Search By Topic: Constitution of India

252. (SC) 28-04-2023

A. Constitution of India, Article 15 -- 75% reservation for permanent residents of State in educational institution --  In last 2 preceding years, in the year 2021-2022, only 4 seats out of 75 reserved seats for the resident of Madhya Pradesh had been filled and in the year 2022-2023, only 2 seats out of 75 reserved seats had been filled, and thus 71 and 73 seats, respectively remained vacant for the last two years -- Thus, it is apparent that the large percentage of seats reserved for the residents of Madhya Pradesh which remains unfilled is not serving any purpose – State must keep the ground realities in mind – Direction given to the State to reappreciate this entire aspect -- State Government may examine the data of last few years, in order to come to a realistic finding as to what should be the extent of these reservations -- A wholesale reservation is not serving any purpose rather it frustrates the very purpose of the reservation -- This shall be kept in mind by the authorities while taking a decision in this matter, which shall be done within two months.

(Para 16-19)

B. Constitution of India, Article 14, 15 -- Domicile reservation – 75% reservation for permanent residents of State in educational institution --  Though reservation in favour of residents is permissible, yet reservation to the extent of 75% of the total seats makes it a wholesale reservation, which is unconstitutional and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

(Para 18)

270. (SC) 28-03-2023

A. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (61 of 1985), Section 37 -- NDPS case – Commercial quantity – Regular bail – Only manner in which such special conditions as enacted u/s 37 can be considered within constitutional parameters is where the court is reasonably satisfied on a prima facie look at the material on record (whenever the bail application is made) that the accused is not guilty -- Any other interpretation, would result in complete denial of the bail to a person accused of offences such as those enacted u/s 37 of the NDPS Act.

(Para 19)

B. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (61 of 1985), Section 20, 25, 29, 37 – Constitution of India, Article 21 -- NDPS case – Commercial quantity – Regular bail – Laws which impose stringent conditions for grant of bail, may be necessary in public interest; yet, if trials are not concluded in time, the injustice wrecked on the individual is immeasurable – Jails are overcrowded and their living conditions, more often than not, appalling – Incarceration has further deleterious effects, where the accused belongs to the weakest economic strata: immediate loss of livelihood, and in several cases, scattering of families as well as loss of family bonds and alienation from society -- The courts therefore, have to be sensitive to these aspects (because in the event of an acquittal, the loss to the accused is irreparable), and ensure that trials, especially in cases, where special laws enact stringent provisions, are taken up and concluded speedily -- Appellant directed to be enlarged on bail.

(Para 21-23)

274. (SC) 15-03-2023

A. Service Rules – Government Resolution – Effect of -- In service jurisprudence, the service rules are liable to prevail -- There can be Government resolutions being in consonance with or expounding the rules, but not in conflict with the same -- Government resolutions issued by the Administrative Department cannot have the status of a statutory rule although such resolutions may have their own effect.

(Para 25)

B. Constitution of India, Article 309 – Maharashtra Forest Service, Group A (Junior Scale) (Recruitment) Rules, 1998, Rule 2, 3B, 6 -- Appointment of Divisional Forest Officer – Appointment by promotion from amongst officers of the Maharashtra Forest Service -- Exclusion of period of probation -- Proviso to Rule 2 is unambiguous and quite clear, i.e., the period spent on training at Government Forest Colleges and other period of probation including extended period of probation, if any, “shall not be counted towards the requisite period of service.” -- Even if the Government Resolution upgraded the post of ACF from Class II to Class I, the Proviso to Rule 2 of the 1984 Rules will continue to hold valid in determining the period of service -- Rules 3B and 6 of the 1988 Rules also leave no ambiguity in this behalf and in fact read in consonance and the period of probation has to be necessarily excluded from period of service – Grant of monetary benefit is a different aspect – Held, Government resolutions cannot override statutory rules, and the resolutions neither speaking about promotion to the post of DFO nor about seniority conclusively, the Proviso would operate with full force.

(Para 25-30)

282. (SC) 28-02-2023

A. Constitution of India, 1950, Article 167(b), 174(1) – Summoning of House of Legislature – Non-calling of Budget Session by Governor – Power of -- Whether discretion of Governor -- Authority which is entrusted to the Governor to summon the House or each House of the Legislature of the State is to be exercised on the aid and advice of the Council of Minsters -- This is not a constitutional arena in which the Governor is entitled to exercise his own discretion -- Governor was not summoning the House for the first time following a general election, but was advised by the Council of Ministers to convene the Budget Session, at the behest of a government which has been duly elected in the general election -- Plainly, the Governor was duty bound to do so.

(Para 22)

B. Constitution of India, 1950, Article 167(b), 174(1) – Summoning of House of Legislature -- Non-calling of Budget Session by Governor – Power of -- Governor has a right to seek information from the Chief Minister in terms of Article 167(b) on matters relating to the administration of the affairs of the State and proposals for legislation -- Once such information is sought, the Chief Minister is duty bound to furnish it -- Not furnishing the information which was sought by the Governor would be plainly in dereliction of the constitutional duty which is imposed on the Chief Minister in terms of Article 167(b) -- Dereliction of the Chief Minister to do so would not furnish a justification for the Governor not to comply with the constitutional obligation to summon the House for its Budget Session in terms of the advice which was tendered by the Council of Ministers.

(Para 24)

C. Constitution of India, 1950, Article 19(1)(a), 167(b), 174(1) – Parliamentary democracy – Non-calling of Budget Session by Governor – Power of – Requirement of Court’s interference – Genesis of the controversy has required the intervention of this Court at two distinct levels: first, to ensure that the constitutional duty of the Governor to act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers to summon the Legislative Assembly is fulfilled without delay or demur; and second, to ensure that the obligation of the Chief Minister to furnish information to the Governor in terms of Article 167(b) of the Constitution is fulfilled – There are two equally important aspects for the functioning of a parliamentary democracy – First, the failure of a constitutional authority to fulfill its obligation under a distinct provision of the Constitution does not furnish a justification to another to decline to fulfill its own constitutional obligation – Second, while this Court is cognizant of the importance of free speech and expression and the fundamental value embodied in Article 19(1)(a), it becomes necessary to emphasize that constitutional discourse has to be conducted with a sense of decorum and mature statesmanship.

(Para 25)

289. (SC) 13-02-2023

A. Constitution of India, Article 13, 368 – Constitutional Validity of Statute -- When a party wants to challenge the constitutional validity of a statute, he must plead in detail the grounds on which the validity of the statute is sought to be challenged -- In absence of the specific pleadings to that effect, Court cannot go into the issue of the validity of statutory provisions -- Constitutional Courts cannot interfere with the law made by the Legislature unless it is specifically challenged by incorporating specific grounds of challenge in the pleadings -- Reason is that there is always a presumption of the constitutionality of laws -- Burden is always on the person alleging unconstitutionality to prove it -- A Constitutional Court cannot casually interfere with legislation made by a competent Legislature only by drawing an inference from the pleadings that the challenge to the validity is implicit.

(Para 14)

B. Constitution of India, Article 170, 239A -- Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019), Section 1 – Conflict with Article 170 of Constitution -- Article 170 will have no application to Legislative Assembly of the Union territory of J & K as it forms a part of Chapter III of Part VI which deals with only the State Legislature -- Legislative Assemblies of the concerned Union Territories will be governed by the law made by the Parliament in accordance with Article 239A and not by the provisions of Chapter III of Part VI -- Argument that certain provisions of the J&K Reorganisation Act and actions taken thereunder are in conflict with Article 170 and in particular Clause (3) thereof is clearly misconceived and deserves to be rejected.

(Para 23)

C. Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019), Section 11, 60, 62, 63 – Constitution of India, Articles 81, 82, 170, 330, 332, 370 -- Increase and adjustment of Legislative Assembly/ Parliamentary seats – Appointment of Delimitation Commission – Challenge to -- There is no illegality associated with the delimitation/readjustment of Parliamentary constituencies of the Union Territory of J & K -- No illegality associated with the establishment of the Delimitation Commission -- Once the Delimitation Commission was established, there is nothing wrong if the Central Government extended the period of appointment of the Chairperson till the task of delimitation/readjustment was completed.

(Para 31-36)

291. (SC) 10-02-2023

Constitution of India, Articles 21, 25, 26 – Ex-communication of a member of Dawoodi Bohra community – Civil rights – Constitutional morality

-- A person who is ex-communicated by the community, will not be entitled to use the common property of the community and the burial/cremation grounds of the community -- In a sense, such a person will virtually become untouchable (being banished or ostracized) within the community -- In a given case, it will result in his civil death -- It can be argued that the concept of Constitutional morality which overrides the freedom conferred by clause (b) of Article 26, will not permit the civil rights of ex-communicated persons which originate from the dignity and liberty of human beings to be taken away -- The concepts of equality, liberty and fraternity are certainly part of our Constitutional morality -- Basic ideas enshrined in our Constitution are part of Constitutional morality -- The conscience of our Constitution is Constitutional morality -- Therefore, the Constitutional Court ought not to tolerate anything which takes away the right and privilege of any person to live with dignity as the concept of Constitutional morality does not permit the Court to do so -- Therefore, the protection under Article 26(b) granted by the decision in the case of Sardar Syedna, (1962) Suppl. (2) SCR 496 : AIR 1962 SC 853 to the power to ex-communicate a member of the Dawoodi Bohra community, needs reconsideration as the said right is subject to morality which is understood as Constitutional morality.

-- The ex-communication will have many civic consequences which will, prima facie, affect his fundamental right to live with dignity and the right to lead a meaningful life guaranteed by Article 21 -- Therefore, the question is whether the said right of the community to ex-communicate its members can be balanced with the other fundamental rights under Part III of the Constitution and in particular, Article 21.

Issues require examination by a larger Bench.

(Para 28-35)