Public Interest Litigation – Continuation after Petitioner’s Death – Examined the procedural validity of continuing a PIL after the death of the sole petitioner – Court emphasized that laws of procedure should not obstruct substantial justice – Suggested practical steps for continuing PILs, including allowing applications from public-spirited individuals or suo moto cognizance by the court [Paras 10-24].

Land Allotment – Change of Use – Addressed the legality of a land allotment to the appellant, initially intended for a school but used for a women’s hostel – Emphasized that the use for a hostel for working women and students served a public or semi-public purpose, aligning with the charitable objectives of the trust – Highlighted the financial transparency and social utility of the appellant’s activities [Paras 26-37].

Judgment: Appeal allowed – High Court’s order quashing the allotment set aside – Recognized the appellant’s use of the land for a women’s hostel as serving a legitimate public purpose – Directed parties to bear their own costs [Paras 37].

Motor Vehicles Act – Compensation Calculation – Appellants challenged the reduction of compensation by the High Court – High Court had applied a split multiplier and did not account for future prospects – Supreme Court held that future prospects must be considered based on concrete evidence and rejected the High Court’s method of applying a split multiplier [Paras 3-15].

Future Prospects – Addition to Income – The Supreme Court emphasized the need to consider future prospects where there is clear evidence of expected salary increments – Referred to the Sarla Verma judgment to standardize addition to income for future prospects but recognized exceptions in cases with concrete evidence of future increments [Paras 8-10].

Calculation Methodology – Correct Multiplier – Rejected the split multiplier method adopted by the High Court – Confirmed the Tribunal’s use of a multiplier of 11, appropriate for the age of the deceased as per the II Schedule of the Motor Vehicles Act [Paras 14-15].

Decision: Appeals allowed – High Court’s judgment set aside – Compensation re-calculated considering future prospects and correct multiplier – Total compensation awarded: Rs. 18,00,000/- with interest as granted by the Tribunal [Paras 16-18].

Motor Accident Claim – Delay in FIR – Not Fatal

Appellant, an eight-year-old child, sustained severe injuries in a road accident involving a truck. Despite a delayed FIR, the court held that the delay was justified due to the circumstances. The primary concern was the immediate medical treatment of the injured child. The court underscored that delay in lodging an FIR should not result in dismissal of a claim if satisfactory reasons are provided [Paras 1-21].

Witness Testimony and Consistent Stand

The consistent testimony of the victim’s father, supported by the admission of the truck’s owner regarding the accident, was deemed credible. The court emphasized the need to consider the mental agony and priorities of the victim's family in delaying the FIR [Paras 22-23].

Permanent Disability and Compensation Assessment

Appellant’s injuries resulted in a permanent disability of 50%, severely impacting his quality of life, including urinary incontinence. The court awarded compensation considering the severity and permanency of the injuries. A sum of Rs. 2,50,000 was awarded, along with interest, to be paid jointly and severally by the respondents [Paras 24-28].

Decision: Appeal Allowed

The court set aside the orders of the MACT and the High Court, awarding compensation to the appellant. The court also allowed for the reimbursement of legal costs [Para 28].

Higher Education – Eligibility Criteria – State vs. AICTE Standards

The Supreme Court examined whether the eligibility criteria for engineering admissions set by the State Government/University could be more stringent than those prescribed by the AICTE. It was held that states and universities are entitled to set higher standards to maintain educational excellence, provided they do not adversely affect the standards set by the central body, AICTE [Paras 1-10].

Unfilled Seats – Not a Basis for Lowering Standards

The court clarified that unfilled seats in engineering courses do not justify lowering the eligibility criteria to meet AICTE's minimum standards. The focus should be on maintaining educational quality rather than merely filling seats. The existing state/university regulations on eligibility criteria continue to apply unless revised by the concerned authorities [Paras 11-13].

Judicial Review – Academic Standards

Determining academic standards is primarily within the domain of educational authorities and is beyond judicial review unless such standards are arbitrary or adversely affect those set by the central body. The court upheld the validity of higher eligibility criteria set by the state/university for maintaining educational excellence [Para 13].

Decision- Appeals Allowed- The orders of the Division Bench, which allowed admissions based on AICTE norms despite non-compliance with state/university standards, were set aside. However, considering the advanced stage of the respondents' education, the court regularized their admissions for the sake of justice, allowing them to complete their courses and take the examinations [Paras 14].

Medical Education – Eligibility Criteria – MCI vs. State Rules- The Supreme Court examined the conflict between the eligibility criteria for MBBS admissions prescribed by the MCI Regulations and the State Rules 2008. It held that the MCI Regulations prevail over the State Rules, and admissions made under the latter cannot be upheld if they do not conform to the former [Paras 9-11].

Discharge of Students – Fault of Rule-Making Authority- While upholding the MCI's statutory regulations, the court recognized that the admissions of the appellants were due to the fault of the rule-making authority (State Government) rather than the students themselves. Consequently, the court exercised its powers under Article 142 to do complete justice by not disturbing the appellants' admissions [Paras 12-14].

Power under Article 142- The court emphasized its constitutional power under Article 142 to pass orders necessary for doing complete justice, considering the facts and circumstances of each case. This power can override statutory provisions if needed to ensure fairness and justice [Paras 12-13].

Decision: Appeal Disposed- The court allowed the appeals, directed that the admissions of the appellants to the MBBS course for the academic year 2008-2009 would not be disturbed, and clarified that this decision should not be treated as a precedent. The appeal was disposed of with no order as to costs [Para 14].

FERA Prosecution – Effect of Adjudication Exoneration- The Supreme Court considered whether the exoneration of the appellant in the adjudication proceedings under Section 51 of FERA prevents his prosecution under Section 56 of FERA. It was held that while adjudication proceedings and criminal prosecution can run concurrently, the exoneration in the adjudication proceedings on merits impacts the continuation of the criminal prosecution [Paras 16-24].

Standards of Proof – Adjudication vs. Prosecution- The court emphasized that the standard of proof in adjudication proceedings is lower than that required in criminal prosecution. Therefore, if an individual is exonerated on merits in adjudication, it becomes unjust to continue with criminal prosecution on the same facts [Para 17].

Article 142 – Complete Justice- The court invoked its powers under Article 142 to quash the criminal proceedings, stating that the continued prosecution would be an abuse of process since the appellant had already been exonerated in the adjudication proceedings [Para 23].

Decision: Appeal Allowed- The appeal was allowed, and the criminal prosecution against the appellant was quashed. The court directed that the criminal proceedings pending before the Metropolitan Magistrate be terminated, and no further action be taken against the appellant based on the same facts [Para 24].

Employment Law – Promotion Criteria – Appeal involving the interpretation of promotion criteria under the BCR Scheme for employees of the Department of Telecommunications – High Court upheld Tribunal’s decision to promote employees based on seniority in the basic grade – Supreme Court set aside High Court and Tribunal orders, ruling that promotions should be as per seniority in Grade-III, not basic grade [Paras 1-18].

Basic Grade Seniority – Applicability – Tribunal directed promotions based on basic grade seniority without considering supernumerary posts created for employees promoted under a different interpretation of the BCR Scheme – Supreme Court held that promotions to Grade-IV should consider seniority in Grade-III post, rejecting the blanket application of basic grade seniority for promotions [Paras 11-15].

Extension of Tribunal Orders – Non-Petitioners – Supreme Court emphasized that benefits of Tribunal’s orders should not extend to non-petitioners unless explicitly directed – Referred to the principle in K.I. Shephard case, stating non-petitioners should not automatically benefit from judgments favoring petitioners unless specified [Paras 12-14].

Decision: Appeals allowed – High Court and Tribunal orders set aside – Tribunal’s directions for promotion based on basic grade seniority rejected – Promotions to be conducted as per revised government instructions from 13.12.1995, considering seniority in Grade-III [Paras 18].

Excise Law – MODVAT/Cenvat Credit – Appellant, a PSU, challenged the reversal of credit on inputs written off as per financial standards – Adjudicating authority rejected the appellant's argument, leading to the appeal – Tribunal’s refusal to grant clearance contrasted with another PSU’s similar case receiving clearance – Supreme Court considered inconsistencies in the Committee on Disputes (CoD) mechanism [Paras 1-4].

Administered Pricing Mechanism – Excise Valuation – Appellant's valuation method for excisable goods sold at Company Owned and Operated Outlets challenged – Tribunal allowed appellant's method, Department appealed – CoD’s refusal to grant clearance led to appeal [Paras 4-5].

Dispute Resolution Mechanism – CoD Mechanism Revisited – Supreme Court found that CoD mechanism, established by prior orders, had led to delays and inconsistencies – Orders pertaining to the CoD mechanism were recalled as they outlived their utility and failed to achieve intended results efficiently [Paras 6-10].

Decision: Appeals allowed – Orders establishing CoD mechanism recalled – Tribunal’s orders inconsistent and leading to delayed justice were highlighted – Legal proceedings involving PSUs no longer require CoD clearance [Paras 11].

Motor Vehicles Act – Compensation Calculation – Appeal against the reduction of compensation awarded by MACT – High Court reduced multiplier applied by MACT from 16 to 5 – Supreme Court reinstated MACT’s award, emphasizing the correct application of the multiplier method in accordance with Sarla Verma guidelines [Paras 1-26].

Multiplier Method – Dependency Calculation – Supreme Court criticized the High Court’s technical approach in calculating the multiplier based solely on the mother’s age, disregarding other dependents and the deceased’s age – Emphasized the need to follow the multiplier table as per Sarla Verma, considering the deceased’s age [Paras 20-23].

Legal Representatives – Inclusion of Dependents – High Court incorrectly excluded other dependents by focusing on the mother as the sole legal representative – Supreme Court included all dependents in the compensation calculation [Para 21].

Decision: Appeal allowed – High Court’s judgment set aside – MACT’s award restored – Compensation calculated using a multiplier of 16 based on the deceased’s age, following Sarla Verma guidelines [Paras 24-26].