351. Compensation in motor vehicle accident case -- Father and the mother of the deceased were also claimants before the MACT and the mother having passed away during the interregnum itself shows that they were advanced in age and thus, the deceased, but obviously, would be presumed to have carried out the major responsibility as is done in such joint family, especially since the businesses of agriculturist, hiring/driving and milk-vending – Monthly income taken as Rs. 15,000/- -- Total compensation assessed at Rs.35,66,600 -- Rate of interest increased to 7.5% per annum from the date of filing of the claim petition till realisation, instead of 6% per annum. (SC) Decided on: 17.03.2025

352. Registration of FIR – Cognizable offence -- Preliminary enquiry – Requirement of -- In Lalita Kumari, case (2014) 2 SCC 1 it was categorically held that the registration of an FIR is mandatory u/s 154 CrPC if the information discloses the commission of a cognizable offence – Scope of a preliminary inquiry, as clarified in the said judgment, is limited to situations where the information received does not prima facie disclose a cognizable offence but requires verification -- However, in cases where the information clearly discloses a cognizable offence, the police have no discretion to conduct a preliminary inquiry before registering an FIR -- Decision in Lalita Kumari’s case does not create an absolute rule that a preliminary inquiry must be conducted in every case before the registration of an FIR -- Rather, it reaffirms the settled principle that the police authorities are obligated to register an FIR when the information received prima facie discloses a cognizable offence. (SC) Decided on: 17.03.2025

353. Police report – Cognizance by Magistrate – Direction to inclusion name in charge-sheet – Permissibility of -- Court has the power to differ from the Final Form submitted by the Police and take cognizance of a crime and also against persons who may not have been sent up for trial by the Police after investigation -- In such circumstances, the Court is then required to issue summons instead of directing for inclusion of the name of the person in the charge-sheet. (SC) Decided on: 17.03.2025

354. Eviction petition -- Appointment of Local Commissioner -- No right vested in favour of a party to get the said commission issued and rather the same is an enabling provision that enables the Court to appoint a Commissioner if it is of the opinion that the same is required in a case. (P&H HC) Decided on: 17.03.2025

355. SARFAESI – Assets Recovery Company as Assignee -- Possession by police officer – Permissibility of – Maintainability of writ -- Section 14 empowers the District Magistrate or the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate to take possession of the property -- Section 14(1-A) further empowers the District Magistrate or the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate to “authorized any Officer subordinate to him” to take possession of the said assets. -- ADM delegated the Additional Commissioner of Police with a further power to delegate it to a Police Officer for taking the possession -- In addition, the petitioners were also deprived of their possession over movable assets (which were not hypothecated/ mortgaged). Possession of the immovable and the movable assets have been taken by the Government Authorities -- Remedy of issuance of a writ court be available as prima facie, there was a violation of the rights vested by virtue of Article 300A of the Constitution of India -- Writ petition allowed, however, with liberty to take possession in accordance with law strictly in terms of the mandate of Section 14 (1-A) of the SARFAESI Act. (All. H.C.) Decided on: 12.03.2025

356. Maintenance proceedings -- Perjury – False affidavit in court – Burden of proof – Affidavit by wife that she is not gainfully employed -- Petitioner/ husband to prove that she was gainful employee refers to Annexures, however, they relates to the period commencing from 05.04.2013 to 17.05.2024, however, duly sworn affidavit was filed on 27.05.2024 -- No averment that as on the date of filing of the affidavit, respondent No.1/ wife was gainfully employed -- Her past employment would not come in the way of said affidavit -- Burden was on the petitioner to prove the said fact that on the date of giving of the affidavit, respondent No.1/ wife was a gainful employee which is not proved -- Petition dismissed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 10.03.2025

357. Scuffle between judicial officers -- Discharge of Probationer Judicial Officers – Rule of natural justice -- Order of discharge of services of petitioners as probationer are clearly stigmatic which required inquiry prior to discharge from service -- Since the order of discharge of service of petitioners is punitive in nature, the maxim of Audi alterm partem was required to be followed prior to their discharge. (All. H.C.) Reserved on: 06.02.2025 Decided on: 10.03.2025

358. Quashing of FIR – Preliminary stage of investigation -- There is no absolute rule that even if the investigation is at a preliminary stage, the Court exercising jurisdiction u/s 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 cannot interfere. (SC) Decided on: 07.03.2025

359. Cheque bounce appeal -- Deposit of 20% of compensation – Mandate of -- Appellate court to determine financial condition directed the applicant/ appellant to submit ITR for the last 5 years -- Court has to consider that condition of deposit of 20% will not be unjust but also, the fact whether the imposing condition would amount to deprivation of the right of the appeal of the appellant -- No illegality in the impugned order. (All. H.C.) Decided on: 07.03.2025

360. Liquidation of company – Adjustment of unearned income -- High Court seized of liquidation proceedings, there are other creditors -- It will not be appropriate to direct that a part of the amount paid towards consideration should be appropriated towards unearned income payable to the appellant -- Court cannot direct the funds available in liquidation proceedings for payment of the unearned income as large number of claims have been submitted. (SC) Decided on: 07.03.2025

361. Rape – Injury to prosecutrix – Requirement of law -- Merely because in the medical evidence, there are no major injury marks, this cannot a be a reason to discard the otherwise reliable evidence of the prosecutrix -- It is not necessary that in each and every case where rape is alleged there has to be an injury to the private parts of the victim and it depends on the facts and circumstances of a particular case -- Absence of injuries on the private parts of the victim is not always fatal to the case of the prosecution. (SC) Decided on: 07.03.2025

362. Discharge -- Accidental death – Causing death by negligence -- Culpable homicide not amounting to murder -- Allegations that accused persons had not taken proper care and caution by providing safety shoes, safety belt etc. -- Two deceased employees were undertaking the work of decoration of the front side of the shop -- As part of the said work, they were working on the sign board which was approximately at a height of 12 feet from the ground level -- While working on the sign board, they were struck by electricity as a result of which they got electrocuted and fell down resulting in multiple injuries leading to their death -- It was purely accidental -- On these basic facts, no prima facie case can be said to be made out against the appellants for committing an offence u/s 304A IPC, not to speak of Section 304 Part II IPC – Discharge application allowed. (SC) Decided on: 07.03.2025

363. Demand and acceptance – Presumption -- Prosecution failed to establish beyond all reasonable doubt, the demand of bribe and its acceptance, in a trap laid by the trap team of the ACB -- In that circumstance there is no question of a presumption u/s 20 arising in the case -- Conviction and sentence set aside. (SC) Decided on: 07.03.2025

364. POCSO – Greater punishment -- Section 42A of POSCO Act deals with the procedural aspects and gives an overriding effect to the provisions of the POCSO Act over any other law for the time being in force where, the two acts are inconsistent with each other -- Section 42A of POSCO Act, by no stretch of imagination, can be interpreted so as to override the scope and ambit of enabling provision, i.e., Section 42 of POCSO Act. (SC) Decided on: 07.03.2025

365. Dummy candidate in recruitment competitive exam -- Regular bail -- Since there must have been thousands of people who appeared for the exam, and the respondent-accused persons, for their own benefit, tried to compromise the sanctity of the exam, possibly affecting so many of those who would have put in earnest effort to appear in the exam in the hopes of securing a job – Respondents are not entitled to the benefit of bail – Appeal allowed, impugned judgment set aside -- Respondent-accused to surrender to surrender before the concerned Court in two weeks. (SC) Decided on: 07.03.2025

366. Suspension of sentence – Life imprisonment – Fixed term sentence – Consideration of -- Plea for suspension of sentence should be considered liberally if the sentence is for a fixed term and there are no other exceptional circumstances to decline -- However, if the sentence is of life imprisonment, then for the purpose of considering the plea for suspension of sentence, what should be looked into is something palpable on the basis of which, the appellate court can prima facie reach to the conclusion that there are all possible chances that the convict may get acquitted. (SC) Decided on: 07.03.2025

367. Election of Pradhan -- Recounting of votes – Disparity in the count of votes informed to the appellant and finally disclosed in the official form -- It relates to 19 votes, i.e., the difference between 1193 and 1213 -- Margin of victory of the respondent was 37 votes, and so, in a sense, victory of position would remain yet elusive of the appellant – Held, process has to be in accordance with constitutional principles and established norms -- Each vote has its own value irrespective of its effect in the final outcome of the election, its sanctity has to be protected -- It was a four-sided election, i.e., four persons were contesting for the post of ‘Pradhan’ -- Three of the four persons submitted by way of affidavit that they had doubts regarding the propriety of the election, and they would support a recount of votes -- Deliberate attempts made to benefit the ultimate victor such as the use of police force to remove the appellant from the vicinity of the polling area – Diary of the Presiding Officer of the polling booths, which is an essential document recording the casting of votes, could not be found despite a concerted effort -- If the Presiding Officers’ records are missing and cannot be verified, it can be found that the final conclusion is within the realm of questionability -- Each and every document pertaining to an election is important and all efforts should be made to preserve the same – Recounting is held to be justified. (SC) Decided on: 06.03.2025

368. Execution of decree – Time limit of 6 months -- All the High Courts directed to call for the necessary information from their respective district judiciary as regards pendency of the execution petitions -- High Courts shall thereafter proceed to issue an administrative order or circular, directing their respective district judiciary to ensure that the execution petitions pending in various courts shall be decided and disposed of within a period of six months without fail otherwise the concerned presiding officer would be answerable to the High Court on its administrative side. (SC) Decided on: 06.03.2025

369. Eviction of tenant – Execution of order/ decree -- ‘Landlord’ has been defined as a person, who is entitled to receive the rent -- It is not synonymous with the word ‘Owner’ -- If the tenants/ appellants have any dispute with Landlord, then they have to establish their rights in the separate suit -- At this stage, only the Executing Court is required to deliver possession in favour of the decree holder. (P&H HC) Decided on: 06.03.2025

370. Contempt of Court -- Agreement to sell after Status quo order – Agreement to sell and acceptance of sale consideration despite the interim orders, held to be contempt of Court -- Respondent no. 1 to 4 held guilty of civil contempt, as defined under section 2(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act read with Rule-2(a) of the Order 39 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 -- Unconditional apology tendered at the fag end of the proceedings, rejected – Fine of Rs.2,000/- on respondent no. 1 to 4 / Senior citizens each and costs of Rs.1,00,000/- as per Rule 21 of Contempt of Court (Gujarat High Court) Rules, 1984 imposed -- Agreement to sell held to be nonest and void ab initio, the same quashed and set aside. (Gujarat HC) Decided on: 05.03.2025

371. Absence from trial – Cancellation of bail – Forfeiture of bail bond -- Arrest warrant – Quashing of – Many a times, the accused can be prevented by sufficient reasons to put an appearance before the Court on a given date and, therefore, it necessarily cannot be construed as a deliberate and wilful absence -- Explanation offered for non-appearance before the trial Court is justified -- Curtailment of personal liberty is to be done in line with the procedure established by law -- Procedure must be compatible with Article 21 of the Constitution of India i.e. it must be fair, just and not suffer from the vice of arbitrariness or unreasonableness – Sole purpose of issuance of non-bailable warrants is to secure presence of the accused before the learned trial Court -- Petitioners have themselves come forward and have undertaken to appear before the learned trial Court on each and every date – Impugned order set aside. (P&H HC) Decided on: 05.03.2025

372. Additional evidence in appeal -- Application under Order 41 Rule 27 CPC dismissed whereas the first appeal is pending -- Impugned order set aside and the First Appellate Court directed to consider the application for additional evidence afresh along with main appeal and at the time of deciding of the main appeal. (P&H HC) Decided on: 05.03.2025

373. NRI landlord – Return back to India -- Eviction of tenant in the year 2010 -- 15 years have passed in this process -- Petitioners’ application for leave to defend was dismissed in the year 2016 -- Revision petition is pending for the last 9 years – Admittedly, eviction against remaining tenants possessing the ground floor of the same premises has become final and the possession has been handed over to the landlords – Section 13B of the ‘1949 Act’ does not provide that the landlord will return back to the Country before filing of the petition – Landlords had only filed petitions for claiming higher rent, that would not estop the landlords to seek eviction on the ground of bonafide necessity – Revision of tenant dismissed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 05.03.2025

374. Rape -- murder -- Last seen theory -- Circumstantial evidence – Acquittal -- FIR does not contain a whisper that anyone from the village had seen the child-victim in the company of the appellant, any time prior to her dead body being found -- Conduct of the witnesses in remaining silent and not disclosing to the police regarding they having seen the appellant taking away the child-victim with himself, completely demolishes the prosecution case regarding the theory of last seen -- Appellant acquitted of the charges. (SC) Decided on: 04.03.2025

375. NDPS – Commercial quantity – Pregnancy of wife -- Interim regular bail -- Recovery of 478 grms of heroin from pocket of petitioner -- Challan has not been presented and petitioner is inside jail since 11.10.2024 -- Wife of the petitioner is pregnant and she requires someone very close to her, who can take care of her physical and mental health, at the time of need -- Only person, in house is stated to be the grandmother of the petitioner, who herself is aged about 80 years -- Petition allowed, petitioner ordered to be released on interim regular bail from 15.03.2025 to 23.5.2025. (P&H HC) Decided on: 04.03.2025

376. Production of documents – Discretionary of court -- Provision does not give an absolute right to a party to seek production of documents at any stage of the proceedings and the same is an enabling power with the Court. (P&H HC) Decided on: 04.03.2025

377. Comparison of signature with photocopy of partnership deed -- Permissibility of -- Held, signatures cannot be verified from a photocopied document. (P&H HC) Decided on: 04.03.2025

378. Rent laws -- Assessment of provisional rent -- Not only the application for assessment of rent was dismissed, the Rent Controller has further held that the provisions of the Rent Act are not applicable – Held, on an application any finding which virtually disposes off the main case cannot be sustained in law -- Matter remanded back to the Rent Controller for decision afresh on the application for assessment of the provisional rent in accordance with the law. (P&H HC) Decided on: 04.03.2025

379. Eviction petition -- Landlord – Ownership – Requirement of -- In the rent proceedings, the primary issue which is to be decided between the parties is whether the person who has filed the eviction petition is the landlord or not -- The fact as to whether he is the owner or not is not a condition precedent for the said person to seek eviction. (P&H HC) Decided on: 04.03.2025

380. Money Laundering Case -- Direction to register HECIR -- High Court had no reason to pass a drastic order of directing the Enforcement Directorate to register an ECIR only because the High Court prima facie came to a conclusion that a predicate offence exists -- ECIR registered on the basis of the impugned judgment quashed and set aside – Left open for Enforcement Directorate to take a call on the question of initiating proceedings under the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002. (SC) Decided on: 03.03.2025

381. Central Law – Presumption of implementation by State -- High Court observed that as the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 is a central Act, there is a presumption in law that it will be implemented in its true letter and spirit by the State Government – Held, no such presumption exists -- High Court ought to have dealt with the prayers in the writ petition on merits – Writ petition restored. (SC) Decided on: 03.03.2025

382. Writ jurisdiction -- Judgment reserved -- Vacation of stay order – Requirement of law -- Interim relief was in operation for two and a half years -- While reserving the order, fairness required that the interim relief should have been continued for a reasonable time to enable the appellant to challenge the order vacating stay – Direction given that interim order shall continue to operate till the order/judgment in the writ petition is pronounced -- If the writ petition is dismissed, the High Court will extend the interim relief for a reasonable time to enable the appellant to challenge the final order. (SC) Decided on: 03.03.2025

383. Rejection of plaint -- Power of attorney – Conveyance already made -- Cancellation of attorney after 11 years -- Cause of action -- Power holder having exercised the authority conferred; to convey the properties in the name of the purchasers, the cancellation of the power of attorney will have no effect on the conveyances carried out under the valid power conferred -- Nor would it confer the person who executed the power of attorney any cause of action, by virtue of a cancellation of the power conferred by a subsequent document, to challenge the valid exercise of the power when it existed – Order of rejection of plaint passed by trial court affirmed. (SC) Decided on: 03.03.2025

384. Quashing of FIR u/s 174A of IPC – Petitioner faced trial in a criminal case and during pendency of the same, he was declared a proclaimed person and as a result thereof, FIR was registered u/s 174-A IPC -- Ultimately, the petitioner was acquitted in the main case but the case arising out of his absence in pursuance to the said FIR remained pending and in this case also he was declared as proclaimed person due to his absence – Held, as the root cause of the controversy i.e. main criminal trial stands concluded wherein the petitioner has been acquitted, so the continuation of the proceedings to the above detailed FIR are nothing but an abuse of process of the Court – FIR quashed subject to payment of Rs.35,000/- as costs. (P&H HC) Decided on: 28.02.2025

385. Consumer – Project loan from Bank -- Dominant purpose behind brand-building itself is to attract more customers and consequently generate profits or increase revenue for the business -- What is to be seen is that whether the dominant intention or dominant purpose for the transaction was to facilitate some kind of profit generation for the person who has availed the service – Held, respondent No.1 is not a ‘consumer’ in terms of Section 2 (1) (d) (ii) of the Act. (SC) Decided on: 28.02.2025

386. Discharge by Trial Court – Revision -- Ex-parte stay by High Court – Permissibility of -- Ex-parte order of stay of the order of discharge should not have been passed by the High Court -- Ex-parte order of stay is entirely illegal -- Impugned order set aside. (SC) Decided on: 28.02.2025

387. Murder -- Recoveries were made after several days of the incident and no bloodstains etc. were found on the weapons -- PW-15, the doctor who had conducted the post-mortem examination, deposed that the seized weapons were not shown to him -- Knives etc. were also not produced in court -- All the seizure witnesses turned hostile -- Section 27 of the Evidence Act cannot come to the aid of the prosecution -- Clothes of the accused were not seized and sent for forensic examination to find out whether there were any bloodstains -- Medical evidence confirmed multiple stab injuries on his body leading to profuse bleeding and death -- It is for the prosecution to connect the accused to the murder of the deceased by producing credible and legally admissible evidence -- However, no credible evidence at all to connect the accused persons with the homicidal death of deceased -- Appellants are entitled to the benefit of doubt -- Conviction and sentence of the appellants set aside. (SC) Decided on: 28.02.2025

388. Compensation in motor vehicle accident case – Rule of evidence -- Under the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 it is established that in compensation cases, the strict rules of evidence used in criminal trials do not apply -- Instead, the standard of proof is based on the preponderance of probability. (SC) Decided on: 28.02.2025

389. Nomination by policy-holder – Payment of Insurance claim -- Duty of Insurance company -- When there is a beneficiary nominee, who is validly nominated as per Section 39(7), will be entitled to make a claim for the entire amount -- Liability of the Insurance Company is to disburse the amount to the beneficiary or collector nominee as the case may be -- Insurance Company does not get into the area of dispute and the Company washes of its hands by handing over the sum assured to the nominee. K.R. Sakthi Murugeswari’s case (MANU/TN/6034/2023) relied. (Madras HC) Decided on: 28.02.2025

390. Robbery – Regular bail -- Petitioner is behind the bars for a period of 01 year 04 months and 02 days -- Involvement of accused in other criminal cases cannot be the sole ground to deny him the concession of bail -- Trial is at the stage of prosecution witness and out of 19 PWs, only 01 has been examined till date -- Further detention without the prospect of conclusion of trial in the near future, would be violative of his rights under Article 21 of the Constitution of India – Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 27.02.2025

391. NDPS – Regular bail – Commercial quantity -- Recovery of 261 grams of Tramadol Hydrochloride, marginal above the commercial quantity (250 grams) -- Petitioner is a first time offender with no other case under the NDPS Act registered against him -- Provisions of Section 37 of the NDPS Act can be relaxed – Petitioner in custody since 13.09.2023 but none of the 13 prosecution witnesses have been examined so far and a co-accused has already been granted the similar relief – Bail allowed. (P&H HC) Decided on: 27.02.2025

392. Challenge to reservations rules in Public Interest Litigation – Maintainability of -- Concern of the petitioner for maintaining the percentage of reservation of seats in medical specialities for the reserved category candidates could be genuine but, unless the specific cases of the candidates arise for consideration before the Court, such an issue cannot be decided in abstract -- Such a question cannot be considered in a Public Interest Litigation -- Writ petition disposed of with observation that whenever any such issue arises for consideration before any of the High Courts, the High Courts would consider the same on its individual merits, in accordance with law. (SC) Decided on: 25.02.2025

393. Rape -- Habitual complainant – Quashing of FIR -- Apart from her statement in the FIR and her statement u/s 164 of the Cr.P.C./ 183 of BNSS, there is no other evidence on record -- Most concerning is that the same respondent has filed nearly identical cases at least against eight other individuals (nine cases in total) -- These FIRs, lodged in different Police Stations across Delhi, involve offenses u/s 34, 328, 354, 354A, 354D, 376, 377, 506, and 509 of IPC 00 -- After lodging the FIR, the complainant has not cooperated with the investigation and has not appeared despite being served with notice -- Appellant is a retired Army officer and the author of five books -- Considering the nature of the case and the cumulative circumstances, the criminal case initiated against the appellant is nothing but an abuse of the process of law -- This is precisely the nature of case where the High Court ought to have exercised its inherent powers under Section 482 Cr.P.C. (as per new act, under Section 528 B.N.S.S.) and should have quashed the proceedings -- FIR quashed. (SC) Decided on: 25.02.2025

394. Power of Chief Justice – Roaster of Court – Judgment/ Order without Roster – Writ jurisdiction -- A judicial order based on consent of the parties, which is in the teeth of the Writ Rules and seeks to unsettle and even override the determination made by the Chief Justice, could not have vested jurisdiction in the appellate court to hear the pending writ petition -- As a sequitur, the Division Bench which passed the impugned order could not have assumed unto itself the jurisdiction to decide the writ petition based on the earlier order -- Chief Justice of the High Court, being the primus inter pares, has been vested with the power and authority to set the roster -- Such roster is final and binding on all the ‘Companion Justices’ of the said court -- Plainly, therefore, the impugned order are without jurisdiction -- Writ petition revived, Chief Justice of the High Court requested to assign the writ petition to an appropriate bench for its consideration and disposal. (SC) Decided on: 25.02.2025

395. Life insurance claim -- Failure to Mention other Policies – Repudiation of claim – Permissibility of -- Policy in question is not a Mediclaim policy; it is a life insurance cover and the death of the deceased has taken place on account of an accident -- Failure to mention about other policies does not amount to a material fact in relation to the policy availed and consequently, the claim could not have been repudiated by the respondent company – Direction given to release all benefits under the policy along with an interest of 9% per annum from the date the amount became due till the date of its realization to the appellant. (SC) Decided on: 25.02.2025

396. Decree for specific performance of the contract – Extension of time – Rescinding of contract -- Contract between the parties not extinguished by passing of a decree for specific performance and it subsists despite the decree -- Court does not become a functus officio after the grant of the decree for specific performance and it retains its power and jurisdiction to deal with the decree till the sale deed is executed -- Court does not adjudge the same like an application under Section 5 of the Limitation Act, where each day's delay must be explained -- Court is given the discretion to extend the time -- It also enables the judgment debtor to seek for rescinding the contract for non-compliance of the directions given in the decree and while considering this application, the Court is given the discretion to rescind the contract or in an appropriate case to even extend the time for paying the purchase money. (SC) Decided on: 25.02.2025

397. Third party information -- While applying for various tenders, certain information has been given by the petitioner, the same cannot be claimed by respondent No. 4 as a matter of right because of it being a third party information -- Third party information, which a particular candidate competing for a tender has submitted, cannot be sought. (P&H HC) Decided on: 24.02.2025

398. Appointment of Lambardar – Choice of Collector -- Collector has taken note of age, education, landholding etc. of the respective candidates and also taken into account the recommendation by lower revenue officers etc. -- Respondent No. 4 was a novice of about 20 years of age whereas the petitioner was found to be a mature and intelligent person, Collector found petitioner as a suitable candidate -- It is a well settled law that in the matter of appointment of Lambardar, the choice of Collector is not to be lightly interfered with even if two views are possible – Order of Financial Commissioner set aside and the order passed by learned Collector, appointing the petitioner as Lambardar maintained. (P&H HC) Decided on: 21.02.2025

399. Arbitration award – Legal heirs – Right and liability -- The term ‘partners’ extends to and would include their legal heirs, representatives, assigns or legatees, etc. -- Persons claiming under the rights of a deceased person are the representatives of the deceased party, and therefore, both the parties to the agreement and their legal heirs are entitled to enforce an arbitral award and are bound by it. (SC) Decided on: 21.02.2025

400. Restoration of watercourse -- Once the authority upon consideration of the matter has come to the conclusion that restoration of the watercourse on permanent basis was called for on account of the fact that the watercourse was running for more than 20 years and even the warabandi stood sanctioned thereon, no exception can be taken to the said course. (P&H HC) Decided on: 20.02.2025