CPIO SCI Vs Subhash Chandra Agarwal on 13 Nov 2019

A constitution bench of Apex Court held as follows:

From Para 59,

59. Reading of the aforesaid judicial precedents, in our opinion, would indicate that personal records, including name, address, physical, mental and psychological status, marks obtained, grades and answer sheets, are all treated as personal information. Similarly, professional records, including qualification, performance, evaluation reports, ACRs, disciplinary proceedings, etc. are all personal information. Medical records, treatment, choice of
medicine, list of hospitals and doctors visited, findings recorded, including that of the family members, information relating to assets, liabilities, income tax returns, details of investments, lending and borrowing, etc. are personal information. Such personal information is entitled to protection from unwarranted invasion of privacy and conditional access is available when stipulation of larger public interest is satisfied. This list is indicative and not exhaustive.

CPIO SCI Vs Subhash Chandra Agarwal on 13 Nov 2019 Para 59

Citations : [2019 SCC ONLINE SC 1459]

Other Sources :

https://indiankanoon.org/doc/101637927/

https://www.casemine.com/judgement/in/5dcc51443321bc4f5eaf25b5

Commissioner of Income Tax and Ors Vs Chhabil Dass Agarwal on 8 Aug 2013

Posted on July 24 by ShadesOfKnife

A division bench of Supreme Court held as follows,

From Para 15,

15. Before discussing the fact proposition, we would notice the principle of law as laid down by this Court. It is settled law that non-entertainment of petitions under writ jurisdiction by the High Court when an efficacious alternative remedy is available is a rule of self-imposed limitation. It is essentially a rule of policy, convenience and discretion rather than a rule of law. Undoubtedly, it is within the discretion of the High Court to grant relief under Article 226 despite the existence of an alternative remedy. However, the High Court must not interfere if there is an adequate efficacious alternative remedy available to the petitioner and he has approached the High Court without availing the same unless he has made out an exceptional case warranting such interference or there exist sufficient grounds to invoke the extraordinary jurisdiction under Article 226. (See: State of U.P. vs. Mohammad Nooh, AIR 1958 SC 86; Titaghur Paper Mills Co. Ltd. vs. State of Orissa, (1983) 2 SCC 433; Harbanslal Sahnia vs. Indian Oil Corpn.
Ltd., (2003) 2 SCC 107; State of H.P. vs. Gujarat Ambuja Cement Ltd., (2005) 6 SCC 499).
16. The Constitution Benches of this Court in K.S. Rashid and Sons vs. Income Tax Investigation Commission, AIR 1954 SC 207; Sangram Singh vs. Election Tribunal, Kotah, AIR 1955 SC 425; Union of India vs. T.R. Varma, AIR 1957 SC 882; State of U.P. vs. Mohd. Nooh, AIR 1958 SC 86 and K.S. Venkataraman and Co. (P) Ltd. vs. State of Madras, AIR 1966 SC 1089 have held that though Article 226 confers a very wide powers in the matter of issuing writs on the High Court, the remedy of writ absolutely discretionary in character. If the High Court is satisfied that the aggrieved party can have an adequate or suitable relief elsewhere, it can refuse to exercise its jurisdiction. The Court, in extraordinary circumstances, may exercise the power if it comes to the conclusion that there has been a breach of principles of natural justice or procedure required for decision has not been adopted.
(See: N.T. Veluswami Thevar vs. G. Raja Nainar, AIR 1959 SC 422; Municipal Council, Khurai vs. Kamal Kumar, (1965) 2 SCR 653; Siliguri Municipality vs. Amalendu Das, (1984) 2 SCC 436; S.T. Muthusami vs. K. Natarajan, (1988) 1 SCC 572; Rajasthan SRTC vs. Krishna Kant, (1995) 5 SCC 75; Kerala SEB vs. Kurien E. Kalathil, (2000) 6 SCC 293; A. Venkatasubbiah Naidu vs. S. Chellappan, (2000) 7 SCC 695; L.L. Sudhakar Reddy vs. State of A.P., (2001) 6 SCC 634; Shri Sant Sadguru Janardan Swami (Moingiri Maharaj) Sahakari Dugdha Utpadak Sanstha vs. State of Maharashtra, (2001) 8 SCC 509; Pratap Singh vs. State of Haryana, (2002) 7 SCC 484 and GKN Driveshafts (India) Ltd. vs. ITO, (2003) 1 SCC 72).

From Para 19,

19. Thus, while it can be said that this Court has recognized some exceptions to the rule of alternative remedy, i.e., where the statutory authority has not acted in accordance with the provisions of the enactment in question, or in defiance of the fundamental principles of judicial procedure, or has resorted to invoke the provisions which are repealed, or when an order has been passed in total violation of the principles of natural justice, the proposition laid down in Thansingh Nathmal case, Titagarh Paper Mills case and other similar judgments that the High Court will not entertain a petition under Article 226 of the Constitution if an effective alternative remedy is available to the aggrieved person or the statute under which the action complained of has been taken itself contains a mechanism for redressal of grievance still holds the field. Therefore, when a statutory forum is created by law for redressal of grievances, a writ petition should not be entertained ignoring the statutory dispensation.

Commissioner of Income Tax and Ors Vs Chhabil Dass Agarwal on 8 Aug 2013

Citations : [2013 AD SC 8 620], [2013 CTR SC 261 113], [2013 ITR SC 357], [2013 JLJR 4 35], [2013 JT SC 11 387], [2013 PLJR 4 179], [2013 SCALE 10 326], [2014 SCC 1 603], [2013 TAXMAN SC 217 143], [2013 SCC ONLINE SC 717], [2013 TAXMANNCOM SC 36]

Other Sources :

https://indiankanoon.org/doc/51987756/

https://www.casemine.com/judgement/in/5609af2ce4b0149711415ba2

Whirlpool Corporation Vs Registrar of Trade Marks Mumbai and Ors on 26 Oct 1998

Posted on July 23 by ShadesOfKnife

Landmark judgment from a division bench of the Apex Court.

From Paras 14 and 15,

14. The power to issue prerogative writs under Article 226 of the Constitution is plenary in nature and is not limited by any other provision of the Constitution. This power can be exercised by the High Court not only for issuing writs in the nature of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto and certiorari for the enforcement of any of the Fundamental Rights contained in Part III of the Constitution but also for “any other purpose”.
15. Under Article 226 of the Constitution, the High Court, having regard to the facts of the case, has a discretion to entertain or not to entertain a writ petition. But the High Court has imposed upon itself certain restrictions one of which is that if an effective and efficacious remedy is available, the High Court would not normally exercise its jurisdiction. But the alternative remedy has been consistently held by this Court not to operate as a bar in at least three contingencies, namely, where the writ petition has been filed for the enforcement of any of the Fundamental Rights or where there has been a violation of the principle of natural justice or where the order or proceedings are wholly without jurisdiction or the vires of an Act is challenged. There is a plethora of case- law on this point but to cut down this circle of forensic whirlpool, we would rely on some old decisions of the evolutionary era of the constitutional law as they still hold the field.

Whirlpool Corporation Vs Registrar of Trade Marks Mumbai and Ors on 26 Oct 1998 (CM Ver)

Citations : [1998 SCC 8 1], [1999 AIR SC 22], [1998 AIR SC 3345], [1999 BOMCR SC 2 70], [1998 JT 7 243], [1998 SCALE 5 655], [1998 SUPREME 8 176], [1998 AIR SCW 3345]

Other Sources :

https://www.casemine.com/judgement/in/575fd361607dba63d7e6e044

UOI and Ors Vs Tantia Construction Pvt Ltd on 18 Apr 2011

Posted on July 23 by ShadesOfKnife

A division bench held that an alternative remedy is not an absolute bar to the invocation of the writ jurisdiction of the High Court or the Supreme Court and that without exhausting such alternative remedy, a writ petition would not be maintainable.

From Paras 27 and 28,

27. Apart from the above, even on the question of maintainability of the writ petition on account of the Arbitration Clause included in the agreement between the parties, it is now well-established that an alternative remedy is not an absolute bar to the invocation of the writ jurisdiction of the High Court or the Supreme Court and that without exhausting such alternative remedy, a writ petition would not be maintainable. The various decisions cited by Mr. Chakraborty would clearly indicate that the constitutional powers vested in the High Court or the Supreme Court cannot be fettered by any alternative remedy available to the authorities. Injustice, whenever and wherever it takes place, has to be struck down as an anathema to the rule of law and the provisions of the Constitution. We endorse the view of the High Court that notwithstanding the provisions relating to the Arbitration Clause contained in the agreement, the High Court was fully within its competence to entertain and dispose of the Writ Petition filed on behalf of the Respondent Company.
28. We, therefore, see no reason to interfere with the views expressed by the High Court on the maintainability of the Writ Petition and also on its merits. The Special Leave Petition is, accordingly, dismissed, but without any order as to costs.

UOI and Ors Vs Tantia Construction Pvt Ltd on 18 Apr 2011

Citations : [2011 SCC 5 697], [2011 AIOL 293], [2011 SUPREME 3 294], [2011 SCALE 4 745], [2011 RCR CIVIL SC 3 821], [2011 SCC CIV 3 117], [2011 LW 3 691], [2011 ARBLR SC 2 115], [2012 PLJR 1 455], [2011 JCR SC 3 8], [2011 UJ 4 2210], [2011 KLJ 2 15], [2011 AWC SC 5 4568], [2011 SCR 5 397], [2011 JT SC 5 59]

Other Sources :

https://indiankanoon.org/doc/609434/

https://www.casemine.com/judgement/in/5609aeffe4b01497114154a4

MS Radha Krishan Industries Vs State of Himachal Pradesh on 20 Apr 2021

Posted on July 22 by ShadesOfKnife

A division bench of Apex Court held the following principles in regards to approaching a High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution.

From Para 27,

27 The principles of law which emerge are that :
(i) The power under Article 226 of the Constitution to issue writs can be exercised not only for the enforcement of fundamental rights, but for any other purpose as well;
(ii) The High Court has the discretion not to entertain a writ petition. One of the restrictions placed on the power of the High Court is where an effective alternate remedy is available to the aggrieved person;
(iii) Exceptions to the rule of alternate remedy arise where (a) the writ petition has been filed for the enforcement of a fundamental right protected by Part III of the Constitution; (b) there has been a violation of the principles of natural justice; (c) the order or proceedings are wholly without jurisdiction; or (d) the vires of a legislation is challenged;
(iv) An alternate remedy by itself does not divest the High Court of its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution in an appropriate case though ordinarily, a writ petition should not be entertained when an efficacious alternate remedy is provided by law;
(v) When a right is created by a statute, which itself prescribes the remedy or procedure for enforcing the right or liability, resort must be had to that particular statutory remedy before invoking the discretionary remedy under Article 226 of the Constitution. This rule of exhaustion of statutory remedies is a rule of policy, convenience and discretion; and
(vi) In cases where there are disputed questions of fact, the High Court may decide to decline jurisdiction in a writ petition. However, if the High Court is objectively of the view that the nature of the controversy requires the exercise of its writ jurisdiction, such a view would not readily be interfered with.

MS Radha Krishan Industries Vs State of Himachal Pradesh on 20 Apr 2021

Citations : [2021 SCC ONLINE SC 334]

Other Sources :

https://indiankanoon.org/doc/62362537/

https://www.casemine.com/judgement/in/60806fd6125abdf1726ab6fb

Arshad Ahmad and Ors Vs State NCT of Delhi and Anr on 02 Jun 2022

Posted on July 22 by ShadesOfKnife

Arshad Ahmad and Ors Vs State NCT of Delhi and Anr on 02 Jun 2022

Hrishikesh Sahoo Vs State of Karnataka and Ors on 23 Mar 2022

Posted on July 20 by ShadesOfKnife

Hrishikesh Sahoo Vs State of Karnataka and Ors on 23 Mar 2022

Citations :

Other Sources :

Hrishikesh Sahoo Vs State of Karnataka and Ors

Posted on July 20 by ShadesOfKnife

2022-07-19

From Para 4,

4. Until further orders, there shall be an ad-interim stay of the common impugned judgment and final order dated 23rd March, 2022 passed by the High Court of Karnataka in Writ Petitions No.48367/2018 and 50089/2018 and further proceedings in relation to Special C.C. No. 356 of 2017 arising out of FIR bearing Crime No. 19/2017, pending before the Additional City and Sessions and Special Court for cases under the POCSO Act, Bangalore.

Hrishikesh Sahoo Vs State of Karnataka and Ors on 19 Jul 2022

The Karnataka HC decision is here.

Sandeep Pamarati Vs Ungrateful Knife (Bigamy under 494 and 495 IPC)

Posted on July 18 by ShadesOfKnife

After lot many delays, I moved forward on the Bigamy complaint against the disgruntled knife at Ongole.

2022-07-18

Went to Ongole to attend the Spandana Programme to submit my complaint of Bigamy against the Knife. The Staff at the SP Office directed me to the Taluka PS which is adjacent to the SP Office. The Writer heard me and took me to the CI. Questions raised are as follows:

Why complain now after a gap of many years?
Why here and not in Hyderabad or Pune?
Why not talk and settle matter?
Why for a NC (non-cognizable case), came to Ongole all the way from Vijayawada?
Without taking legal opinion, how can we register FIR immediately?
Why evidences are attached?

2022-08-22

Came to Taluk PS to ask for FIR and give my 161 CrPC Statement, if FIR was done. Of course, as expected the responsible persons were on Bandobast duty and hence not available at Police Station. So with this, CrPC 154(1) is complied and completed. Next CrPC 154(3) and the follow it up with another visit to Ongole SP Office on a Spandana-Monday.

2022-09-05

Went to SP office straight and waited for my turn. First time experiencing a public grievance system. My issue was documented into a template and I was asked to appear before a DSP. I wanted for my turn and when it was time, I went in and sat before the DSP. After a lot of questions and answers (from me, obviously), the DSP directed (both orally on the phone) and on the template to register an FIR and investigate. Hurrraaayyyyyyyyy!

I got successfully registered my complaint at Spandana (weekly once public grievance program in all Govt offices of AP)

The interaction was interesting and I found another lead to pursue my other goal. Conduct free legal awareness sessions.

DSP: Being advocate, don’t you know that Police cannot directly register a 494 IPC case? (I did not hear the work ‘Cognizable’)
SP: It is made cognizable in AP sir.
DSP: (Surprised) Is it?
SP: Yes sir, here is the 2-page copy of the State amendment.
DSP: Immediately dials the Assistant Direction of Prosecutions to confirm. Call ends in 15 seconds with positive news.
SP: Not many are aware of this amendment sir. Even I came to know about this only from AP High Court judgments (like here and here).
DSP: This is news to me, it was not covered in the training imparted to the Police attendees.
SP: (Flash lights in my mind) Not just this sir, another issue in PWDV Act is also horribly implemented in AP and I filed petitions before the AP High Court.
DSP: Calls the CI of the Taluka PS, Ongole. No response. Calls the Writer in the Taluka PS. Comes to know the regular CI is on leave and only in-charge is in the Station. Call in-charge and orally directs that a case has to be registered for 494 IPC and the victim is an advocate and it will be difficult for you (in-charge/regular CIs) if he goes to High Court.
SP: Thanked the DSP profusely and offered to send the case laws to him over phone. Obtained his contact and immediately sent both the case laws. Later offered to take up any issue, with his support and guidance.

Overall, a good day, indeed!

2022-09-17

Received a call from a Head Constable asking me to appear before CI, Taluka PS, Ongole. After a quick conversation, informed him that I will appear on Saturday for the same.
Went to Taluka PS, Ongole at 11AM and waiting until 1.30PM. Then had lunch and went to meet DSP DTC, Shri G Rama Krishna garu. Had a worthwhile conversation and requested him to remind the CI, Taluka PS to register FIR and inform me to record my statement u/s 161 CrPC. If no FIR done, then I am to appear before SP, Prakasam District on a Monday (in the Spandana Program), Sep 26, 2022.

Hope this time around the FIR will be registered.

2022-09-26 (if necessary)

Index of all cases laid on me is here.

Article 348 – Language to be used in the Supreme Court and in the High Courts and for Acts Bills etc

Posted on July 17 by ShadesOfKnife

348. Language to be used in the Supreme Court and in the High Courts and for Acts, Bills, etc.—
(1) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this Part, until Parliament by law otherwise provides—
(a) all proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every High Court,
(b) the authoritative texts—
(i) of all Bills to be introduced or amendments thereto to be moved in either House of Parliament or in the House or either House of the Legislature of a State,
(ii) of all Acts passed by Parliament or the Legislature of a State and of all Ordinances promulgated by the President or the Governor of a State, and
(iii) of all orders, rules, regulations and bye-laws issued under this Constitution or under any law made by Parliament or the Legislature of a State,
shall be in the English language.
(2) Notwithstanding anything in sub-clause (a) of clause (1), the Governor of a State may, with the previous consent of the President, authorise the use of the Hindi language, or any other language used for any official purposes of the State, in proceedings in the High Court having its principal seat in that State:
Provided that nothing in this clause shall apply to any judgment, decree or order passed or made by such High Court.
(3) Notwithstanding anything in sub-clause (b) of clause (1), where the Legislature of a State has prescribed any language other than the English language for use in Bills introduced in, or Acts passed by, the Legislature of the State or in Ordinances promulgated by the Governor of the State or in any order, rule, regulation or bye-law referred to in paragraph (iii) of that sub-clause, a translation of the same in the English language published under the authority of the Governor of the State in the Official Gazette of that State shall be deemed to be the authoritative text thereof in the English language under this article.

Shades of Knife

True Colors of a Vile Wife

Month: July 2022

CPIO SCI Vs Subhash Chandra Agarwal on 13 Nov 2019

Commissioner of Income Tax and Ors Vs Chhabil Dass Agarwal on 8 Aug 2013

Whirlpool Corporation Vs Registrar of Trade Marks Mumbai and Ors on 26 Oct 1998

UOI and Ors Vs Tantia Construction Pvt Ltd on 18 Apr 2011

MS Radha Krishan Industries Vs State of Himachal Pradesh on 20 Apr 2021

Arshad Ahmad and Ors Vs State NCT of Delhi and Anr on 02 Jun 2022

Hrishikesh Sahoo Vs State of Karnataka and Ors on 23 Mar 2022

Hrishikesh Sahoo Vs State of Karnataka and Ors

Sandeep Pamarati Vs Ungrateful Knife (Bigamy under 494 and 495 IPC)

Article 348 – Language to be used in the Supreme Court and in the High Courts and for Acts Bills etc