In Lau v. Chu, [2020] 1 WLR 4656 House of Lords indicated, “just and equitable winding up may be ordered where the Company’s members have fallen out in two related but distinct situations, which may or may not overlap.” The first of these is labelled as “functional dead lock” of a paralyzing kind, clearly recognized […]
Read more "Functional Dead Lock"Union Territory, Chandigarh Administration v. Pradeep Kumar, (2018) 1 SCC 797 dealt with the expression ‘honourable acquittal’. It was opined, acquittal in a criminal case was not conclusive for suitability of the candidate concerned and it could not always be inferred from an acquittal or discharge that the person was falsely involved or has no […]
Read more "Suitability of Candidate II / Honourable Acquittal I"Court will not debate academic matters or concern itself with intricacies of trade and commerce. Legislature should be allowed some play in the joints, because it has to deal with complex problems which do not admit of solution through any doctrinaire or straitjacket formula and this is particularly true in case of legislation dealing with […]
Read more "Unchartered Ocean of Policy Decision II"NCDRC dismissed a Consumer Case, instituted under Act of 1986 on 18.06.2020, on the ground, after enforcement of Act of 2019, pecuniary jurisdiction of NCDRC has been enhanced from Rupees One Crore to Rupees Ten Crores. The decision has been set aside. _____ A change in forum lies in the realm of procedure. Accordingly, in […]
Read more "Act of 1986 v. Act of 2019"It is well settled, actions of State with an oblique or indirect object will be attributed to ‘malice in law’. Kalabharati Advertising v. Hemant Vimalnath Narichania, (2010) 9 SCC 437 has summarized as follows: “Where malice is attributed to State, it can never be a case of personal ill will or spite on part of […]
Read more "Legal Malice II"Renusagar Power Co. Ltd. v. General Electric Company, (1984) 4 SCC 679 held, “expressions such as “arising out of” or “in respect of” or “in connection with” or “in relation to” or “in consequence of” or “concerning” or “relating to” the contract are of the widest amplitude and content.” Mansukhlal Dhanraj Jain v. Eknath Vithal […]
Read more "Arising Out Of / Relating To"Hardeep Singh v. State of Punjab, (2014) 3 SCC 92 held, if an interpretation leads to a conclusion that the word used by Legislature is redundant, it should be avoided as the presumption is Legislature has deliberately and consciously used the word for carrying out the purpose of the Act. The legal maxim ‘a verbis […]
Read more "A Verbis Legis Non Est Recedendum"A reading [State of Assam v. Ranga Mahammad, (1967) 1 SCR 454; Jagdish Chander Gupta v. Kajaria Traders (India) Ltd., (1964) 8 SCR 50; Rajasthan State Electricity Board v. Mohan Lal, (1967) 3 SCR 377; CBI v. Braj Bhushan Prasad, (2001) 9 SCC 432; Godfrey Phillips India Ltd. v. State of U.P., (2005) 2 SCC […]
Read more "Civil Sheep & Criminal Wolf"One of the meanings of the expression ‘inconsistent’, as approved by this Court, is: mutually repugnant or contradictory. Constitution itself has used the words ‘inconsistency’ and ‘repugnancy’ interchangeably. Things are inconsistent when they cannot stand together at the same time and one law is inconsistent with another law when the command or power or provision […]
Read more "The Question of Apparent Conflict"It is well settled, an Arbitration Agreement is distinct and separate; independent from the substantive commercial contract in which it is embedded. Autonomy of Arbitration Agreement is based on twin concepts of separability and kompetenz – kompetenz; which, though inter-related, are distinct. Doctrine of Separability of Arbitration Agreement connotes, invalidity, ineffectiveness or termination of the […]
Read more "Referred to Larger Bench XXV: Doctrine of Separability of Arbitration Agreement"The core issue: not to say, consultation should be open ended/indefinite or Govt. must release all information; disclosure of certain information may violate right to privacy of individuals/cause breach of national security/impinge on confidentiality; information may be abridged or even denied for larger public interest; there should be good grounds and justification to withhold information; […]
Read more "Principles of Natural Justice VII / The Revival of Ray LVIII"The disqualification under Section 8 of The Representation of the People Act, 1951 is relatable to Article 191(1)(e). Therefore, any interpretation to Section 8 should be in sync with the constitutional scheme. Once the period of disqualification starts running, the seat, hitherto held by the person disqualified, becomes vacant by virtue of Article 190(3). His […]
Read more "Timing of Votes"Mr. Peter Leaver [Queen’s Counsel], Justice V.K. Gupta [Retd.] and Mr. Anthony Houghton [Senior Counsel] delivered their International Arbitral Award in New Delhi, on 12.05.2014. Majority Award [Mr. Peter Leaver and Mr. Anthony Houghton] was in favor of Anglo American Metallurgical Coal Pty Ltd. and Dissenting Award [Justice V.K. Gupta] dismissed the claim of Anglo […]
Read more "Section 34 of The Arbitration Act IV / Arbitral Award Dissent"The definition of the expression ‘shared household’ in Section 2(s) of The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 uses the familiar legislative formula of a “means and includes” definition; where the definition of an expression in an enactment adopts a “means and includes” stipulation, it is intended to be exhaustive; the ‘means’ part […]
Read more "A “Means and Includes” Definition VI"Samir Agarwal sought, by an information filed, CCI to initiate an inquiry, under Section 26(2) of The Competition Act, 2002, into the alleged anti-competitive conduct of Ola and Uber. Shri Rajshekhar Rao, appearing on behalf of Ola, submitted, Samir cannot be said to be a ‘person aggrieved’ for the purpose of sections 53B and 53T. […]
Read more "Section 53 of The Competition Act / Aggrieved Person II / The Revival of Ray LVII"Section 2(b) of The Lotteries (Regulation) Act, 1998 defines, ‘lottery’ means a scheme, in whatever form and by whatever name called, for distribution of prizes by lot or chance to those persons participating in chances of a prize by purchasing tickets. State of Bombay v. R.M.D. Chamarbaugwala, AIR 1957 SC 699 had occasion to consider […]
Read more "Taxing Lottery I"See, Frame v. Smith, [1987] 2 SCR 99. Hospital Products Ltd. v. United States Surgical Corporation Ltd., (1984) 156 CLR 41 rightly observed, the scope of fiduciary duties is moulded according to the nature of the relationship and facts of the case. Principles of Fiduciary Relationships are equitable. Equity never operates in an absolute manner […]
Read more "Principles of Fiduciary Relationships"It is not always affordable to approach a Court of Law. Even if approached, it may be years before a final decision. Imtiyaz Ahmad v. State of Uttar Pradesh, (2012) 2 SCC 688 had a simple answer: “Pendency is merely a localized problem… it affects some High Courts far more than others.” Imtiyaz Ahmed v. […]
Read more "The Persistent Illusion of Judge-Strength"The words ‘any other sufficient reason’ appearing in Order 47, Rule 1 of The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 must mean a reason sufficient on grounds at least analogous to those specified in Order 47, Rule 1 as was held in Chhajju Ram v. Neki, AIR 1922 PC 112 and approved by this Court in […]
Read more "Any Other Sufficient Reason"There is a body of case law which clarifies, sans a statutory duty, a positive direction to do something, in a specific manner, cannot be given. It must be shown, there is a statute which imposes a legal duty and the aggrieved party has a legal right under the statute to enforce its performance. – […]
Read more "The Nature of Judicial Power: Hon’ble Justice S. Ravindra Bhat"
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