Criminal Law – Conviction for Murder – Appeal against conviction under Sections 302 read with 34 IPC and 324 read with 34 IPC – Accused involved in a dispute over a pathway leading to the murder of Ramachandra Lagad – Conviction based on the testimony of the injured eyewitness (P.W. 4) and corroborated by medical evidence – Supreme Court upheld the conviction, emphasizing consistency and credibility of eyewitness testimony supported by medical evidence [Paras 1-34].

Evidence – Eyewitness Testimony – Sole testimony of an injured eyewitness (P.W. 4) sufficient for conviction – Discrepancies in minor details do not discredit the core narrative – Testimony supported by another eyewitness (P.W. 5) and medical evidence, including postmortem and injury reports [Paras 16-22].

Evidence – Forensic Evidence – Presence of human blood on the accused’s clothes not satisfactorily explained – Supported by chemical analysis reports – Rejection of the defense's contention regarding lack of supporting expert evidence [Paras 29-30].

Decision – Appeal Dismissed – Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, confirming the conviction and life sentence imposed by the lower courts – Emphasized the role of corroborative evidence and the lack of any substantial ground for interference [Paras 34].

Arbitration – Jurisdiction Clause – Appeal concerning the interpretation of a jurisdiction clause in a consignment agency agreement – Clause 18 stating “The Agreement shall be subject to jurisdiction of the courts at Kolkata” – Supreme Court held that such a clause, even without words like 'alone,' 'only,' 'exclusive,' indicates an intention to confer exclusive jurisdiction to the courts at Kolkata – Rajasthan High Court's jurisdiction ousted [Paras 1-34].

Contract Law – Ouster Clauses – The use of a jurisdiction clause in a contract implies the exclusion of all other jurisdictions – The maxim "expressio unius est exclusio alterius" (expression of one is the exclusion of another) applies, indicating the clear intention of the parties to restrict jurisdiction to the specified courts – Supported by previous decisions of the Supreme Court [Paras 31-32, 61-62].

Decision – Appeal Dismissed – Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, confirming that the Calcutta High Court has exclusive jurisdiction – The appellant directed to pursue remedies under Section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996 in the Calcutta High Court [Paras 33-34, 63].

Armed Forces – Disability Pension – Appeal against the rejection of disability pension and denial of the constitution of a Review Medical Board – Appellant diagnosed with Schizophrenic Reaction after enrolment in the Army – Tribunal’s reliance on the Medical Board’s opinion without detailed examination found unsustainable – Supreme Court emphasized the necessity for a thorough review and proper assessment of medical conditions for entitlement to disability pension [Paras 1-20].

Medical Evidence – Judicial Review – Courts can review the decisions based on expert opinions and are not bound to accept them unquestioningly – Tribunal failed to evaluate the evidence properly and overlooked the improvement in appellant’s condition with treatment – Supreme Court highlighted that judicial review is necessary to ensure the fairness and correctness of medical assessments in such cases [Paras 11-17].

Decision – Appeal Allowed – Supreme Court allowed the appeal, setting aside the Tribunal's orders – Directed the respondents to refer the case to a Review Medical Board for reassessment of the appellant's medical condition and determination of his entitlement to disability pension [Paras 19-20].

Property Law – Partition – Appeal against the High Court’s modification of the Trial Court’s decree – Plaintiffs sought partition of three properties, claiming 4/5th share – Trial Court held all three properties as joint family properties, decreeing partition – High Court reversed this, declaring only the third property as joint family property – Supreme Court restored the Trial Court’s decision, emphasizing the significance of an admission under Section 17 of the Evidence Act [Paras 1-41].

Evidence – Admission under Section 17 – Importance of admission in evidence law – Letter (Ex.A-17) by the first respondent admitting the suit properties were purchased in his name but not his exclusive properties – Supreme Court held that this constituted a substantial piece of evidence supporting the plaintiffs' claim – High Court’s omission to consider this evidence amounted to a misreading of the evidence [Paras 23-29, 39].

Gift – Legal Principles under Section 122 of the Transfer of Property Act – First respondent’s claim that the first property was a gift from his father – No evidence of a valid gift deed or acceptance – Supreme Court emphasized the need for explicit evidence to support claims of gift – Lack of evidence led to rejection of the gift claim, supporting the Trial Court’s findings [Paras 33-37, 40].

Decision – Appeal Allowed – Supreme Court allowed the appeal, setting aside the High Court’s judgment – Restored the Trial Court’s decree, confirming all three properties as joint family properties subject to partition [Para 41].

Employment Law – Dismissal of Disabled Employee – Appeal against High Court's affirmation of the teacher’s dismissal during her mental illness – Appellant dismissed for absenteeism without consideration of her mental disability – Supreme Court held dismissal violated Section 47(1) of the Disabilities Act – Directed reinstatement and compliance with the Act [Paras 1-25].

Persons with Disabilities Act – Section 47 – Prohibition on dismissal or reduction in rank of an employee acquiring disability during service – Supreme Court emphasized mandatory compliance with Section 47 – Declared the order of dismissal void and directed reinstatement with regular salary and arrears [Paras 14, 24-25].

Commissioner’s Jurisdiction – Section 62 of Disabilities Act – Commissioner empowered to address complaints regarding deprivation of rights of persons with disabilities – Supreme Court affirmed Commissioner’s authority to set aside the dismissal order and direct reinstatement – High Court’s failure to address this jurisdictional issue led to reversal of its judgment [Paras 16, 18].

Decision – Appeal Allowed – Supreme Court allowed the appeal, set aside the High Court's order, and reinstated the appellant with immediate effect – Directed payment of regular salary from 1.2.2008 and arrears within three months, failing which interest at 6% per annum will apply [Paras 24-25].

Recruitment – Criminal Antecedents – Suitability for Police Service:

Candidates provisionally selected for Delhi Police constable positions, who were previously involved in criminal cases, had their appointments cancelled by the Screening Committee. The cancellation was upheld by the Supreme Court, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the integrity and discipline of the police force. Acquittals based on compromise or benefit of doubt were not deemed sufficient for suitability [Paras 1-88].

Acquittal – Nature and Implications:

Acquittals resulting from compromises or witness hostility were scrutinized. The court distinguished between honourable acquittals and those due to procedural flaws or technicalities. The Screening Committee was found justified in cancelling appointments if acquittals did not reflect a clean exoneration [Paras 22-23].

Policy Implementation – Screening Committee's Role:

The Delhi Police's policy, under Standing Order No. 398/2010, mandated a Screening Committee to assess the suitability of candidates with criminal antecedents. The Supreme Court supported the Committee's discretion in maintaining high standards for recruitment, underscoring the necessity of impeccable character for police personnel [Paras 18-19].

Decision:

The appeals by the Commissioner of Police, New Delhi were allowed. The orders of the Delhi High Court, which had set aside the cancellations, were reversed. The Screening Committee's decision to cancel the respondents' candidatures was upheld, affirming the importance of integrity in police recruitment [Paras 31].

Service Law – Retirement Age – Differential Treatment:

The Supreme Court addressed the legality of the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam’s regulations that set different retirement ages for employees transferred from the Local Self Government Engineering Department (60 years) and those directly recruited by the Nigam (58 years). The court upheld the High Court's decision, declaring the regulations unconstitutional for creating unjustifiable distinctions among similarly situated employees [Paras 1-88].

Regulations – Amendment and Consistency:

The court emphasized that changes to service regulations must be made with proper amendments and approvals. The Jal Nigam's failure to amend Regulation 31 when framing the 2005 Regulations was noted as a procedural lapse. The State's directive to uniformly reduce the retirement age to 58 years was found inconsistent with statutory provisions [Paras 9-11, 21-29].

Equality – Article 14 of the Constitution:

The court held that treating employees differently based on their source of recruitment without intelligible differentia violates Article 14. The decision reinforced that post-appointment, all employees should be governed uniformly regarding service conditions including retirement age [Paras 22-24].

Consequential Benefits:

The court directed that employees who approached the court before their retirement are entitled to full salary and benefits up to the age of 60 years. Those who did not seek legal recourse but were retired at 58 years would have their retirement benefits recalculated assuming a retirement age of 60 years, without arrears of salary [Paras 34-38].

Decision:

The appeals by the State of Uttar Pradesh were disposed of, affirming the High Court's judgment that declared the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam Employees (Retirement on Superannuation) Regulations, 2005 unconstitutional. The employees' retirement age was uniformly set at 60 years with specified consequential benefits [Paras 30-39].

Motor Vehicles Act – Compensation – Foreign Income Conversion:

In a motor accident case, the Supreme Court held that the foreign currency income of a deceased should be converted to Indian Rupees based on the exchange rate prevailing at the time of filing the claim petition, not at the time of determination. This principle ensures fairness and consistency in compensation calculations​​.

Negligence – Contributory Negligence – Evidence Assessment:

The court found that the Tribunal and the High Court erred in attributing contributory negligence to the deceased based on presumptive evidence. Direct evidence from an independent eyewitness and police reports clearly indicated that the accident was solely due to the bus driver’s rash and negligent driving​​.

Compensation – Just and Proper Award:

The Supreme Court recalculated the compensation by applying the correct multiplier based on the deceased's age and adjusted for personal expenses. The recalculated total compensation awarded was Rs. 57,49,500 with 12% interest from the date of filing the claim petition until realization​​.

Decision:

The appeals were allowed in part, modifying the High Court's judgment and the Tribunal's award. The recalculated compensation, with interest, was ordered to be paid within three months, adjusting any amounts already paid to the claimants​​.

Armed Forces – Disability Pension – Attributability and Aggravation:

The Supreme Court addressed whether a member of the armed forces could be presumed to have been in sound physical and mental condition upon entering service in the absence of any recorded disabilities or diseases. The court also examined if the appellant was entitled to disability pension for a disease (generalised seizure) that arose during his service​​.

Presumption of Sound Health – Rule 5 of Entitlement Rules:

The court upheld the presumption that a member of the armed forces is considered to have been in sound health upon entry unless a pre-existing condition was noted at the time. Any subsequent health deterioration is presumed to be due to service​​.

Onus of Proof – Rule 9 of Entitlement Rules:

The claimant is not required to prove the conditions of entitlement to disability pension. The benefit of any reasonable doubt is to be given more liberally to the claimant, particularly in cases of field/afloat service​​.

Medical Board's Opinion – Requirement for Reasoning:

The court held that the Medical Board must provide reasons if it concludes that a disease could not have been detected during the initial medical examination upon entry into service. The Medical Board's opinion must be supported by a comprehensive analysis considering all relevant service conditions and medical history​​.

Decision:

The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, set aside the judgment of the Division Bench of the High Court, and restored the order of the Single Judge. The respondents were directed to grant the appellant disability pension from the date of his invalidation from service, along with arrears and interest as specified by the Single Judge​​.