The Supreme Court on January 11 has said that the failure of a real estate developer to obtain an occupation certificate is a ‘deficiency in service’ under the Consumer Protection Act 1986 and that homebuyers are within their rights as ‘consumers’ to demand compensation for high charges incurred by them. “In the present case, the respondent was responsible for transferring the title to the flats to the society along with the occupancy certificate. The failure of the respondent to obtain the occupation certificate is a deficiency in service for which the respondent is liable. Thus, the members of the appellant society are well within their rights as ‘consumers’ to pray for compensation as a recompense for the consequent liability (such as payment of higher taxes and water charges by the owners) arising from the lack of an occupancy certificate,” the bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna observed. The bench was hearing a case wherein the complaint was filed by Samruddhi Co-operative Housing Society Ltd of Mumbai for refund of the excess taxes and charges paid to the municipal authorities, due to the alleged deficiency of service of the builder- Mumbai Mahalaxmi Construction Pvt. Ltd. The buyers had said that they had to pay a 25 percent higher amount on account of the property tax and an additional 50 percent towards the water charges due to the builder’s failure to obtain an occupancy certificate. Members of the Mumbai society had booked units in 1993 and were given possession of their units in 1997 but the builder had not taken steps to obtain an occupation certificate from the municipal authorities. As a result, the flat buyers were not eligible for an electricity and water connection and had to shell out  property tax at a rate 25 percent higher than the normal rate and water charges at a rate which was 50 percemt higher than the normal charge The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) had earlier dismissed the complaint filed by homebuyers on the ground that it was barred by limitation and that it was not that it was in the nature of a recovery proceeding and not a consumer dispute. It had also said that the housing society was not a ‘consumer’ under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act as they had claimed the recovery of higher charges paid to the municipal authorities from the builder. The Supreme Court bench in its order observed that Sections 3 and 6 of the MOFA indicate that the promoter has an obligation to provide the occupancy certificate to the flat owners. Apart from this, the promoter must make payments of outgoings such as ground rent, municipal taxes, water charges and electricity charges till the time the property is transferred to the flat owners. Where the promoter fails to pay such charges, the promoter is liable even after the transfer of property. “Based on these provisions, it is evident that there was an obligation on the respondent to provide the occupancy certificate and pay for the relevant charges till the certificate has been provided. The respondent has time and again failed to provide the occupancy certificate to the appellant society. “For this reason, a complaint was instituted in 1998 by the appellant against the respondent. The NCDRC on 20 August 2014 directed the respondent to obtain the certificate within a period of four months. Further, the NCDRC also imposed a penalty for any delay in obtaining the occupancy certificate beyond these 4 months. Since 2014 till date, the respondent has failed to provide the occupancy certificate,” it said. Owing to the failure of the respondent to obtain the certificate, there has been a direct impact on the members of the appellant in terms of the payment of higher taxes and water charges to the municipal authority. This continuous failure to obtain an occupancy certificate is a breach of the obligations imposed on the respondent under the MOFA and amounts to a continuing wrong. The appellants, therefore, are entitled to damages arising out of this continuing wrong and their complaint is not barred by limitation, the order said. The bench has allowed the appeal against the order of the NCDRC dated December 3, 2018, and hold that the complaint is maintainable. “We direct the NCDRC to decide the merits of the dispute having regard to the observations contained in the present judgment and dispose the complaint within a period of three months from the date of this judgment,” the order noted. The Supreme Court had in the Bangalore Development Authority vs Syndicate Bank also held that failure to register title deeds is a deficiency of service on the part of the builder. No registration can be done and consequently, possession cannot be handed over if an occupation certificate is not obtained. Therefore, the Supreme Court has taken note of the plight of homebuyers and has rightly held that failure to obtain OC is a deficiency of service, said advocate Kumar Mihir. This will also help thousands of homebuyers who are forced to take possession by the builders even when the projects are not complete and OC/CC has not been issued for the same by the competent authority, he added.  Source: moneycontrol.com

The Supreme Court has held that until and unless the railways provide evidence and explain the late arrival of a train to establish and prove that delay occurred because of the reasons beyond their control, they would be liable to pay compensation for such delay. “Therefore, unless and until the evidence is laid explaining the delay and it is established and proved that delay occurred which was beyond their control and/or even there was some justification for delay, the railway is liable to pay the compensation for delay and late arrival of trains”, a bench of Justice MR Shah and Justice Aniruddha Bose observed. [Case: Northern Western Railway and Another v. Sanjay Shukla Citation: LL 2021 SC 427] Source: live Law

The Supreme Court has directed all states, except Maharashtra, to fill up vacancies in the Districts and State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions by the end of January 2022. A bench comprising Justices S K Kaul and M M Sundresh noted that a large number of states are stated to be reaching the culmination of the process of appointment. With regard to Tamil Nadu, the top court said the acting Chief Justice of the high court would have to nominate some Judge and the state government would promptly approach the acting Chief Justice for the said purpose and ”we expect the nomination to be made on an urgent basis”. Advocate Aditya Narain, who has been appointed as amicus curiae in the case, submitted a comprehensive status report with regard to the appointment of members of the Commission. ”It is suggested by the amicus curiae that two months’ time, i.e., by the end of January, 2022 should be enough for the States to fully comply, which include the ones which have partially complied but their vacancies have not been filled up, the exception being State of Maharashtra which will have to wait the decision in the special leave petition stated to be filed both by the Union of India and the State but not listed as yet,” the bench said. On the issue of development of judicial infrastructure, the apex court noted that a large part of pending funds under category of utilisation certificate ”UC.” does not portray a very happy situation. ”It must be appreciated that the utilization of the Central funding in turn requires planning by the States so that the funds do not lapse. The project may be spread over a period of time and if the utilisation is on the basis of the total funds available without taking into account the time period within which that infrastructure would be built, there is bound to be a situation of funds lapsing,” the bench said. The top court, in its December 1 order, said that what is required is to take up as many projects as would result in a utilisation of the fund in the given financial year so that the fund does not lapse. ”It is suggested to us that in order to facilitate the utilization of funds within the stipulated time and to ensure that utilisation certificates are submitted so that no part of the fund lapses, there should be nodal officers assisting the Empowered Committees. ”We call upon the Central Government and the State Governments as well as the Union Territories to nominate the nodal officers for the said purpose within a week. These nodal officers will coordinate and assist the Empowered Committees,” the bench said. The apex court made it clear that the Empowered Committees, the nodal officers, states and the Union government are all responsible to ensure that the funds allocated are utilised properly and within the time stipulated with proper utilization certificate to ensure that no fund lapses, and are utilized under the Scheme. The top court was hearing a suo motu case, ‘Inaction of the Governments in appointing President and Members/Staff of Districts and State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and inadequate infrastructure across India’. Earlier, the apex court had expressed displeasure over delay in appointments in the Districts and State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and said if the government does not want the tribunals then it should abolish the Consumer Protection Act. It had directed that the process of filling up vacancies in the State Consumer Commissions as per its earlier directions must not be impeded by the judgment of the Bombay High Court which had quashed certain Consumer Protection Rules. Sankaranarayanan had apprised the court about the judgement passed by the Bombay High Court at Nagpur Bench quashing certain Consumer Protection Rules. The top court had in January said that Consumer rights are ”important rights” and non-manning of posts and inadequate infrastructure in the district and state consumer commissions across the country would deprive the citizens of redressal of their grievances. The top court had appointed senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayan and lawyer Aaditya Narain as amicus curiae to assist it in the matter. Source: devdiscourse.com

The Supreme Court has held that even if there is no evidence on record of actual income, deceased person’s potential to earn can be considered while considering insurance claims in motor accidents matter. The deceased was a computer engineer with a B.Tech degree. While there was evidence on record to show that the deceased was earning Rs.10,000/ month, there was no documentary evidence to show an additional 10,000/month which Appellants claimed. The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal, Ranchi in its judgement assessed the “future loss of income” of the deceased at Rs.20,000/month and on that basis arrived at a compensation figure of Rs. 30 Lakhs. The Jharkhand High Court in its impugned judgement reduced the amount of compensation from 30 Lakh Rupees to 15 Lakh Rupees. The impugned judgement held that: “this Court is of the opinion that without any evidence with regard to income and only on the basis of oral statement income of the deceased was considered by the learned Tribunal to the tune of Rs.20,000/- is not just and proper, though there no contrary evidence was brought by Insurance Company nor cross-examination has been done by the Insurance Company, but the learned Tribunal ought to have been very reasonable in granting compensation as the same cannot be bonanza rather the same must be just and fair compensation.” (Para 28) Before the Supreme Court, the Respondent-Insurance Company argued that there was no documentary evidence produced on record to show that Rs.20,000/ month was the actual income of the deceased at the time of death. In this light, the Order holds: “assuming that there was no supporting evidence laid, in that case also considering the potentiality to earn, as the deceased was a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Technology, his income can safely be assessed at-least at Rs.20,000/- per month.” On the basis of this reasoning, the Order dated 06.12.2021 sets aside the impugned judgement noting that the “High Court has committed grave error in reducing the compensation.” Case name: Basant Devi v Divisional Manager, The New India Assurance Company Ltd Coram: Justice M.R. Shah and Justice B.V.Nagarathna Counsels: Mr.Kaushik Laik for Appellants, Mr.J.P.N.Shahi for Respondents. Citation : LL 2021 SC 728 Source: https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/motor-accident-claims-potential-to-earn-can-be-considered-to-determine-compensation-if-there-is-no-evidence-for-actual-income-supreme-court-187406

The Supreme Court delivered the split Verdict on chargeability of Service Tax on Card-Issuing Bank For Interchange Fees. Justice Joseph, in his judgement, was in agreement that the respondent­ Citibank, as issuing bank, was providing service, as found by the Commissioner. However, this service was a part of a single unified service– of settling transactions – which is provided by both the acquiring and issuing bank (which in some circumstances may well be the same bank). “I am in agreement with J. Joseph that prior to 01.07.2012, the service of issuing bank fell within Section 65 (33a) (iii); interchange fee cannot be treated as interest, as argued by Citibank; and lastly the case that credit card transaction, being a transaction in money and therefore excluded from the definition of “service” in Section 65B (44) is unacceptable,” said Justice Ravindra Bhat. Justice Bhat further added that the question of remand to the tribunal does not arise. The only point of contention seems to be whether they were reflecting the payment of service tax separately in their ledgers, as issuing and acquiring bank. However, as a result of the reasons already elaborated, this is rendered to be a purely academic question. A question of returns should not detain this Court, because the business reality is that every bank is both an issuing bank and an acquiring bank, and it is nobody’s case that the banks are not filing their returns on service tax. However, Justice KM Joseph allowed the appeals filed by the Revenue Department and remanded the matter back to the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal. The judgement of Joseph, J. with respect, is mainly concerned by the fact that Citibank retains ₹ 2 before crediting the rest of the money towards settlement of the transaction; and therefore, in the absence of proof that acquiring bank has paid service tax on amount including the interchange fee, it is liable to pay for the specific service provided by it, as a distinct service provider. As explained in the earlier portion of this judgment, the activity or part played by the issuing bank is undoubtedly a service. However, it is part of the service; by itself, and without the role of the acquiring bank, it becomes a pure advance or loan transaction. However, the provision of service by the issuing bank and the acquiring bank together, triggers the levy. In other words, the component of service by the issuing bank is just that – a part of a single unified service, which for business convenience is structured in a manner, that the issuing bank retains ₹ 2, and tax is paid on the overall service, in the hands of the acquiring bank. There is no revenue leakage. The manner in which the credit card transaction, particularly the inter se transaction between the issuing bank and the acquiring bank is fashioned is such that instead of releasing the entire amount, in the first instance, and claiming the interchange fee later, the issuing bank retains the component of interchange fee. Source: https://www.taxscan.in/supreme-court-delivers-split-verdict-on-chargeability-of-service-tax-on-card-issuing-bank-for-interchange-fees/144327/

The Supreme Court observed that the allotment of public properties on the basis of discretionary quota has to be done away with. Such allotment must be transparent and has to be fair and non arbitrary, the bench of Justice MR Shah and BV Nagarathna observed. The court added that even in the case where the policy decision is taken to allot the plots to a particular class – downtrodden class etc. in that case also the guidelines must be strictly followed. In this case, the allegation against certain public servants who were occupying crucial positions in Bhubaneswar Development Authority and in the Housing and Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha was that they surreptitiously distributed prime plots in Commercial Complex District Centre, Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar. It was alleged that all the accused persons have committed the offences under Section 120B IPC and Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d) of the 3 Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Allowing their petition filed under Section 482 CrPC, the Orissa High Court quashed the FIR. In appeal, the Apex Court bench noted that, in the instant case, the allegations are an instance of abuse of the powers with a mala fide intention and allotment of the plots to the family members by hatching a criminal conspiracy and to allot the plots to the family members at throw away price causing loss to the B.D.A. and the public exchequer. The court observed that action has to be initiated against the officials who are prima facie responsible for the illegality in the allotment of the plots to the relatives and/or family members resulting in huge loss to the B.D.A. and the public exchequer. While concluding the judgment, the bench made these observations: 11. Before parting we may observe that now the day has come to do away with allotment of government largess on the basis of discretionary quota as this inevitably leads to corruption, nepotism and favouritism. Government and/or the public authorities like B.D.A. are the custodian of public properties. Allotment of public properties must be transparent and has to be fair and non­-arbitrary. In such matters public interest only has to be the prime guiding consideration. The aforesaid principle is in order to get the best or maximum price so that it may serve the public purpose and public interest so as to avoid loss to the authority and/or the public exchequer. The court added that the allotment of plots in the discretionary quota cannot be at the whims of the persons in power and/or the public servants who are dealing with the allotment of plots in the discretionary quota. “When a democratic government in exercise of its discretion selects the recipients for its largess, then discretion should be exercised objectively, rationally, intelligibly, fairly and in a non­-arbitrary manner and it should not be subjective and according to the private opinion and/or the whims and fancies of the persons in power and/or the public servants. Even if guidelines are issued to be followed while allotment of the plots under the discretionary quota and it is found that many a time they are hardly followed or are manipulated to suit the particular circumstances. Therefore, the best thing is to do away with such discretionary quota and allotments of the public properties/plots must be through public auction by and large. Even in the case where the policy decision is taken to allot the plots to a particular class – downtrodden class etc. in that case also the guidelines must be strictly followed and as observed hereinabove the allotment must reflect the fair play and non­-arbitrariness and should have objective, criteria/procedure.”, the court observed. https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/supreme-court-discretionary-quota-public-properties-allotment-187433 Source: Livelaw.in

The Indian government has no plans for boosting the cryptocurrency sector in the country, says Pankaj Chaudhary, Union minister of state for finance. Giving a written reply in the Lok Sabha, the minister reiterated that cryptocurrencies are currently unregulated and the government does not collect data on the cryptocurrency sector. “A bill on cryptocurrency and regulation of official digital currency has been included for introduction in the Lok Sabha Bulletin-Part II as part of government business expected to be taken up during the seventh session of 17th Lok Sabha.” Jagdambika Pal, a member of Parliament (MP), had asked for data available for active cryptocurrency exchange companies working in India for both, local developers and international developers and the details of cyberattacks that happened on these companies in the past two years. He also asked about the size of the cryptocurrency market in India and if it is trustworthy. However, Mr Chaudhary, the state minister, only says a bill will be introduced in the current session of the Parliament. Replying to another question about digital currency asked by Rakesh Singh, an MP, the minister said a central bank introduces central bank digital currency (CBDC). “Government has received a proposal from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in October 2021 for an amendment to the RBI Act to enhance the scope of the definition of ‘bank note’ to include currency in digital form. RBI has been examining use cases and working out a phased implementation strategy for the introduction of CBDC with little or no disruption,” he said. According to the state minister, the introduction of CBDC can provide significant benefits, such as reduced dependency on cash, higher seigniorage due to lower transaction costs, and reduced settlement risk. He said, “Introduction of CBDC would also possibly lead to a more robust, efficient, trusted, regulated and legal tender-based payments option. There are also associated risks which need to be carefully evaluated against the potential benefits.” “As CBDC is backed by the central bank of a country, apart from other benefits, it will not have volatility which is normally associated with the private cryptocurrencies,” the state minister for finance said.  Source: moneylife.in