51. Execution of Decree -- Judgment debtor/ Society placed on record the evidence in the form of allotment letters, revealing that allotment was made in the name of five persons as mentioned in para No.2 of the affidavit as desired by the decree-holder -- Petitioner cannot be allowed to approbate and reprobate -- She is estopped so as to make any claim regarding non allotment of plots -- This claim rightly rejected by the Executing Court. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 25.09.2024 Decided on: 01.10.2024

52. Contractual employee -- Regularization of service -- Petitioner was appointed as a Driver in 2005 on contract basis -- Service of the petitioner was regularized in the year, 2012 -- Petitioner held entitled to regularization from the date of completion of one year contractual service after initial appointment, with all consequential benefits from the due date. Covered matter, Vikram Singh’s case 2023 :HHC: 13114 = (2023) Law Today Live Doc. Id. 19595. (HP HC) Decided on: 01.10.2024

53. Attempt to murder – Regular bail -- Petitioner was arrested on 06.05.2024 and final report u/s 173 Cr.P.C. presented -- Petitioner is a first offender and there is no material on record to indicate that the petitioner is in a position to tamper with the prosecution evidence -- Further custody of the petitioner will not serve any meaningful purpose – Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 01.10.2024

54. Compromise quashing of FIR – Putting person in fear of accusation of offence, in order to commit extortion (Section 389 IPC) – Offence for which the accused have been charged are not of serious nature – Compromise will go a long way in ironing out the differences for betterment of future life of the parties – FIR alongwith all consequential proceedings arising therefrom quashed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 01.10.2024

55. Retirement of employee -- Leave encashment – Extension of service -- Carry forward of leave encashment -- Employee retired at the age of 58 years, entitled for maximum of 300 days of leave encashment -- Employee could not apply for extension only to adjust the unutilized earned leaves as only encashment of 300 days is admissible -- Petitioner availed 29 days of leave hence, 21 days leave which is more than the 8 days leave admissible during the extension period, same is to be deducted from the total kitty of 300 days leave. (P&H HC) Decided on: 30.09.2024

56. Conviction in cheque bounce complaint – Compromise quashing of conviction and sentence – Back-out from compromise – Effect of -- As per compromise, the petitioner has already paid Rs.3,00,000/- to the complainant and the complainant pleaded no objection -- Held, resiling from the compromise by the complainant is immaterial and the continuation of the case would be an abuse of the process of the Court -- Petition allowed, complaint alongwith the judgment of conviction and order of sentence quashed on the basis of compromise. (P&H HC) Decided on: 30.09.2024

57. Divorce petition – Transfer of -- Weightage ought to be given to the convenience of the wife in the transfer applications, relating to the matrimonial dispute -- Parents of respondent-husband can look after the children – Custody petition filed by wife, petition u/s 125 Cr.P.C. and the petition u/s 12 of the DV Act are pending in the Courts at Gohana and the complaint for registration of FIR u/s 498-A IPC is pending with the police authorities, Gohana – Divorce petition transferred from Meham to Gohana. (P&H HC) Decided on: 25.09.2024

58. Agreement to sell – Minor’s interest – Suit for specific performance -- Agreement to sell executed by defendant-respondent No.1/ one of heir of deceased -- No power of attorney executed by the other heirs in favour of defendant-respondent No.1 -- Power of attorney produced was executed after the execution of the agreement to sell -- Further, defendant-respondent Nos.6 and 7 were minors, without any permission from the Guardian Court their share could not in any case be sold, no such permission by the Guardian Court is forthcoming – Ld. Appellate Court held “said agreement being opposed to public policy and law could not be treated as a valid agreement to give rise to the cause of specific performance” – No ground to interfere, appeal dismissed. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 11.09.2024 Decided on: 25.09.2024

59. Recovery suit – Bahi khatta entries -- Only reliance of the plaintiff-appellant was on the bahi khatta entries -- Defendant-respondent had denied the bahi khatta entries and hence the onus lay on the plaintiff-appellant to prove the signatures in the bahi khatta entries -- Neither the details of the cheques nor the account number/ account statement was produced by the plaintiff-appellant -- It was incumbent upon the plaintiff-appellant to prove his case by leading affirmative evidence -- Onus to prove that the loan was taken by the defendant-respondent lay heavily on the plaintiff-appellant who failed to discharge the same – Suit dismissed. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 03.09.2024 Decided on: 25.09.2024

60. Appointment of Lambardar – Interaction quality of candidate – Consideration of -- Appellant was quizzed by the Collector, District Collector found that appellant was incapable of telling anything about himself, it was found that he was not a suitable candidate for the post of Lambardar – Respondent no. 4 was appointed as he appeared to be more mature and healthy person -- The interaction part, which is most important aspect to find out the capability as such, was totally lost sight of by the Financial Commissioner while interfering in the well-considered order of the Collector – Ld. Single Judge has allowed the writ petition filed by respondent No.4 and set-aside the order passed by the Financial Commissioner – No merit in appeal, dismissed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 25.09.2024

61. Dowry case -- Quashing of FIR/ Charge-sheet – Husband not accused in criminal case -- While the husband institutes the civil suit, his wife has chosen to initiate criminal proceedings -- Interestingly, there is no reference of one proceeding in the other -- On 27.02.2013, the husband filed the Special Civil Suit against the three appellants, i.e. his father, stepmother and stepbrother seeking for a declaration that the property is ancestral in nature and that the father has no right to alienate or dispose of the property and also sought a declaration that he is entitled to use the trademark of the family business – Complainant/ wife filed the criminal complaint on 01.03.2013 alleging demand of dowry and threat by appellants that she and her husband will be denied a share in the property -- Provocation for the Complaint/ FIR is essentially the property dispute between father and son – FIR and Chargesheet quashed. (SC) Decided on: 25.09.2024

62. Attempt to murder – Simple injuries – Effect of -- Question of intention to kill or the knowledge of death in terms of Section 307, IPC is a question of fact and not one of law – Minor nature of injuries is not sufficient reason to not frame a charge u/s 307 IPC. (SC) Decided on: 25.09.2024

63. Evidence law -- Injured eye-witnesses -- Sworn testimonies provided by injured witnesses generally carry significant evidentiary weight -- Such testimonies cannot be dismissed as unreliable unless there are pellucid and substantial discrepancies or contradictions that undermine their credibility -- If there is any exaggeration in the deposition that is immaterial to the case, such exaggeration should be disregarded; however, it does not warrant the rejection of the entire evidence. (SC) Decided on: 25.09.2024

64. Primary evidence -- Original mobile tendered in evidence -- Certificate u/s 65B of Evidence Act – Requirement of -- Once the plaintiff offered to tender original mobile-phone which is a primary evidence, there was no requirement for certification under Section 65-B of the Evidence Act as the same is contemplated in a situation wherein electronic evidence is being led by way of secondary evidence. (P&H HC) Decided on: 25.09.2024

65. Murder – Culpable homicide not amounting to murder -- There is a possibility of deceased and (PW-1) coming to the shop of accused no.2 and a fight taking place between the two groups -- Nothing on record to establish that there was any pre-meditation -- Possibility of the offence being committed by the appellants without pre-meditation in a sudden fight in the heat of passion upon a sudden quarrel cannot be ruled out -- Nothing on record to show that the appellants have taken undue advantage or acted in a cruel or unusual manner -- Appellants are entitled to the benefit of doubt -- Case would be covered under Part-I of Section 304 of IPC -- Appellants have undergone the sentence of more than 8 years without remission – Appeals partly allowed, appellants sentenced to the period already undergone. (SC) Decided on: 24.09.2024

66. Promotion during pendency of criminal case -- DPC – Charge-sheet thereafter – Putting the result in sealed cover – Legality of -- Disciplinary/ criminal proceedings can be said to be initiated against the employee only when a charge memo is issued to the employee in a disciplinary proceeding or a charge-sheet for a criminal prosecution is filed in the competent Court -- Sealed cover procedure is to be resorted to only after issuance of the charge-memo/ charge-sheet -- Pendency of investigation and grant of prosecution sanction will not be sufficient to enable the authorities to adopt the sealed cover procedure. -- Charge sheet was filed by CBI, after completion of investigation on 25th October, 2008, whereas the DPC to consider the promotion of Additional Commissioners of Income Tax was convened on 22nd February, 2007, wherein the sealed cover procedure was adopted qua the respondent. -- It is thus clear that the charge sheet against the respondent was filed well after the meeting of the DPC was convened. Hence, it could not be said that the prosecution for a criminal charge was pending against the respondent when the DPC was convened -- Therefore, the move on the part of DPC to resort to the sealed cover procedure was unjustified and unsustainable on facts and in law -- The ‘Sealed Cover’ wherein the assessment of the respondent was considered by the DPC was opened in court -- Letter shows that the DPC assessed the respondent to be ‘FIT’ for promotion -- Consequential steps in light of the above recommendations shall follow. (SC) Decided on: 24.09.2024

67. Writ petition – Suppression of facts -- Deliberate suppression of relevant particulars, which were adverse to the claim -- The filing of the writ petition was, therefore, nothing short of an abuse of process and did not warrant examination on merits and liable to be non-suited on this short ground -- If there is no candid disclosure of relevant and material facts or the petitioner is guilty of misleading the Court, his petition should be dismissed at the threshold without considering the merits of the claim. K.D. Sharma’s case (2008) 12 SCC 481 relied. (SC) Decided on: 24.09.2024

68. Long pendency of Divorce petition – Speedy disposal – Mandate of -- Suit of year 2020 -- Direction issued to the Principal Judge, Family Court to decided case in accordance with law maximum within a period three months in light of Section 21-B of Act, 1955 after providing opportunity of hearing to opposite party and without granting any unnecessary adjournment to either of the parties. (Allahabad HC) Decided on: 23.09.2024

69. Mutation entry – Inaction of authority – Direction sought for respondent No.2 to take immediate decision on the mutation application moved by petitioner -- NOCs of other legal heirs have already been submitted by the petitioner in the year 2013 – Direction issued to respondent No.2 to take a decision on the mutation application by a reasoned and speaking order not later than three months. (UK HC) Decided on: 23.09.2024

70. Short term bail – Liver transplantation of father – Applicant proposed to donate his liver -- Applicant ordered to be released on short term bail for a period of six weeks on humanitarian ground. (UK HC) Decided on: 23.09.2024

71. Suit of year 2014 – Early decision of case – Petition to issue a direction to Court to decide Original Suit within a stipulated time – Direction issued to Civil Judge (Senior Division) to decide the suit in accordance with law, if possible within a period of nine months after providing opportunity of hearing to all concerned and without granting any unnecessary adjournment to either of the parties, if there is no legal impediment. (Allahabad HC) Decided on: 23.09.2024

72. Expert evidence – Conviction -- Without independent and reliable corroboration, the opinion of the handwriting experts cannot be solely relied upon to base the conviction. (SC) Decided on: 23.09.2024

73. Public appointments – Waiting list for one year – Visually impaired category -- In case the appointments are not offered to the candidates for more than a period one year, the purpose of preparation of waiting panel will be rendered useless -- It will be providing a handle to such authorities to act arbitrarily -- Respondents cannot be allowed the benefit of their own wrongs, more particularly when a serious prejudice to the right of the appellants is the consequence -- Appeal allowed, fresh advertisement qua visually imparted category quashed, respondents directed to fill up the vacancies from the waiting list. (HP HC) Reserved on: 18.09.2024 Decided on: 23.09.2024

74. East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949 (III of 1949), Section 13 – Bonafide need – Ownership/ Use and occupation of other building -- Landlord is not obliged to disclose premises, which are not in his occupation -- Property not in occupation of the landlord must be distinguished from the owned properties and that if the property is not in occupation, no disclosure is necessary. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 12.09.2024 Pronounced on: 23.09.2024

75. Maintenance to wife -- Divorce petition pending – Applicant is to be treated as the legally wedded wife of the respondent till the marriage between them is dissolved by a valid decree of divorce -- Maintenance cannot be denied to her simply on the ground that the respondent has filed a petition for declaring the marriage as a nullity – Husband earning Rs. 2,47,661/- and he was getting Rs.1,38,546/- after the deduction of PF and income tax -- Maintenance of Rs. 25,000/- per month cannot be said to be excessive. (HP HC) Reserved on: 27.08.2024 Decided on: 23.09.2024

76. Divorce petition instituted on 16.10.2023 – Expedite disposal – Contention that respondent-husband has taken six adjournments in a year to delay the proceedings and as per Section 21-B (2) all endeavors should be to decide the matrimonial suit within six months – Principal Judge, Family Court directed to decide the Original Suit within a period of six months from the date of production of certified copy of order. (UK HC) Decided on: 21.09.2024

77. Additional evidence – Examination of witness not cited in challan -- Although the name of the witness proposed to be examined, has not been cited by the prosecution in the chargesheet, however, in order to clear the ambiguity and that there may not be failure of justice on account of some mistake in bringing the valuable evidence on record and also to arrive at just decision of the case, his evidence is essential to ascertain the age of the child victim -- Hence, the application filed by the State/prosecution allowed. (HP HC) Reserved on: 17.09.2024 Decided on: 20.09.2024

78. Arbitration award – Interference in – Scope of -- Record reveals that the parties have been afforded fullest opportunity to represent their respective cases by the Arbitrator -- The impugned award contains detailed reasons based on analyses of the material on record -- Scope of interference with arbitral award in proceedings u/s 34 of the Act is limited -- Patent illegality should emerge on the face of the award itself -- It is impermissible for the court to sit in appeal or review over the findings recorded by the arbitral tribunal. (HP HC) Reserved on: 13.09.2024 Decided on: 20.09.2024

79. Civil suit -- Counter claim – Res-judicata -- Maintainability of one appeal -- Ld. trial Court decided Civil Suit, as well as, counter-claim, whereas, the appellant/ defendants had filed only one appeal, which had been dismissed, by the learned First Appellate Court -- Non-filing of the appeal, against the counter-claim, not only amounts to res judicata, but, also waiver and estoppel -- Second appeal is held to be not maintainable. (HP HC) Reserved on: 30.08.2024 Decided on: 20.09.2024

80. Regularization of Primary Assistant Teachers (PAT) -- Intelligible differentia – All the Incumbents under the PAT, GVU and Para Teachers Schemes formed a single class, keeping in view the object behind their appointments and treatment given to them by the State Government -- Exclusion of petitioners by not conferring upon them the benefit of regularization on completion of 8/10 years of service, as has been done in the case of GVU and Para Teachers, amounts to creation of a class without there being any intelligible differentia -- Since, the respondents have already granted such benefit to the Para Teachers w.e.f. 18.12.2014, the respondents directed to regularize the services of the petitioners with all consequential benefits from that date i.e. 18.12.2014. (HP HC) Reserved on: 13.09.2024 Decided on: 20.09.2024

81. Obscene act – Abettor – Employee/ Waiter of Bar -- Quashing of criminal proceedings -- Petitioner in the present case was a mere employee of the owner of Bar and he is found to be discharging his duty of serving the customers food and drink as per his employment profile -- No offense made out qua the Petitioner -- Petition allowed. (Bombay HC) Reserved on: 12.09.2024 Decided on: 19.09.2024

82. Interim maintenance to wife – Challenge to -- In the affidavit of assets and liabilities, the petitioner claimed his monthly pension as Rs.32,000/- -- Respondent placed on record, injunction order reflecting him a beneficiary in respect of the land measuring 17-14-08 bighas, which he claimed (therein) to be in his ownership and joint possession -- It was clearly evident that the petitioner had not revealed the details of his immovable properties -- Respondent is aged more than 70 years -- Award of maintenance at the rate of Rs.10,000/- per month cannot be said to be at the higher side -- No interference is called for. (HP HC) Decided on: 19.09.2024

83. Appointment of Lambardar – Younger in age – Non-consideration of other factors – Effect of -- Petitioner was appointed as Lambardar by Collector, only on the ground that she is younger than the other candidates; whereas, the other factors, as envisaged under Rule 15 of the Punjab Land Revenue Rules, have not been taken into consideration – Commissioner remanded back the case, which order was upheld by the Financial Commissioner -- Case requires a fresh look at the level of District Collector is correct and does not call for any interference. (P&H HC) Decided on: 19.09.2024

84. Sale deed – Challenge to -- Ad-valorem court fee -- Neither the plaintiff is executant of the sale deed nor has sought possession -- Being a non-executant, plaintiff can avoid the sale deed and thus, is not required to affix ad valorum Court fee on the value of the property. (P&H HC) Decided on: 18.09.2024

85. Removal of Pradhan of Panchayat – Bye-election – Statutory remedies -- Revision petition pending adjudication before the Secretary (Panchayati Raj) -- In case, the post of Pradhan Gram Panchayat is allowed to be filled-up by holding Bye-election, right to hold the post of Pradhan, in case she eventually succeeds in her revision petition, would be adversely affected -- Decision taken by the State Election Commission to withdraw the Election Notice in respect of Pradhan, Gram Panchayat does not call for any interference. (HP HC) Decided on: 17.09.2024

86. Abetment to suicide – Presumption – Acquittal -- Marriage on 14.11.2011 – Suicide on 11.05.2012 -- Accused went to Assam in the month of April, 2012 for joining his duty -- Deceased had died while she was in her parents’ house and at that time the accused was in Assam -- General allegations of harassment, no independent witness to prove that any demand of dowry was made by the accused in their presence -- No evidence led by prosecution that there was abetment of such grave nature which was likely to drive the deceased to commit suicide -- Suicidal death may be the deceased's own act, being of hyper sensitive nature, for which, the husband cannot be held guilty -- Acquittal order, upheld. (HP HC) Reserved on: 10.09.2024 Decided on: 17.09.2024

87. Appointment of Lambardar -- Service to nation – Availability in village -- Respondent No.4/ appointed candidate earlier had worked for 16 years as Lambardar and was a retired officer from CRPF and sufficiently educated upto 10th standard and had served the nation and he had taken part in various wars/operations and also a holder of prestigious President Medal -- Service rendered to the State is an important aspect -- Appellant is working in the Forest Department and, therefore, cannot give as much time to the villagers – Appointment of respondent no. 4, upheld. (P&H HC) Decided on: 17.09.2024

88. Gair marusi tenant – Suit for possession – Jurisdiction of civil court -- When the possession of person concerned on the suit land is without payment of rent, such as person is no more than a stranger or trespasser over the suit property -- In such a situation, his possession, howsoever long it may be, cannot be considered in the capacity of tenant in view of the definition of ‘landlord’, ‘tenant’ and ‘rent’ -- In this eventuality, it is only the Civil Court, which will have the jurisdiction to pass the decree of possession in favour of the landlord – Suit for possession decreed. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 11.09.2024 Decided on: 17.09.2024

89. NDPS Case – Superdari of vehicle -- Confiscation of vehicle – Ground of -- Release of vehicle cannot be denied to the applicant on the ground that the vehicle is liable to be confiscated; rather a duty has been cast upon the Court to immediately release the vehicle to the rightful owner until the question of confiscation of the vehicle is decided by the Competent Court -- Pendency of the confiscation proceedings has nothing to do with the release of the vehicle -- Subject to the furnishing of sapurdari bond in the sum of Rs.2,50,000/-, vehicle ordered to be released. (HP HC) Reserved on: 13.08.2024 Decided on: 16.09.2024

90. Constitution of India, Article 300A – Compensation for surrendering land and developing amenities -- Abandonment of claim -- Delay and laches – Writ petitioners constructed Development Plan Roads at their own cost and voluntarily surrendered the reserved lands to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation – Writ petitioners were granted Floor Space Index (FSI) and/or Transferrable Development Rights (TDR) in the form of Development Rights Certificates (DRC) equal to the gross area of the plots surrendered by them – Writ dismissed on delay and laches by High Court. -- Held, once the compensation is determined in the form of FSI/TDR, the same is payable even in the absence of there being any representation or request being made -- In fact, a duty is cast on the State to pay compensation to the land losers as otherwise there would be a breach of Article 300-A of the Constitution -- Neither the doctrine of delay and laches nor the principle of abandonment of claim or waiver would apply in these cases. (SC) Decided on: 13.09.2024

91. Cancellation of tender – Defaulter/ Blacklisted was not ground for cancellation -- It being so, it does not lie in the mouth of the respondents to contest the claim of the petitioner by terming him as black listed, when such ground was not the reason for cancellation of tender -- Even otherwise, the respondents have not been able to substantiate their plea that the petitioner had been black listed – Communication did not mention any reason adverse to the petitioner – Writ petition allowed, period for which the bids were invited has already elapsed – Respondent burdened with costs of Rs.2,00,000/- (Rupees Two Lacs only) to be paid to the petitioner for compensating him for the loss caused to him without justifiable reason. (HP HC) Reserved on: 03.09.2024 Decided on: 13.09.2024

92. Rent laws -- Suit for injunction by tenant against landlord – Maintainability of -- Section 21 of UP Rent Act, 2021 does not contain any provision enabling a tenant to file an application for protection against apprehended eviction otherwise than in accordance with the law -- Jurisdiction of Civil Courts to entertain suits for injunction filed by tenants against their landlords, is not barred -- Civil Court continues to have jurisdiction to entertain the suits for injunction even after enactment of the Act of 2021. (Allahabad HC) Decided on: 13.09.2024

93. Divorce – Desertion -- Merely because the parties may have remained separated for reason of their separate jobs with one working at Jhansi and the other at Auraiya, the fact occurrence of desertion may never be sustained on the strength of such vocational/ employment compulsion faced by the parties. (Allahabad HC) Decided on: 12.09.2024

94. Mode of partition – Sanad takseem/ Instrument of partition -- Challenge to – Ground of -- Since the sanctioned mode of partition was never challenged by the petitioners and had attained finality, the petitioners can question the final partition only on the ground that the same is not in consonance with mode of partition. (P&H HC) Decided on: 11.09.2024

95. Partition of land – Value and location of land -- It is well-settled that besides the possession of the co-sharers over the portions in the joint land holding, the value and location as well as the nature of such land have also to be taken into consideration at the time of affecting the partition so that all the co-sharers get the portions of the land without any prejudice to their entitlement as per their respective shares in the total land under partition. (P&H HC) Reserved on: 08.08.2024 Decided on: 11.09.2024

96. POCSO – Rape – Regular bail -- Petitioner is behind bars since 4.9.2022 – One is deemed to be innocent, till the time, his/her guilt is proved in accordance with law -- Guilt, if any, of the bail petitioner is yet to be proved in accordance with law -- No reason to let the bail petitioner incarcerate in jail, for an indefinite period, especially when co-accused stands enlarged on bail – Bail allowed. (HP HC) Decided on: 11.09.2024

97. Excise matter -- Regular bail – Direction to furnish bail bonds after 6 months – Sustainability of -- High Court ordered to release the petitioner on bail subject condition that “the petitioner shall furnish his bail bonds after completion of six months in custody from today” – Held, no valid reason for the High Court to impose the condition – Condition set aside, Trial Court directed to release the petitioner on bail forthwith on furnishing bail bonds to its satisfaction. (SC) Decided on: 11.09.2024

98. Co-sharer – Sale of whole property by one of co-sharer – Permissibility of -- Said sale deed may be a valid document to the extent of the share of Vendor in the property and buyer/ appellant is free to take remedies to claim appropriate relief either by suit of partition or by suit of compensation and damages against his Vendor. (SC) Decided on: 10.09.2024

99. POCSO – Victim/ Child witness -- Incident taken place on 13.10.2014 whereas the FIR was lodged on 05.12.2014 -- Delay in lodging the FIR could not be explained by the prosecution which creates a serious doubt about the case of the prosecution -- Since the evidence of the parents of the victim has been discredited by the defence in their cross- examination and there is no corroboration to the evidence of the child victim (PW12), therefore, it would not be safe to rely upon the testimony of the child victim to convict the appellants. (HP HC) Reserved on: 28.08.2024 Decided on: 10.09.2024

100. Promotion from Chief assistant to Administrative officer – Departmental enquiry was pending at the time of consideration – Result of promotional post was kept in sealed cover – In departmental enquiry ‘Warning’ issued -- Sealed envelope of the petitioner for his promotion is not being opened by the respondents – Writ petition disposed of with a direction to respondent No.2-Appointing Authority to open the sealed envelope of the petitioner’s promotion within a period of one week, if petitioner is promoted, he shall be immediately given promotion from his due date, as per law. (UK HC) Decided on: 09.09.2024