Armed Forces – Misconduct – Summary trial dismissed the respondent from service for striking a superior officer – Armed Forces Tribunal modified the dismissal to 75 days detention and deprivation of First Good Conduct Badge – Supreme Court held that Tribunal has jurisdiction to substitute and mitigate punishment, finding the original dismissal order disproportionate – Appeal dismissed, reinstating the respondent without back wages but with consequential benefits [Paras 1-14].

Evidence and Procedure – Examination of Witnesses – Superior officer who was struck by the respondent was neither cited as a witness nor examined during the investigation – Tribunal noted lack of evidence from three witnesses regarding the alleged incident – Tribunal found the respondent's reaction was provoked by abusive language used by the superior officer, leading to substitution of the punishment [Paras 3-5, 9-12].

Jurisdiction – Powers of Armed Forces Tribunal – Tribunal empowered under Section 15(6) of the Armed Forces Tribunal Act to substitute findings and mitigate punishment if found excessive, illegal, or unjust – Supreme Court slow to interfere with Tribunal's decision unless found arbitrary, unreasonable, or capricious [Paras 10, 13].

Decision – Appeal dismissed – Respondent to be reinstated within two months without back wages but with all consequential benefits [Para 14].

Murder vs. Culpable Homicide – Appellant contended the act falls under Section 304 Part II of IPC, arguing the applicability of Exception 4 to Section 300 IPC – Supreme Court found that none of the exceptions in Section 300 IPC were attracted – The act clearly constituted murder under Section 300 IPC, as the appellant throttled his wife without provocation or sudden quarrel, thus attracting the ingredients of murder [Paras 29-30].

Evidence – Section 106 of Evidence Act – Court noted that the appellant failed to explain the injuries on the deceased and set up a false plea of suicide – Injuries on the deceased corroborated the prosecution's case of throttling, negating the defence of accidental or provoked death [Paras 6-9, 20-21].

Intoxication – Section 86 IPC – Appellant's intoxication did not exempt him from liability as the presumption is that he had the knowledge of his acts – The degree of intoxication was not sufficient to negate intent [Paras 25-27].

Decision – Appeal dismissed – Conviction under Section 302 IPC and life sentence upheld [Para 30].

Abatement of Appeal – Fine and Imprisonment – Appellant's appeal against conviction under Sections 55(a) and 55(g) of the Kerala Abkari Act was not abated despite his death, due to the imposition of a fine – Supreme Court held that under Section 394 Cr.P.C., an appeal involving a sentence of fine does not abate even if it is combined with imprisonment – The High Court rightly decided the appeal on merits but failed to allow the legal heirs of the deceased appellant to make submissions regarding the sentence of fine [Paras 1-22].

Jurisdiction – Recovery of Fine – Fine is recoverable from the property of the deceased under Sections 421 Cr.P.C. and 70 IPC – Appeal involving fine continues posthumously to safeguard recovery from the accused's assets in the hands of legal heirs [Paras 10-11].

Opportunity to Legal Heirs – Legal heirs were not given the opportunity to represent the deceased in the High Court – The case is remitted to the High Court to hear the appeal afresh, allowing the legal heirs to make their submissions regarding the sentence of fine [Paras 20-22].

Decision – Appeal partly allowed – Judgment of the High Court set aside – Criminal Appeal No. 254 of 2007 revived in the High Court for fresh hearing with representation by the legal heirs of the accused [Para 22].

Disqualification Petitions – Timely Decision – Supreme Court emphasized that the Speaker must decide disqualification petitions within a reasonable period, generally three months, to uphold the constitutional objective – Speaker acts as a quasi-judicial authority, and failure to decide within the stipulated time can lead to judicial review [Paras 28, 31].

Role of Speaker – Parliament's Reconsideration – Supreme Court suggested that Parliament reconsider the Speaker's role in deciding disqualification petitions due to potential bias – Proposed an independent tribunal headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge or Chief Justice of a High Court for impartial and swift decisions [Para 30].

Quia Timet Actions – Judicial Review – Clarified that judicial review is permissible to ensure the Speaker's decision-making process is not unduly delayed – Reiterated the distinction between preventing a Speaker from making a decision and ensuring timely decisions are made [Paras 27-28].

Case Specifics – Manipur Legislative Assembly – Disqualification petitions against Respondent No. 3 remained undecided for over two years – High Court's order declined relief due to pending issues before a Constitution Bench – Supreme Court set aside the High Court's judgment and directed the Speaker to decide the petitions within four weeks [Paras 2-4, 31-32].

Decision – Appeals partly allowed – High Court judgment set aside – Speaker directed to decide the disqualification petitions within four weeks – Further directions to be sought if no decision is made within the specified time [Paras 31-32].

Framing of Charges – Section 216 CrPC – Court’s Power – Supreme Court affirmed that Section 216 CrPC provides wide-ranging powers to the court to alter or add charges at any time before judgment – The alteration or addition must be based on material on record or brought during the trial – The court emphasized exercising this power judiciously to ensure no prejudice is caused to the accused, guaranteeing a fair trial [Paras 14-20].

Material for Additional Charges – Sufficiency – At the stage of framing charges, the court need not delve into the probative value of the material but should ascertain if there is a ground for presuming the commission of an offense – High Court’s directive to frame charges under Sections 406 and 420 IPC was upheld based on prima facie material indicating the appellant’s involvement in alleged offenses [Paras 21-24].

Judicial Review – Evaluation of Evidence – The Supreme Court clarified that detailed examination of witness credibility or evidentiary value is not required at the charge framing stage – It is sufficient if the material presented supports the presumption of an offense for initiating trial [Para 24].

Decision – Appeal dismissed – High Court’s order for framing additional charges under Sections 406 and 420 IPC upheld – Trial to proceed accordingly [Paras 25-26].

Debt Recovery – Review Petition – Limitation – Supreme Court held that Section 24 of the RDB Act applies only to applications under Section 19, not to review petitions – Rule 5A mandates a 30-day limit for filing review petitions without provision for condonation – High Court erred in applying Order XLVII Rule 7 of CPC, as the RDB Act, being a special law, overrides other laws [Paras 6-16].

Review vs. Original Proceedings – The Court emphasized that review proceedings cannot be equated with the original hearing – Review petitions filed beyond the stipulated period are non-maintainable without statutory provisions for condonation of delay [Paras 13-14].

Judicial Review – Appealability – The Supreme Court clarified that appeals lie from all orders of the Tribunal under the RDB Act, including orders on review petitions – The High Court’s reliance on CPC provisions was misplaced [Paras 15-16].

Decision – Appeal allowed – High Court judgment set aside – Review petition dismissed for being filed beyond the permissible period [Paras 18].

Insurance Claim – Validity of Survey Reports – Appellant challenged NCDRC's order to pay insurance claim, arguing multiple survey reports justified repudiation due to overload-induced collapse of the paddy boiling structure – Supreme Court upheld SCDRC's findings, rejecting NCDRC's conclusions on procedural delays in survey reports – Emphasized insurer's right to appoint multiple surveyors under valid reasons without mala fides [Paras 1-17].

Surveyors’ Reports – Appointment and Validity – Insurer initially appointed a surveyor for preliminary assessment, followed by structural expert and final surveyor – Supreme Court highlighted consistency in reports affirming structural overload as cause of collapse, and not collision as claimed by respondent – NCDRC's reliance on delay in survey report submission was misplaced [Paras 12-16].

Section 64-UM(2) of Insurance Act – Requirement for Survey Report – Court elucidated statutory mandate for licensed surveyor’s report before claim settlement – Found insurer complied with statutory requirements, justified in appointing multiple surveyors for comprehensive assessment [Paras 10-14].

Decision: Appeal allowed – NCDRC’s order set aside – Consumer complaint by respondent dismissed – Court recognized insurer’s compliance with legal and procedural standards in claim assessment and repudiation [Para 17].

Criminal Law – Unlawful Assembly and Murder – Appellants convicted for participating in an unlawful assembly that brutally beat the deceased, causing his death – Conviction based on consistent eyewitness testimonies and corroborative medical evidence – Supreme Court upheld conviction under Sections 147, 148, 302/149 IPC, emphasizing the intention to cause death and the merciless nature of the assault [Paras 1-24].

Witness Testimony – Consistency and Corroboration – Multiple eyewitnesses provided consistent accounts of the incident, identifying the appellants as part of the unlawful assembly – Court emphasized the reliability of such consistent testimonies, supported by medical evidence detailing the extent of injuries [Paras 15-20].

Evidence – Recovery of Weapons – Blood-stained weapons recovered from appellants, corroborating their participation in the assault – Supreme Court noted that such recovery, along with eyewitness accounts, reinforced the prosecution's case [Paras 21-24].

Section 149 IPC – Vicarious Liability – Court reaffirmed the principle that every member of an unlawful assembly is vicariously liable for the acts done in prosecution of the common object – No need to prove specific role of each member [Para 14].

Decision: Appeals partly allowed – Convictions of some appellants upheld, others acquitted on benefit of doubt – Supreme Court maintained that the brutal nature of the assault evidenced the intent to cause death, justifying convictions under Section 302/149 IPC [Para 26].

Land Acquisition – Enhancement of Compensation – Appellant challenged the award of compensation and interest from the date of the award rather than from the date of possession or notification – Supreme Court directed the Collector to examine if the land came under submergence in 1991 and determine the quantum of damages accordingly – Interest under Section 34 to be awarded from the date of notification if submergence occurred [Paras 1-16].

Interest on Compensation – Section 34 of the Land Acquisition Act – Interest at 9% per annum for the first year from the date of possession, increasing to 15% per annum if not paid within one year – Court emphasized that interest under Section 34 is payable from the date of notification in cases of prior possession [Para 13].

Determination of Possession and Damages – Court noted the absence of clear evidence regarding the period of submergence and possession – Directed the Collector to ascertain the factual situation and determine damages from 1991 to the date of notification, and interest from the date of notification under Section 34 [Paras 15-16].

Decision: Appeal disposed of with directions to the Collector to examine the facts and determine the quantum of damages and interest as per the Land Acquisition Act [Para 16].