Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 — S. 36 — Enforcement/Execution of arbitration award — Speed/Expedition: Necessity of speed/expedition in enforcement/execution of arbitration award, emphasized. [Chopra Fabricators & Manufacturers (P) Ltd. v. Bharat Pumps & Compressors Ltd., (2023) 3 SCC 534]
Constitution of India — Art. 19(1)(g), 19(6), 26 and 30 — Establishment of educational institutions — Regulatory measures that may be imposed: Principles summarized regarding regulatory measures for establishment of educational institutions and interplay of Arts. 19(1)(g), 19(6), 26 and 30 in this regard. [Pharmacy Council of India v. Rajeev College of Pharmacy, (2023) 3 SCC 502]
Constitution of India — Art. 226 r/w Arts. 12 and 14 — Maintainability of writ petition: In a petition, challenging clauses of a contract entered into with public sector undertaking, mere existence of alternative remedy is not sufficient by itself, for relegating parties to civil remedy. [GAIL v. Indian Petrochemicals Corpn. Ltd., (2023) 3 SCC 629]
Evidence Act, 1872 — Ss. 65-A and 65-B — Electronic evidence: Manner in which electronic evidence is to be proved, explained. Principles laid down in Anvar P.V., (2014) 10 SCC 473 as clarified in Arjun Panditrao Khotkar, (2020) 7 SCC 1, summarized. [Mohd. Arif v. State (NCT of Delhi), (2023) 3 SCC 654]
Finance Act, 1994 — Ss. 65(68), 65(108) and 68 — Manpower recruitment or supply agency: Essential ingredients of manpower recruitment or supply agency, explained. Existence of an employer-employee relationship between manpower supply agency and service providing person, held, is not incorporated as requirement or condition in definition. Under such circumstances, agencies involved in manpower recruitment or supply for events related service, held, are liable to pay service tax for recruitment or supply of manpower. [International Merchandising Co. LLC v. CST, (2023) 3 SCC 641]
Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 — Ss. 7, 12(1-A), 12-A and 17(1) (as amended by Act 33 of 2020) — Prohibition on transfer of foreign contribution to third parties by way of amendment: Prohibition brought about by the amended provisions is a just and proper method to fix accountability of recipient organisation mandating maximum utilisation by itself for permitted purposes. Same is procedure established by law. It can neither be said to be arbitrary nor discriminatory much less manifestly arbitrary within meaning of Art. 14 or impinging upon Art. 21 of the Constitution. Object, reasons and purpose of amended provisions, to eradicate misuse and abuse of foreign contributions, explained in detail. There is no fundamental right vested in anyone to receive foreign contribution (donation) or foreign Exchange. [Noel Harper v. Union of India, (2023) 3 SCC 544]
Hindu Succession Act, 1956 — S. 2(2): Female member of Scheduled Tribe (ST) is not entitled to share by survivorship in compensation awarded for acquisition of ancestral land in view of non-applicability of the HSA, 1956 to STs. Her claim of equal share with male coparceners in joint family property may be supportable in equity but cannot be sustained under S. 2(2) of the HSA, 1956 as it stands. [Kamla Neti v. LAO, (2023) 3 SCC 528]
Penal Code, 1860 — Ss. 302 and 201: In this case, deceased was a taxi driver, who was strangulated to death by appellant-accused herein (original Accused 1) along with 4 co-accused, and after burying his dead body, they stole his car taxi and sold it. High Court upheld conviction of appellant herein under Ss. 302 and 201 IPC. As the case was based on circumstantial evidence and links in the chain of circumstances were completely established, conviction was confirmed. [John Anthonisamy v. State, (2023) 3 SCC 536]
Service Law — Dismissal/Discharge — Judicial review/validity — Scope of — Indiscipline and insubordination in disciplined force: Dismissal justified for indiscipline and insubordination in disciplined force. [Union of India v. Sunil Kumar, (2023) 3 SCC 622]
Service Law — Gratuity — Entitlement to gratuity: Non-exercise of option for availing benefit of death-cum-retirement gratuity, when inconsequential, explained. [State of U.P. v. Priyanka, (2023) 3 SCC 619]
Service Law — Regularisation — Casual labour/Daily wager/Temporary employee: In this case, appellant was appointed on daily-rated basis under project and not against sanctioned post. Applying Umadevi (3), (2006) 4 SCC 1 held, since initial appointment of appellant was not by competent authority, nor against sanctioned post, appellant was not entitled to regularization. No interference with impugned judgment was called for. [Vibhuti Shankar Pandey v. State of M.P., (2023) 3 SCC 639]
Supreme Court Rules, 2013 — Or. IV Rr. 1(b), 5, 7(c): Exclusive rights conferred on Advocates-on-Record to act or plead before Supreme Court is not unreasonable, discriminatory, oppressive and violative of Arts. 14 and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution; nor counter to S. 30 of the Advocates Act. The same, held, valid in view of Art. 145 of the Constitution and S. 52(b) of the Advocates Act. [Nandini Sharma v. Supreme Court of India, (2023) 3 SCC 523]
