M/S. A.J. Shetty And Co. Pvt. Ltd Vs. St. Antony’s Charity Institutesand Others Case Summary You Can Listen To on Caseon

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M/S. A.J. Shetty And Co. Pvt. Ltd Vs. St. Antony’s Charity Institutesand Others

Supreme Court Of India Special Leave Petition Civil/26214/2024

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NON-REPORTABLE

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL NO. ______________ OF 2025

(Arising out of SLP (C) NO. 26214 OF 2024

M/S. A.J. SHETTY AND CO. PVT. LTD.

…APPELLANT(S)

ST. ANTONY’S CHARITY INSTITUTES

AND OTHERS …RESPONDENT(S)

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL NO. ______________ OF 2025

(Arising out of SLP (C) NO. 26316 OF 2024

J U D G M E N T

B.R. GAVAI, J.

1. Leave granted.

2. The present appeals challenge the common judgment

and final order dated 11

th September 2024 passed by a

Division Bench of the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru

in RFA No. 525 of 2018 (RES) connected with RFA No. 2328 of

2019 (SP) and RFA Cross Objection No. 1 of 2019. The High

Hereinafter “High Court”

Court dismissed with costs the appeals

2 filed by the Appellant

and confirmed the judgment and decree dated 15

th February

2018 passed by the Court of III Additional Senior Civil Judge,

Mangaluru, D.K.

3 in O.S. No. 144 of 2011 and O.S. No. 162 of

2014.

3. The facts, in brief, giving rise to the present appeals are

as given below.

3.1. On 20

th August 1912, the Milagres Church granted a

permanent lease in favour of Respondent No. 1 in connection

with the suit property. The suit property consists of two items

– an area of 1 Acre 18.50 cents in Sy. No. 173-A2 and another

area of 0.52 cents in Sy. No. 174 at Attavara Village,

Mangaluru Taluk.

3.2. On 23

rd September 1961, a lease deed for the suit

property was executed by Respondent No. 1 in favour of

Respondent No. 3 for a period of 50 years. Respondent No. 3,

thereafter, constructed a multi-storied building and started a

business under the name of “Hotel Motimahal” on the suit

property.

RFA No. 525 of 2018 (RES) and RFA No. 2328 of 2019 (SP)

Hereinafter “Trial Court”

3.3. On 3

rd February 1984, Respondent No. 3 by a sale deed

conveyed the lease hold rights, all improvements, business of

Hotel Motimahal along with the right to use the name to the

Appellant.

3.4. On 12

th October 2009, in view of the impending expiry of

the lease deed, the Appellant wrote to Respondent No. 1 for

renewal. The same was rejected.

3.5. On 10

th October 2011, Respondent No. 1 filed a suit

bearing O.S. No. 144 of 2011 in the Trial Court against the

Appellant and Respondent No. 3 inter-alia praying for a

direction to them to surrender vacant possession of the suit

property, to pay mesne profits from 23

rd September 2011 to 1

October 2011 at the rate of Rs. 1,00,000/- per day, to pay

future mesne profits, etc.

3.6. On 1

st March 2012, the Appellant also filed a suit bearing

O.S. No. 165 of 2012 (later re-numbered as O.S. No. 162 of

2014) in the Trial Court against Respondent No. 1, inter-alia,

praying for specific performance of a clause in the lease deed

dated 23

rd September 1961 for renewal of the term of lease, for

a direction to Respondent No. 1 to renew the lease of suit

property for another term of 50 years on monthly rental to be

fixed by the Court, etc.

3.7. On 15

th February 2018, upon consolidation of the suits

and recording of common evidence , the Trial Court by a

common judgment decreed the suit filed by Respondent No. 1

and dismissed with costs the suit filed by the Appellant. The

Appellant was directed to surrender the vacant possession of

the suit property to Respondent No. 1; the Appellant and

Respondent No. 3 were directed to jointly pay mesne profits

from 3

rd September 2011 to 1

st October 2011 at the rate of Rs.

50,000/- per day and to jointly pay mesne profits from the date

of suit till the date of delivery at the same rate. Respondent

No. 1 was also entitled to recover the amount with interest at

the rate of 15% per annum from the date of suit till realization.

3.8. Aggrieved by the dismissal of the suit filed by him, the

Appellant filed an appeal bearing RA No. 11 of 2018 before the

District Judge, Mangalore D.K. Simultaneously, the Appellant

also filed a Regular First Appeal (RFA No. 525 of 2018) before

the High Court challenging judgment and decree in favour of

Respondent No. 1.

3.9. On 14

th March 2018, the Principal District Judge,

Mangalore D.K. admitted the appeal and allowed an

application filed by the Appellant under Order XXXIX Rules 1

and 2 and Section 151 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908

The Principal District Judge directed that the parties maintain

status quo with regard to possession of the suit property on

the condition that the Appellant pays/deposits an amount of

Rs. 2,00,00,000/-.

3.10. On 27

th March 2018, in the RFA (No. 525 of 2018) filed

by the Appellant, a Division Bench of the High Court while

admitting the appeal prima facie found that the finding

regarding mesne profits is not supported by the evidence on

record. The High Court, therefore, granted interim relief of stay

of the judgment and decree dated 15

th February 2018 on the

condition that the Appellant deposits a further sum of

Rs. 2,00,00,000/- before the High Court and continues to

deposit a sum of Rs. 1,00,000/- per month pending the

disposal of the appeal.

Hereinafter “CPC”

3.11. In 2019, the Regular Appeal (No. 11 of 2018) filed by

the Appellant before the District Judge, Mangalore D.K. came

to be transferred to the High Court and the same was

renumbered as RFA No. 2328 of 2019.

3.12. Before the High Court, Respondent No. 1 filed a Cross

Objection bearing RFA Cross Objection No. 1 of 2019 for

enhancement of mesne profit from Rs. 50,000/- per day to Rs.

1,00,000/- per day.

3.13. On 11

th September 2024, the Division Bench of the

High Court, by the impugned judgment and final order ,

dismissed the appeals filed by the Appellant so also the Cross

Objection filed by Respondent No. 1.

3.14. Aggrieved thereby the present appeals came to be filed

in this Court by way of special leave.

4. On the first day itself, this Court by an order dated 11

November 2024 referred the matter for mediation. With the

consent of the parties, the matter was referred to

Hon’ble Shri Justice A.S. Bopanna – Former Judge of this

Court.

5. On the second date, the parties reported that a

settlement has been arrived at in the present matter.

A duly signed settlement agreement dated 31

st January 2025

was also received by this Court.

6. The settlement agreement reads thus:

“This memorandum of settlement is entered into, on

this the 31

st day of January 2025 between M/s. A.J.

Shetty & Co. Pvt. Ltd., by its Managing Director Sri.

A.J. Shetty of the First Party and St. Antony’s Charity

Institutes, Jeppu, Mangaluru represented by John

Baptist Crasta at Bangalore.

The parties named above have agreed as follows;

1. The first party has accepted as final, the

judgment and decree dated 15.02.2018

passed by the Court of Senior Civil Judge,

Mangalore and upheld by the Hon'ble High

Court of Karnataka by its judgment dated

11.09.2024, in so far as rejecting the

prayer for specific performance and

directing the first party to vacate and hand

over vacant possession of the suit

schedule premises.

2. In that view the first party has agreed to

voluntarily vacate from the suit schedule

premises within three months from this

day i.e., on or before 30.04.2025. The

second party has consented to the same.

3. The first party shall hand over vacant

possession of the land and building

constructed thereon, to the second party

on ‘as is where is basis’.

4. The first party has assured the second

party that the first party has not created

any charge over the property towards any

outstanding. If any amount is due to any

person or authority in the process of

conducting business from the suit

schedule property, the first party alone

shall be liable and the suit schedule

property shall not be the subject matter for

any recovery in that regard.

5. In so far as the mesne profits as ordered

by the Trial Court and upheld by the

Hon’ble High Court, the parties in the

process of negotiation have taken note of

the vagaries involved in business, the

expenses incurred and also the

intervening COVID-19 pandemic when all

category of business had come to a

standstill.

6. Hence the second party has agreed to

receive the mesne profits at the reduced

rate, which is also an incentive for the first

party to voluntarily vacate from the

schedule property in a short duration as

agreed above, without driving the second

party to secure possession through

execution proceedings.

7. In that light, in modification of the decree

for mesne profits, the first party shall now

pay the mesne profits calculated at the

rate of Rs.23,000/ per day from

03.09.2011 onwards till the date of

vacating from the suit schedule premises.

The said amount shall not attract interest.

8. It is agreed between the parties that the

first party had deposited the amount

before the Appellate Court and High Court

pursuant to the order passed by the

Hon’ble High Court as well as Appellate

Court. The second party has withdrawn

sum of Rs. 3,29,29,224/- from the said

amount and the balance is lying in deposit

before the Appellate Court and High Court

respectively.

9. In view of this settlement entered into

between the parties, the first party has no

objection for the second party to withdraw

the said amount with accrued interest.

10. On such adjustment of the deposited

amount towards the mesne profits agreed

between the parties, the first party shall

remain liable to pay the balance amount

towards full and final settlement of the

mesne profits.

11. The said amount shall be paid by the first

party to the second party in one lumpsum

or by way of instalments, but the entire

balance amount in any event shall be paid

on or before.30.04.2026, Bank Guarantee

for the same shall be furnished by the

First Party.

12. That the parties further agree that if the

above stated balance mesne profit amount

is not paid on before the date as agreed

above, the said balance amount shall

attract interest at 18% per annum

calculated from 2011 till the date of

payment.

13. In that view the parties agree that the

judgment and decree be modified in terms

of this memorandum of settlement.”

7. It was, however, submitted by Shri P. Vishwanatha

Shetty, learned Senior Counsel appearing on behalf of the

Appellant, that the Appellant is running a Hotel Management

Institute

5 in the name of “Moti Mahal College of Hotel

Management” at the suit property and that in light of the

settlement arrived at with Respondent No. 1, the Appellant is

Hereinafter “Institute”

now required to vacate the suit property on or before 30

th April

2025.

8. It was submitted by the learned Senior Counsel that the

Appellant intends to shift the Institute permanently to land

bearing Sy. No. 2/18(P), 2/19(P) Bolooru-B Village, Mangalore

City Corporation Limits, Mangalore

6. It was, however,

submitted that the campus at the new location is not yet ready

and so in the interregnum the Appellant has made an

arrangement to shift the Institute to property at Sy. No.

183A1B1(P), No. 89A, Kodialbail Village, Mangalore City

Corporation Limits, Mangalore

9. It was submitted by the learned Senior Counsel for the

Appellant that at present there are 240 students enrolled in

the Institute. It was submitted that by completing the course,

the students would have very good prospects for employment.

It was further submitted that as per the settlement agreement

arrived at between the parties, the Appellant does not have

enough sufficient time to directly move to the new location

which would have satisfied the requirements of All India

Hereinafter “new location”

Hereinafter “temporary location”

Council for Technical Education

8. It was, however, submitted

that the temporary location where the Appellant proposes to

shift the Institute will satisfy all the other facilities which are

required to be provided to the students for academic

excellence.

10. The learned Senior Counsel lastly submitted that if the

Appellant is not allowed to shift to the temporary location, for

a period not exceeding 2 years, the students who are already

admitted to the degree course will be put to a lot of hardship

and inconvenience. It was, therefore, prayed that this Court

issue appropriate direction to the AICTE and the Mangalore

University to permit the Appellant to shift to the temporary

location and to continue to operate the course there for a

period not exceeding 2-years.

11. In this regard the Appellant sought permission to

implead the AICTE and Mangalore University as party-

respondents. The same was allowed by this Court by an order

dated 21

st February 2025.

Hereinafter “AICTE”

12. When the matter was listed on 1

st April 2025, Shri Harish

Pandey learned counsel appeared on behalf of the AICTE. It

was submitted by the learned counsel that in compliance of all

the provisions laid down in the Approval Process Handbook

2004, the AICTE had granted approval of Hotel Management

and Catering programme/course to the Appellant’s Institute

in the Academic Year 2004. It was further submitted that since

then the AICTE has granted Extension of Approval for this

course to the Institute up-to the Academic Year 2024-25 on

the basis of self-declaration.

13. The learned counsel for AICTE submitted that the

Approval Process Handbook 2024 -27

9 lays down the

provisions of infrastructure requirement for running a

programme in the Institute. Relying on the provisions of

Chapter II of the AICTE-APH, it was submitted by the learned

counsel for the AICTE that the extant provisions provide that

the land where the Institute is to be run shall be with clear

title in the name of the trust/society/company or on a long-

term lease for a minimum period of 30 years and that the live

Hereinafter “AICTE-APH”

lease should be at least equal to maximum duration of

programme/course being run by the Institute. It was further

submitted that till date the AICTE has not received any kind

of proposal from the Appellant’s Institute.

14. Having heard the learned Senior Counsel/counsel for the

Appellant, Respondent No. 1 and the AICTE, it is clear that

insofar as the lis between the parties is concerned, the same

has been amicably settled through mediation.

15. The only issue that remains to be resolved is, as to,

whether in light of the settlement agreement and the extant

provisions of AICTE-APH a direction be issued to the AICTE?

16. The Appellant, having received requisite permission from

AICTE and recognition from Mangalore University, has been

running the Institute since the Academic Year 2004. Even for

Academic Year 2024-25, the Appellant has received

permission from AICTE. It, however, so happens that on

account of non-renewal of the lease agreement by Respondent

No. 1, the Appellant is now no longer able to run the Institute

from the suit property.

17. No doubt that Shri Harish Pandey, learned counsel for

the AICTE is right in saying that as per the provisions of

AICTE-APH, if the permission has to be continued, the

Appellant will have to shift its institute to a premises which is

either owned by it or a long-term lease for a minimum period

of 30 years has to be executed. However, the present appeal

arises out of peculiar facts and circumstances. The Appellant

is having a valid permission from 2004 till date. Around 250

students are taking education therein. It is not the case that

the Appellant is not having adequate infrastructure. However,

on account of the peculiar circumstances, the Appellant will

have to shift to the new location. The Appellant has already

taken steps for shifting its Institute to a campus which

conforms with the provisions of AICTE-APH. However, on

account of the peculiar facts, the said campus would not be

ready for a period of 2 years. Faced with the difficulty that on

one hand the Appellant has to vacate the present premises and

on the other hand, the campus where it is proposing to

relocate its Institute, is not ready, the Appellant is required to

shift its Institute at a temporary location.

18. We find that this is a fit case wherein this court should

exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction under Article 142 of the

Constitution of India to meet the ends of justice. If we fail to

exercise the said power, the career of about 250 students

would be jeopardized. In that view of the matter, we are

inclined to issue the following directions:

(i) The AICTE and Mangalore University shall not insist,

for a period of 2 years from today, on compliance with

the requirement of the Appellant shifting its Institute

to a place which is either owned by it or in respect of

which the lease for a period of more than 30 years is

existing;

(ii) The AICTE and Mangalore University will continue the

permission/affiliation granted to the Institute for a

period of 2 years in a premises where the Appellant

would temporarily relocate its Institute. However, the

said premises would conform to the other

requirements;

(iii) The Appellant is directed to ensure that the

campus/new location which conforms with the

requirement of the AICTE would be complete within a

period of 2 years from today and that it shifts its

Institute to the said location prior to 30

th April 2027;

(iv) Insofar as the lis between the parties is concerned, the

settlement agreement is taken on record and the

statements made by the parties in the said settlement

agreement are treated as an undertaking to this Court;

and

(v) The fee of the learned Mediator, with the consent of

the counsels appearing for both the parties is fixed at

Rs.10,00,000/- (Rupees Ten Lakh only) to be shared

by the Appellant and Respondent No.1 in equal

proportion and the Appellant is entitled to adjustment

of the initial deposit of mediator’s fee, made in excess

of his obligation of 50%, towards mesne profits payable

to Respondent No.1.

19. Before we part with the judgment and order, we place on

record our deep gratitude for the efforts made by Hon’ble Shri

Justice A.S. Bopanna as a result of which the parties could

arrive at an amicable settlement.

20. We also place on record our deep appreciation for the

assistance rendered by the learned Senior counsel/counsel for

the parties for arriving at a settlement.

21. The appeals shall stand disposed of in the aforesaid

terms.

..............................J.

(B.R. GAVAI)

............................................J.

(AUGUSTINE GEORGE MASIH )

NEW DELHI;

APRIL 23, 2025.

Reference cases

Description

Supreme Court Resolves Complex Lease Dispute with Humanitarian Consideration for Education

In a significant development for property law and educational policy, the latest **Supreme Court Civil Appeal on Lease Dispute** involving M/S. A.J. Shetty and Co. Pvt. Ltd. and St. Antony's Charity Institutes, alongside a crucial **Mesne Profits Settlement**, is now available for in-depth analysis on CaseOn. This non-reportable judgment from the Supreme Court of India delves into the complexities of long-term lease agreements, the implications of non-renewal, and the humanitarian considerations in legal disputes, providing valuable insights for legal practitioners and students alike.

Issue: Balancing Contractual Rights, Mesne Profits, and Educational Continuity

The primary issues before the Supreme Court revolved around: 1. **Enforceability of Lease Renewal and Vacant Possession:** Whether the Appellant, M/S. A.J. Shetty and Co. Pvt. Ltd., was entitled to specific performance for the renewal of its lease or if the Respondent, St. Antony's Charity Institutes, had the right to seek vacant possession upon the lease expiry. 2. **Assessment and Payment of Mesne Profits:** The quantum of mesne profits awarded by the lower courts and the terms of its settlement between the parties. 3. **Educational Institution Relocation:** Given the Appellant operated a Hotel Management Institute from the disputed premises, how to ensure the continuity of education for its 240 students while adhering to regulatory requirements set by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Mangalore University, especially regarding a temporary relocation.

Rule: Key Legal Principles and Regulatory Frameworks

The judgment's resolution involved several key legal principles and regulatory provisions: * **Contract Law (Specific Performance):** The enforceability of clauses for lease renewal, subject to the terms of the original agreement and subsequent actions of the parties. * **Property Law (Vacant Possession & Mesne Profits):** The right of a lessor to regain possession upon lease expiry and the entitlement to mesne profits for unlawful occupation. Mesne profits are defined under Section 2(12) of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC), as profits that the person in wrongful possession of such property actually received or might with ordinary diligence have received, together with interest on such profits, but shall not include profits due to improvements made by the person in wrongful possession. * **Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Order XXXIX Rules 1 & 2, Section 151):** Provisions related to interim injunctions and the inherent power of courts to make orders necessary for the ends of justice. * **Article 142 of the Constitution of India:** The Supreme Court's extraordinary power to pass any decree or order necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it, even if it goes beyond existing statutory provisions. * **AICTE Approval Process Handbook (AICTE-APH):** Regulations governing the infrastructure requirements for technical educational institutions, specifically concerning land ownership or long-term lease (minimum 30 years) for the institute's premises.

Analysis: A Journey from Dispute to Amicable Resolution and Judicial Intervention

The Genesis of the Dispute

The case originated from a long-standing lease arrangement. In 1912, Milagres Church granted a permanent lease to Respondent No. 1. Subsequently, in 1961, Respondent No. 1 leased a portion of this property to Respondent No. 3 for 50 years. Respondent No. 3 then constructed "Hotel Motimahal." In 1984, Respondent No. 3 conveyed the leasehold rights and the business to the Appellant, M/S. A.J. Shetty and Co. Pvt. Ltd.

Failure of Lease Renewal and Legal Battles

As the 50-year lease approached expiry in 2009, the Appellant sought renewal, which Respondent No. 1 rejected. This led to a two-pronged legal battle: Respondent No. 1 filed O.S. No. 144 of 2011 for vacant possession and mesne profits (initially seeking Rs. 1,00,000/- per day), while the Appellant filed O.S. No. 165 of 2012 (later re-numbered as O.S. No. 162 of 2014) for specific performance of the renewal clause.

Trial Court and High Court Decisions

The Trial Court, upon consolidating the suits, ruled against the Appellant in 2018. It decreed Respondent No. 1's suit, directing the Appellant and Respondent No. 3 to surrender vacant possession and jointly pay mesne profits at Rs. 50,000/- per day from September 2011 until possession delivery, with 15% interest. The Appellant's suit for specific performance was dismissed. The Appellant appealed to both the District Judge and the High Court. The High Court, while admitting the appeal, noted a *prima facie* issue with the mesne profits finding and granted an interim stay on the condition of further deposits. Ultimately, on 11th September 2024, the High Court dismissed the Appellant's appeals, upholding the Trial Court's judgment, and also dismissed Respondent No. 1's cross-objection for enhanced mesne profits.

Supreme Court Intervention and Mediation

Aggrieved, the Appellant approached the Supreme Court. Recognizing the potential for an amicable resolution, the Court, on the very first day (11th November 2024), referred the matter for mediation, appointing Hon'ble Shri Justice A.S. Bopanna (Former Judge of the Supreme Court). This proved fruitful, as a settlement agreement was signed on 31st January 2025.

Terms of the Settlement Agreement

The settlement, a comprehensive agreement, involved several crucial points: * **Acceptance of Judgment:** The Appellant accepted the lower courts' judgments regarding the rejection of specific performance and the direction to vacate the premises. * **Voluntary Vacancy:** The Appellant agreed to vacate voluntarily by 30th April 2025, handing over possession of the land and building on an “as is where is basis.” * **Mesne Profits Adjustment:** Crucially, the parties, acknowledging business vagaries and the COVID-19 pandemic, agreed to a reduced mesne profits rate. The Appellant would now pay Rs. 23,000/- per day from 3rd September 2011 onwards, without interest, a significant reduction from the Rs. 50,000/- per day awarded by the Trial Court. This reduction was deemed an incentive for voluntary vacation. * **Financial Adjustments:** The deposited amounts (Rs. 2 crores + Rs. 2 crores + Rs. 1 lakh/month) were to be adjusted. Respondent No. 1 had already withdrawn Rs. 3,29,29,224/-. The Appellant remained liable for the balance, to be paid by 30th April 2026, with a bank guarantee. Failure to pay would revert the interest rate to 18% per annum from 2011.

The Educational Conundrum and Article 142 Application

Amidst this settlement, a new challenge emerged: the Appellant was running “Moti Mahal College of Hotel Management,” with 240 students enrolled. The Appellant needed to shift from the suit property by 30th April 2025 but stated its permanent new campus would not be ready for two years. A temporary location was identified, but it did not fully comply with AICTE's stringent norms requiring either ownership or a minimum 30-year long-term lease. The learned counsel for AICTE highlighted these requirements, essential for granting or extending approvals. However, the Supreme Court recognized the peculiar circumstances and the potential jeopardy to the careers of 240 students if a temporary relocation was denied due to a technicality. This is where **CaseOn.in 2-minute audio briefs** can assist legal professionals. By providing concise summaries of complex rulings like this, practitioners can quickly grasp the court's reasoning behind such nuanced decisions, particularly the application of Article 142 in balancing regulatory compliance with humanitarian concerns. Exercising its extraordinary jurisdiction under **Article 142 of the Constitution of India**, the Supreme Court stepped in to ensure complete justice. It acknowledged the Appellant's valid AICTE permission since 2004 and the steps taken to establish a new, compliant campus. To safeguard the students' future, the Court directed: * **Temporary Relaxation of AICTE Norms:** AICTE and Mangalore University were directed not to insist on the 30-year lease/ownership requirement for a period of two years from the date of the order. * **Continued Permission/Affiliation:** Permission/affiliation for the Institute was to be continued for two years at the temporary location, provided it conformed to other AICTE requirements. * **Commitment to Permanent Relocation:** The Appellant was directed to ensure its new, AICTE-compliant campus was complete and the Institute shifted there by 30th April 2027.

Conclusion: A Solomonic Ruling Ensuring Justice and Educational Continuity

The Supreme Court disposed of the civil appeals by incorporating the settlement agreement between M/S. A.J. Shetty and Co. Pvt. Ltd. and St. Antony's Charity Institutes as an undertaking to the Court. The judgment effectively modified the mesne profits decree, directing the Appellant to vacate the property by 30th April 2025, and ensuring the payment of settled mesne profits at a reduced rate. Crucially, the Court's application of Article 142 provided a critical two-year window for the Appellant's Hotel Management Institute to operate from a temporary location, temporarily relaxing strict AICTE and university norms to protect the educational future of 240 students. This balanced approach ensured contractual obligations were met while upholding a broader humanitarian principle.

Why This Judgment is an Important Read for Lawyers and Students

This judgment is a masterclass in judicial pragmatism and the Supreme Court's exercise of its extraordinary powers. For lawyers, it highlights: * **The Power of Mediation:** How a complex, multi-layered property dispute, entrenched for years, can be successfully resolved through court-referred mediation, leading to a mutually agreeable settlement. * **Article 142 and its Scope:** A clear demonstration of how Article 142 is invoked to achieve 'complete justice,' especially when existing laws might inadvertently lead to harsh or unjust outcomes, as seen in the temporary relaxation of AICTE norms. * **Mesne Profits Negotiation:** Insights into how mesne profits can be negotiated and settled, considering real-world factors like economic downturns (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic) and incentives for voluntary compliance. * **Balancing Competing Interests:** The Court's adept handling of the conflict between strict regulatory compliance (AICTE norms) and the humanitarian need to protect students' careers. For law students, this case offers a practical example of: * The interplay between property law, contract law, and constitutional law. * The appellate process and the hierarchy of courts. * The importance of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. * The ethical and social dimensions of legal practice, particularly when dealing with educational institutions and student welfare. This judgment serves as a testament to the judiciary's role not just in interpreting law, but also in shaping practical solutions that serve broader societal interests.

Disclaimer

All information provided in this blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, readers should consult with a qualified legal professional for advice pertaining to their specific circumstances. Reliance on any information provided herein is solely at your own risk.

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