Topic
Bombay High Court reinforces that EPF damages under Section 14-B must align with the degree of default and delay, setting aside an Rs.8.27L levy for violating natural justice. The ruling mandates reasoned orders and proportional penalties, impacting employers facing EPF compliance disputes.
Allahabad HC rules that penalties under the Food Safety Act must consider the offender's lack of knowledge, absence of quantifiable gain, and non-repetitive nature of the violation. The court reduced a Rs. 3 lakh fine to Rs. 60,000, emphasizing proportionality in enforcement for small vendors unaware of misbranding.
SAT ruled that minor technical omissions in financial disclosures under Regulation 33 of SEBI LODR Regulations do not warrant punitive fines if intent is absent. The decision underscores proportionality in regulatory penalties, offering relief to listed entities for genuine errors.
Gauhati High Court mandates fresh disciplinary proceedings under Article 311(2)(a) and CCS (CCA) Rules when an appellate court alters the conviction. The ruling underscores proportionality in penalties and the right to a reasoned order, directing authorities to pass a fresh decision within three months.
Patna High Court holds that seizing a vehicle for a mere one liter of illicit liquor, without proof of the owner's involvement, constitutes an disproportionate penalty under the Bihar Prohibition Act. The ruling reinforces the principle of natural justice and proportionality, ordering the vehicle's release on payment of a nominal Rs. 1,000 penalty, setting a precedent for fair enforcement of prohibition laws.