Customs Act | Importer Accepting Enhanced Valuation Of Goods For Expeditious Clearance Not 'Waiver' Of Right To Contest Re-Assessment: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has held that where enhancement of valuation of goods by the proper officer for the purpose of determining Customs duty is accepted by the importer under protest, for expeditious clearance, it cannot be said that the importer has waived its right to question the reassessment. Pertinent to note that Section 17 of the Customs Act, 1962 relates to 'Assessment of...

[Taxation] Passing Order Without Providing Opportunity Of Hearing, Providing Documents Violates Natural Justice: Allahabad HC Reiterates

While deciding a case relating to Input Tax Credit, the Allahabad High Court has held that a quasi-judicial body must provide an opportunity of hearing to a person before imposing liability on them. The Division Bench comprising Justice Shekhar B. Saraf and Justice Vipin Chandra Dixit held that as per the doctrine of audi alteram partem (let the other side be heard as well), such...

Army Authorities Escaping Onerous Legal Obligation: Punjab & Haryana HC Upholds Grant Of 'Disability Pension' To Officer With Hearing Loss

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld Armed Forces Tribunal's decision (AFT) to grant "disability pension" to an army officer who during the course of his service developed loss of hearing which was assessed by the medical board as less than 20% for life and was also declared to become aggravated by rendition of military service. In doing so the court said that the benefits of the...

S.9 Application Not Appropriate For Relief Against Non-Signatory When There Is No Dispute Between Parties To Be Referred To Arbitration: Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court bench of Justice Arif S. Doctor has held that Section 9 of the A&C Act is not the correct mechanism to obtain relief against an entity when the privity of contract is absent between Factual Overview: The dispute arose regarding a Redevelopment Agreement (RDA) and a Supplementary Agreement (SA) dated 20 July 2022. The agreement was entered between...

Limited Scope Of Examination U/S 34 Of Arbitration Act, Award Vitiated By Patent Illegality: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court Bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Sachin Datta held that the Arbitral Tribunal has awarded the claim for loss of profit for the period the Contract was prolonged without any evidence or material to support the claim. Therefore, the impugned award is vitiated by patent illegality. Brief Facts: The present dispute arose with respect to an agreement...

MSEFC Must Decide Question On Limitation Before Adjudicating Dispute On Merits: Telangana High Court

The Telangana High Court bench of Justice P. Sam. Koshy, while hearing a petition filed under Article 227, has held that the issues of maintainability, particularly the question of limitation, are to be decided by the Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council (MSEFC) before proceeding to adjudicate the dispute on merits. Facts: In a common order dated 15/06/2024, the MSEFC,...

No Criminal Proceedings Can Lie For 'Defamation' Of Banned Organisation Like PFI, Kerala High Court Grants Relief To Media House

The Kerala High Court quashed criminal defamation proceedings initiated against a media house for allegedly publishing a defamatory article about the 'Popular Front of India' (PFI).Justice P.V.Kunhikrishnan observed that PFI is a banned association in India; therefore, defamation cannot be alleged against a banned organization, since it has no legal entity. While quashing the defamation...

Adverse Possession Cannot Be Claimed When Land Is Acquired Through Agreement Of Sale: Allahabad High Court

While deciding a case under the U.P. Abolition of Zamindari and Land Reforms Act, 1950, the Allahabad High Court has held that where possession of land was acquired by an agreement of sale, adverse possession cannot not be availed to claim ownership of the property.Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery relied on the judgment of the Supreme Court in Achal Reddy v. Ramakrishna Reddiar and Ors., where...

Allahabad HC Calls Out State's "Apathy" For Causing 14 Yrs Delay In Disbursing Retiral Dues To Family Of Deceased, Orders 8% Interest

While deciding a case related to retiral dues of a deceased government employee, the Allahabad High Court has held that no cause had been given by the state for an inordinate delay from 2005 in making the payment and that this was actually caused by the “apathy” of the respondents.The Court held that the state is liable to pay an interest of 8% per annum on such dues which had not...

Trial Court Erred In Closing Evidence Upon Refusal Of Accused's Counsel To Enter Appearance: Rajasthan HC Sets Aside POCSO Conviction

Rajasthan High Court has set aside the conviction of a man (appellant) convicted by the Special POCSO Court on the grounds that when the appellant's counsel refused to appear, instead of appointing an Amicus Curiae at that instance, the trial court closed the evidence.The division bench of Justice Pankaj Bhandari and Justice Shubha Mehta observed that if a counsel refused to appear for...

Litigants Can't Suffer For Advocate's Bona-Fide Mistake: Rajasthan HC Restores Appeal Dismissed For Failure To Serve Notice On Respondent

Rajasthan High Court has ruled that sometimes bonafide mistake could be committed by the counsel for a litigant by not furnishing the requisite notices upon the opposite party, however, instead of applying a hyper-technical approach and rejecting the case, justice oriented approach should be applied.The bench of Justice Dinesh Mehta opined that it was held in multiples cases by the Supreme...

Rajasthan Civil Services Rules | Apprehension Of Inquiry Taking Long Time Not Ground To Ward Off Disciplinary Inquiry U/S 19: High Court

Rajasthan High Court has ruled that the possibility of disciplinary inquiry taking a long time could not be a reason to invoke Section 19(ii) of the Rajasthan Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeals) Rules, 1958 and do away with the inquiry. The Court also observed that the apprehension of the employee influencing or tampering with the evidence reflected Department's lack...