G S SINGHVI

The husband of Minu Rout, a 35‑year‑old car driver, died in a head‑on collision with a truck. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACA) held that both drivers were equally negligent and reduced the loss‑of‑dependency compensation by 50% on the basis of alleged contributory negligence by the deceased, awarding Rs.2,00,0…

The appellant complained to the Lokayukta that three government officials had caused a loss of Rs.4 crore to the State of Madhya Pradesh by purchasing land at inflated prices. The Lokayukta police investigated, exonerated the officials and filed a closure report under Section 169 of the Cr.P.C. before the Special Judge…

Ram Chandra, a cleaner injured in a motor accident while employed, claimed compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act. The insurer, United India Insurance Co., argued that liability was limited to the Workmen's Compensation Act and that any excess should be borne by the vehicle owner. The Supreme Court examined the stat…

The appellants, permit‑holders of tourist buses, were fined for loading luggage on the roof of their vehicles and challenged the fines on the ground that Rule 128(9) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 does not expressly forbid such carriage and that the restriction violates their Article 19(1)(g) right to trade.…

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) sought compensation for land acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, while the original landowners had filed claims for Rs.4,000 per square yard. During the proceedings the landowners executed assignment deeds transferring their compensation rights to assignees (S.S. Aggarwa…

The Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam, a state corporation, had two categories of engineers—those transferred from the former Local Self‑Government Engineering Department and those directly recruited. While the State amended its fundamental rules to raise the superannuation age from 58 to 60 years for government servants, the Ni…

Veer Pal Singh, an Army signalman, was discharged after the Invalidating Medical Board diagnosed him with "Schizophrenic Reaction" and denied his claim for disability pension on the ground that the condition was not attributable to military service. He challenged the discharge and pension denial through successive writ…

The Commissioner of Police, Delhi, cancelled the candidature of two applicants, Mehar Singh and Shani Kumar, for the post of constable after a Screening Committee found them unsuitable despite their acquittal in criminal cases involving serious offences and moral turpitude. Both candidates had disclosed their involveme…

The appellant, a primary school teacher, was dismissed in 2004 under Section 24 of the Gujarat Primary Education Act for alleged absenteeism and misconduct. She suffered a 40‑70% mental disability at the time of dismissal and filed a complaint under Section 62 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Prot…

The claimants, the wife, children and mother of Joy Kuruvila, who died in a road accident while employed in the US, filed a claim for compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, seeking a sum in Indian rupees. The key issues were the appropriate date for fixing the foreign exchange rate to convert the deceased's U…

The Association for Environment Protection challenged the construction of a restaurant on reclaimed land along the Periyar River in Aluva, Kerala, arguing that the project violated environmental safeguards. The State Government had sanctioned the project without referring it to the Environmental Planning and Coordinati…

The Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC) sought review of a Supreme Court judgment that fixed compensation for land acquired for an industrial township, alleging that the market value was based on a fraudulent sale deed (Exhibit P1) between two companies allegedly under common management and that th…

The Village Panchayat of Calangute revoked an occupancy certificate and permission for a construction by Kay Jay Constructions after complaints that the building blocked a water well and chapel. The Sarpanch issued a notice under Section 64 of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act to stop further construction. The Additional Direc…

The appellants, owners of a stud farm and agricultural land, challenged the re‑acquisition of their 52.74 acres by the State of Haryana, arguing that the land had already been released and that the State’s decision to re‑acquire it violated Sections 5‑A and 6(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and the constitutional …

The deceased Surender Kumar, a 29‑year‑old villager, was fatally injured when a tempo (HR‑34‑8010) struck him. His widow and three minor children filed a claim petition under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal and the High Court rejected the claim because the FIR did not rec…

The Supreme Court examined the allocation of 2G spectrum licences by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) between September 2007 and March 2008, which were based on Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommendations to use the 2001 entry fee and a first‑come‑first‑served policy. Petitioners argued that …

The Bangalore City Cooperative Housing Society sought acquisition of 207 acres of land for a housing scheme, entering into an agreement with the State Government and an estate agent who was paid over Rs 5 crores to secure the acquisition. The High Court quashed the acquisition, holding that no housing scheme had been f…

The appellant, owner of two plots of land, challenged the acquisition of his land under the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Act, 1966, alleging that the land lay outside the Framework Agreement and that the acquisition was invalid because no award was made within two years as required by Section 11A of the Land …

Vimal Kumar Surana, who had passed the Chartered Accountant examination but was not a member of the Institute, impersonated a chartered accountant, prepared audit reports and forged the Institute's seal before tax authorities. The Institute filed a criminal complaint alleging offences under the Chartered Accountants Ac…

Dr. Grace Jain, a government-employed doctor, died in a motor vehicle accident. Her daughter Rekha Jain and husband T.A. Sebastian claimed compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal awarded Rs.10,62,000 with interest, using a monthly income of Rs.12,000, a one‑third deduction f…

Rekha Jain, a 24‑year‑old film actress, was injured in a road accident caused by a negligent truck driver, sustaining grievous facial injuries and 30% permanent physical disability. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) awarded her total compensation of Rs.23,51,726, including Rs.17,51,726 as pecuniary damages for …

The State of Maharashtra acquired agricultural land for the purpose of establishing an industrial estate under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The Special Land Acquisition Officer initially awarded compensation of Rs 50,000 per hectare, which the landowners challenged. The reference court, on a petition under Section 3…

The appellants, owners of small parcels of land acquired by the Tamil Nadu Government for a housing project, challenged the compensation fixed by the Reference Court after the Madras High Court reduced the market value by applying a 40% deduction for development charges and a further 20% deduction for the small size of…

The Supreme Court heard a public‑interest writ petition seeking the cancellation of a mining lease and a ban on mining within one kilometre of the 16th‑century Jambunatha Temple, a protected monument in Karnataka. The petition challenged mining activities that were alleged to have caused structural damage to the temple…

Retired police inspector N. Sengodan issued a press statement urging the formation of a police association. The State of Tamil Nadu declared him a "goonda" and detained him under Section 3(2) of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1982, also filing criminal charges under the Police (Incitement to Dis…

The Supreme Court examined whether industrial/commercial electricity users could file complaints before a Consumer Forum against assessment orders under Section 126 of the Electricity Act, 2003 or actions under Sections 135‑140 of the same Act. The petitioners (U.P. Power Corporation Ltd. and others) argued that such p…

The petitioners, including Essar Teleholdings Ltd., challenged the Delhi High Court's administrative order and the NCT of Delhi's notification appointing a Special Judge to try the 2G spectrum case, arguing that the Special Judge lacked jurisdiction to try IPC offences (420/120‑B) arising from the same transaction. The…

The case involved a Rs 65 crore investment in CANCIGO units of Canbank Mutual Fund (CMF) by four subscribers, where B. Raghuvir Acharya (Trustee/General Manager) and Hiten P. Dalal (approved broker) were alleged to have obtained a false brokerage of Rs 32.5 lakhs. The Special Court convicted Acharya and Dalal, but acqu…

The appellant, Neerupam Mohan Mathur, lost his right hand in a bus‑truck collision caused by the negligent driver of a chartered bus. He claimed compensation under Section 110‑A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs.3,20,000. The Punjab & Haryana High Court enhanced the awar…

The appellant's 3.54 acres of agricultural land were acquired for a reservoir project, and the Collector initially paid Rs.6,513.60 based on a market rate of Rs.16 per decimal. The Reference Court later fixed a higher compensation of Rs.250 per decimal and awarded Rs.10,000 for damage to standing crops, relying on two …

A partition suit filed in 1999 was compromised in 2001 and the decree was presented for registration in 2007. The trial court directed the Additional District Sub‑Registrar, Siliguri to register the partition deed based on the stamp duty calculated from the suit valuation of Rs.50 lakh. The registrar objected, stating …

Mahendra Nath Das was convicted of two murders, one of which attracted a death sentence that was confirmed by the High Court and the Supreme Court. He filed a mercy petition under Article 72 of the Constitution seeking commutation to life imprisonment, but the petition was rejected after a twelve‑year delay. The appell…

The Shrirampur Municipal Council had reserved parcels of land for public purposes under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966, but failed to acquire them within the statutory period. The landowners served purchase notices under Section 127 of the Act, after which the Council passed resolutions and sent l…

Oswal Fats and Oils Ltd, a company, applied for permission under the Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950 to purchase more than the permitted 12.5 acres but bought 40.45 acres without approval. The Collector ordered that only 12.5 acres could be retained and the excess 27.95 acres vested in the …