Facts:

The appellant was charged with multiple offenses, including the murder of four family members and causing injuries to others. The trial court convicted and sentenced the appellant to death under Section 302 IPC. The case was sent to the High Court for confirmation of the sentence. The appellant appealed against the trial court's decision, and both the Criminal Death Reference and Criminal Appeal were disposed of by the High Court, which confirmed the conviction and sentence.

Issues:

Whether the circumstantial evidence presented in the case was sufficient to establish the guilt of the appellant.

Whether there were any mitigating circumstances that could justify a lesser sentence.

Whether the case fell under the category of "rarest of rare cases" warranting the death penalty.

Held:

The judgment emphasizes that in appeals under Article 136 of the Indian Constitution, the Supreme Court generally does not re-open concurrent findings of fact related to the appreciation of evidence.

The trial court and the High Court found a chain of circumstantial evidence pointing to the guilt of the appellant, including his false statements and actions at the crime scene. The Supreme Court upholds the conviction of the appellant, as there was no good ground to deviate from the concurrent findings of the lower courts regarding the evidence.

The appellant's age at the time of the crime and the absence of evidence suggesting mental abnormalities were considered as factors against mitigating the punishment.

The judgment discusses the principles governing the imposition of the death penalty, including the concept of "rarest of rare cases." It cites precedents that support the death penalty for pre-planned, cold-blooded murders involving extreme cruelty.

The appellant's actions in committing a heinous crime after premeditation and the extreme brutality involved in the murders are emphasized as aggravating circumstances.

The Supreme Court concludes that this case is an exceptional one that warrants the imposition of the maximum penalty, which is the death penalty, considering the shocking and heinous nature of the crime and the danger the appellant poses to society.

Decision: The appellant's appeal is dismissed, and the conviction and sentence passed by the trial court and confirmed by the High Court are upheld.

Facts:

The respondents asserted that they were hereditary trustees of the Sri Sidha Baladev Jew institution in Puri, Odisha, having served as marfatdars (servants) responsible for deity seva-puja for an extended period. They argued that their trusteeship was based on custom and inheritance from their ancestors.

Issues:

Whether the respondents could be recognized as hereditary trustees under the Orissa Hindu Religious Endowments Act.

The applicability of the doctrine of "lost grant" in establishing hereditary trusteeship.

The burden of proof in establishing hereditary trusteeship.

Held:

In the judgment, the following key paragraphs (para) are relevant:

The definition of "hereditary trustee" under the Act was discussed. It requires succession to the office of trustee by hereditary right since the time of the founder, regulated by custom, or specifically provided for by the founder. The claimants must demonstrate this lineage.

The Court emphasized that merely being in charge of the administration of the deity, even as a trustee, does not automatically confer hereditary trusteeship. The focus should be on whether respondents met the Act's criteria for hereditary trustees.

The Court rejected the High Court's application of the "lost grant" doctrine, as it cannot be presumed in favor of persons claiming trusteeship in succession.

The Court held that the respondents failed to produce sufficient evidence to establish their claim as hereditary trustees under the Act.

The Supreme Court set aside the High Court's order and restored the Assistant Commissioner's decision, which had rejected the respondents' claim.

Facts:

Dispute arose from a contract between Kamal Pushp Enterprises (the appellant) and D.R. Construction Company (the respondent).

Appellant initiated arbitration proceedings, and an arbitrator was appointed.

Appellant objected based on Section 69 of the Partnership Act, claiming that unregistered firms couldn't enforce rights arising from contracts.

The primary issue was whether Section 69 applied to arbitration proceedings, especially when initiated by the appellant, an unregistered firm.

Issues:

Whether Section 69 of the Partnership Act, which pertains to the registration of partnership firms, applies to arbitration proceedings.

Whether Section 69 affects the jurisdiction of the arbitrator.

Whether post-arbitration proceedings, like the enforcement of an arbitration award through a court decree, constitute "other proceedings" under Section 69.

Held:

The prohibition in Section 69 of the Partnership Act does not apply to arbitration proceedings. It specifically relates to instituting legal proceedings in court by unregistered firms for enforcing contract-related rights.

Section 69 does not undermine the authority and competency of an arbitrator or the legal efficacy of an arbitration award. It is confined to court proceedings initiated by unregistered firms.

Previous judgments, including Jagdish Chander Gupta vs. Kajaria Traders (India) Ltd., M/s. Raptakos Brett and Co. Ltd. vs. Ganesh Property, and M/s. Haldiram Bhujiawala vs. M/s. Anand Kumar Deepak Kumar, support this interpretation.

The arbitration agreement between the parties was in writing, and the arbitration reference was made with the respondent's consent. Thus, the objection based on Section 69 did not affect the arbitrator's jurisdiction.

Post-arbitration proceedings, such as enforcing an arbitration award through a court decree, do not constitute "other proceedings" under Section 69 of the Partnership Act.

The appeal was dismissed, affirming the decisions of the lower courts, which correctly ruled on the preliminary issue related to the applicability of Section 69. Parties were allowed to raise other objections and contentions in the pending proceedings before the trial court.

Facts:

On 17.12.1993, the appellant was driving a bus of the Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation.

A passenger named Agamma boarded the bus en route at some point.

While the bus was in motion, Agamma fell out of the vehicle, and the bus's rear wheel ran over her, resulting in her death.

Issues:

Whether the appellant, the bus driver, can be held guilty of negligent driving in this accident?

Whether there is sufficient evidence to establish criminal negligence on the part of the driver?

Held:

The court emphasized that various factors could cause a passenger to fall from a moving vehicle, including accidents, passenger negligence, or negligent actions of the driver.

To establish driver liability for negligent driving, there must be evidence that the driver moved the bus suddenly or without receiving a signal from the conductor.

The court rejected the notion that negligence should be presumed in any motor accident. It emphasized that a presumption of negligence can only be drawn when the accident itself suggests driver negligence.

The principle of res ipsa loquitur, a rule of evidence in negligence cases, was discussed. It applies when the accident and circumstances reasonably indicate that negligence caused the accident and that the alleged wrongdoer had control over the situation.

The court defined a rash act as primarily overhasty but can be deliberate if done without due care and caution. It also defined criminal negligence as the failure to exercise duty with proper care and precaution.

The possible explanation for the driver's actions was discussed, suggesting that he may have been unaware of the possibility of the accident when moving the bus forward.

The court concluded that the evidence presented in the case was insufficient to establish criminal negligence on the part of the driver. There was no indication that the driver had moved the bus suddenly or without receiving a signal from the conductor. Therefore, the conviction of the appellant was set aside, and he was acquitted.

Facts:

The case involves four appeals arising from a common order by the High Court. The third respondent in each case is a workman at the appellant's establishment. An agreement was reached between the appellant and the trade unions, mediated by the Additional Labour Commissioner (Conciliation) on 19.10.89, to settle counter disputes.

Issues:

Whether the settlement agreement applies to workmen whose services were terminated before the closure of the factory.

The interpretation of Clauses (7), (10), and (14) of the settlement agreement.

Held:

In a careful examination of the judgment, the following relevant paragraphs are identified:

The judgment discusses the identical nature of the settlement of disputes under the U.P. Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, and the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act'), with the exception of Section 6-B of the U.P. Act.

The Court explains that the settlement reached during conciliation with unions representing the majority of workmen's interests is ordinarily binding on most unions, even for disputes not raised by a specific union but deemed as disputes under Section 2-A of the Act.

The judgment highlights that the workmen in question had been terminated from service long before the issue of factory closure arose. The agreement specifically pertained to the services of seven workmen whose termination had occurred in 1988-89, not others.

The Court examines the three crucial clauses of the agreement - Clause (7), Clause (10), and Clause (14) - and their applicability based on the timing of termination and closure.

The Court concludes that the settlement was meant for cases proximate to the time of the closure and not for cases terminated much earlier. Therefore, both the High Court and the Labour Court were justified in their views.

The appeals were dismissed with no order as to costs.

Facts:

The respondent, Ram Rakhi, claimed financial benefits as the widowed sister of Shri Dalip Chand, a deceased employee.

The appellant, P.S.E.B. and Others, contested the claim, arguing that no family member was dependent on the deceased for these benefits.

The trial court ruled in favor of the respondent, a decision upheld in appeal.

The High Court, in the second appeal, relied on the decision in Jasodhan Devi v. State of Punjab, recognizing widowed sisters as eligible for family pension.

Issues:

Whether the respondent, as a widowed sister, qualified as a member of the family entitled to family pension.

Whether the respondent met the conditions specified in the relevant pension rules to claim family pension and other benefits.

Held:

The Supreme Court held as follows:

The respondent, being a widowed sister, qualified as a member of the family entitled to family pension under the old pension rules, as Shri Dalip Chand had not opted for the new Pension Scheme 1964. The old Punjab Civil Services Rules, which included widowed sisters in the definition of family, applied in this case.

To claim family pension, certain conditions specified in Chapter VI, sub-heading D: 'Family Pensions' had to be met. These conditions included establishing dependency on the deceased employee for support.

The lower courts had not properly considered whether the respondent met these conditions, despite the appellant's defense arguments. Therefore, the Supreme Court set aside the decree related to family pension and remitted the matter to the trial court for a fresh consideration to determine if the respondent was indeed dependent on the deceased employee for pension benefits.

Facts:

The case revolves around the appointment of an Army Commander and the dispute over whether it is a selection post or a post based solely on seniority. The appointment of respondent no. 2 as Army Commander was challenged by respondent no. 1, who claimed to be the senior most eligible officer for the position. The High Court, treating the post as non-selection and to be filled on the basis of seniority, quashed respondent no. 2's appointment. The Division Bench of the High Court upheld this decision, leading to the present appeals.

Issues:

Is the post of Army Commander a selection post or one based purely on seniority?

Did respondent no. 1 fulfill the criteria for appointment as Army Commander, specifically regarding the required one-year experience as a Corps Commander?

Can the selection be restricted to only two candidates when more candidates are eligible for consideration?

What is the relevance of the Annual Confidential Report in promotion decisions?

Held:

The post of Army Commander is held to be a selection post, involving a comparative assessment of officers, although not completely disregarding seniority.

The government had prescribed a requirement of one-year experience as a Corps Commander for appointment as an Army Commander. Respondent no. 1 did not meet this requirement, as he had only served for five months and seven days. A waiver was granted by the government for six months, but it still left him short of the required experience.

The contention that promotion choices cannot be restricted to only two candidates when more candidates are eligible is deemed incorrect, as no other eligible candidates apart from respondent no. 1 raised a complaint.

While the Annual Confidential Report is a factor to be considered in promotions, it is not the sole determining factor. The reliance on this report is not justified since selection involves a comparative assessment of officers.

FACTS:

The Society initially applied for the sanction of a layout plan, which was erroneously stated to contain 108 plots instead of 98 plots.

Irregular boundaries in the layout plan led to the prohibition of building activities on specific plots.

Negotiations with the Central Road Research Institute resulted in boundary adjustments, creating 11 additional plots.

A revised layout plan with the additional plots was sanctioned, but building activities were still restricted on certain plots.

Conditional agreements were entered into for the sale of these additional plots.

The appellant's mother accepted these conditions and applied for Plot No. E-25 (new).

Plot No. E-25 (new) was never part of the original layout plan and was conditional upon Municipal Corporation approval.

ISSUES:

Whether Plot No. E-25 (new) was part of the approved layout plan.

Whether the appellant had the right to construct on Plot No. E-25 (new) based on Resolution No. 588 dated 25th August 1965.

Whether there was deemed approval under Section 337 of the Municipal Corporation Act.

Whether construction on Plot No. E-25 (new) would violate Section 337(2) of the Municipal Corporation Act.

HELD:

The appellant claimed that Plot No. E-25 (new) was part of the approved layout plan and that building activity was permitted based on Resolution No. 588 dated 25th August 1965. However, the court found that the revised layout plan sanctioned by the Municipal Corporation in 1964 did not include Plot No. E-25 (new). This was evident from various records, including the layout plan submitted to the Municipal Corporation, which showed no existence of Plot No. E-25 (new) at that time.

The court also highlighted that the appellant's mother and the appellant herself were well aware that Plot No. E-25 (new) was conditional upon the approval of the revised layout plan by the Municipal Corporation. Conditional agreements had been entered into, and the appellant's mother had accepted these conditions. The appellant's mother had received communication from the Society about the rejection of the revised layout plan, indicating her understanding that her plot allocation was conditional.

Additionally, the court emphasized that there could only be a total of 98 plots in the Society as per the sanctioned layout plan. The Municipal Corporation could not be directed to create an additional plot. Therefore, the appellant's request for construction on Plot No. E-25 (new) was not permissible.

Construction on Plot No. E-25 (new) without a sanctioned layout plan would violate Section 337(2) of the Municipal Corporation Act.

Based on these findings, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the High Court, which concluded that Plot No. E-25 (new) was not part of the approved layout plan, and building activity on it was not permitted. The appeal was dismissed, and no costs were awarded.

Facts:

The appellants, parents of the deceased Mahendra Shirke, filed a suit seeking compensation from the insurance company for the death of their son in a truck accident.

The deceased had obtained a loan to purchase the truck under the condition that he would personally drive it.

The insurance policy in question covered risks for "unlimited personal injury and property damage" up to Rs. 10 lakhs.

The insurance company argued that the wording "unlimited personal injury" was mistakenly typed on the policy and only applied to property damage, not the insured's personal injury or death.

Issues:

Does the insurance policy cover the death and bodily injury of the insured or only third-party liabilities?

Should the insurance company be held liable for the death of the insured based on the wording of the policy?

Held:

The trial court had ruled in favor of the appellants, concluding that the premium paid covered both unlimited personal injury to the insured and property damage.

The insurance company's written statement admitted that the wording "unlimited personal injury" was mistakenly typed on the policy.

The High Court overturned the trial court's decision, interpreting the premium payment as covering risks beyond statutory liability for third parties.

The Supreme Court disagreed with the High Court's interpretation and ruled that the insurance company should be held liable based on the specific plea in the written statement that the wording was a mistake.

The High Court erred in setting aside the trial court's finding, considering the insurance company's admission of the mistake.

Decision: The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, setting aside the judgment of the High Court, and confirmed the trial court's decision, holding the insurance company liable for the death of the insured.