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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.
Service Matters

Service Law–Parallel proceedings–Departmental Enquiry and Criminal Proceedings–There would be no bar to proceed simultaneously with departmental enquiry and trial of a criminal case unless the charge in the criminal trial is of grave nature involving complicated question of fact and law.

2007(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 433 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dr. Arijit Pasayat The Hon’ble Mr. Justice C.K. Thakker The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Lokeshwar…

Service Matters

Service Law —‘Scaling system’ for recruitment of Civil Judge (Junior Division)—Clearly demonstrate the arbitrariness and irrationality of scaling—Scaling system is unsuited for the Civil Judge (Junior Division) Examination—Position summarized. Contention that a writ petition under Article 32 is barred or not maintainable with reference to an issue which is the subject-matter of an earlier decision, is rejected.

2007(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 405 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal The Hon’ble Mr. Justice C.K. Thakker The Hon’ble Mr. Justice R.V.…

Service Matters

Service Law—All High Court employees without exception, should receive a higher pay than their counter-parts in the State, in the absence of any general or special reasons Service Law— Pay and allowances of High Court employees; power to make rules in that regard is vested with the Chief Justice, subject to any law made by the Parliament—Requirement of approval from State is not a mere formality

  2007(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 385 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Before The Hon’ble Mr. Justice K. G. Balakrishnan The Hon’ble Mr. Justice G. P. Mathur The Hon’ble Mr.…

Charges— Framing of—Any error, omission or irregularity in the framing of charges including any mis joinder of charges shall not result in invalidating the conviction or order of a competent Court unless the appellate or revisional Court comes to the conclusion that a failure of justice has in fact been occasioned thereby

2007(1) LAW HERALD (SC) 377 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. 69 of…

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