Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 - Section 13 - Divorce on Grounds of Cruelty and Desertion - Held, husband's sweeping allegations of cruelty were unsubstantiated and negated by his own witnesses. Allegations of attempted suicide by wife also not proven. Evidence showed wife willing to reconcile and husband unwilling to accept her back. Appeal dismissed.

Cruelty - Lack of Evidence - Analysis - Held: Husband's claims of cruelty by wife were broad and unsupported by any convincing evidence. Witnesses presented by husband admitted to no quarrels or misbehavior by wife in their presence, undermining husband's case.

Desertion - Lack of Merit - Analysis - Held: Husband's behavior forced wife to stay away. Wife's petition under Section 9 for restitution showed her willingness to reconcile, but husband was unwilling to accept her back. Panchayat efforts to reconcile also failed due to husband's behavior.

Decision - Appeal Dismissed - Court upheld the trial court's judgment, recognizing the lack of substantive evidence for cruelty and the husband's responsibility for the marital breakdown.

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 - Limitation for Filing Objections - Interpretation of Section 31(5) and Section 3 - Held, limitation period for filing objections to an arbitral award begins from the date the award is received by the party at its place of business, not from the date it is put up before the competent authority within the organization.

Arbitral Award - Commencement of Limitation Period - Analysis - Held: The date of receipt of the arbitral award by the office of the Director, Food & Supplies, marks the commencement of the limitation period for filing objections under Section 34(3). Inter-departmental delays in processing the award do not extend the limitation period.

Decision - Appeal Dismissed - Court upheld the order of the Additional District Judge dismissing the objections as time-barred, emphasizing that the limitation period starts from the date the award is delivered to the party's office.

Sports Policy – Admission to MBBS – Exclusion of International Achievements – Petitioner, a sports person representing India, challenged the issuance of a Sports Gradation Certificate that excluded her international achievements – Court found the Sports Policy dated 10.12.1997 arbitrary for not considering international participation where a sports person represents the country and not a particular State – State directed to issue necessary instructions to address such situations and incorporate them into the policy [Paras 1-9].

Decision – Writ Petition Allowed – Held – Action of Director of Sports Punjab in excluding international achievements quashed – State directed to amend policy to account for international achievements –Petitioner's achievements to be recognized for sports quota admissions [Paras 9].

Arbitration Law - Delivery of Arbitral Award - Section 31(5) - Appellant's objections under Section 34 dismissed as time-barred - Objection based on non-receipt of the award due to incorrect address used by arbitrator - Court held that Section 31(5) mandates delivery of signed copy of the award to each party - Non-delivery constitutes non-compliance - Case remanded to District Court to decide objections on merits. [Paras 7, 8]

Limitation - Calculation for Filing Objections - Supreme Court precedent establishes that limitation period for objections begins from the date the award is delivered to the party - District Judge erred by not considering non-delivery - Appeal allowed, order of Additional District Judge set aside, case remanded for fresh decision on merits. [Para 8]

Decision - Remand for Fresh Decision - Appeal allowed - Case remanded to District Court to decide objections afresh on merits, considering the non-delivery of the award. [Para 9]

Village Common Lands – Conflict between Evacuee Property Act and Punjab Village Common Lands Act – Provisions of 1961 Act prevail over the 1950 Act – Shamilat Deh land vested in Gram Panchayat, not Custodian – 1995 Amendment protects allotments made prior to 9th July 1985 – Allotment in favor of deceased Assa Singh statutorily protected despite subsequent challenges [Paras 1-12].

Evacuee Property – Jurisdiction of Civil Courts – Bar under Section 46 of the Administration of Evacuee Property Act – Civil Court found to lack jurisdiction – Appeal against lower court’s decisions dismissed [Paras 4-6].

Decision – Appeal Dismissed – Held – No justification to interfere with lower courts' decisions – Allotment made long before the amendment date remains protected under statutory provisions [Paras 11-12].

East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949 - Interpretation of 'building' and 'basic amenity' - Revision against interim direction to open locked bathroom - Held, bathroom/toilet considered as basic amenity essential for tenant's use notwithstanding its omission from the rent deed.

Basic Amenities - Tenant's Right to Use Bathroom - Analysis - Held: Notwithstanding the omission of the bathroom from the rent deed and the tenant's initial averments, the Rent Controller rightly considered the bathroom as a basic amenity integral to the tenancy. Legal provisions and settled law support the view that essential services like bathroom and toilet cannot be withheld from the tenant by the landlord, even if physically separated from the demised premises.

Decision - Revision Petition Dismissed - Court upheld the Rent Controller's order directing the landlord to open the lock of the bathroom on the 4th floor for the tenant's use, emphasizing the landlord's obligation to provide basic amenities.

Constitutional Law - Protection of Life and Liberty - Petitioners sought protection of their life and liberty due to threats from private respondents after their marriage - Boy not of marriageable age under Section 5(iii) of Hindu Marriage Act - Court held that the primary issue is the fundamental right to life and liberty under Article 21, which must be protected regardless of the validity of the marriage - State directed to provide necessary protection​​.

Family Law - Validity of Marriage - Court refrained from expressing an opinion on the validity of the marriage, focusing instead on the protection of fundamental rights - Noted that under Section 11 of the Hindu Marriage Act, a marriage in contravention of Section 5(iii) is not void but voidable​​.

Decision - Protection Granted - The court directed the Senior Superintendent of Police, SAS Nagar, Mohali, to verify the contents of the petition and the threat perception of the petitioners, and to provide necessary protection if required - Petition disposed of without commenting on the marriage's validity​​.

Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 - Section 13 - Divorce on Grounds of Cruelty - Held, husband's allegations of cruelty by wife unsubstantiated as no specific incidents or dates provided. Evidence showed husband pressured wife for money and subjected her to physical and mental cruelty. Allegations of desertion by wife meritless as she was forced to leave due to husband's adverse conduct. Divorce decree set aside.

Mental Cruelty - Lack of Substantiation - Analysis - Held: Husband's claims of being subjected to mental cruelty by wife were mere unsubstantiated averments. No specific incidents or dates were mentioned. Evidence revealed husband's financial demands from wife's parents and subsequent harassment upon her inability to meet these demands.

Desertion - Lack of Merit - Analysis - Held: Husband's continuous neglect and hostile behavior towards wife led her to take refuge in her parental home. He created adverse circumstances, leaving her no option but to leave with her children. Husband cannot take advantage of his own wrongs to seek dissolution of marriage.

Decision - Divorce Decree Set Aside - Court set aside the impugned judgment and decree of divorce, recognizing the unsubstantiated nature of the husband's allegations and the husband's own culpability in creating the adverse circumstances.

Criminal Law - Cause of Death - Hanging vs. Strangulation - Forensic evidence and medical jurisprudence distinguish hanging from strangulation - Strangulation characterized by horizontal ligature marks, injuries to neck muscles, and ruptured carotid arteries - Post-mortem showed injuries consistent with strangulation, not hanging - Appellant's claim of suicide rejected - Conviction upheld. [Paras 24, 25]

Forensic Evidence - Medical Jurisprudence - Detailed examination necessary to distinguish causes of death - Differences between hanging and strangulation explained - Modi's Medical Jurisprudence cited - Strangulation indicated by protruding tongue, ecchymosis, and lacerated neck tissues - Death classified as homicide. [Paras 24, 25]

Decision - Conviction and Sentence Upheld - Prosecution proved case beyond reasonable doubt - Appellant's defense of suicide contradicted by forensic evidence - Appeal dismissed - Life imprisonment sentence confirmed. [Para 26]