Surety

Whether it is to get individuals to stand as a guarantor for a loan transaction or as a surety in a criminal proceeding, choice for a person will very often be a close relative or a longtime friend. In a criminal proceeding, circle may get narrowed to protect one’s reputation. These are hard realities of […]

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Caution for Lust in Hollywood

“Another study of 800 Movies showed, ‘nudity’ is a negative predictor of Box Office Revenue in U.S. (A. Cerridwen and D.K. Simonton, 2009).” – Smt. K.B. Valsalakumari, I.A.S. (Retd.)-Principal Secretary (Retd.), Government of Kerala in ‘Report of Expert Committee constituted by Government of Kerala‘. _____ U.S. Domestic Gross for Ang Lee’s Lust, Caution (2007) was […]

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14,763.30 Grams of Gold

On 20.04.2021, an unaccompanied baggage of one Althaf Mossan Mukri was checked and 14,763.30 grams of contraband gold was found. On 27.12.2021, Althaf reached India. On 05.03.2022, Althaf was arrested. We are of opinion, Division Bench of HC should have followed view taken by another Division Bench of same HC, specifically when ‘grounds of detention’ […]

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Contempt Jurisdiction XII

Parashuram Detaram Shamdasani v. King-Emperor, (1945) A.C. 264; M.Y. Shareef v. Hon’ble Judges of High Court of Nagpur, (1954) 2 SCC 444; Pushpaben v. Narandas Badiani, (1979) 2 SCC 394; Babu Ram Gupta v. Sudhir Bhasin, (1980) 3 SCC 47; Reliance Petrochemicals Limited v. Proprietors of Indian Express Newspapers, Bombay Pvt. Ltd., (1988) 4 SCC […]

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Disciplinary Proceedings X

State of Andhra Pradesh v. S. Sree Rama Rao, AIR 1963 SC 1723; State of Andhra Pradesh v. Chitra Venkata Rao, (1975) 2 SCC 557; State Bank of India v. S.K. Sharma, (1996) 3 SCC 364; Union of India v. K.G. Soni, (2006) 6 SCC 794; State of Uttar Pradesh v. Man Mohan Nath Sinha, […]

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Date and Rate of Exchange

Forasol v. Oil and Natural Gas Commission, 1984 Supp SCC 263 held, “Court must select a date which puts Plaintiff in same position in which he would have been had Defendant discharged his obligation when he ought to have done, bearing in mind, rate of exchange is not a constant factor but fluctuates and very […]

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Top Gold

Petitioner is continuously and extensively selling its butter and cheese biscuits under the mark ‘Top Gold’ since 2005. Court finds, use of the mark ‘Top Gold’ and ‘Top Goldstar’ by Respondent amounts to unfair practice by use of a deceptively similar mark. Respondent though is not restrained using the mark ‘Top’ without using the word […]

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Assessment of Statute

For over 50 yrs., High Court has been disposing of Writ Petitions raising claims or challenges to exercise of powers or dereliction of duties under The Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971. The propensity and proclivity of 1971 Act to generate litigation are worrisome. The exasperation of High Court is understandable. Court […]

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The Doctrine of Intergenerational Equity

“Earth teaches us patience, love; Air teaches us mobility, liberty; Fire teaches us warmth, courage; Sky teaches us equality, broad-mindedness; Water teaches us purity, cleanliness.” State of Bihar v. Murad Ali Khan, (1988) 4 SCC 655, speaking through Venkatachaliah J, observed, “‘Every source from which man has increased his power has been used to diminish prospects of […]

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Section 307, Indian Penal Code II

A perusal of Section 307, IPC would make it clear, it really imbibes the true spirit of the maxim ‘culpae poena per esto’. It means ‘let the punishment be proportionate to the offence; let the punishment fit the crime.’ The second part of Section 307, IPC did not prescribe for imposition of punishment more than […]

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Accord and Satisfaction

Appellant contends, i) no Arbitrable Dispute remained after a ‘full and final settlement’ and ii) appointment of an Arbitrator was an exercise in futility. However, we uphold and affirm, appointment of Justice K.A. Puj, Former Judge of High Court of Gujarat, as an Arbitrator. There is no rule of an absolute kind which precludes Arbitration […]

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Flea-Bite

It is a fact, certain High Courts maintained a view, sentencing to undergo ‘imprisonment till rising of Court’ would be no sentence at all according to law. It cannot be said, imposing a sentence of ‘imprisonment till rising of Court’ is impermissible or an action amounting to evasion of statutory provisions. However, we have no […]

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Referred to Larger Bench XXXVIII: Necessity to Arrest

We are examining legality of arrest of Arvind Kejriwal on 21.03.2024. Gifford v. Kelson, (1943) 51 Man. R 120 accurately explains difference between “reasons to believe” and “suspicion”. “Suspicion” requires lower degree of satisfaction and does not amount to belief. An arrestee should be furnished “reasons to believe” to enable him to exercise his right […]

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Tender Law VI

State abused its position under a misconceived notion, all its actions, such as award of contracts or tenders, were nothing but a generosity which it could, at its own whims, choose to deny, alter, modify, or take away without any consequences. Law cannot afford to remain static [M.C. Mehta v. Union of India, (1987) 1 […]

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