Land Acquisition – Oustees Policy – Discrimination – Appellants' land acquired in 1976 for urban estate development – Government policy entitles oustees to preferential allotment of residential plots if they lack other residential properties – Initial applications made in 1981, with further public notices in 1983 – PUDA allotted a 100 square yard plot at 1997 rates (2700/sq yd) to appellants – High Court directs consideration at 1981 rates (85/sq yd) – Appellants' claim denied by PUDA – Held, entitlement to plot size and rates to be based on 1983 policy – Hostile discrimination against appellants in allotment – Appellants entitled to allotment at rates applied to others in 1985-86. [Paras 1-38]

Judicial Review and Policy Adherence – Analysis – Held – State must adhere to rehabilitation schemes for land-losers – Any deviation subject to judicial review – 1983 policy determined plot size based on acquired land area – 1981 policy clause limiting to 200 square yards redundant when determining eligibility in 1983 – PUDA's application of policies inconsistently and discriminatorily invalid. [Paras 19-33]

Decision – Allowing Appeal – Court sets aside lower court’s dismissal of the claim – Directs PUDA to allot plots at the same rates as allotted to other oustees in 1985-86 – Establishes that public authorities must act reasonably and fairly under Article 14. [Para 43]

Regulation of Private Education Boards – Petitioners challenged the amendment to the Punjab School Education Board Act, 1969, Constitutional Law – Right to Trade and Business – Education – asserting it violated Article 19(1)(g) by creating a monopoly favoring the Punjab School Education Board – Held, Article 19(1)(g) is not an absolute right and reasonable restrictions can be imposed in public interest – Ordinance aimed at preventing abuse in education sector and ensuring quality education – CBSE and ICSE recognized due to statutory backing, unlike the petitioner – No infringement of constitutional rights found – Petition dismissed. [Paras 1-21]

Regulatory Measures and Public Interest – Analysis – Held – Regulation of education standards essential to prevent mushrooming of unrecognized institutions – Ensuring quality education justifies restrictions imposed by the Ordinance – Regulatory measures balanced freedom under Article 19 with public interest controls under Clause (6) of Article 19 – Education’s inclusion in the concurrent list allows state legislation on the subject – Ordinance does not exceed legislative competence. [Paras 12-16]

Decision – Dismissing Writ Petition – Court upholds validity of the Punjab School Education Board (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 – Reasonable restrictions imposed to maintain education standards and prevent misuse – No merit in petitioner’s claim of parity with CBSE and ICSE – Petition dismissed in limine. [Paras 20-21]

Municipal Law – Solid Waste Management – Contract Cancellation – Petitioner No.1, Pollution Control Committee, filed a writ petition to direct the Municipal Corporation for scientific disposal of municipal solid waste and dead animals – Municipal Corporation awarded contract to petitioner No.2 for setting up a solid waste management plant – Lease deed executed but petitioner No.2 failed to obtain necessary clearance from Pollution Control Board – Contract cancelled and lease possession not given – Cancellation challenged on grounds of lack of opportunity for hearing – Held, petitioner No.2 failed to obtain mandatory clearance, rendering the contract cancellation justified – Judicial review of concluded contracts limited unless public law element involved – No merit in challenge to cancellation without possession or proper clearance. [Paras 1-38]

Contractual Obligations – Regulatory Compliance – Analysis – Held – Compliance with Pollution Control Board authorization critical for validity of waste management contracts – Public interest in ensuring environmental safety – Judicial review does not extend to non-statutory contract breaches absent a public law element – Petitioner No.2’s failure to meet basic contractual condition of obtaining clearance justified contract termination – Procedural arguments regarding lack of hearing academic without possession or clearance. [Paras 18, 34, 36]

Decision – Dismissing Writ Petition – Court finds cancellation of contract and lease justified due to non-compliance with regulatory requirements – No merit in procedural arguments – Petition dismissed – Municipal Corporation directed to re-award contract within six months, ensuring compliance with regulatory norms for public safety. [Para 38-39]

Land Acquisition - Determination of Market Value - Appeals - A batch of 226 appeals challenging awards by the Reference Court regarding the market value of land acquired for Jhajjar Thermal Power Plant - Held, Market value must be assessed based on the date of the notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 - Policy dated 06.05.2007 of assessing value on the date of the award, not permissible - Court directed to use the date of notification for calculation - Appeals Allowed in Part, market value reassessed accordingly [Paras 2.1, 3.4, 5.21].

Evidence Admissibility - Analysis - Held, Applications to admit additional evidence allowed - High Court as the first appellate court must reappreciate evidence, ensuring the market value reflects the date of notification under Section 4, not the award date - Discrepancies in Reference Court’s reliance on state policy corrected [Para 5.5].

Decision - Reassessment of Compensation - Court mandates reassessment of market value from the date of notification, rejecting the policy-based approach by the Reference Court - Revised compensation to be determined [Para 5.21].

Criminal Law – Rape of Minor – Conviction under Section 376(2)(f) IPC – Appeal against conviction for raping a 7-year-old girl – Victim's testimony corroborated by medical evidence – Delay in lodging FIR explained due to non-identification of the accused initially – High Court finds testimony of the minor victim credible and consistent with the prosecution’s case – No evidence suggesting false implication – Conviction and 10-year sentence upheld. [Paras 1-26]

Evidence Law – Testimony of Child Witness – Reliability – Victim’s testimony found credible and free from exaggeration – Minor victim’s consistent statements during investigation and trial deemed reliable – High Court emphasizes that child witness testimony should not be rejected unless tutored or unreliable – Court finds no tutoring or unreliability in victim’s statements. [Para 22]

Delay in Lodging FIR – Explanation and Impact – Delay due to victim's inability to initially identify the accused – High Court accepts delay as properly explained – Emphasizes that delay in sexual offence cases can be due to various reasons including family’s hesitation – Delay does not affect credibility of prosecution’s case. [Paras 14, 17]

Decision – Dismissal of Appeal – High Court upholds trial court’s judgment and sentence – Finds no merit in the appeal – Confirms 10-year rigorous imprisonment and fine of Rs. 10,000 under Section 376(2)(f) IPC – Emphasizes statutory minimum punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years. [Para 26]

Civil Procedure – Caveat under Section 148-A CPC – Maintainability – State of West Bengal lodged caveat in execution proceeding to support judgment-debtors' application for stay – Caveat lacked details of application expected to be made and applicant's identity – Held: A caveat can only be lodged to oppose, not support, an application – Caveat filed to aid judgment-debtors was not maintainable [Para 5].

Execution of Decree – Recall of Writ of Possession – Trial court recalled writ of possession based on assumption that requisition notice under Section 3 of Act V of 1947 had been served on decree-holder – No inquiry was made despite decree-holder's denial – Held: Trial court erred in assuming valid service without adjudication – Order recalling writ set aside [Para 6].

Land Acquisition – Possession Claimed by State – State claimed possession of premises under requisition order without proving valid service of notice – In absence of notice to decree-holder, State’s taking of possession held illegal – Decree-holder entitled to execution and khas possession unless lawfully dispossessed [Para 6].

Decision: Rule made absolute – Impugned order recalling writ of delivery of possession set aside – Execution proceedings to continue – No order as to costs.

Tax Law - Right to Appeal Under Section 39 - State's Right to Appeal – The petitioner challenged the Tribunal's decision dismissing their appeal under Section 39(2) of the Haryana General Sales Tax Act, 1973, as not maintainable and the subsequent review application – Court held that Section 39(2) does not limit the right of appeal to any particular person or party and includes the State – The existence of revisionary powers under Section 40 does not negate the right of appeal under Section 39(2) – Right to appeal under Section 39(7) against orders in revision does not preclude appeals under Section 39(2) – Petition allowed, Tribunal's orders set aside, and appeal restored for merit-based disposal. [Paras 5, 7, 8]

Judicial Principles - Interpretation of Appeal and Revision Provisions – The Tribunal erroneously concluded that the appeal was not maintainable by misinterpreting Sections 39 and 40 – Revisionary powers under Section 40(1) are distinct from the right to appeal under Section 39(2) – The Tribunal failed to recognize the State's right to appeal and misread the legislative scheme of the Act. [Paras 6-7]

Procedural Law - Review and Appeal Mechanisms – The Tribunal's denial of the State's appeal and review application was based on a restrictive interpretation of the Act – Court clarified that the appeal and revision are separate remedies and one does not exclude the other – The legislative intent was to provide a comprehensive appeal mechanism under Section 39. [Paras 6-7]

Decision: Petition allowed – Impugned orders of the Tribunal dated 12.08.2005 and 30.11.2007 set aside – Appeal before the Tribunal restored to file and directed to be disposed of on merits. [Para 8]

Personal Injury Compensation - Motor Vehicle Accident - Assessment of compensation for injuries sustained in a road accident - Claimant suffered multiple fractures to the left ankle, underwent surgeries, and incurred medical expenses - Claimant's income assessed based on income tax return prior to the accident - Assessment of permanent physical disability and future loss of earnings - Award for pain and suffering, transportation charges, attendant charges, and loss of amenities of life - Interest awarded from the date after 30 days of injury - Appeals by claimant and insurance company dismissed, as compensation awarded by the Tribunal upheld. [Para 1-23]

Will – Registration – Validity – Whether a will is invalid if signed by the testator and attesting witnesses before an official rather than the Registrar – Court held that although ideally, the signatures should be obtained before the Registrar, the will is not invalidated solely on this ground – Registration of a will is not compulsory, and the execution of the will was otherwise duly proved – Appellate court’s finding that the will was surrounded by suspicious circumstances reversed [Paras 1-23].

Joint Hindu Family Property – Proof – Whether mere joint residence and common ration card prove property is Joint Hindu Family property – Court held that these factors alone are insufficient to establish the property as Joint Hindu Family property – Plaintiff failed to prove the property was ancestral – Appellate court’s findings based on insufficient evidence set aside [Paras 24-32].

Decision – Appeal Allowed – Held – Suit filed by the plaintiff is dismissed – Findings of the appellate court reversed on both substantial questions of law [Paras 33].