shares? – On perusal of the partition deed, it is clear that the view of the High Court is not correct. It is seen that the ground floor was allotted to both the appellant and the respondent for common enjoyment and first floor was allotted to one party and second floor was allotted to another party

  (1996) 8 AD 553 : (1996) 8 SCALE 243 : (1996) 11 SCC 496 : (1996) 7 SCR 812 Supp SUPREME COURT OF INDIA K.M. SRINIVASAN — Appellant Vs.…

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