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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.

Investigation—Police Diaries–Gists of the interrogation recorded by an investigating officer in his diary cannot be regarded as statements under Section 161(3) Cr. P.C. and assuced is not entitled to any copy of such ‘gists’. Investigation—Statements under Section 161 need to be separated from observations which are recorded under Section 172 in order to make available the statement under Section 161(3) to the accused.

2007(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 765 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.H. Kapadia Criminal Appeal No. 201 of…

Essential Commodities—Act of 1981 did not preclude the authorities from applying the provisions of the MCOCA for offence under Section 3 & 7 of the 1955 Act as well as the 1981 Act. Organized Crime—Sanction of—Investigation—Stringent provisions—Concerned authorities would have to be bound down to the strict observance of the provisions.

2007(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 746 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. AR. Lakshmanan The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Altamas Kabir Special Leave Petition (criminal) Nos.…

Wakf—Once a wakf is created, the wakif stands divested of his title to the properties which after the creation of the wakf vests in the Almighty. Wakf—Once a wakf is created it continues to retain such character which cannot be extinguished by any act of the Mutwalli or anyone claiming through him.

2007(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 740 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Tarun Chatterjee The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Altamas Kabir Civil Appeal No. 4816 of 2000…

Member of Legislative Assembly—Disqualification for Membership—Leader of BSP party recommended dissolution of the Assembly—13 members of BSP giving a letter requesting the Governor to call upon the leader of Samajwadi Party to form a Government—The act itself would amount to an act of voluntarily giving up the membership of the party on the ticket they had got elected. Defection–Split in party–Mere claim is not enough–To be proved; prima facie, by relevant material.

2007(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 717 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sema The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. AR.…

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