Holding

The Supreme Court's earlier direction transferring the case to the High Court was without jurisdiction and per incuriam, violating Articles 14 and 21, and is recalled; the trial must proceed under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1952.

Summary

The appellant, a former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, was prosecuted for corruption offences under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Supreme Court, in an earlier order dated 16.2.1984, suo motu transferred the case from the Special Judge to the Bombay High Court for speedy trial. The appellant challenged this transfer, arguing that it violated the exclusive jurisdiction of Special Judges under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1952, and his fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21. The majority of a seven-judge bench held that the earlier direction was per incuriam, without jurisdiction, and had deprived the appellant of valuable rights of appeal and revision. The Court recalled its earlier direction, set aside all proceedings subsequent to it, and ordered that the trial proceed in accordance with the 1952 Act before a Special Judge. The decision was split, with dissenting opinions arguing that the earlier order was final and could not be collaterally attacked.

Issues considered

Whether the directions given by the Supreme Court on 16.2.1984 transferring the case from the Special Judge to the High Court were valid and legal.
Whether such directions violated Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
Whether the Supreme Court can review or recall its own directions if they result in deprivation of fundamental rights.
Whether the Supreme Court can issue a writ of certiorari to quash its own judicial order.
Whether a larger bench can overrule or recall a decision of a smaller bench.
Whether the trial by the High Court instead of a Special Judge was without jurisdiction.

Legislation cited

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973s. 223, s. 374, s. 406, s. 407
Constitution of Indias. 13, s. 134, s. 136, s. 137, s. 139, s. 14, s. 141, s. 142, s. 145, s. 21, s. 32
Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1952s. 6, s. 7, s. 8, s. 9
Indian Penal Code, 1860s. 120B, s. 161, s. 165, s. 384, s. 420
Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947s. 5

Subjects

Criminal trialJurisdictionTransfer of caseSpecial JudgeFundamental rightsArticle 14Article 21Per incuriamReviewNatural justiceEx debito justitiaeActus curiae neminem gravabit

Judgment

A.R. ANTULAY
v.
R.S. NAYAK & ANR.

APRIL 29, 1988
B
[SABYASACHI MUKHARJI, RANGANATH MISRA,
G.L. OZA, B.C .. RAY, S. NATARAJAN,
M.N. VENKATACHALIAH AND S. RANGANATHAN, JJ.]
• Constitution of India, 1950: Articles 13, 14, 21, 32 Prosecution of
appellant for offences under sections 161 and 165 I. P. C.-Trial under
Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1952 to be h.eld by Special Judge only- C
Supreme Court in its judgment directing trial to be held by High Court
Judge-Validity of Supreme Court Judgment-Whether infringement of
fundamental right of accused involved-Whether procedure established
by law violated-Power to create or enlarge jurisdiction-Legislative in
character.
ii D
Articles 32, 134, 136, 137, 139, 141 and 142-Powers of review-.
Nature and scope of-Whether Supreme Court can review its directions
if they result in deprivation of fundamental rights of a citizen-Whether
Supreme Court can issue writ of certiorari to quash judicial order passed
by another Bench-Whether a larger Bench can overrule or recall a
E
decision of a smaller Bench.

Articles 140, 141, 142 and 145: Jurisdiction-Want of-Can be
established only by a superior court-No decision can be impeached
collatterally by any inferior court-Superior court can. always correct
errors by petition or ex debito justitiae-Judgments per incuriam-
F
Effect of.

Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1952: Sections 6 & 7-
0ffences under Act to be tried only by Special Judge-Order of
Supreme Court transferring and direding trial by High Court Judge-
Whether legally authorised-Non-substante clause ins. 7( 1)-Effect of.
• G
Criminal Procedure Code, 1973: Sections 374, 406 & 407-
Transfer of case-Power of transfer postulates that Court to which
transfer or withdrawal is sought is competent to exercise jurisdiction
over case-Intra state transfer is within jurisdiction of the appropriate
High Court. 1-1

1
2 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

Practice and Procedure: Judgment of Supreme Coun-Direc-
A tions issued in proceedings inter partes-Found bad in law or violative
of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution and principles of natural
justice-Whether immune from correction even though they cause pre-
judice and do injury.

B Criminal Trial-Criminal Procedure Code, 1973-Sec. 223-
Whether an accused can demand as of a right trial with co-accused.

Interpretation of statutes-Words to be given normal meaning
with reference to context-Golden rule of interpretation-When to be
resorted to.
c Legal Maxims: Actus curiae neminem gravabid-Coram non-
judice-Per curiam-Ex debito justitiae-Nunc-Pro-tunc-Applicabi-
lity of.

The appellant was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra between
D ·June 9, 1980 and January 12, 1982, when he resigned that office in
deference to the judgment of High Court in a writ petition tiled against
him, but continued as an MLA.

On August 9, 1982, respondent No. t, a member of a political
party tiled a complaint before a Special Judge against the appellant and
E others for offences under ss. 161 and 165 of the Indian Penal Code and
s. 5 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1952 and also under ss. 384
and 420 read with ss. 109 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code.

The Special Judge issued process to the appellant. Later, the Spe-
cial Judge over-ruled the objection of the appellant to take cognizance •
F of the offences on a private complaint, and to issue process, in the
absence of notification under s. 7(2) of the Criminal Law Amendment
Act, 1952, specifying as to which of the three special Judges of the area
should try such cases.

Against this, the appellant filed a revision application in the High
G Court, which dismissed it subsequently. The appellant's Special Leave
Petition against this was dismissed by the Supreme Court which held
that the complaint tiled by respondent No. 1 was clearly maintainable
and cognizance was properly taken of it.

During the pendency of the revision application in the High
H Court, the State Government notified the SpeCial Judge to try the off-
'' . ;,,;.\
f;i A.R. ANTULAY ,._ R.S. NAYAK 3
:Ci,
A
ences specified nnder s. 6(1) of the Act and appointed another Special
Jndge, who discharged the appellant, holding that a member of the
Legislative Assembly was a public servant and there was no valid sane-
tion for prosecuting the appellant. Against this order of discharge,
respondent No. 1 flied a Criminal Revision Application in the High
Court, which was subsequently withdrawn to this Court. B

On an appeal filed by respondent No. 1 directly under Article 136
• of the Constitution against the order of discharge, the Supreme Court
held on 16.2.1984, that a member of the Legislative Assembly was not
a public servant, and set aside the order of the Special Judge. The
-,1.
Court observed that though nearly 2'/z years had rolled by since pro-
secution against the accused, who was Chief Minister of a State, was c
f launched and his character and integrity came under cloud, the case
had not moved an inch further and that an expeditious trial was primari-
ly in the interest of the accused and mandate of Article 21. It further
observed that expeditious disposal of a criminal case was in the interest
of both the prosecution and the accused. It, therefore, suo motu wit;,. D
drew this special case and another one filed against the appellant by
. another person and transferred them to the High Court, with the re-
' quest to the Chief Justice to assign these two cases to a sitting Jtidge of
the High Court, who should proceed to expeditiously dispose of the

" cases, preferably by holding trial from day to day.

Pursuant to the directions of this Court dated February 16, 1984
E

the Chief Justice of the High Court assigned the cases to one of the
i,I
Judges of that Court. The appellant appeared before him and raised an
objection that the case mold be tried only by a Special Judge appointed
by the Government under the !952 Act. The Judge rejected this and
other objections holding that he was bound by the order of the Supreme
" • Court.
F

I Special .Leave Petitions as well as a writ petition filed by the
appelhnt against the aforesaid decision were di•missed by this Court on
April 17, 1984, holding that the Judge was perfectly justified, and
indeed it was his duty to follow the decision of this Court which was G
binding on him. It also observed that the writ petition challenging the
validity of the order and jndgment of this Court as nullity or otherwise

•
,.
could not be entertained, and that the dismissal of the writ petition '
would not prejudice the petitioner's right to approach this Court, with
!II ... an appropriate review petition or any other application, '1-'hich he IT'"1•i
•" "" be entitled to, in law. H

!' I
4 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C:.R. f.· \

Thereafter, the cases were transferred to another Special Judge,
A
who framed 21 charges and declined to frame 22 other charges prv-
posed by respondent No. 1. This Court allowed respondent No. I's
appeal by special leave except in regard to three draft charges under
s. 384 IPC, and requested the High Court to nominate another Judge to
try the cases.
B
The Judge, to whom the cases were transferred, framed 79
charges against the appellant, and refused to proceed against the other
named conspirators.
•
Against the aforesaid order, the appellant filed a Special Leave
Petition before this Court questioning the jurisdiction of the Special
c Judge to try the case in violation of the appellant's fundamental rights
·conferred by Articles 14 and 21 and the provisions of the Criminal Law
Amendment Act of 1952. The appellant also filed a Special Leave Peti-
lion against the decision of the Judge, holding that none of the '79
charges framed agaist the accused required sanction under s. 197(1) of
D the Cr. P.C., and a writ petition challenging a portion of s. 197(1) as
ultra vires Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. •
This Court granted special leave in the Special Leave Petition
questioning the jurisdiction of the Special Judge to try the case and
stayed further proceedings in the High Court. It also issued notice in the
E other Special Leave Petition and the writ petition, and directed these to
be tagged on to the appeal.

An application filed by respondent No. I for revocation of the
Special Leave was dismissed and the appeal was referred to a Bench of
seven Judges. The other Special Leave Petition and the writ petition
F were delinked, to be heard after the disposal of the appeal.

In the appeal, two questions arose, namely, (1) whether the direC··
lions given by this Court on 16th February, 1984, withdrawing th<'
special cases pending in the Court of Special Judge and transferring the
same to the High Court with the request to the Chief Justice to assign
G these cases to a sitting Judge of that High Court in breach of s. 7(1) of'
the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1952 which mandated that the off-
ences, as in this case, should be tried only by a Special Judge, thereby
denying at least one right of appeal to the appellant was violative of
Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution and whether such directions were
~
at all valid or legal 311d (2) if.such directions were not at all valid or legal

'
H in view of the Court's order of April 17, 1984, whether the present

~
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK 5

appeal was sustainable or the grounds therein justiciable in these pro-
.A
ceedings. In other words, whether the said directions in a proceeding
inter parties were binding even if bad in law or violative of Articles 14
and 21 of the Constitution and as such, immune from correction by this
Court even though they caused prejudice and injury.
B
Allowing the appeal, and setting aside and quashing all the pro-
• ceedings subsequent to the directions of the Court on 16.2.1984 and
directing that the trial should proceed in accordance with law, i.e.
Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1952.

HELD:
c
Majority: Sabyasachi Mukharji, Oza and Natarajan, JJ. Per
Sabyasachi Mukharji, J:

I. Section 7(1) of the ·.Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1952
creates a condition which is sine qua non for the trial of offences under D
s. 6(1) of the said Act. The condition is that notwithstanding anything
contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure or any other law, the said
offences shall be triable by Special Judges only. The offences specified
under s. 6(1) of the 1952 Act are those punishable under ss. 161, 162,
163, 164 and 165A of the Indian Penal Code and s. 5 of the Prevention
ofCorruptionAct,1947. [44B-C,49H,A] E

Gurcharan Das Chadha v. State of Rajasthan, [1966] 2 S.C.R. 678
referred to.

Therefore, the order of this Court transferring the cases to the
'~ High Court on 16th February, 1984 was not authorised by law. This F
Court, by its directions could not confer jurisdiction on the High Court
to try any case, when it did not possess such jurisdiction under the
scheme of the 1952 Act. [49A-B]

,. Kiran Singh and Others v. Chaman Paswan & Others, h955] I
v.
SCR 117 at 121 and M.L. Sethi R.P. Kapur, 19731SCR697 relied on. G

2.1 The power to create or enlarge jurisdiction is. legislative in
character, so also the power to confer a right of appeal or to take away a
.. right of appeal. Parliament alone can do it by law. No Court, whether .
' superior or inferior or both combined can enlarge the jurisdiction of the
Court or divest a person of his rights of revision and appeal. [SOE] H
6 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

M.L. Sethi v. R.P. Kapur, [1973[ sen 697 and Raia Soap
A
Factory v. S.P. Shantaraj, 1965 2 sen 800 referred to.

Halsbury's Laws of England, 4th Edn. Vol. IO page at para 720
and Ammon Rubinstein's Jurisdiction and l/legality, [1965] Edn. pp.
16-50 referred to.
B
2.2 Want of jurisdiction can be established solely by supe1rior It\
court and in practice, no decision can be impeached collaterally hy any
inferior court, but the superior court can always correct its own
error brought to its 'notice either hy way of petition or ex debito
justitiae. [SOG]
c fiubinstein 's jurisiliction and //legality (1965 Edn,) referred to.

2.3 The distinction between an error wmch entails absence of
jurisdiction and an error made within the jurisdiction is so tine that it is
rapidly being eroded. [69H, 70A]
D
Anismatic Ltd. v. Foreign Compensation Commissioner, [1969'] I
All E.R. 208 at 244 referred to.

This is not a case of collateral attack on judicial proceedings; it is
a case where the Court having no court superior to it rectifies its own
E order. [69G)

The impugned directions were void because power was not there
for this Court to transfer a proceeding under the Act of 1952 from one
Special Judge to the High Court. [69G)

F The singling out of the appellant for a speedier trial by the Hii~h
Court for an offence which the High Court had no jurisdiction to try
under the Act of 1952 was unwarranted, unprecedented and directions
given by this Court for the said purposes were not warranted. When
that fact is brought to the notice of the court, it must remedy the
situation. [SID-El
G 2.4 In rectifying the error, no personal inhibitions should debar this
Court because no person should suffer by reason of any mistake of this
Court. Here no rule of res judicata would apply to prevent this Court from
entertaining the grievance and giving appropriate directions. [5IE-F) !;:
Soni Vrajlal Jethaial v. Soni Jadavji and Govindji & Ors., AIR
H
1972 Gujarat 148 approved.
A.R. ANTULA Y v. R.S. NAY AK 7

In the earlier judgment, the points for setting aside the decision A
did not include the question of withdrawal of the case from the Court of
Special .Judge to the Supreme Court and transfer of it to the High Court.
Unless a plea in qu.,,,1ion is taken it cannot operate as res judicata. [62G-H]

Shivshankar Prasad Shah and others v. Baikunth Nath Singh and
others, [1969] l S.C.C. 718; Bikan Mahuri and others v. Mst. Bibi B
Walian and others, A.J.R. 1939 Patna 633; S.L. Kapoor v. Jagmohan
and others, [1981] l S.C.C. 746; Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India,
[1978] 2 S.C.R. 621 at pages 674-681 and Bengal Immunity Co. Ltd. v.
The State of Bihar and others, [1955] 2 SCR 603 at 623 referred
to.

3.1 Section 407 of the Criminal Procedure Code was subject to c
over-riding mandate of s. 7(1) of the 1952 Act and, hence .it does not
permit the High Court to withdraw a case for trial to itself from the
Court of Special Judge. [60D-E]

3.2 Article 134(l)(b) of the Constitution does not recognise in. D
every High Court power to withdraw for trial cases from any Court
subordinate to its authority. At least this Article cannot be construed to
mean that where power to withdraw is restricted, it can be widened by
virtue of Article 134(l)(b) of the Constitution. [67B-C]

3.3 Where by a specific clause of a specific statute the power is E
given for trial by the Special Judge only and transfer can be from one
such Judge to another Special Judge, there i• no warrant to suggest that
the High Court has power to transfer such a case from a Judge under s.
6 of the Act of 1952 to itself. JI is not a case of exclusion of the superior
Courts. [67C] ·
F
Jn the facts of the·instant.case, the criminal revision application
which was pending before the High Court even if it was deemed to be
transferred to this Court under .Article 139A of the Constitution, it
would not have vested this Court with power larger than what is con-
tained in s. 407 of Criminal Procedure Code. Under s. 407 of the Crimi-
nal Procedure Code read with the Criminal Law Amendment Act, the G
High Court could not transfer to itself proceedings under ss. 6 and 7 of
the said Act. This Court, by transferring the proceedings to itself. could
not have acquired larger jurisdiction. The fact that the objection was
,. not raised before this Court gave directions on 16tl) February, 1984
cannot amountto any waiver. [61F-G] '
8 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988) Supp. 1 S.C.R.

Ledgard v. Bull, 131 A 134, Meenakshi Naidoo v. Subramaniya
A Sastri, 141A160 referred to.

3.4 The Parliament did not grant to the Court the jurisdiction to
transfer a case to the High Court. However, as the superior Court is
deemed to have a general jurisdiction, the law presumes that the Court
B acted within jurisdiction. [60G I

In the instant case, the presumption cannot be taken, firstly, be·
cause the question of jurisdiction was not agitated before the Court;
secondly, these directions were given per incuriam and thirdly, the
superior Court alone can set aside an error in its directions when atten·
tion is drawn to that error. This view is warranted only because of
c the peculiar facts and circumstances of the present case. Here the trial
of a citizen in a Special Court under special jurisdiction. is involved;
hence the liberty of the snbject is involved. [608, 61A-B)

Kuchenmeister v. Home Office, [1958) I Q.B. 496; Attorney Gen-
D era! v. Herman James Sillam, [1864) 10 H.L.C. 703 and Issacs v.
Robertson, [1984) 3 A.LR. 140 referred to.

Jurisdiction and Illegality by Amnon Rubinstein, I1965) Edn.
referred to.

E 4.1 Per incnriam are those decisions given in ignorance or forget·
fulness of some inconsistent statutory provision or some authority bind·
ing on the Court concerned so that in snch cases some part of the
decision or some step in the reasoning on which it is based is found, on
that account to be demonstrably wrong. lf a decision is given per in·
curiam, the Court can ignore it. [52A·B, 53G]
F
Morelle v. Wakeling, [1955) I ALL ER 708; State of Orissa v. The
Tit4ghur Paper Mills Co. Ltd., [1985) 3 SCR 26 and Bengal Immunity
·Co. Ltd. v. State of Bihar [1955) 2 SCR603, 623 referred to.

In the instant case, when this Court gave directions on 16th
G February 1984, for disposal of the case against the appellant by the
High Court, it was oblivious of the relevant provisions of the law and
the decision in Anwar Ali Sarkar's case, which is a binding prece·
dent. [51G-HJ

4.2 A Full Bench or a Constitution Bench decision was binding ou
H the Constitution Bench because it was a Bench of seven Judges. There is
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK 9

a .hierarchy in this Court itself where larger Benches over-rule smaller
A
Benches which is the crystallised rule of law. [52E, F]

State of West Bengal v. Anwar Ali Sarkar, 11952] SCR 284; Nat-
tulal v. Radhe Lal, 11975] 1SCR127; Union of India and Anr. v. K.S.
Subramaniam, [1977] 1 SCR 87 at p. 92; State of U.P. v. Ram Chandra
Trivedi, 11977) 1 SCR 462 at 473; Halsbury's Laws of England, 4th B
Edn. Vol. 26 page 297, para 578 and page 300, relevant notes on 8.11
and 15; Dias on Jurisprudence, 5th Edu. pages 128 and 130; Young v.
Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd. 11944) 2 AER 293 at 300; Moore v. Hewitt
1947 2 AER 270 at 272A; Penny v. Nicholas, 1950 2 AER 92A and
Javed Ahmed Abdul Hamid Pawala v. State of Maharashtra, 11985) 2
SCR 8 referred to.
c
It was manifest to the Bench that exclusive jurisdiction created
under s. 7(1) of the 1952 Act read with s. 6 of the said Act, when
brought to the notice of the Court, precluded the exercise of power
under s. 407 of the Code. There was no argument, no submission and no
decision on this appeal at all. There was no prayer in the appeal which D
was pending before this Court for such directions. (590-E]

The order of this Court was clearly per inctiriam. The Court was
not .called upon to and did not, decide the express limitation on the power
conferred by s. 407 of the Code, which includes offences by public
servants mentioned in the 1952 Act to he over-ridden in the manner E
sought to be followed as a consequential direction of this Court. This
Court did not have jurisdiction to transfer the case to itself. That will he
evident from an analysis of different provisions of the Code as well as
the 1952 Act. [SOC-DJ

Therefore, in view of the clear provisions of s. 7(2) of the Act of F
1952 and Articles· 14 and 21 of the Constitution these directions were
legally wro.;g. l52C]

4.3 Though the previous statute is referred to In the other judg-
ment delivered on the same date, in connection with other contentions.
s. 7(1) was not referred to in respect of the impugned directions. Hence G
these observations were indubitably per incuriam.l66Al · .

Miliangos v. George Frank (Textiles) Ltd; 11975] 3 All E.R. 801
j at 821 referred to.

_5 .. This Court is not powerless to correct its error which has the H.
10 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

effect of depriving a citizen of his fundQmental rights and more so, the
;\ right to life and liberty. It can do so in exercise of its inherent jurisdic-
tion in any proceeding pending before it without insisting on the
, formalities ofa review application. [54A-B]
Powers of review can be exercised in a petition filed under Article 136
or Article 32 or under any other provision or the Constitution if the Coort
B is $3tlsfied that its directions have resulted in the deprivation or the funda-
mental rights of a citizen or any legal right orthe petitioner. [54B-C] ,.
The Supreme Court has the power to review either under Article
137 or suo motu the directions given by this Court. [62E]

Prem Chand Garg v. Excise Commissioner, U.P. Allahabad,
c [1963] Suppl. 1SCR885; Naresh Shridhar Mirajkar and others v. State
of Maharashtra and another, [1966) 3 S.C.R. 744 and Smt. Ujjam Bai v.
State of U.P., [1963) 1 S.C.R. 778; Kaila8h Nath v. State of U.P. AIR
1957 (SC) 790; P.S.R. Sadhananatham v. Arunachalam, 11980] 2
S.C.R. 873; Suk Das v. Union Territory of Arunachal Pradesh,
D [1986) 2 S.C.C. 401; Asrumati Devi. v. Kumar Rupendra Deb Raikot
(
and others, [1953) S.C.R. 1159; Satyadhyan Ghosal and others v. Smt.
Deorajin Debi arid another, [1960) 3 S.C.R. 590; Sukhrani (dead) by
L.Rs. and others v. Hari Shanker and others, [1979) 3 S.C.R. 671 and
Bejoy Gopal Mukherji v. Pratul Chandra Ghose, [1953) S.C.R. 930
referred to.
E
6. It is also well settled that an elementary rule of justice is that
no party should suffer by mistake of the Court. [63B]

Sastri Yagnapurushadji and others v. Muldas Bhudardas Vaishya
and another, [1966) 3S.C.R. 242; Jang Singh v. Brijlal [1964) 2 S.C.R. 1
F 145; Bhajahari Mondalv. The State of West Bengal, [1959) S.C.R. 127(i
at 1284-1286 and Asgarali N. Singaporawal/e v. The State of Bombay
1957 S.C.R. 678 at692 referred to.

It was a mistake of so great a magnitude that it deprives a man by
being treated differently of his fundamental right for defending himself
G in a criminal trial in accordance with law. Therefore, when the atten-
tion of the Court is drawn, the Court has always the power and the
obligation to correct it ex debito justitiae and treat the second applica-
tion by its inherent power, as a power of review to correct the original
mistake. [56C-D) t,
H The directions have been issued without observing the principle of
audi alteram par/em, [530]
."'4 A.R. ANTIJLAY v. R.S. NAYAK 11

This Court is not debarred from re-opening this question and
• giving proper directions and correcting the error in the present ap-
peal. [53C]
A

I'" The appellant should not suffer on account of the direction of this
Court based upon an error leading to conferment of jurisdiction. [53B]
B
7. The principle of finality on which Article 145(e) proceeds ap-
plies to both judgments and orders made by the Supreme Court. But
directions given per incuriam in violation of certain constitutional limi-
tations and in derogation of tbe principles of natural justice can always
be remedied by the court ex debite justitiae. l68F-G]

In the instant case, this Court is correcting an irregularity commit- c
led by the Court not on construction or misconstruction of a statute
but on non-perception of certain provisions and certain authorities
which would amount to derogation of the constitutional rights of the
citizen. [69C-D]
D
Issacs v. Robertson, [1984] 3 A.E.R. 140 and Re Recal Communi-
cations Ltd. Case, [1980] 2 A.E.R. 634 referred to.

8. No prejudice need be proved for enforcing the fundamental
rights. Violation of a fundamental right itself renders the impugned
action void. So also, the violation of the principles of natural justice E
renders the act a nullity. [59H]

9.1 Four valuable rights of the appellant have been taken away by
the impugned directions.

' i) The right to be tried by a Special Judge in accordance with the F
procedure established by law and enacted by Parliament.

ii) The right of revision to the High Court under s. 9 of the
Criminal Law Amendment Act.

iii) The right of first appeal to the High Court under the same G
section.

iv) The right to move the Supreme Court under Article 136 there-
after by way of a second appeal, if necessary.
"' .,
The right of the appellant under Article 14 regarding equality H
12 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. I S.C.R.

before the law and equal protection of law bas been violated. The appel
A
lant bas alSI) a right not to be singled out for special treatment by a
Special Court created for him alone. This right is implicit in the dght to
equality. [60A-C, 62A-B]

State of West Bengal v. Anwar Ali Sarkar, [1952] SCR 284 relied
B on.

The appellant has a fUrther right under Article 21 of the Cons
titution-a right to trial by a Special Judge under s. 7(1) of the 1952 Act
which is the procedure established by law made by the Parliament and a
further right to move the High Court by way of revision or first appeal
under s. 9 of the said Act. He has also a right not to suffer any order
C
passed behind his back by a Court in violation of the basic principles of
natural justice. Directions having been given in this case without hear
ing the appellant, though the order was passed in the presence of the
counsel for the appellant, these are bad. [62B-D]

D It is proper for this Court to act ex debito justitiae, In favour of the
'
fundamental rights of the appellant. [62E]

Nawabkhan Abbas Khan v. The State of Gujarat, [1974] 3 SCR
427 referred to.

E 9 .2 There was prejudice to the accused in being singled out as a
special class of accused for a special dispensation withoot any room for any
appeal as of right and without power of revision to the High Court. [67GI

Romesh Chandra Arora v. The State, [1960] I SCR 924 at 927 .�

distinguished.
F
9.3 The trial even of person holding public office though to be
made speedily must be done in accordance with the procedure estab
lished by law. The provisions of s. 6 read with s. 7 of the Act of 1952 in
the facts and circumstances of this case is the procedure established by
law, and any deviation even by a judicial direction will be negation of the
G rule oflaw. (680-E]

By judicial direction, the rights and previliges of the accused have
been curtailed without any justification in law. [68B]
'

State of West Bengal v. Anwar Ali Sarkar, [1952] SCR 284 relied
H on.
A.R. ANTULA Y v. R.S. NAY AK -13

Re: Special Courts Bill, [1978] 1979 2 SCR 476 referred to.
A
9.4 The right of appeal under s. 374 of the Cr. P.C. is conf'med
only to cases decided by the High Court in its Letters Patent jurisdiction
which in terms is 'extraordinary original criminal jurisdiction' under
clause 27 of Letters Patent. [63F]
B
. Kavasji Pestonji Dalal v. Rustomji Sorabji Jamadar & Anr., AIR
1949 Born. 42, Sunil Chandra Roy & Anr. v. The State AIR 1954 Cal.
305; Sasadhar Acharjya & Anr. v. Sir Charles Tegart & Ors., [1935]
Cal. Weekly Notes 1089; Peoples Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Sardul Singh
Caveeshgar & Ors., AIR 1961 Punj. 87 and P.P. Front, New Delhi v.
K.K. Bir/a, [1984] Cr. L.J. 545 referred to.
c
9.5 By the time the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 was
framed, Article 21 had not been interpreted so as to include one right of
appeal both on facts and law. [64C]

10. Words should normally be given their ordinary meaning D ·
bearing in mind the context. It is only where the literal meaning is not
clear that one resorts to the golden rule of interpretation or the mischief
rule of interpretation. [66C]

Sussex Peerage Claim, [1844] 11 CI. & Fin. 85 at 143 referred to.
E
Cross: Statutory Interpretation, p. 36.

In view of the specific language used in s. 7 of the 1952 Act, it is
not necessary to consider whether the procedure for trial by Special
·~ Judges under the Code has stood repealed or not. The concept of repeal
may have no application in this case. [66B] F

11. No man is above the law, but at the same time, no man
can be denied his rights under the Constitution and 'the laws. He
has a right to be dealt with in accordance with the law and not in
derogation ofit. [71B]
G
This Court, in its anxiety to facilitate the parties to have a speedy
trial, gave direction on 16th February, 1984 without conscious awar_e.-
ness of the exclusive jurisdiction of the Special Courts under the 1952
~ Act and that being the only procedure established ·by law; there ·can'
be no deviation from the terms of Article 21 of the Constitution of
India. That is the only procedure under which it should have been H
guided. [71B-C]
14 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988) Supp. 1 S.C.R.

By reason of giving the impugned directions, this Court had
A also unintentionally caused the appellant the denial of rights undler
Article 14 of the Constitution by denying him the equal protectfon
of law by being singled out for a special procedure not provided for
by law. [71C-D]

B When these factors are brought to the notice of this Court, evon if
there are any technicalities, this Court should not feel shackled and
decline to rectify that injustice; or otherwise, the injustice noticed will
remain forever a blotonjustice. [710)

12.1 The basic fundamentals of the administration of justice 31re
simple. No man should suffer because of the mistake of Court. No m21n
c should suffer a wrong by technical procedure of irregularities. Rules or
procedures are the hand-maids of justice and not the mistress of the
justice. If a man has been wronged so long as it lies within the
human machinery of administration of justice that wrong must be
remedied. [72B-C]
D
12.2 The maxim "Actus Curiae Neminem Gravabit"-An act of
the Court shall prejudice no man~is founded upon justice and good
sense and affords a safe and certain guide for the administration of the
law. [71E]

E Alaxander Rodger v. The Comptoir Dlescompte De Paris Cham
Reports, Vol. III 1869·71 p. 465 at 475 referred to.

13. Purity of public life is one of the cardinal principles which
must be upheld as a matter of public policy. Allegations of legal infrac-
tions and criminal infractions must be investigated in accordance with
F law and procedure established under the Constitution. [73B]

Even if the accused has been wronged, if he is allowed to be left in
doubt that would cause more serious damage to him. Public confidenc"
in public administration should not be eroded any further. One wrong
cannot be remedied by another wrong. [73B I
G
The legal wrong that has been done to the appellant should be
remedied and right should be done. In doing so, no more further injury
should be caused to the public purpose. [73C I

The impugned directions were in deprival of the Constitutional
H . rights and contrary to the expreSli provisions of the Criminal Law
-. A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK 15

Amendment Act, 1952, in violation of the principles of natural justice, A
and without precedent in the background of the Act of 1952. The direc-
~~ tions defu1itely deprived the appellant of certain rights of appeal and
revision and his rights under the Constitution. [69F]

Having regard to the enormity of the consequences of the error to
B
the appellant and by reason of the fact that the directions were given
. suo motu, there is nothing which detracts the power of the Court to
review its judgment ex debito justitiae in case injustice has been caused.
No Court however high has jurisdiction to give an order unwarranted
<ii
by the Constitutfon. [70A-Bl.

Ittavira Mathai v. Varkey Varkey and others, [1964) 1 SCR 495 c
referred to.

Bhatia Cooperative Housing Society Ltd. v. D.C. Patel, [1953]
SCR 18S at 190 distinguished.
D
Since this. Court infringed the Constitutional safeguards g~anted
'~ to a citizen or to an accused, in giving the directions and injustice results
therefrom, it is just and proper for the Court to rectify and recall that
injustice in the peculiar facts and circumstances of this case. Therefore,
all the proceedings in the matter subsequent to the directions of this
Court on February 16, 1984, are set aside and quasbed·and the trial
should proceed in accordance with law, that is to say, under the Act of E
1952. [70C, 730-E)

R.S. Nayak v. A.R. Antulay, [1984) 2 SCR 495; A.R. Antulay v.
Ramdas Sriniwas Nayak and another, [1984) 2 SCR 914; Abdul Re-
\ hman Antulay v. Union of India and others etc. [1984) 3 SCR 4112 at
F
483; Kai/ash Nath v. State of U.P., AIR 1957 SC 790; Sukdas v. Union
Territory of Arunachal Pradesh Discretion to Disobey by Mortimer R.
Kadish and Sanford H. Kadish pages 111 and 112 referred to.

Per Ranganath Misra, J. (Concurring)

14. Section 7(1) has clearly provided that offences specified in G
sub-section (1) of s. 6 shall be triable by the Special Judge only and has
taken away the power of the courts established under the Code of Crim-
inal Procedure to try those offences. As long as s. 7 of the Amending Act
,J of 1952 holds the field it was not open to any court including the Apex
Court to act contrary to s. 7(1) of the Amending Act. [81E-F)
H
(2
16 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R. 1"'

State of West Bengalv. Anwar Ali Sarkar, 1952 SCR 284 referred
A to.

15. The power to transfer a case conferred by the Constitution1 or
by s. 406 of the Code of Criminal Procedure does not specifically relate
to the Special Court. Section 406 of the Code could be applied on lthe
B principle that the Special Judge was a subordinate court for transfor-
ring a case from one Special Judge to another Special Judge because
such a transfer would not contravene the mandate of s. 7(1) of the
...
Amending Act of 1952. While that may be so, the provisions for trans-
fer, do not authorise transfer of a case pending in the court of a Special
Judge first to the Supreme Court and then to the High Court for tri•tl.
This Court did not possess the power to transfer the proceedings from
c the Special Judge to the High Court. [81G-H, 82A]
Raja Soap Factory v. S.P. Santharaj, [1965] 2 SCR 800 referred
to.

D 16. l It is the settled position in law that jurisdiction of courts
comes solely from the law of the land and cannot be exercised other-
wise. [77E]

16.2 Jurisdiction can be exercised only when provided for either
in the Constitution or in the laws made by the Legislature. Jurisdictioni
E is thus the authority or power of the court to deal with a matter ancl.
make an order carrying binding force in the facts. [77G]

17; By the change of forum of trial· the accused has been pre-
judiced. By this process he misses a fi>rum of appeal because if the trial
was handled by a Special.Judge, the first appeal would lie to the High I
F Court and' a further appeal by special leave could come before this
Court. If the matter is tried by the High Court there would be only one
forum of appeal being this Court, whether as of right or hy way of
special leave. [83H, 84A-B]

18. The transfer was a suo motu direction of the court. Since this
G particular aspect of the matter had not been argued and counsel did not
have an opportunity of pointing out the legal bar against transfer, the
Judges of this Court obviously did not take note of the special provisions
in s. 7(1) of the 1952 Act. If this position had been appropriately placed,
the direction for transfer from the court of exclusive jurisdiction to the
High Court would not have been made by the Constitution Bench. It is
•
i.s, apj,"Opriate to presume that this Court never intends to act contrary to
law. [82E-F]
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK 17

19. One of the well-known principles of law is that decision made· A
by a competent court should be taken as final subject to further pro-
ceedings contemplated by the law of procedure. In the absence of- any
further proceedings, the direction of the Constitution Bench on 16th' of
February, 1984 became final and it is the obligation of everyone to
implement the direction of the apex Court. Such an order of this Court
should by all canons of judicial discipline be binding on this Court as B
well and cannot be interfered with after attaining finality. [84C-D l

• 20.1 It is a well-settled position in.law that an act of the court
should not injure any of the suitors. [84F]

Alexander Rodger v. The Comptori D'Escompte De Paris, [1871]
c
3 PC 465 referted to.

20.2. Once it is found that the order of transfer by this Court was;
not within jurisdiction by the direction of the transfer of the proceed'·
ings made by this Court, the appellant should not suffer. [85B]
D
20.3 This being the apex Court, no litigant has any opportunity of
approaching any higher forum to question its decisions. Once judicial
satisfaction is reached that the direction was not open to be made and it
is accepted as a mistake of the court, it is not only appropriate but also
the duty of the Court to rectify the mistake by exercising inherent
, powers. A mistake of the Court can be corrected by the Court itself E
without. any fetters. In the present situation, the Court's inherent pow-
ers can be exercised to remedy the mistake. [87F, 88B-C]

Gujarat v. Ram Prakash [1970] 2 SCR 875; Alexander Rodger v.
The Comptori D'Escompte De Paris, [1871] 3 PC 465 and Krishna Deo
v. Radha Kissan, [1953] SCR 136; Debi v. Habib ILR 35 All 331 and F
Murtaza v. Yasin, AIR 191PC857 referred to.

20.4 The injustice done should be corrected by &pplying the
principle actus curiae neminem gravabit, an act of the court shall pre-
judice no one. [SSH]

~'
G
20.S To err is human. Courts including the apex one are no
I exception. To own up the mistake when judicial satisfaction is reached
does not militate against its status or authority. Perhaps it would .enh-
ance both. [S9B]

21. If a mistake is detected· and the apex Court is not able to·, H'
18 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

correct it with a view to doing justice for fear of being misunderstooid,
A
the cause of justice is hound to suffer and for the apex Court the
apprehension would not he a valid consideration. This Court, while
administering justice, does not take into consideration as to who is
before it, Every litigant is entitled to tbe same consideration and if
an order is warranted in the interest of justice, the status or influence
B of the accused cannot stand in the way as a bar to the making of that
order. [89F-G]
«.
22. Finality of the orders is tbe rule, By directing recall of an
order, the well-settled propositions of law would not be set at naught.
Such a situation may not recur in the ordinary course of judicial func-
tioning and if there be one, certainly the Bench before which it comes
c would appropriately deal with it. No strait jacket formula can he laid
down for judicial functioning particularly for the apex Court. The ap-
prehension that the decision to recall the earlier decision may be used as
a precedent to challenge judicial orders of this Court is perhaps misp-
laced because those who are familiar with the judicial functioning are
D aware of the limits and they would not seek support from this case as a
precedent, This Court is sure that if precedent value is sought to b"
derived out of this decision, the Court which is asked to use this as run
instrument would be alive to the peculiar facts and circumstances of the
case in which this order is being made. [87H, 90A-B]

E 23. Under the Rules of the Court a review petition was not to be
heard in Court and was liable to be disposed of by circulation. In these
circumstances, the petition of appeal could not be taken as a review
petition. l87E]

24. Benches of this Court are not subordinate to larger Benches r
F thereof and certiorari is, therefore, not admissible for quashing of the
orders made on the judicial side of the Court. [SSC]

Naresh Chandra Mirajkar & Ors. v. State of Maharashtra &
Anr., I1966] 3 SCR 744 relied on.

G Prem Chand Garg v. Excise Commissioner, U.P., Allahabad
1963 I SCR 885 referred to.

25. Apart from the fact that the petition of review had to be filed
within 30 days-and here there has been inordinate delay-the petition i.
for review had to be placed before the same Bench and now that two
H of the learned judges of that Omstitution Bench are still available,
cJ>
A.R. ANTULA Y v. R.S. NAY AK 19

it must have gone only before a Bench of five with those two learned A
Judges. [87D-E}

26. It is time to sound a note of caution. This Court. under its
Rules of Business ordinarily sits in divisions and not a~ a whole one.
Each Bench, whether small or large, exercises the powers vested in the B
Court and decisions rendered by the Benches irrespective of their size
11)..
are considered as decisions of the Court. The practice has developed
that a larger Bench is entitled to overrule the decision of a smaller
Bench notwithstanding the fact that each of the decisions is that
·t
of the Court. That principle, however, would not apply in the pre-
sent situation, and since this Court is sitting as a Bench of Seven
this Court is not entitled to reverse the decision of the Constitution c
Bench. [89B-C]

27. Overruling when made by a larger Bench of an earlier deci-
sion of a smaller one is intended to take away the precedent value of the
decision without affecting the binding effect of the decision in the D
particular case. [89C]
'•
In the instant case, the appellant is, therefore, not entitled to take
advantage of the matter being before a larger Bench. In fact, if it is a
case of exercise of inherent powers to rectify a mistake it wa8 open even
to a live-Judge Bench to do that and it did not require a Bench larg!'_r
E
than the Constitution Bench for that purpose. [89D]

PerOza, J. (Supplementing)

28. The jurisdiction to try a case could only be conferred by law
enacted by the legislature and this Court could not confe_r jurisdiction if
F
it does not exist in law. l90F]

29. No doubt a judgment or an order passed by this Court will
not be open to a writ of certiorari even if an error is apparent.
But at the same time, there should be no hesitation in correcting an
error in exercise of inherent jurisdiction if it comes to the notice of
G
the Court. [90D-E]
~.
In the instant case, it is this error which is sought to be corrected,

.. although it is being cornctecJ after long lapse of time. l90Ff

Per Ray,]. (Concurring) H
20 SUPREME COURTIREPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

30. The Jurisdie1i11n ·or power to try and decide a cause is coufer-
A red on the courts by the Law of the Lands enacted by the Legislature or
by the provisions of the Constitution and the conrf cannot confer a
jurisdiction on itself which is not provided in the law and judicial order
of this Court' is not Emenable to a writ of certiorari for correcting any
error in the judgment. However, since the act of the court should not
B injure any of the suitors, the error in question is sought to be corrected.
after a lapse of more than three years. [90H, 91A-B] ... ,

Per Venkatachaliah, J. (Dissenting)

31.l The exclusiveness of jurisdiction of the special judge under
s. 7(1) of 1952 Act depends on the construction to be placed on the
c relevant sta_tutory-provision. lf on such a construction, however er-
roneous it may be, the court holds that the operation of s. 407 Cr. P.C.
is not excluded, that interpretation will denude the plenitude of th'e
exclusivity claimed for the forum. To say that the court usurped legisla-
tive powers and created a new jurisdiction and a new forum ignores the
D> basic concept of functioning of courts. The power to interpret laws iB
the domaiil.and function of courts. [1080-E]

Thomas v. Collins, 323 (1945) US 516 referred to.

_ 31.2 The earlier decision proceeded on a construction ofs. 7(1) of
E the Act and s. 407 of Cr. P .C. This bench does not sit in appeal over
what the five Judge Bench said and proclaim how wrong they were.
This Bench is simply not entitled to embark, at a later stage, upon an
investigation of the correctness of the very decision. The same bench
can, of course, reconsider the matter under Article 137.

F 32.1 The expression "jurisdiction" or the power to determine is a
verbal cast of many colours. 1Ji the case of a Tribunal, an error of law
might become not merely an error in jurisdiction but might partake of the
character of an error of jurisdiction. But, otherwise jurisdiction is a 'legal
shelter', a power to bind despite a possible error in the decision. [102C]

G 32.2. In relation to the powers of superior courts, the familiar
distinction between jurisdictional issues and adjudicatory issues appro-
priate to Tribunals oflimitedjurisdiction has no place. [102A] ·

32.3 Before a superior court there is no distinction in the quality
of the decision-making-process respecting jurisdictional questions on
H the one hand and adjudicatory issues or issues pertaining to the merits,
on the other. [102B]
- A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK

32.4 The existence of jurisdiction does not depend on the correct-
21

A
ness of its exercise. The aliihority to decide embodies.a privilege to bind
despite error, a privilege .which is.inherent in and indispensable to.every
judicial function. The characteristic attribute of a judicial act is that ·it
binds whether it he right or it be wrong . .11020]

Mallikarjun v. Narhari, [1900] 27 I.A. 210 referred to.

Anismatic Ltd. v. Foreign Compensation Commission, I1969] 1
All ER 208 distinguished.

32.5 A finding of a superior court even on a question of its own
jurisdiction, however grossly erroneous it may otherwise be, is not a
nullity nor one which could at all be said to :have been reached without c
jurisdiction, susceptible to be ignored or to admit. of any collateral-
attack. Otherwise, the adjudications of superior courts would be held-
up to ridicule and the remedies generally arising from and considered
concomitants of such classification of judicial-errors would .be
so seriously abused and expanded as to make a mockery of those D
foundational principles essential to the stability of administration of
justice. [l02G, l03A]

32.6 The superior court has jurisdiction to determine its own
jurisdiction and an error in that determination does not make it an
error of jurisdiction. [103B] E

Holdsworth (History of English Law) Vol. 6 page 239 and
Rubinstein: Jurisdiction and Illegality referred to.

-, Re Racal Communications Ltd. [1980] 2 All ER 634 and Issac v.
Robertson, [1984] 3 All ER 140 referred to. F

32. 7 Superior courts apart, even the ordinary civil courts of the
land have juriSdiction to decide quesuon8 of their own
jurisdiction. [JOSH]

It would be wholly erroneo.us to characterise the directions issued
by the five Judge Bench as a nullity, amenable to bio ignored or so G
declared in a collateral attack. [l06E]
33. A judgment, inter-parties, is final and concludes the parties.
[106F]
Re Hastings (No. 3) [1969] l All ER 698; Daryao v. State of UP,
[1962] l SCR 574;-Trilok Chand v. H.B. Munshi, [1969] 2 SCR 824 and H
22 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.
...
Shiv Nandan Paswan v. State of Bihar, [1987] I SCC 288 at 343 reli"d
.A
on.
I

34.1 All accused persons cannot claim to be tried by the same
Judge. The discriminations Inherent in the choice of one of the concur-
rent jurisdictions are not brought about by an Inanimate statutory-rule
B or by executive fiat. The withdrawal of a case under s. 407 is made qy a
conscious judicial act and is the result of judicial discernment. If the la.w
permits the withdrawal of the trial to the High Court from a Special
Judge, such a law enabling withdrawal would not, prima fade, be bad
as violation of Article 14. lll4G-H, 115A]

34.2 No doubt, the fundamental right under Article 14 has a ve1ry
c high place In constitutional scale of values. Before a person is depriv"d
ot his personal liberty, not only that the procedure established by la.w
must strictly be complied with and not departed from to the disad-
vantage or detriment of the person but also that the procedure for sm:h
.deprivation of personal liberty must be reasonable, fair and just. Arii-
D cle 21 imposes limitations upon the procedure and requires it to con-
form to such standards of reasonableness, fairness and justness as the
Court acting as sentinel of fundamental rights would in the conte};t,
consider necessary and requisite. The Court will be the arbiter of tlile
question whether the procedure is reasonable, fair and just. [114D-F]

E 34.3 The five judge bench in the earlier case has held that such a
transfer is permissible under law. That decision had assumed finality.
The appeal to the principle in Anwar Ali's Sarcar's case, in such a
context would be out of place. [USA]

State of West Bengal v. Anwar Ali Sarkar, [1952] SCR 284 1•
F distinguished.

35. That a trial by a Judge of the High Court makes for added
re-assurance of justice, has been recognised in a number of judicial
pronouncements. The argnment that a Judge of the High Court may not
necessarily possess the statutory-qualifications requisite for behig
G appointed as a Special Judge appears to be specious. A judge of the
High Court hears appeals arising from the decisions of the Special
Judge and exercises a jurisdiction which includes powers c.,_.,xtensi ve
with that of the trial court. [llSC-D]

36. The plea that transfer of the case to the High ConrN!lvolves
H the elimination of the appellant's right of appeal to the High Court
- A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK

which he would otherwise have and that the appeal under Article 136 of
23

A
the Constitution as of right cannot be accepted in view of s. 374, Cr.
P.C. which provides such an appeal, as of right, when the trial is held
by the High Court. [117A-Bl

37. Directions for transfer were issued on 16.2.1984 in the open
B
court in the presence of appellant's counsel at the time of pronounce-
ment of the judgment and counsel had the right and the opportunity of
making submission to the court as to the permissibility or otherwise of
the transfer. After the directions were pronounced and before the order
was signed, though there was opportunity for the appellant's counsel to
make submission in regard to the alleged illegality or impropriety of the
directions, appellant did not utilise the same. That apart, even after c
being told by two judicial orders that appellant, if aggrieved, may seek
a review, he did not do so. Even the grounds urged in the many subse-
quent proceedings appellant took to get rid of the effect of the direction
do not appear to include the grievance that he had no opportunity of
being heard. [llSF, G-H, 116A-B]
D
••
Therefore, where a party having had an opportunity to raise a
grievance in the earlier proceedings does not do so and makes it a
technicality later, he cannot be heard to complain. [116B]

E
Rules of natural justice embodies fairness in action. By all
standards, they are great assurances of justice and fairness. But they
should not be pushed to a breaking point. [l 16F]

"> R. v. Secretary of State for Home Deptt. ex-parte Mughal, [1973]
3 All ER 796, referred to. F

38. I The circumstance that a decision is reached per-incurlam,
merely serves to denude the decision of its precedent,value. Such a
decision would not be binding as a judicial precedent. A co-ordinate
bench can discharge with it and decline to follow it. A larger bench can
G
over-rule such decision. When a previous decision is so overruled it does
not happen nor has the overruling bench any jurisdiction so to do that
the finality of the operative order, inter-parties, in the previous decision
is over-turned. In this context the word 'decision' means only the
reason for the previous order and not the operative-order in the previ-
ous decision, binding inter-parti'es. Even if a previous decision is over-
H
-.
24 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.
A ruled by a larger-bench, the efficacy and binding nature, of the adjudi·
cation expressed in the operative order remains undisturbed inter·
parties. [119B-D I

38.2 Even if the earlier decision of the five juitge bench is per-
B incuriam the operative part of the order cannot be interfered with in the
manner now sought to be done. That apart, the live judge bench gave its
reason. The reason may or may not be sufficient. There is advert-
ence to s. 7(1) of the 1952 Act and to exclusive jurisdiction created
thereunder. There is also reference to s. 407 of the Criminal Procedure
Code. [119D-E]

c 39. J An erroneous decision must be as binding as a correct one. It
would be an unattainable ideal to require the binding effect of a judgment
to depend on its being correct in the absolute, for the test of correctness
would be resort to another Court the infallibility of which is again
subject to a similar further investigation. [lOlD·El
D
39.2 However, motions to set aside the judgments are permitted
where a judgment was rendered in Ignorance of the fact that a necessary
party had not been served at all, and was wrongly shown as served or in
ignorance of the fact that a necessary-party had died and the estate was
not represented, or where a judgment was obtained by fraud, and it
E tended to prejudice a non-party, as in the case of judgments in-rem
such as for divorce, or jactitation or probate etc. even a person, not
eo-nomine a party to the proceedings, or where a party has had no
notice and a decree is made against him in which case, the party is said
to become entitled to relief ex-debito justitiae, on proof of the fact that
there was no service, since there is no trial at all and the judgment is for
F default. [llOC-F)

Cases of such frank failure of natural justice are obvious cases
where relief is granted as of right. [ll!A]

Where a person is not actually served out but is held erroneously,
G to have been served, he can agitate that grievance only in that forum or
in any further proceeding therefrom. [I I IA]

Issac v. Robertson, [1984] 3 All ER 140 distinguished.

Rajunder Narain Rae v. Bijai Govind Singh, 2 MIA 181, referred ..
H to.
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK 25

D.M. Gordan: Actions to set aside judgment, [1961] 77 Law
A
Quarterly Review 358

In the present case by the order dated 5.4.1984 a five judge bench
set-out, what according to it was the legal basis and source of jurisdic-
tion to order transfer. On 17.4.1984 appellant's writ petition challeng-
ing that transfer as a nullity was dismissed. These orders are not which B

·- appellant is entitled to have set aside ex-debito justitiae by another
Bench. [llJC-D]

40. The pronouncements of every Division-Bench of this Court
are pronouncements of the Court itself. A larger bench, merely on the
strength of its numbers, cannot un-do the finality of the decisions of C
other division benches. [I08H]

41. l The power to alter a decision by review must be expressly
conferred or necessarily inferred. The power of review and the limita-
tions on the power under Article 137 are implict recognitions of what
would;· otherwise, be final and irrevocable. No appeal could be made to D
!
the doctrine of inherent powers of the Court either. Inherent powers do
not confer, or constitute a source of jurisdiction. They are to be exer-
cised in aid of a jurisdiction that is already invested. [I20F-G]

41.2 If the decision suffers from an error, the only way to correct
it, is to go in Review under Article 137 read with Order 40 Rule I E
framed under Article 145 before "as far as is practicable" the same
judges. This is not a matter merely of some dispensable procedural
'form' but the requirement of substance. [109A]

> In the instant case, the remedy of the appellant is recourse
to Article IJ7, no where else. This is both in good sense and good F
law. [l20G]

Judicial proceedings of this Court are not subject to writ jurisdic-
tion thereof. [ ll8H]

Naresh Sridhar Mirajkar & Ors. v. State of Maharashtra & Anr., G
[1966] 3 sec 744 followed ..

Prem Chand Garg v. Excise Commissioner, UP, 11963] 1 SCR
..,1 885, referred to.

Kadesh & Kadesh: Discretion to Disobey, [1973] edn. ;>. lll, H
referred to.
..,....
26 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A 42. The maxim Actus Curiae Neminem Gravabid had no applica-
tion to conscious conclusions reached in a judicial decision. The maxim
is not a source of a general power to reopen and rehear adjudication
which have otherwise assumed finality. The maxim operates in a diffe-
rent and narrow area. The best illustration of the operation of the
maxim is provided by the application of the rule of none-pro-tune. For
B instance, if owing to the delay in what the court should, otherwise, have
!lone earlier bot did later, a party suffers owing to events occurring in
the interrngnum, the Court has the power to remedy it. The area of
operation of the maxim is, generally, pro<:edural. Errors in jndicial
findings, either of facts or law or operative decisions consciously
arrived at as a part of the judicial-exercise cannot be interfered with by
resort to this maxim. I1208-C]
c
43. Those who do not put the teachings of experience and the
lessons of logic out of consideration would tell what inspires confidence
in the judiciary and what does not. Judicial vacillations fall in the latter
category and undermine respect of the judiciary and judicial institu-
D tions, denuding thereby respect for law and the confidente in the even-
handedness in the administration of justice by Courts. Il20E]

This Court had, therefore, the jurisdiction and power to with-
draw and transfer the cases from Special Judge to the High Court, and
the directions for trial of the offences by a Special Judge are not void
E and these directions could not be challenged in a collateral attack.
This Court had not created a new jurisdiction and usurped legislative
power violating the basic tenet of doctrine of separation of powers.
[99C-F, Jl4D, l06E]

44. An accused person cannot assert any right to a joint trial with <
F his co-accused. Normally it is the right of the prosecution to decide
whom it prosecutes. It can decline to array a person as a co-accused
and, instead examine him as a witness for the prosecution. What weight
is to be attached to that evidence, as it may smack of the testimony of a
guilty partner in crime, is a different matter. Prosecution can enter
Nolle proseque against any accused-person. It can seek to withdra"'. a
G charge against an accused person. These propositions are too well set-
tled to.require any further elaboration. [988-D]

Choraria v. Maharashtra, [1969] 2 SCR 624, referred to.

In the instant case, the appellant cannot be heard to complain. Of
H the so called co-conspirators some have been examined already as pro-
~"
A.R. A°NTULAY "· R.S. NAYAK 27

secution witnesses; some others proposed to be so examined; an<l two
others, had died in the interregnum. The appeal, on the point, has no A
substance and would require to be dismissed. [98G]

Per Ranganathan, J. (partly concurring/dissenting)

45.1 The language of s. 7(1) of the 1952 Act places a definite B
~.
hurdle in the way of construing s. 407 of the Cr. P.C. as overriding its
provisions. fa view of non-obstante clause also, it cannot be held that the
provisions of s. 407 of the 1973 Cr. P.C. will override, or even operate
consistently with, the provisions of the 1952 Act. Similarly, the power of
transfer contained in clause 29 of the Letters Patent of the High Court
cannot be exercised in a mann~r not contemplated bys. 7(1) of the 1952
Act. [131D-E] c
45.2 A power of transfer. postulates that the court to which trans-
fer or withdrawal is sought is competent to exercise jurisdiction over the
case. [130F]
'. Raja Soap Factory v. Shantaraj, [1965] 2 SCR, relied on.
D

45.3 The power of transfer contained in the Code of Criminal
Procedure cannot be availed of to transfer a criminal case from a Spe-
cial Judge to any other criminal court or even to the High Court. The
case can be transferred only from one special judge to another special E
judge; it cannot be transferred even to a High Court Judge except
where a High Court Judge is appointed as a Special Judge. l130E-F]

Gurcharan Das Chadha v. State of Rajasthan, [1966] 2 SCR,
) referred to.
f
45.4 Not all the judges of the High Court (but only those elevated
'ii from the State subordinate judiciary) would fulfil the· qualifications
· prescribed under s. 6(2) of the 1952 Act. Though there is nothing in ss.
6 and 7 read together to preclude altogether the appointment of a judge
..t of the High Court fulfilling the above qualifications as a special judge
such is not the (atleast not the normal) contemplation of the Act. The
I scheme of the Act, in particular the provisions contained in ss. 8(3A)
and 9, militate against this concept. [126C, El
G

.J
Hence, in the instant case apart from the fact that no appointment
of a High Court Judge, as a Special Judge, has .in fact been made, it is
not possible to take the view that the statutory provisions permit the H
"
:.,,;;

i ~:; - ::?.;
28 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A conferment of a jurisdiction to try this case on a High Court Judge as a
Special Judge. [I26F]

45.S The 1952 Act sought to expedite the trial of cases involving
public servants by the creation of courts presided over by experienced
special judges to be appointed by the State Government. Effect is only
B being given to the express and specific words used in s. 7( I) and no
question arises of any construction being encouraged that is repugn-
ant to the Cr. P.C. or involves an implied repeal, pro tanto, of its ·•.
provisions. [132D, E]

46.1 The word "jurisdiction is a verbal coat of many colours." It
C is used in a wide and broad sense while dealing with administrative or
quasi-judicial tribunals and subordinate courts over which the superior
courts exercise a power. of judicial review and superintendence. Then it
is only a question of "how much latitude the court is prepared to allow"
and "there is no yardstick to determine the magnitude of the error
other than the opinion of the court." [ISSA-Bl
D
M.L. Sethi v. Kapur, [!973] I SCR 697, referred to.

46.2 The Superior Courts, with unlimited jurisdiction are always
presumed to act with jurisdiction and unless it is clearly shown that any y
particular order is patently one which could not, on any conceivable
E view of its jurisdiction, have been passed by such court, such an order
can neither be ignored nor even recalled, annulled, revoked •lr set aside
in subsequent proceedings by the same court. [158B-C]

Dhirendera Kumar v. Superintendent, [1955] 1 SCR 224; Kiran
Singh v. Chaman Paswan, AIR 1955 S.C.R. 117; Anisminic Ltd. v.
F Foreign Compensation Commissioner, [1969] 2 A.C. 147; Badri Prasad
v. Nagarmal, '[1959] 1 Supp. S.C.R. 769; Surajmul Nagarmul v. Triton
Insurance Co. Ltd., [1924] L.R. 52 I.A. 126; Balai Chandra Hazra v.
Shewdhari Jadhav, [1978] 3 S.C.R. 147; Ledgard v. Bull, L.R. 13 I.A.
134; Meenakshi Naidu v. Subramaniya Sastri, L.R. 14 I.A. 140;
Sukhrani v. Hari Shankar, [1979] 3 S.C.R. 671; 11.e: Recal Communi-
G cations Ltd., [1980 I 2 AER 634 and Issacs v. Robertson, I1984] 3 AER
140, referred to.

In the present case, the order passed is not one of patent lack of
jurisdiction. Though the direction in the order dated 16.2.1984 cannot
be justified by reference to Article 142 of the Constitution of s. 407 of
H the 1973 Cr.P.C., that is not an incontrovertible position. It was
f- A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK 29

possible for another court to give a wider interpretation to these provi-
sions and come to the conclnsion that such an order could be made A
nnder those provisions. If this Court had discussed the relevant provi-
sions and specifically expressed snch a conclusion, it could not have
been modified in subsequent proceedings by this Bench merely because
it was inclined to hold differently. The mere fact that the direction was
given, without an elaborate discussion, cannot render it vulnerable to B
such review. [158D-F)
47. Unless the earlier order is vitiated by a patent lack of jurisdic-
tion or has resulted in grave injustice or has clearly abridged the funda-
mental rights of the appellant, this Court should not declare that an
order passed by a five-Judge Bench is wrong, and annul it. The present
case cannot be brought within the narrow range of exceptions which c
calls for such interference. [166E)
The direction issued by this Court in the impugned order cannot
be said to be based on a view which is manifestly incorrect, palpably
absurd or patently without jurisdiction .. Whether it will be considered
right or wrong by a different Bench having a second-look at the issue is D
a totally different thing. [167E]
48.1 The powers of the Snpreme Court to transfer cases from one
court to another are to be found in Article 139-A of the Constitution and
s. 406 of the Cr.P.C. The provisions envisage either inter-state transfers
of cases i.e. from a court in one State to a court in another State or the
withdrawal of a case by the Supreme Court to itself. Intra-State trans- E
fer among courts subordinate to a High Court to inter-se or from a court
subordinate to a High Court to the High Court is within the jurisdiction
of the appropriate High Court. [133F-G]
48.2 The powers of the Supreme Court, in disposing of an appeal
or revision, are circumscribed hy the scope of the proceedings before F
it. [l33H]
In the instant case, the question of_transfer was not put in issue
before the Supreme Court. The Court was hearing an appeal from the
order of discharge and connected matters. There was no issue or con-
troversy or discussion before it as to the comparative merits of a frial
before a special judge vis-a-vis one before the High Court. There was G
only an oral request said to have been made, admittedly after the judg-
ment was announced. Wide as the powers under Article 141 are, they
.. do not envisage an order of the type presently in question. [l34A, C-D)
K.M. Nanavati v. The State of Bombay, [1961] SCR 497 distin-
guished. H
30 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988) Supp. I S.C.R.

48.3 If the provisions of the 1952 Act read with Article 139-A and
A
ss. 406-407 of the Cr.P.C. do not permit the transfer of the case from a
special judge to the High Court, that effect cannot be achieved indi-
rectly. In the circumstances of the case, the Supreme Court cannot issue
the impugned direction in exercise of the powers under Article 142 or
under s. 407 available to it as an appellate court. [134F)
B
Hariv. Emperor, AIR 1935 PC 122, referred to.
•
The direction that the trial should be shifted to the High Court
can hardly he described as a consequential or incidental order. Such a
direction did not flow, as a necessary consequence of the conclusion of
the court on the issues and points debated before it. Therefore, this
c Court was in error when it directed that the trial of the case should be
before a High Court Judge, in consequence of which the appellant is
being tried by a Court which has no jurisdiction-and which cannot he
empowered by the Supreme Court-to try him. The continued trial
before the High Court, therefore, infringes Article 21 of the Consti-
D tution. [135E-G]

49.1 Section 407 cannot be challenged under Article 14 as it is
based on a reasonable classification having relation to the objects
sought to be achieved. Though, in general, the trial of cases will be by
courts having the normal jurisdiction over them, the exigencies of the
situation may require that they be dealt with by some other court for
various reasons. Likewise, the nature of a case, the nature of issues
involved and other circumstances may render it more expedient, effec-
tive, expeditious or desirable that the case should he tried by a superior
court or the High Court itself. [136E-F)

F 49.2 The power of transfer and withdrawal contained ins. 407 of
the Cr.P.C. is one dictated by the requirements of justice and is,
indeed, hut an aspect of the supervisory powers of a superior court over
courts subordinate to it. [136FJ

49.3 A judicial discretion to transfer or withdraw is vested in the
G highest court of the State and is made exercisable only in the circumst-
ances set out in the section. Such a power is not only necessary and
desirable but indispensable in the cause of the administration of justice.
The accused will continue to be tried by a or equal or superior juris-
diction. [136G]

H The accused will, therefore, suffer no prejudice by reason of the
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK 31

application of s. 407. Even if there is a differential treatment which
A
causes prejudice, it is based on logical and acceptable considerations
with a view to promote the interests of justice. The transfer or with-
drawal of a case to another court or the High Court, in such circumst·
ances, can hardly be said to result in hostile discrimination against the
accused in such a case. [137 A-Bl ·
B
49.4 Only a power of transfer is being exercised by the Supreme
Court which is sought to be traced back to the power of the High Court
under s. 407. [137E]

State v. Anwar Ali fjarkar, [1952] SCR 284, distinguished.

Kathi Raning Rawatv. The State of Saurashtra, [1952] 3 SCR 435, c
Re: Special Courts Bill, [1978] (1972) 2 SCR 476 and Shukla v. Delhi
Administration, [1980] 3 SCR SOO, referred to.

50.1 Where a case is withdrawn and tried by the Court, the High
Court will be conducting the trial in the exercise of its extraordinary D
original criminal jurisdiction. Here though the ordinary original crimi·
nal jurisdiction is vested in a subordinate criminal court or special
judge, a case is withdrawn by the High Court to itself for trial. [139F, HJ

Madura Tirupparankundram etc. v. Nikhan Sahib, 35 C.W.N.
1088; Kavasji Pestonji v. Rustomji Sorabji, AIR 1949 Bombay 42; Sunil E
Chandra Roy arid another v. The State, AIR 1954 Calcutta 305; Peoples
Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Sardul Singh Caveeshar and others, AIR 1961
Punjab 87 and People's Patriotic Front v. K.K. Bir/a and others, [1984]
Crl. L.J. 545, referred to.

50.2 In a withdrawn case, right of first appeal to the Supreme F
Court against the order passed hy the High Court will be available to
the accused under s. 374 of the 1973 Cr. P.C., and the accused has the
privilege of being tried in the first instance by the High Court itself with
a right to approach the apex Court by way of appeal. The apprehension
that the judgment in the trial by the High Court, will be final, with only
a chance of obtaining special leave under Article 136 is totally un· G
founded. The Supreme Court will consider any petition presented
under Article 136 in the light of the inbuilt requirements of Article 21
and dispose it of as if it were itself a petition of appeal from the judg-
·A ment. Therefore an accused tried directly by the High Court by ·with·
drawal of his case from a subordinate court, has a right of appeal to the
Supreme Court under s. 374 of the Cr. P.C. The allegation of an in· H
~
··"
32 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [19881 Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A
fringement of Article 21 in such cases is, therefore, unfounded. [140B-F]

Sadanathan v. Arunachalam, [1980l 2 SCR 673, distinguished.

50.3 The court to which the case has been transferred is a supe-
B rior court and in fact the High Court. Howevet, the High Court
Judge Is not a person to whom the trial of die case can be assigµed under
s. 7(1) of the 1952 Act. The circumstance that a much superior forum is
assigned to try ·a case than the one normally available cannot by Itself !>to
treated as a "sufficient safeguard and a good substitute" for the normal
forum and the rights available under the normal procedure. [131G-H]

c Surajmal Mohta v. Vislnvanath Sastry, [195511 SCR, referred to.

50.4 The accused here loses his right of coming up in revision or
appeal to the High Court from the interlocutory and final orders of the
trial court, and the right of having two courts-a subordinate court and
D the High Court-adjudicate upon his contentions before bringing the
matter up in the Supreme Court. Though these are not such handi-
caps as violate the fundamental rights of such an accused, they are
circumstances which create prejudice to the accused and may not be
overlooked in adopting one construction of the statute in preference
to the other. (132A-Bl
E
51.1 It is true that the audi altarem partem rule is a basic require·
ment of the rule of law. But the degree of compliance with this rule and
the extent of consequences flowing from failure to do so will vary from
case to case. [168Bl

Nawabkhan Abbaskhan v. State, [1974] 3 SCR 427, referred to.
F '
In the instant case the appellant had been given no chance of being
heard before the impugned direction was given and it cannot be said whe-
!her the Bench would have acted in the same way even if he had been given
such opportunity. However, in the circumstances of the case, this is not a
G fit case to interfere with the earlier order on that ground. [167ll, 168A]

51.2 The rules of natural justice must not be stretched too far.
They should not be allowed to be exploited as a purely technical weapon
to undo a decision which does not in reality cause substantial injustice
and which, had the party been really aggrieved thereby, could have .:..
H been set right by immediate action. ll69CJ
33

R. v. Secretary of State for Home Department ex parte Mughal, A
[1973] 3 All ER 796, referred to.

The direction of 16.2.1984 cannot he said to have Infringed the
fundamental rights of the appellant or caused any miscarriage of
justice. The appellant did know on 16.2.1984 that the judges were
giving such a direction and yet he did not protest. Perhaps he did think B
that being tried by a High Court Judge would be more beneficial to him,
as indeed it was likely to be. That apart, several opportunities were ''
available for the appellant to set this right. He did qot move bis little linger
to obtain a variation of this direction from this Court. He is approach·
ing the Court nearly after two years of his trial by the learned judge in
the High Court. Volumes of testimony have been recorded and numer·
ous exhibits have been admitted as evidence. Though the trial is only at
c
the stage of the framing of charges, tl)e trial being according to the
warrant procedure, a lot of evidence has already gone in and if tbe
directions of this Court are re-called; it would wipe the slate clean. To take
the entire matter back at this stage to square No. 1 would be the very
negation of the purpose of the 1952 Act to speed up all such trials and D
would result in more injustice than justice from an objective point of
view. [168G-H, 169A-B]

52.1 Situations can and do arise where this Court may be con·
strained to recall or modify an order which has been passed by it earlier
and that when ex facie there is something radically wrong with the
earlier order, this Court may have to exercise its plenary and inherent
powers to recall the earlier order without considering itself bound by
the nice technicalities of the procedure for getting this done. [163C] .

52.2 Where a mistake is committed by a subordinate court or a
. High Court, there are ample powers in this Court tlf remedy the situa· F
lion. But where the mistake Is In an earlier order of this Court, there is
no way of having it corrected except by approaching this Court. Some·
timesJ the remedy sought can be brought within the four corners of the
procedural law in which event there can be hurdle in the way of achiev·
ing the desired result. But the mere fact that, for some reason, the
conventional remedies are not available should not render this Court G1
powerless to give relief. [163D-E]

Ghulam Sarwar v. Union of India, [1965] 2 S.C.C. 271; Soni
Vrijla/. Jethalal v. Soni Jadavji Govindji, AIR 1972 Gnj. 148; Jang
Singh v. Brij Lal, [1964] Z S.C.R. 145 at p. 159; Bhagat Ram v. State,
[1972] 2 S.C.C. 466 and State v. Tara Chand, [1973) S.C.C. Cr. 774, · H
referred to. "
34 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. I S.C.R.

52.3 It may not be possible or prudent to lay down a comprehen-
A sive list of defects that will attract the ex debito justitiae relief. h63E]

52.4 Suffice it to say that the court can grant relief where there is
some manifest Ulegality or want of jurisdiction in the earlier order or
some palpable injustice is shown to have resulted. Such a power can be
B traced either to Article 142 of the Constitution or to the powers inherent in
this Court as the apex Court and the guardian of the Constitution. [163F]

Issac v. Robertson, [1984] 3 AER 140, referred to.

52.5 However, such power has to be exercised in the "rarest of
rare" cases and thert is great need for judicial discipline of the highest
C order in exercising such a power, as any laxity in this regard may not
only impair the eminence, dignity and integrity of this Court hut may
also lead to chaotic consequences. Nothing should be done to create an
Impression that this Court can be easily persuaded to alter its views on
any matter and that a larger Bench of the Court will not only be able to
D reverse the precedential effect of an earlier ruling but may also be
inclined to go back on it and render it ineffective in its applica,iion and
binding nature even in regi.ird to subsequent proceedings in the same
case. [163G-H, 164A]

Bengal Immunity Company Ltd. v. The State of Bihar and Ors.,
E l 1953] 2 SCR 603 and Sheonandan Paswan v. State of Bihar & Ors.,
[1987] l SCR 288, referred to.

53. The power of review Is conferred on this Court by Article 137
of the Constitution. It is subject not on to the provisions of any law
made by Parliament but also to rules made by this Court under Article
F 145. [142H]
The order dated 16.2.1984 does not suffer from any error ap-
parent on the face of the record which can be rectified on a review
application. The prayer for review has been made beyond the period
mentioned in Rule 2 of Order XL of the Supreme Court Rules. No
doubt this Court has power to extend the time within which a review
G petition may be fJ.Ied. But having regard to the circumstances of the Cftse
there is hardly any reason to condone the delay in the prayer for
review. [144A-B, 143B, 147H]
The appellant was alive tQ all his present contentions. At least ...
when the writ petition was dismissed as an inappropriate remedy, he
H should have at once moved this Court for review. [I 48AJ
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK 35

That apart even if the Court is inclined. to condone the delay, the
A
application will have to he heard as far as possible by the same Judges
who disposed of the earlier matter. [148B l

54. It will not behove the prestige and glory of this Court as
envisaged under the Constitution ifearlier decisions are revised or re·
called solely because a later Bench takes a different view of the issues B
involved. Granting that the power of review is available, it is one to be
sparingly exercised only in extraordinary or emergent situations when
there can he no two opinions about the error or lack of jurisdiction in
the earlier order amtthere are adelluate reasons-to-invoke a resort to an
unconventional method of recalling or revoking the same. Such a situa-
tion is not present in the instant case. [167F-G]
c
_55. Prem Chand Garg cannot ·be treated as an authority for the
proposition that an earlier. order of this Court could be quashed by the
issue of a writ on the ground that it violated the fundamental rights.
Mirajkar clearly precludes such a course. [lSSG-H]
D
Prem Chand Garg v. Excise Commissioner, [1963] Supp. 1 SCR
885, explained and distinguished.

Naresh Shridhar Mirajkar and others v. State of Maharashtra and
another, [1966] SCR 744, relied on.
E
The direction issued by this Court was not warranted in law,
being contrary to the special provisions of the 1952 Act, was also not in
conformity with the principles of natural justice and that nnless. the
direction can be jnstified with reference to s. 407 of the Cr.P.C., the
petitioner's fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitu-
tion can be said to have been infringed by reason of this direction. [I42C] F

However, this is not one of those cases in which it is considered
appropriate to recall the earlier direction and order a re-trial of the
.appellant de novo before a Special Judge. [1690]

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Criminal Appeal G
No. 468 of 1986.

From the Jildg!Ilent and Order dated 24. 7 .86 of the Bombay i
High Court in Special Case No. 24/82.

P.P. Rao, R.D. Ovlekar. M.N. Dwevedi (Not in WP. No. 542) _.H
36 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988) Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A
Sulman Khurshid, N.V. Pradhan, D.R. Gadgil, R.S. Desai, M.N.
Shroff, K.V. Sreekumar and P.S. Pradhan for the Petitioner.

Ram Jethmalani, Miss Rani Jethmalani and Ashok Sharma for
the Respondents.
B
A.M. Khanwilkar and A.S.Bhasme for the Respondents-State.

The majority Judgment of Sabyasachi Mukharji, G.L. Oza and
S. Natarajan, JJ. was delivered by Mukharji, J. Ranganath Misra and
B.C. Ray, JJ. gave separate concurring opinions. G.L. Oza, J. also
C gave a separate opinion. M.N. Venkatachaliah, J. delivered a dissent
ing opinion. S. Ranganathan, j. was a partly concurring and partly
dissenting opinion:

SABYASACID MUKHARJI, J. The main question involved in
D this appeal, is whether the directions given by this Court on 16th
February, 1984. as reported in R.S. Nayak v. A.R. Antulay, [1984) 2
S.C.R. 495 at 557 were legally proper. The next question is, whether
the action and the trial proceedings pursuant to those directions, are
legal and valid. Lastly, the third consequential question is, can those
directions be recalled or set aside or annulled in those proceedings in
E the manner sought for by the appellant. In order to answer these
questions certain facts have to be borne in mind.

The appellant became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on or
about 9th of June, 1980. On 1st of September, 1981, respondent No. 1
who is a member of the Bharatiya Jania Party applied to the Gover-
F nor of the State under section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code,
1973 (hereinafter referred to as the Code) and section 6 of the Preven
tion of Corruption Act, 1947 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) for
sanction to prosecute the appellant. On 11th of September, 1981, res
pondent No. 1 filed a complaint before the Additional Metropolitan
Magistrate, Bombay against the appellant and other known and unk-
G nown persons for alleged offence under sections 161 and 165 of the
Indian Penal Code and section 5 of the Act as also under sections 384
and 420 read with sections 109 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code. The
learned Magistrate refused to take cognizance of the offences under
the Act without the sanction for prosecution. Thereafter a criminal
revi�ion application being C.R.A. No. 1742 of 1981 was filed in the
H High Court of Bombay, by respondent No. 1.
-.

A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK IMUKHARJI, J.] 37

The appellant thereafter on 12th of January, ·1982 resigned from A
the position of Chief Minister in deference to the judgment of the
Bombay High Court in a writ petition filed against him. In CRA No.
1742 of 1981 filed by respondent No. 1 the Division Bench of the High.
Cour~ held that sanction was necessary for the, prosecution of the
appellan!and the High Court rejecte~ the request of respondent No. 1
to transfer the case from the Court of the Additional Chief Metropoli- .B
;. tan Magistrate to itself.

On 28th of July, 1982, the Governor of Maharashtra granted
sanction under section 197 of the Code and section 6 of the Act in
respect of five items relating to three subjects only and refused sanc-
tion in respect of all other items.
c
Respondent No. 1 on 9th of August, 1982 filed a fresh oomplaint
against the appellant before the learned Special Judge br'.nging in
many more allegations including those for which sanction was refused
by the Governor. It was registered as a Special Case No. 24 of 1982. It
., was submitted by respondent No. 1 that there was no necessity of any D
-< sanction since the appellant had ceased to be a public servant after his
resignation as Chief Minister.

The Special Judge, Shri P.S. Bhutta issued process to the appel-
lant without relying on the sanction order dated 28th of July, 1982. On
20th of October, 1982, Shri P.S. Bhutta 0:verruled the appellant's E
objection to his jurisdiction to take cognizance of the complaint and to
issue proce;s in the absence of a notification under section 7(2) of the
Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1952 (hereinafter referred to as 1952
Act) specifying which of the three Special Judges of the area should try
such cases.
F,
The State Government on 15th of January, 1983 notified the
appointment of Shri R.B. Sule. as the Special Judge to try the offences
specified under section 6(1) of the 1952 Act. On or about 25th of July
1983, it appears that Shri R.B. Sule, Special Judge discharged the
appeliant holding that a member of the Legislative Assembly is a
public servant and there was no valid sanction for prosecuting the G
appellant .
.. 'i
On 16th of February, 1984, in an appeal filed by respondent
No. 1 directly under Article 136, a Constitution Bench of this Court
held that a member of the Legislative Assembly is not a public servant
and set aside the order of Special Judge Sule. Instead of remanding the H
38 · SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

case to the Special Judge for disposal in accordance with law, this
A
Court suo motu withdrew the Special Cases No. 24/82 and 3/83 (arising
out of a complaint filed by one P.B. Samant) pending in the Court of
Special Judge, Greater Bombay, Shri R.B. Sule and transferred the
same .to the Bombay High Court with a request to the learned Chief
Jtistice to assign these two cases to a sitting Judge of the High Court
B · for holding the trial from day to day. These directions were given,
according to the appellant, without any pleadings, without any argu-
ments, without any such prayer from either side and without giving any '
opportunity to the appellant to make his submissions before issuing
the same. It was submitted that the appellant's right to be tried by a
competent court according to the procedure ·established by law enac-
C ted by Parliament and his rights of appeal and revision to the High
Court under section 9 of the 1952 Act had been taken away.

The directions of this Court mentioned hereinbefore are con-
tained in the decision of this Court in R.S. Nayak v. A.R. Anttday,
[1984] 2 S.C.R. 495 at 557. There the Court was mainly concerned with
D whether sanction to prosecute was necessary. It was held that no such
sanction was necessary in the facts and circumstances of the case. This
Court further gave the following directions:
...
"The accused was the Chief Minister of a premier State-
the State of Maharashtra. By a prosecution launched as
E early '3S on September 11, 1981, his character and integrity
came under a cloud. Nearly two and a half years have rol-
led by and the case has not moved an inch further. An
expeditious !rial is primarily in the interest of the accused
and a mandate of Article 21. Expeditious disposal of a
criminal case is in the interest of both the prosecution and
F the accused. Therefore, Special Case No. 24 of 1982 and
Special Case No. 3/83 pending in the Court of Special
Judge, Greater Bombay Shri.R.B. Sule are withdrawn and
transferred to the High Court of Bombay with a request to
the learned Chief Justice to assign these two cases to a
sitting Judge of the High Court. On being so assigned, the
G learned Judge may proceed to expeditiously dispose of the
cases preferably by holding the trial from day to day."

The appellant as mentioned hereinbefore had appeared before
the Special Judge and objected to the jurisdiction of the learned
Judge on the ground that the case had not been properly allocated to -
H him by the State Government. The Special Judge Bhutta after hearing
f-
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI, J.[ 39

the parties had decided ihe case was validly filed before him and he
A
had properly taken cognizance. He based his order on the construction
of the notification of allocation which was in force at that time.
Against the order of the learned Special Judge rejecting the appel-
lant's contention, the appellant filed a revision application in the High
Court of Bombay. During the pendency of the said.revision applica-
tion, the Government of Maharashtra issued a notification appointing B
- .

Special Judge R.B. Sule, as the Judge .of the special case. It is
the contention of the respondents before .. us that the appellant
thereafter did not raise any further objection in the. High Court
against cognizance being taken by Shri Bhutta. It is important to take
note of this contention because one of the points urged liy Shri Rao on
behalf of the appellant was that not only we should set aside the trial C
before the High CouTt as being without jurisdiction but we should
direct that no further trial should take place before the Special Judge
because the appellant has suffered a lot of which we shall mention later
but also because cognizance of the offences had not been taken prop-
erly. In order to meet the submission that cognizance of the offences
had not been taken properly, it was urged by Shri Jethmalani that after D
the Government Notification appointing Judge Sule as the Special
Judge, the objection that cognizance of the offences could not be
taken by Shri Bhutta was not agitated any further. The other objec-
tions that the appellant raised against the order passed by Judge
Bhutta were dismissed by the High Court of Bombay. Against the
order of the Bombay High Court the appellant filed a petition under E
Article 136 of the constitution. The appeal after grant of leave was
dismissed by a judgment delivered on 16th February, 1984 by this
Court in A. R. AntUlay v. Ramdas Sriniwas Nayak and another, 11984 I
2 S.C.R. 914. There at page 954 of the report, this Court categorically
observed that a private complaint filed by the complainant was clearly
maintainable and that the cognizance was properly taken. This was the F
point at issue in that appeal. This was decided against the appellant.
On this aspect therefore, the other point is open to the appellant. We
are of the opinion that this observation of this Court cannot by any
stretch of imagination be considered to be without jurisdiction. There-
fore, this decision of this Court precludes any scope for argument
about the validity of the cognizance taken by Special Judge Bhutta. G
Furthermore, the case had proceeded further before the Special
Judge, Shri Sule and the learned Judge passed an order of discharge on
25th July, 1983. This order was set aside by the Constitution Bench of
this Court on 16th February, 1984, in the connected judgment (vide
1984 2 S.C.R. 495). The order of taking cognizance had therefore
become final and cannot be reagitated. Moreover section 460( e) of_ the H
Code expressly provides that if anv Magistrate not empowered by law
_,
40 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

to take cognizance of an offence on a complaint under section 190 of
A
the Code erroneously in good faith does so his proceedings shall not be
set aside merely on the ground that he was not so empowered.

Pursuant to the directions of this Court dated 16th February,
1984, on Jst of March, 1984, the Chief Justice of the Bombay High
13 Court assigned the cases to S.N. Khatri, J. The appe]lant, it is con-
tended before us, appeared before Khatri, J. and had raised an objec-
tion that the case could be tried by a Special Judge only appointed by
•
the Government under the 1952 Act. Khatri, J. on 13th of March,
1984, refused to entertain the appellant's objection to jurisdiction
holding that he was bound by the order of this Court. There was
another order passed on 16th of March, 1984 whereby Khatri, J. dealt
c with the other contentions raised as to his jurisdiction and rejected the
objections of the appellant.

Being aggrieved the appellant came up before this Court by filing
special leave petitions as well as writ petition. This Court on 17th
D April, 1984, in Abdul Rehman Antulay v. Union of India and others
etc., [1984] 3 S.C.R. 482 at 483 held that the learned Judge was
perfectly justified and indeed it was the duty of the learned Judge to
follow the decision of this Court which was binding on him. This Court
in dismissing the writ petition observed, inter alia, as follows:

E "In my view, the writ petition challenging the validity of
the order and judgment passed by this Court as nullity or
otherwise incorrect cannot be entertained. I wish to make
it clear that the dismissal of this writ petition will not pre,
judice the right of the petitioner, to approach the Court
with an appropriate review petition or to file any other
F application which he may be entitled in law to file."

D.N. Mehta, J. to wb'om the cases were transferred from Khatri,
J. framed charges under 21 heads and.declined to frame charges under
22 other heads proposed by respondent No. 1. This Court allowed the
appeal by special leave preferred by respondent No. J except in regard
G to three draft charges under section 384, I.P.C. (extortion) and
directed the Court below to frame charges with regard to all other
offences alleged. This Court requested the Chief Justice of the
Bombay High Court to nominate another Judge in place of D.N.
Mehta, J. to take up the trial and proceed expeditiously to dispose of
the case finally. See in.this connection R.S. Nayak v. A.R. Antulay and
H another, [1986] 2 S.C.C. 716.
A.R. ANTULAY '· R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI, .T.J 41

P.S. Shah, J. to whom the cases were referred to from D.N. A
Mehta, J. on 24th of July, 1986 proceeded to frame as many as 79
charges against the appellant and decided not to proceed against the
other named co-conspirators. This is the order impugned before us.
Being aggrieved hy the aforesaid order the appellant filed the present
• Special leave Petition (Cr!.) No. 2519 of 1986 questioning the jurisdic-
tion to try the case in violation of the appellant's fundamental rights B
conferred by Articles 14 and 21 and the provisions of the Act of 1952 .
• The appellant also filed Special leave Petition (Cr!.) No. 2518 of 1986
against the judgment and order dated 21st of August, 1986 of P.S.
Shah, J. holding that none of the 79 charges framed against the
accused required sanction under section 197(1) of the Code. The
appellant also filed a Writ Petition No. 542 of 1986 challenging a
portion of section 197(1) of Code as ultra vires Articles 14 and 21 of the C
Constitution.

This Court granted leave in Special Leave Petition (Crl.)
No. 2519 of 1986 after hearing respondent No. 1 and stayed further
proceedings in the High Court. This Court issued notice in Special D
Leave Petition (Cr!.) No. 2518 and Writ Petition (Cr!.) No. 542of1986
and directed these to be tagged on with the appeal arising out of
Special I.eave Petition (Cr!.) No. 2519 of 1986.

On 1lth of October, 1986 the appellant filed a Criminal Miscel-
laneous Petition for permission to urge certain additional grounds in E
support of the plea that the origination of the proceedings before the
Court of Shri P .S. Bhutta, Special Judge and the process issued to the
appellant were illegal and void ab initio.

•• This Court on 29th October, 1986 dismissed the application for
revocation of special leave petition filed by respondent No. 1 and F
referred the appeal to a Beuch of 7 Judges of this Court and indicated
the points in the note appended to the order for consideration of this
Bench.

So far as SLP (Crl.) No. 2518/86 against the judgment and order
dated 21st August, 1986 of P.S. Shah, J. of the Bombay High Court G
about the absence of sanction under section 197 of the Code is con-
cerned, we have by an order dated 3rd February, 1988 delinked that
special leave petition inasmuch as the same involved consideration· of
... an independent question and directed that the special leave petition
shollid be heard by any appropriate Bench after disposal of this
.appeal, Similarly, Writ Petition (Ori.) No . .542 of 1986 challenging a H
42 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A portion of section 197(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code as ultra vires
Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution had also to be delinked by our
order dated 3rd February, 1988 to be heard along with special leave
petition no 2518 of 1986. This judgment therefore, does not cover
these two matters.

B _,:/ In this appeal two questions arise, namely, (1) whether the direc-
tions given by this Court on 16th of February, 1984 in R.S. Nayakv.
A.R. Antulay, [1984] 2 S.C.R. 495 withdrawing the Special Case No. •
24/82 and Special Case No. 3/83 arising out of the complaint filed by
one shri P.B. Samant pending in the Court of Special Judge, Greater
Bombay, Shri R.B. Sule, and transferring the same to the High Cort of
C Bombay with a request to the Chief Justice to assign these two cases to
a sitting Judge of the High Court, in breach of section 7(1) of the Act
of 1952 which mandates that offences as in this case shall be tried by a
Special Judge only thereby denying at least one right of appeal to the
appellant was violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution and
whether such directions were at all valid or legal and (2) if such direc-
D tions were not at all valid or legal in view of the order dated 17th of
April, 1984 referred to hereinbefore, is this appeal sustainable or the
grounds therein justiciable in these proceedings. In other words, are
the said directions in a proceedings inter-parties binding even if bad in
law or violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution and as such
are immune from correction by this Court even though they cause
E prejudice and do injury? These are the basic questions which this
Court must answer in this appeal.

The contention that has been canvassed before us was that save
as provided in sub-section (1) of section 9 of the Code the provisions
thereof (coresponding to section 9(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code,
F 1898) shall so far as they are not inconsistent with the Act apply to the
proceedings before the Special Judge and for purposes of the said
provisions ·the Court of the Special Judge shall be deemed to be a Court
of Session trying cases without a jury or without the aid of assessors
and the person conducting the prosecution before a Special Judge shall
be deemed to be a public prosecutor. It was submitted 'before us that it
G was a private complaint and the prosecutor was not the public pro-
secutor. This was another infirmity which this trial suffered, it was
pointed out. In the background of the main issues involved in this
appeal we do not propose to deal with this subsidiary point which is of
not any significance. •

H The only question with which we are concerned in this appeal is,
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK JMUKHARJI, J.J 43

whether the case which is triable under the 1952 Act only by a Special
A,
Judge appointed under section 6 of the said Act could be transferred to
the High Court for trial by itself or by this Court to the High Court for
trial by it. Section 406 of the Code deals with transfer of criminal cases
and provides power to this Court to transfer cases and appeals
whenever it is made to appear to this Court that an order under this
section is expedient for the ends of justice. The law provides that this B
Court may direct that any particular case or appeal be transferred from
I
one High Court to ano·ther High Court or from a Criminal Court
subordinate to one High Court to another Criminal Court of equal or
superior jurisdiction subordinate to another High Court. Equally sec-
tion 407 deals with the power of High Court to transfer cases and
appeals. Under section 6 of the 1952 Act, the State Government is
authorised to appoint as many Special Judges as may be necessary for
c
such area or areas for specified offences including offences under the
Act. Section 7 of the 1952 Act deals with cases triable by Special
Judges. The question, therefore, is whether this Court under section
406 of the Code could have transferred a case which was triable only by
a Special Judge to be tried by the High Court or even if an application D
had been made to this Court under section 406 ofthe Code to transfer
the case triable by a Special Judge to another Special Judge could that
be transferred to a High Court, for trial by it. It was contended by Shri
Rao that the jurisdiction to entertain and try .cases is conferred either
by the Constitution or by the laws made by Parliament. He referred us
to the powers of this Court under Articles 32, 131, 137, 138, 140, 142 E
·and 145(1) of the Constitution. He also referred to Entry 77 of List I of
the Constitution which deals with the constitution of the courts. He
further submitted that the appellant has a right to be tried in accord-
ance with law. and no procedure which will deny the equal protection
of la~ can be invented and any order passed by this Court which will
deny equal protection of laws would be an order which is void by virtue F
of Article 13(2) of the Constitution. He referred us to the previous
order of this Court directing the transfer' of cases to the High Court
and submitted that it was a nullity because of the consequences of the
wrong directions of this Court, The enormity of the consequences
·warranted this Court's order being treated as a nullity. The directions
denied the appellant the remedy by way of appeal as of right. Such G
erroneous or mistaken directions ·should be corrected at the earliest
· opportunity, Shri Rao submitted.

,,,. Sliri Rao also submitted that the directions given by the Court
were without jurisdiction and as·stich void. There was no jurisdiction,
according to Shri Rao, or power to transfer '1 case from the Court of . H
44 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

the Special Judge to any High Court. Section 406 of the Code only
A permitted transfer of cases from one High Court to another High
Court or from a Criminal Court subordinate to one High Court to a
Criminal Court subordinate to another High Court. It is apparent that
the impugned directions could not have been given under section 406
of the Code as the Court has no such power to order the transfer from
B the Court of the Special Judge to the High Court of Bombay.

Section 7(1) of the 1952 Act creates a condition which is sine qua
non for the trial of offences under section 6( 1) of the said Act. The
condition is that notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of
·Criminal Procedure or any other law, the said ofknces shall be triable
by .Special J14dges only. {Emphasis supplied). Indeed conferment of
C the 'exolusi"e jurisdiction of lhe Special Judge is recognised by the
judgment deliver~d iby this 'Court in A.R. Antulay v. Ramdris Sriniwas
Nayakrandanother, [198412 'S.C.R. 914 where this Court had adverted
to section 7( 1) of the 1952 Act and at page 931 observed that section 7
.of the 1952 Act conferred exclusive jurisdiction on the Special Judge
p appointed under .section 6 to try cases set. out in section 6(1)(a) and
-6(1)(b) of the said Act. The Court emphasised that the Special Judge
had·exclusive jurisdiction tO try offences enumerated in section 6(1)(a)
and (b). In spite of this while giving directions in the other matter, that
is, R.S. Nayak v. A.R. Anrulay, ll984] 2S.C.R 495 at page 557, this
Court directed transfer to the High Court of Bombay .the cases pend-
E ing before the Special Judge. It is true that section 7(1) and Section 6
of the 1952 Act were referred to while dealing with the other matters
but while dealing with the matter of directions and giving the
impugned directions, it does not appear that the Court kept in mind
the exclusiveness of the jurisdiction of the Special Court to tty the
offences enumerated in section 6.
F
Shri Rao made a point that the directions of the Court were given
per incuriam, that is to say without awareness of or advertence to the
rexclusive nature of the jurisdiction of the Special Court and without
reference to the possibility of the violation of the fundamental rights in
:a case of this nature as observed by a seven Judges Bench decision in
G The State of West Bengal v. Anwar Ali Sarkar, {1952] S.C.R. 284.

Shri Ram .Jethmalani on behalf of the respondents submitted
that the judgment of the 'Constitution Bench of this Court was
delivered on 16th of February, 1984 and counsel for both sides were ""
present and it was neither objected to nor st.ated by the appellant that
H he wanted to be heard in regard to the transfer of the trial forum. He
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI, J.} 45

submitted that the order of discharge was not only challenged by a
A
special leave petition before this Court but also that a revision applica-
tion before the High Court being Criminal Revision Application
No. 354/83 was filed but the Criminal Revision Application by an
order of this Court was withdrawn and heard along with the special
leave petition. That application contained a prayer to the effect that
the order of discharge be set aside and the case be transferred to the B
High Court for trial. Therefore, it was submitted that the order of
transfer was manifestly just. There was no review against this order. It ·
was submitted that the order of transfer to a superior court cannot in
law or in fact ever cause any harm or prejudice to any accused. It is an
order made for the benefit of the accused and in the interests of
justice. Reliance was placed on Romesh Chandra Arora v. The State, C
[1960] 1 S.C.R. 924 at 927 and 934. It was further submitted by Shri
Jethmalani that a decision which has become final cannot be chal-
lenged. Therefore, the present proceedings are an abuse of the process
of the Court, according to him. It was further submitted that all the
attributes of a trial court were present in a Court of Appeal, an appeal
.> being a continuation of trial before competent Court of Appeal and, D
therefore, all the qualifications of the trial court were there. The Higb
1

Court is authorised to hear an appeal from the judgment of the Special
Judge under the Act of 1952. It was submitted that a Special Judge
except in so far as a specific provision to the contrary is made is
governed by all the provisions of the Code and he is a Court subordi-
nate to the Higb Court. See A.R. Antulay v. R.S. Nayak and another, E
[1984] 2 S.C.R. 914 at 943 and 944.

It was submitted that power under sectiion 526 of the old Code
corresponding to section 407 of the new Code can be exercised qua a
Special Judge. This power, according to Shri Jethmalani, is exercise-
able by the Higb Court in respect of any 9ase under Section 407(1)(iv) F
irrespective of the Court in which it is pending. This part of the section
is not repealed wholly or pro tanto, according to the learned counsel,
by anything in the 1952 Act. The Constitution Bench, it was submit-.
ted, consciously exercised this power. It decided that the Higb Court
had the power to transfer a case to itself even from a Special Judge.
That decision is binding at least in this case and cannot be reopened, it G
was urged. In ·this case what was actually decided cannot be undone,
we were told repeatedly. It will produce an intolerable state of attars.
This Court sought to recognise the distinction between finality of judi-
~ cial orders qua the parties and the reviewability for application to other
cases. Between the parties even a wrong decision can operate as res
judicata. The doctrine of res judicata is applicable even to criminal H
46 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988) Supp. 1 S.C.R.

trials, it was urged. Reliance was placed on Bhagat Ram v. State of
A Rajasthan. [1972) 2 S.C.C. 466. A judgment of a High Court is binding
in all subsequent proceedings in the same case; more so, a judgment
which was unsuccessfully challenged before this Court.

It is obvious that if a case could be transferred under section 406
B of the Code from a Special Judge it could only be transferred to
another Special Judge or a court of superior jurisdiction but subordi-
nate to the High Court. No such court exists. Therefore, under this
section the power of transfer can only be from one Special Judge to
another Special Judge. Under section 407 however, corresponding to
section 526 of the old Code, it was submitted the High Court has
power to transfer any case to itself for being tried by it, it was
C submitted.

It appears to us that in Gurcharan Das Chadha v. State of
Rajasthan, 11966) 2 S.C.R. 678 an identical question arose. The
petitioner in that case was a member of an All India Service serving in
D the State of Rajasthan. The State Government ordered his trial before
the Special Judge of Bharatpur for offences under section 120B/161 of
the Indian Penal Code and under sections 5(1)(a) and (d) and 5(2) of
the Act. He moved this Court under section 527 of the old Code
praying for transfer of his case to another State on various grounds.
Section 7(1) of the Act required the offences involved in that case to
E be tried by a Special Judge only, and section 7(2) of the Act required
the offences to be tried by a Special Judge for the area within which
these were committed which condition could never be satisfied if there
was a transfer. This Court held that the condition in sub-section (1) of
section 7 of the Act that the case must be tried by a Special Judge, is a
sine qua non for the trial of offences under section 6. This condition
F can ·be satisfied by transferring the case from one Special Judge to
another Special Judge. Sub-section(2) of section 7 merely distributes,
it was noted, work between Special Judges appointed in a State with
reference to territory. This provision is at par with the section of the
Code which confers territorial jurisdiction on Sessions Judges and
magistrates. An order of transfer by the very nature of things must
:G sometimes result in taking the case out of the territory. The third
sub-section of section 8 of the Act preserves the application of any
provision of the Code if it is not inconsistent with the Act save as
provided by the first two sub-sections of that·Secticin. It was held by
this Court that sectioin 527 of the old Code, hence, remains applicable
if it is not inconsistent with section 7(2) of the Act. It was held that
H there was no inconsistency between section 527 of the Code and
J
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI, J.[ 47

section 7(2) of the Act as the territorial jurisdiction created by the
latter operates in a different sphere and under different circumstances. A
Inconsistency can only be found if two provisions of law apply in
identical circumstances, and create contradictions. Such a situation
does not arise when either this Court or the High Court exercises the
power of transfer. Therefore, this Court in exercise of its jurisdiction
and power under section 527 of the Code can transfer a case from a B
Special Judge subordinate to one High C,ourt to another Special Judge
subordinate to another High Court. It has to be emphasised that that
decision was confined to the power under section 527 of the previous
Code and to transfer from one Special Judge to another Special Judge
though of another State. It was urged by Shri Jethrnalani that Chadha.'s
case (supra) being one of transfer from one Special Judge to another C
the judgment is not an authority for the proposition that it cannot be
transferred to a court other t)lan that of a Special Judge or to the High
Court. But whatever be the position, this is no longer open at this
juncture.

The jurisdiction, it was submitted, created by section 7 of the Act D
of 1952 is of exclusiveness qua the Courts subordinate to the High
·court. It is not exclusive qua a Court of superior jurisdiction including
a Court which can hear an appeal against its decision. The non-
obstante clause does not prevail over other provisions of the Code
such as those which recognise the powers of the superior courts to
exercise jurisdiction on transfer. It was submitted that the power of E
transfer vested in the High Court is exercisable qua Special Judges and
is recognised not merely by Chadha's case but in earlier cases also,
Shri Jethmalani submitted.
;
It was next submitted that apait from the power under sections
406 and 407 of the Code the power of transfer is also exercisable by the F
High Court under Article 228 of the Constitution. There is no doubt
that under this Article the case can be withdrawn from the Court of a
Special Judge. It is open to the High Court to finally dispose it of. A
chartered High Court can make . orders of transfer under clause 29 of
the Letters Patent. Article 134(1)(b) of the Constitution expressly
recognises the existence of such power in every High Court. G

It was further submitted that any case transferred for trial to the
High Court in which it exercises jurisdiction only by reason of the
order of transfer is a case tried not in ordinary original criminal jurisd-
iction but in extraordinary original criminal juri~diction. Some High
Courts had both ordinary criminal jurisdiction as well as extraordinary H
48 SUPREME COURT REPORTS 11988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A criminal original jurisdiction. The former was possessed by the High
Courts of Bombay, Madras and Calcutta. The first two High Courts
abolished it in the 40's and the Calcutta High Court continued it for
quite some time and after the 50's in a trwicated form until it was
finally done away with by the Code. After the-Code the only original
criminal jurisdiction possessed by all the High Courts is extraordinary.
B It can arise by transfer under the Code or the Constitulion or uhder
clause 29 of the Letters Patent. It was submitted that it was not right .
that extraordinary original criminal jurisdiction is contained only in
clause 24 of the Letters Patent of the Bombay High Court. This is
contrary to section 374 of the Code itself. That refers to all High
Courts and not merely all or any one of the three Chartered High
Courts. In P.P. Front, New Delhi v. K.K. Bir/a and others, 11984]
C Criminal Law Journal 545, the Delhi High Court recognised its extra-
ordinary original criminal jurisdiction as the only one that it possessed.
The nature of this jurisdiction is clearly explained in Madura, Tirup-
parankundram etc. v. Alikhan Sahib and Ors., 35 Calcutta Weekly
Notes, 1088 and Sunil Chandra Roy and another v. The State, A.I.R.
D !954 Calcutta 305, paragraph 15. Reference may also be made to the
Law Commissioner's 41st Report, paragraphs 3.1 to 3.6 at page 29 and
paragraph 31.10 at page 259.

The !952 Act was passed to provide for speedier trial but the
procedure evolved should not be so directed, it was submitted, that ~t
E would violate Article 14 as was held in Anwar Ali Sarkar's casl:
(supra).

Section 7 of the 1952 Act provides that notwithstanding anything
contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, or in any other law the
offences specified in sub-section (1) of section 6 shall be triable by
F Special Judges only. So the law provides for a trial by Special Judge
only and this is notwithstanding anything contained in sections 406 and
407 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. Could it, therefore, be
accepted that this Court exercised a power not given to it by Parlia·
meat or the Constitution and acted under a power not exercisable by
it? The question that has to be asked and answered is ,if a case is tried
G by a Speical Judge or a court subordinate to the High Court against
whose order an appeal or a revision would lie-to the High Court, is
transferred by this Court to the High Court and such right of appeal or
revision is taken away would not an accused be in a worse position
than others? This Court in R.S. Nayak v. A.R. Antulay, 11984] 2 A

S.C.R. 495 did not refer either to section 406 or section 407 of the
H Code. It is only made clear that if the application had been made to the
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI, J.J 49

High Court under section 407 of the Code, the High Court might have A
transferred the case to itself.

·· i The second question that arises here is if such a wrong direction
has been given by this Court can such a direction inter-parties be
challenged subsequently. This is really a value perspective judgment.
B
Jn Kiran Singh and othersv. Chaman Paswan and others, [1955] 1
S.C.R. 117 at 121 Venkatarama Ayyar, J. observed that the funda-
mental principle is well established that a decree passed by a Court
without jurisdiction is a nullity, and that its validity could be set up
whenever and wherever it is sought to be enforced or relied upon-
even at the stage of execution and even in collateral proceedings. A C
defect of jurisdiction whether it is pecuniary or territorial, or whether
it is in respect of the subject-matter of the action, strikes at the very
authority of the Court to pass any decree, and such a defect cannot be
cured even by consent of parties.

This question has been well put, if we may say so, in the decision D
of this Court in M.L. Sethi v. R.P. Kapur, [1973] 1 S.C.R. 697 where
Mathew, J. observed that the jurisdiction was a verbal coat of many
colours and referred to the decision in Anisminic Ltd. v. Foreign Com-
pensation Commission, [1969] 2 A.C. 147 where the majority of the
House of Lords dealt with the assimilation of the concepts of 'lack' and
'excess' of jurisdiction or, in other words, the extent to which we have E
moved away from the traditional concept of jurisdiction. The effect of
the dicta was to reduce the difference between jurisdictional error and
. error of law withi.n jurisdiction almost to a vanishing point. What is i'
wrong decision on a question of limitation, he posed referring to an
; article of Professor H. W.R. Wade, "Constitutional and Administra-
tive Aspects of the Anismanic case" and concluded; "it is a bit difficult F
to understand how an erroneous decision on a question of limitation or
res judicata would oust the jurisdiction of the Court in the primitive
sense of the term and render the decision or decree embodying the
decision a nullity liable to collateral attack ..... And there is no
yardstick to determine ·the magnitude of the error other than the opinion
of the Court." (Emphasis supplied) G

While applying the ratio to the facts of the present controversy, it
has to be borne in mind that section 7(1) of the 1952 Act creates a
., -. condition which is sine qua non for the trial of offenders under section
6( 1) of -that Act, Jn this connection, the offences specified under sec-
tion 6(1) of the 1952 Act are those punishable under sections 161, 162, H
50 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A 163, 164 and 165A of the Indian Penal Code and section 5 of the 1947
Act. Therefore, the order of this Court transferring the cases to the
High Court on 16th February, 1984, was not authorised by law. This
Court, by its directions could not confer jurisdiction on the High Court
of Bombay to try any case which it did not possess such jurisdiction
under the scheme of the 1952 Act. It is true that in the first judgment in
B A.R. Antulay v. Ramdas Sriniwas Nayak and another, [1984] 2 S.C.R.
914 when this Court was analysing the scheme of the 1952 Act, it
referred to sections 6 and 7 at page 931 of the Reports. The arguments,
however, were not advanced and it does not appear that this aspect
with its remifications was present in the mind of the Court while giving
the impugned directions.
c Shri Jethmalani sought to urge before us that the order made by.
the Court was not without jurisdiction or irregular. We are unable to
agree. It appears to us that the order was quite clearly per incuriam. ·
This Court was not called upon and did not decide the express limita-
tion on the power conferred by section 407 of the Code which includes
D offences by public servants mentioned in the 1952 Act to be over-
ridden in the manner sought to be followed as the consequential direc-
tion of this Court. This Court, to be plain, did not have jurisdiction· to
transfer the case to itself. That will be evident from an analysis of the
different provisions of the Code as well as the 1952 Act. The power to
create or enlarge jurisdiction is legislative in character, so also the
E power to confer a right of appeal or to take away a right of appeal.
Parliament alone can do it by law and no Court, whether superior or
inferior or both combined can enlarge the jurisdiction of a Court or
divest a person of his rights of revision and appeal. See in this connec- ·
tion the observations in M.L. Sethi v. R.P. Kapur (supra) in which
Justice Mathew considered Anisminic, [1969] 2 AC 147 and also see
F Halsbury's Laws of England, 4th Edn. Vol. 10 page 327 at para 720
onwards and also Amnon Rubinstein 'Jurisdiction and Illegality' (1965
Edn. pages 16-50). Reference may also be made to Raja Soap Factory
v. S.P. Shantaraj, [1965] 2 SCR 800.

The question of validity, however, is important in that the want
G of jurisdiction can be established solely by a superior Court and that,
in practice, no decision can be impeached collaterally by any inferior'
Court. But the superior Court can always correct its own error brought
to its noiice either by way of petition or ex debito justitiae. See Rubins-
tein's Jurisdiction and Illegality' (supra). • •

H In the aforesaid view of the matter and the principle reiterated, it
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI, J.[ 51

is manifest that the appellant has not been ordered to be tried by a
A
procedure mandated by law, but by a procedure which was violative of
Article 21 of the Constitution. That is violative of Articles 14 and 19 of
the Constitution also, as is evident from the observations of the 7
Judges Berich judgment in Anwar Ali Sarkar's case (supra) where this
Court found th.at even for a criminal who was alleged to have commit-
ted an offence, a special trial would be per se illegal because it will B
deprive the accused of his substantial and valuable privileges of
defences which, others similarly charged, were able to claim. As
Justice Vivian Bose observed in the said decision at page 366 of the
report, it matters not whether it was done in good faith, whether it was
done for the convenience of Government, whether the process could
be scientifically classified and labelled, or whether it was an experi-
ment for speedier trial made for the good of society at large. Justice c
Bose emphasised that it matters not how lofty and laudable the
motives were. The question which must be examined is, can fair
minded, reasonable, unbiased and resolute men regard that with
equanimity and call it reasonable, just and fair, regard it as equal
treatment and protection in the defence of liberties which is expected D
of a sovereign democratic republic in the conditions which are ob-
tained in India today. Judged by that view the singling out of the

- appellant in. this case for a speedier trial by the High Court for an
offence of which the High Court had no jurisdiction to try under the
Act of 1952 was, in our opinion, unwarranted, unprecedented and the
directions given by this Court for the said purpose, were not war-
ranted. If that is the position, when that fact is brought to our notice
E

we must remedy the situation. In rectifying the error, no procedural
inhibition!!' should debar this Court because no person should suffer by
reason of any mistake of the Court. The Court, as is manifest, gave its
directions on· 16th February, 1984. Here no rule of res judicata would
apply to prevent this Court from entertaining the grievance and giving F
appropriate directions. In this connection, reference may be made to
the decision of the Gujarat High Court in Soni Vrajlal Jethalal v. Soni
Jadavji Govindji and Others, A.LR. 1972 Guj. 148. Where D.A.
Desai, J. speaking for the Gujarat High Court observed that no act of
the court or irregularity can come in the way of justice being done and
one of the highest and the first duty of all Courts is to take care that the G
act of the. Court does no injury to the suitors.

It appears that when this Court gave the aforesaid directions on
16th February, 1984, for the disposal of the case against the appellant
'by the High Court, the directions were given oblivious of the relevant
. provisions of law and the decision in Anwar Ali Sarkar's case (supra). H
52 SUPREME COURT REPORTS 119881 Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A See Halsbury's Laws of England, 4th End, Vol. 26, page 297, para 578
and page 300, the relevant notes 8, 11and15; Dias on Jurisprudence,
5th Edn., pages 128 and 130; Young v. Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd.,
I1944I 2 AER 293 at 300. Also see the observations of Lord Goddard
in Moore v. Hewitt, 119471 2 A.E.R. 270 at 272-A and Penny v.
Nicholas, 11950) 2 A.E.R. 89, 92A. "per incuriam" are those decisions
B given in ignorance or forgetfulness of some inconsistent statutory pro-
vision or of some authority binding on the Court concerned, so that in .
such cases some part of the decision or some step in the reasoning on
which it is based, is found, on that account to be demonstrably wrong.
See Morelle v. Wakeling, 11955) 1 All E.R. 708, 718F. Also see State of
Orissa v. The Titaghur Paper Mills Co. Ltd., 1198513 SCR 26. We are
of the opinion that in view of the clear provisions of section 7(2) of the
c Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1952 and Articles 14 and 21 of the
Constitution, these directions were legally wrong.

The principle that the size of the Bench-whether it is comprised
of two or three or more Judges-does not matter, was enunciated in
D Young v. Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd. (supra) and followed by Justice
Chinnappa Reddy in Javed Ahmed Abdul Hamid Pawala v. State of
Maharashtra, 11985) 2 SCR 8 where it has been held that a Division
Bench of three Judges should not overrule a Division Bench of two
Judges, has not been followed by our Courts. According to well- •
settled law and various decisions of this Court, it is also well-settled
E that a Full Bench or a Constitution Bench decision as in Anwar Ali
Sarkar's case (supra) was binding on the Constitution Bench because it
was a Bench of 7 Judges.

The principle in England that the size of the Bench does not
matter, is clearly brought out in the decision of Evershed M.R. in the
F case of Morelle v. Wakeling (supra). The law laid down by this Court is
somewhat different. There is a hierarchy within the Court itself here,
where larger Benches overrule smaller Benches. See the observations
of this Court in Mattu/al v. Radhe Lal, 119751 1 SCR 127, Union of
India & Anr. v. K.S. Subramanian, 119771 1 SCR 87 at page 92 and
State of U.P. v. Ram Chandra Trivedi, 1197711 SCR462 at 473. This is
G the practice followed by this Court and now it is a crystallised rule of
law. See in this connection, as mentioned hereinbefore, the observa-
tions of the State of Orissa v. Titagarh Paper Mills (supra) and also
Union of India and Others v. Godfrey Philips India Ltd., 119851 Suppl
3 SCR 123 at 145.

H In support of the contention that a direction to delete wholly the
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI, J.[ 53

impugned direction of this Court be given, reliance was placed on A
Satyadhvan Ghoshal v. Deorajini Devi, 11960] 3 SCR 590. The ratio of
the decision as it appears from pages 601 to 603 is that the judgment
which does not terminate the proceedings, can be challenged in an
appeal from final proceedings. It may be otherwise if subsequent pro-
ceedings were independent ones.
B
The appellant should not suffer on account of the direction of
this Court based upon an error leading to conferment of jurisdiction.

In our opinion, we are not debarred from re-opening this ques-
tion and giving proper directions and correcting the error in the pre-
sent appeal, when the said directions on 16th February, 1984, were
violative of the limits of jurisdiction and the directions have resulted in C
deprivation of the fundamental rights of the appellant, guaranteed by
Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. The appellant has been treated
difil!rently from other offenders, accused of a similar offence in view
of the provisions of the Act of 1952 and the High Court was not a
Court competent to try the offence. It was directed to try the appellant D
under the directions of this Court, which was in derogation of Article
21 of the Constitution. The directions have been issued without
observing the principle of audi alteram partem. It is true that Shri
Jethmalani has shown us the prayers made before the High Court
which are at page 121 of the paper-book. He argued that since the
transfers have been made under section 407, the procedure would be E
that given in section 407(8) of the Code. These directions, Shri Jeth-
malani sought to urge before us, have been given in the presence of.the
parties and the clarificatory order of April 5, 1985 .which was made in
the.presence of the appellant and his Counsel as well as the Counsel of
the State Government of Maharashtra, expressly recorded that no
such submission was made in connection with the prayer for grant of F
clarification. We are of the opinion that Shri Jethmalani is not right
when he said that the decision was not made per incuriam as submitted
by the appellant. It is a settled rule that if a decision has been given per
incuriam the Court can ignore it. It is also true that the decision of this
Court in the case of The Bengal Immunity Co. L.td. v. The State of
Bihar & Ors., 11955] 2 SCR 603 at 623 was not regarding an order G
which had become conclusive inter-parties. The Court was examining
in that case only the doctrine of precedents and determining the extent
to which it could take a different view from one previously taken in a
different case between different parties.

According to Shri Jethmalani, the doctrine of per incuriam has H
54 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.
no application in the same proceedings. We are unable to accept this
A
contention. We are of the opinion that this Court is not powerless to
correct its error which has the effect of depriving a citizen of his funda-
mental rights and more so, the right to life and liberty. It can do so in
exercise of its inherent jurisdiction in any proceeding pending before it
without insisting on the formalities of a review application. Powers· of
B review can be exercised in a petition filed under Article 136 or Article
. 32 or under any other provision of the Constitution if the Court is
satisfied that its directions have resulted in the deprivation of the
fundamental rights of a citizen or any legal right of the petitioner. See
the observations in Prem Chand Garg v. Excise Commissioner, U. P.
Allahabad, 11963] Supp. 1 S.C.R. 885.
c In support of the contention that an order of this Court be it
administrative or judicial which is violative of fundamental right can
always be corrected by this Court when attention of the Court is drawn
to this infirmity, it is instructive to refer to the decision of this Court in
Prem Chand Garg v. Excise Commissioner, U.P., Allahabad (supra).
D This is a decision by a Bench of five learned Judges. Gajendragadkar,
J. spoke for four learned Judges including himself and Shah, J. expres-
sed a dissenting opinion. The question was whether Rule 12 of Order
XXXV of the Supreme Court Rules empowered the Supreme Court in
writ petitions under Article 32 to require the petitioner. to furnish
security for the costs of the respondent. Article 145 of the Constitution
E provides for the rules to be made subject fo any law made by Parlia-
ment and Rule U was framed thereunder. The petitioner contended
that the rule was invalid as it placed obstructions on the fundamental
right guaranteed under Article 32 to move the Supreme Court for the
enforcement of fundamental rights. This rule as well as the judicial
order dismissing the petition under Article 32 of the Constitution for
F non-compliance with Rule 12 of Order XXXV of the Supreme Court
Rules were held invalid. In order to appreciate the significance of this
point and the actual ratio of that decision so far as it is relevant for our
present purpose it is necessary to refer to a few facts of that decision.
The petitioner and 8 others who were partners of M/s. Industrial
Chemical Corporation, Ghaziabad, had filed under Article 32 of the
G Constitution a petition impeaching the validity of the order passed by
the Excise Commissioner refusing permission to the Distillery to sup-
ply power alcohol to the said petitioners. The petition was admitted on
12th December, 1961 and a rule was ordered to be issued to the
respondents, the Excise Commissioner of U .P., Allahabad, and the
State of U.P. At the time when the rule was issued, this Court directed
,H under the impugned rule that the petitioners should deposit a security
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI, LI 55

of Rs.2,500 in cash within six weeks. According to the practice of this A · !

Court prevailing since 1959, this order was treated as a condition pre-
cedent for issuing rule nisi to the impleaded respondents. The petition-
ers found it difficult to raise the amount and so on January 24, 1962,
they moved this Court for modification of the said order as to security.
This application was dismissed, but the petitioners were given further
time to deposit the said amount by March 26, 1962. This order was B
, passed on March 15, 1962. The petioners then tried to collect the
requisite fund, but failed in their efforts and that led to the said peti-
tion filed on March 24, 1962 by the said petitioners. The petitioners
contended that the impugned rule, in so far as it related to the giving of
security,-was ultra vires, because it contravened the fundamental right
guaranteed to the petitioners under Article 32 of the Constitution. C
There were two orders, namely, one for security of costs and another
for the dismissal of the previous application under Article 32 of the
Constitution.

This Court by majority held that Rule 12 of Order XXXV of the
Supreme Court Rules was invalid in so far as it related to the furnish- D
ing of security. The right to move the Supreme Court, it was
emphasised, under Article 32 was an absolute right and the content of
this right could not be circumscribed or ir•paired on any ground and an
order for furnishing security for the respondent's c<lsts retarded the
assertion or vindic:ation of the fundamental right under Article 32 and
contravened the said right. The fact that the rule was discretionary did E
not alter the position. Though Article 142(1) empowers the Supreme
Court to pass any order to do complete justice between the parties, the
Court cannot make an order inconsistent with the fundamental rights
guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution. No question of inconsis-
tency between Article 142(1) and Article 32 arose. Gajendragadkar, J.
speaking for the majority of the Judges of this Court said that Article F
142(1) did not confer any power on this Court to contravene :he provi-
sions of Article 32 of the Constitution. Nor did Article 145 confer
power upon this Court to make rules, empowering lt to contravene the ·
provisions of the fundamental right. At page 899 of t~ Reports,
Ga jendragadkar, ·J, reiterated that the powers of this Court arc no
doubt very wide and they are intended and "will always be exercised in G
the interests of justice." But that is not to say that an .etder can be
made by this Court which is inconsistent with the funt'lamental rights
guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution. It w~ emphasised that an
order which this Court could make in order to do complete justice
. between the parties, must not only be consistent with the fundamental
rights guaranteed by the Constitution, but it cannot even be inconsistent H
56 SUPREME COURT REPORTS !1988) Supp. l S.C.R.

with the substantive provisions of the relevant statutory laws (Emphasis
A
supplied). The Court therefore, held that it was not possible to hold
that Article 142(1) conferred upon this Court. powers wh,ich could
contravene the provisions of Article 32. It follows, therefore, that the
directions given by this Court on 16th February, 1984, on the ground
of expeditious trial by transferring Special Case No. 24 of 1982 and
B Special Case No. 3 of 1983 pending in the Court oi Special Judge,
Greater Bombay, Shri S.B. Sule, to the High Court of Bombay with a
request to the learned Chief Justice to assign these two cases to a
sitting Judge of the High Court was contrary to the relevant statutory
provision, namely, section 7(2) of the Criminal law Amendment Act,
1952 and as such violative of Article 21 of the Constitution. Further-
more, it violates Article 14 of the Constitution as being made appli-
C cable to a very special case among the special cases, without any
guideline as to which cases required speedier justice. H that was so as
in Prem Chand Garg's case, that was a mistake ofso great a llllll!Ditude
that it deprives a man by being treated differently of his 'fundamental
right for defending himself in a criminal trial in accordance with law. If
D that was so then when the ·attention of the Court is drawn the Court
has always the power and the obligation to correct it ex debito justiti.ae
and treat the second application by its inherent power as a power of
review to correct the original mistake. No suitor should suffer for the
wrong of the Court. This Court in Prem Chand Garg's case struck
down not -only the administrative order enjoined by Rule 12 for deposit
E of security in a petition under Article 32 of the Constitution but also
struck down the judicial order passed by the Court for non-deposit of
such security in the subsequent stage of the same proceeding when
attenpon of the Court to the infirmity of the rule was drawn. It may be
me11tioned that Shah, J. was of the opinion that rule 12 was not viola-
tive. For the present controversy it is not necessary to deal with this
F aspect of the matter.

The power of the Court to correct an error subsequently has been
reiterated by a decision of a bench of nine Judges of this Court in
Naresh Shridhar Mirajkar and others v. State of Maharashtra and
another, U966l 3 S.C.R. 744. The facts were different and not quite
G relevant for our present purposes but in order to appreciate the am-
tentions urged, it will be appropriate to refer to certain portions of the
same. There was a suit for defamation against the editor of a weekly
newspaper, which was filed in the original side of the High Court. One
of the witnesses prayed that the Court may order that publicity should ...
not be given t-0 his evidence m the press as his business would be
H affected. After hearing arguments, lhe trial Judge passed an oral ordu
A.R. ANl'ULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI, J.] 57

prohibiting the publication of the evidence of the witness. A reporter
A
of the weekly along with other journalists moved this Court· under
Article 32 of the Constitution challenging the validity of the order. It
was contended that: (1) the High Court did not have inherent power
to pass the order; (2) the ioipugned order violated the fundamental
rights of the petitioners under Article 19(1)(a); and (3) the order was
amenable to the writ jurisdiction of this Court under Article 32 of the B
Constitution.

It was held by Gajendragadkar, C.J. for himself and five other
learned Judges that the order was within the inherent power of the
High Court. Sarkar, J. was of the view that the High Court had power
to prevent publication of proceedings and it was a facet of the power to
hold a trial in camera and stems from it. Shah, J. was, however, of the c
view that the Code of Civil Procedure contained no express provision
authorising the Court to hold its proceedings in camera, but if exces-
sive publicity itself operates as an instrument of injustice, the Court
has inherent jurisdiction to pass an order excluding the public when
the nature of the case necessitates such a course to be adopted. D
Hidayatullah, J. was, however, of the view that a Court which was
holding a public trial from which the public was not excluded, could
not suppress the publication of the deposition of a witness, heard not
,. in camera but in open Court, on the request of the witness that his
business would suffer. Sarker, J. further reiterated that if a judicial
tribunal makes an order which it has jurisdiction to make by applying a E
law which is valid in all respects, that order cannot offend a fundamen-
tal right. An order which is within the jurisdiction of the tribunal which
made it, if the tribunal had jurisdiction to decide the matters that were
litigated before it and if the law which it applied in making the order
was a valid law, could not be interfered with. It was reiterated that the
tribunal having this jurisdiction does not act without jurisdiction if it F
makes an error in the application of the law.

Hidayatullah, J. observed at page 790 of the report that in Prem
Chand Garg's case the rule required the furnishing of security in peti-
tion under Article 32 and it was held to abridge the fundamental
rights. But it was said that the rule was struck down and not the G
judicial decision which was <;>nly revised. That may be so. But a judicial
decision based on such a rule is not any better and offends the funda-
mental rights just the same and not less so because it happens to be a
judicial order. If there be no appropriate remedy to get such an order
removed because the Court has no superior, it does not mean that the
order is made good. When judged under the Constituion it is still a H
58 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A void order although it may bind parties unless set aside. Hidayatullah,
J. reiterated that procedural safeguards are as important as other safe-
guards. Hidayatullah, J. reiterated that the order committed a breach
of the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression. We are,
therefore, of the opinion that the appropriate order would be to recall
the directions contained in the order dated 16th February, 1984.
B
In considering the question whether in a subsequent proceeding
we can go to the validity or otherwise of a previous decision on a
question of law inter-parties, it may be instructive to refer to the
decision of this Court in Smt. Ujjam Bai v. State of Uttar Pradesh,
[1963] 1 S.C.R. 778. There, the petitioner was a partner in a firm
which carried on the business of manufacture and sale of hand-made
C bidis. On December 14, 1957, the State Government issued a notifica-
tion under section 4{l)(b) of the U.P. Sales Tax Act, 19tl8. By a
subsequent notification dated 25th November, 1958, hand-made and
machine-made bidis were unconditionally exempted from payment of
sales tax. The Sales Tax Officer had sent a notice to the firm for the
D assessment of tax on sale of bidis during the assessment period 1st of
April, 1958 to June 30, 1958. The firm claimed that the notification
dated 14th December, 1957 had exempted bidis from payment of sales
tax and that, therefore, it was not liable to pay sales tax on the sale of
bidis. This position was not accepted by the Sales Tax Officer who
passed certain orders. The firm appealed under section 9 of the Act to
E the Judge {Appeals) Sales Tax, but that was dismissed. The firm
moved the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution. The High
Court took the view that the firm had another remedy under the Act
and the Sales Tax Officer had not committed any apparent error in
interpreting the notification of December 14, 1957. The appeal against
the order of the High Court on a certificate under Article 133(1)(a) of
F the Constitution was dismissed by this Court for non-prosecution and
the firm filed an application for a restoration of the appeal and condo-
nation of delay. During the pendency ofthat appeal another petition
was filed under Article 32 of the Constitution for the enforcement of
the fundamental right under Articles 19( l){g) and 31 of the Constitu-
tion. Before the Constitution Bench which heard the matter a pre-
G liminary objection was raised against the maintainability of the peti-
tion and the correctness of the decision of this Court in Kai/ash Nath v.
State of U.P., A.LR. 1957 S.C. 790 relied upon by the petitioner was
challenged. The learned Judges referred the case to a larger Bench. It
was. held by this Court by a majority of five learned Judges that the
answer to the questions must be in the negative. The case of Kai/ash
H Nath was not correctly decided and the decision was not sustainable on :
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJJ, J.I 59

the authorities on which it was based. Das, J. speaking for himself
A
observed that the right to move this Court by appropriate proceedings
for the enforcement of fundamental rights conferred by Part III of the
Constitution was itself a guaranteed fundamental right and this Court
was not trammelled by procedural technicalities in making an order or
issuing a writ for the enforcement of such rights. The question, how-
ever, was whether, a quasi-judicial authority which made_ an order in B
the undoubted exe~cise of its jurisdiction in p~uance of a provision of
law which was intra vires, an: error of law or fact committed by that
authority could not be impeached otherwise than on appeal, unless the
erroneous determination related to a matter on which the jurisdiction
of that body depended. It was held that a tribunal might lack jurisdic-
tion if it was improperly constituted. In such a case, the characteristic
attribute of a judicial act or decision was that it binds; whether right or
c
wrong, and no question of the enforcement of a fundamental right
could arise on an application under Article 32. Subba Rao, J. was,
however, unable to agree.

Shri Jethmalani urged that the directions given on 16th D
February, 1984, were not per incuriam. We are unable to accept this
submission. It was manifest to the Bench that exclusive jurisdiction ·
created under section 7(1) of the 1952 Act read with section 6 of the
said Act, when brought to the notice of this Court, precluded the
exercise of the power under section 407 of the Code. There was no
argument, no submission and no decision on this aspect at all. There_ E
was no prayer in the appeal which was pending before this Court for
such directions. Furthermore, in giving such directions, this Court did
not advert to or consider the effect of Anwar Ali Sarkar's case (supra)
which was a binding precedent. A mistake on the part of the Court
shall not cause prejudice to any one. He further added that the pri-
mary duty of.every Court is to adjudicate the cases arising between the F
parties. According to him, it is certainly open to a larger Bench to take
a view different from that taken by the earlier Bench, if it was
manifestly erroneous and he urged that the trial of a corrupt Chief
Minister before a High Court, instead of a Judge designated by the
State Government was'not so injurious to public interest that it should
be overruled or set aside. He invited us to consider two questions: (1) G
does the impugned order promote justice? and (2) is it technically
valid? After considering these two questions, we are clearly of the
opinion that the answer to both these questions is in the negative.
No prejudice need be proved for enforcing the fundamental rights.
Violation of a fundamental right itself renders the impugned action
void. So also the violation of the principles of natural justice renders H
60 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A the act a nullity. Four valuable rights, it appears to us, of the appellant
· have been taken away by the impugned directions •.

(i) The right to be tried by a Special Judge in accordance with
the procedure established by law and enacted by Parlia-
ment.
B
(ii) The right of revision to the High Court under section 9 of
the Criminal Law Amendment Act.

(iii) The right of first appeal to the High Court under the same
· section.
c (iv) The right to move the Supreme Court under Article 136
thereafter by way of a second appeal, if necessary.

In this connection Shri Rao rightly submitted that it is no neces-
sary to consider whether section 374 of the Criminal Procedure Code
D confers the right of appeal to this Court from the judgment of a
learned Judge of the High Court to whom the case had been assigned
inasmuch as the transfer itself was illegal. One has to consider that
section 407 of the Criminal Procedure Code was subject to the overrid-
ing mandate of section 7(1) of the 1952 Act, and hence, it does not
permit the High Court to withdraw a case for trial to itself from the
E Court of Special Judge. It was submitted by Shri Rao that even in cases
where a case is withdrawn by the High Court to itself from a criminal
court other than the Court of Special Judge, the High Court exercised
transferred jurisdiction which is different from original jurisdiction
arising out of initiation of the proceedings in the High Court. In any
event section 374 of Criminal Procedure Code limits the right to appe-
F als arising out of clause 24 of the Letters Patent.

In aid of the submissicm that procedure for trial evolved in dero-
. gation of the right guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution
would be bad, reliance was placed on Attorney General of India v.
Lachma Devi and others, [1985] 2 Scale 144. in aid of the submission
G on the question of validity our attention was drawn to 'Jurisdiction and
Illegality' by Arnnon Rubinstein (1965 Eda.): The Parliament did not
grant to the Court the jurisdiction to transfer a case to the High Court
of Bombay. However, as the superior Court is deemed to have a
general jurisdiction, the law presumes that the Court acted within
jurisdiction. In the instant case that presumption cannot be taken,
H firstly because the question of jurisdiction was not agitated before the
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI, J.] 61

Court, secondly these directions were given per incuriem as mentioned A
hereinbefore and thirdly the superior Court alone can set aside an
error in its 'directions when attention is drawn to that error. This view
is warranted only because of peculiar facts and circumstances of the
present case. Here the trial of a citizen in a Special Court under special
jurisdiction is involved, hence, the liberty ofthe subject is involved. In
this connection, it is instructive to refer to page 126 of Rubinstein's B
aforesaid book. It has to be borne in mind that as in Kuchenmeister v.
Home Office, [1958] 1 Q.B. 496 here form becomes substance. No
doubt, that being so it must be by decisions and authorities, it appears
to us patently clear that the directions given by this Court on 16th
February, 1984 were clearly unwarranted by constitutional provisions
and in derogation of the law enacted by the Parliament. See the obser- C
vations of Attorney General v. Herman James Sil/em, [1864] 10 H.L.C.
703, where it was reiterated that the creation of aright to an appeal is
an act which requires legislative authority, neither an inferior Court
nor the superior Court or both combined can create such a right, it
being one of limitation and extension of jurisdiction. See also the
observations of Isaacs v. Roberston, [1984] 3 A.E.R. 140 where it was D
reiterated bY. Privy Council that if an order is regular it can be set aside
by an appellate Court; if the order is irregular it can be set aside by the
Court that made it on the application being made to that Court either
under the rules of that Court dealing expressly with setting aside
orders for irregularity or ex debito justitiae if the circumstances War-
ranted, namely, violation of the rules of natural justice or fundamental E
rights. In Ledgard v. Bull, 13 I.A. 134, it was held that under the old
Civil Procedure Code under section 25 the superior Court could not
make an order of transfer of a case unless the Court from which the
transfer was souht to be made, had jurisdiction to try. In the facts of
the instant case, the criminal revision application which was pending
before the High Court even if it was deemed to be transferred to this F
Court under Article 139A of the Constitution it would not have vested
this Court with power larger than what is contained in section 407 of
Criminal Procedure Code. Under section 407 of the Criminal Proce-
dure Code read with the Criminal law Amendment Act, the High
Court could not transfer to itself proceedings under sections 6 and 7 of
the said Act. This Court by transferring the proceedings to itself, could G
not have acquired larger jurisdiction. The fact that the objection was
not raised before this Court giving directions on 16th February, 1984
cannot amount to any waiver. In Meenakshi Naidoo v. Subramaniya
Sastri, 14 I.A. 160 it was held that if there was inherent incompetence
-.-- in a High Court to deal with all questions before it then consent could
not confer on the High Court any jurisdictioin which it never H
possessed.
62 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988] Supp. 1 s.c.~.
A We are clearly of the opinion that the right of the appellant
under Article 14 regarding equality before the law and equal protec-
tion of law in this case has been violated. The appellant has also a right
not to be singled out for special treatment by a Special Court created
for him alone. This right is implicit in the right to equality. See Anwar
Ali Sarkar's case (supra).
B
Here the appellant has a further right under Article 21 of the
Constitution-a right to trial by a Special Judge under sectioin 7(1) of
the 1952 Act which is· the procedure established by law made by the
Parliament, and a further right to move the High Court by way of ,
revision or first appeal under section 9 of the said Act. He has also a
right not to suffer any order passed behind his back by a Court in
C violation of the basic principles of natural justice. Directions having
been given in this case as we have seen without hearing the appellant
though it appears from the circumstances that the order was passed in
the presence of the counsel for the appellant, these were bad.

D In Nawabkhan Abbaskhan v. The State of Gujarat, [1974]3
S.C.R. 427, it was held that an order passed without hearing a party
which affects his fundamental rights, is void and as soon as the order is
declared void by a Court, the decision operates from its nativity. It is
proper for this Court to act ex debito justitiae, to act in favour of the
fundamental rights of the appellant. ·
E
In so far as Mirajkar's case {supra) which is a decision of a Bench
of 9 Judges and to the extebt it affirms Prem Chand Garg's case
(supra), the Court has power to review either under section 137 or suo
motu the directions given by this Court. See in this connection P.S.R.
Sadhananatham v. Arunachalam, [1980] 2 SCR 873 and Suk Das v.
F Union of Territory of Arunachal Pradesh, [1986] 2 S.C.C. 401. See also
the observations in Asrumati Debi v. Kumar Rupendra Deb Raikot and
others,· [1953] S.C.R. 1159, Satyadhyan Ghosal and others v. Smt.
Deorajin Debi and another, [1960] 3 S.C.R. 590, Sukhrani (dead) by
L.Ls. and others v. Hari Shanker and others, [1979] 3 S.C.R. 671 and
Bejoy Gopa/ Mukherjiv. Pratul Chandra Ghose, [1953] S.C.R. 930.
G
We are further of the view that in the earlier judgment the points
for setting aside the decision, did not include the question of with-
drawal of the case from the Court of Special Judge to Supreme Court
and transfer it to the High Court. Unless a plea in question is taken it ,,..~ ·
cannot operate as res judicata. See Shivshankar Prasad Shah and
H others v. Baikunth Nath Sini:h and others, [1969] 1 S.C.C. 718, Bikan
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI. J.J 63

Mahuri and others v. Mst. Bibi Walian and others, A.LR. 1939 Patna
A
633. See also S.L. kapoor v. Jagmohan and others, [1981] 1 S.C.R. 746
on the question of violation of the principles of natural justice. Also
see Maneka Gant/hi v. Union of India, [1978] 2 S.C.R. 621 at pages
674-681. Though what is mentioned hereinbefore in the Bengal
lmmunity Co. Ltd. v. The State of Bihar and others (supra), the Court
was not concerned with the earlier decision between the same parties. B
·At page 623 it was reiterated that the Court was not bound to follow a
decision of its own if it was satisfied that the decision was given per
incuriam or the attention of the Court was not drawn. It is also well-
settled that an elementary rule of justice is that no party should suffer
by mistake of the Court. See Sastri Yagnapurushadji and others v.
Muldas Bhudardas Vaishya and another, [1966] 3 S.C.R. 242, Jang
Singh v. Brij/a/, [1964] 2 S.C.R. 145, Bhajahari Monda/ v. The State of c
West Bengal, [1959] S.. C.R. 1276 at 1284-1286 and Asgarali N. Sing-
aporawalla v. The State of Bombay, [1957]S.C.R. 678 at 692.

Shri Rao further submitted that we should not only ignore the
directions or set aside the directions contained in the order dated 16th D
February, 1984, but also direct that the appellant should not suffer any
further trial. It was urged that the appellant has been deprived of his
fundamental right guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 as a result of
the directions given by this Court. Our attention was drawn to the
observations of this Court in Suk Das's case (supra) for this purpose.
He further addressed us to the fact that six and half years have elapsed E
since the first complaint was lodged against the appellant and during
this long period the appellant has suffered a great deal. We are further
invited to go into the allegations and to held that there was nothing
which could induce us to prolong the agony of the appellant. We are,
however, not hl~lined to go into this question.
F
The right of appeal under section 374 is limited to Clause 24 of
Letters Patent. It was further submitted that the expression 'Extra-
ordinary original criminal jurisdiction' under section 374 has to be
understood having regard to the language used in the Code and other
relevant statutory provisions and not with reference to decisions whe-
rein Courts described jurisdiction acquired by transfer as extraordi- G
nary original jurisdiction. In that view the decisions referred to by Shri
Jethmalani being Kavasji Pestonji Da/alv. Rustomji Sorabji jamadar &
Anr., AIR 1949 Born. 42, Suni/ Chandra Roy & Anr. v. The State, AIR
1954 Cal. 305, Sasadhar Acharjya & Anr. v. Sir Charles Tegart & Ors.,
[1935] Cal.. Weekly Notes 1088, Peoples' Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Sardu/
Singh Caveeshgar & Ors:, AIR 1961 Punj. 87 and P.P. Front, New H
64 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A Delhi v. K.K. Birla, [1984] Cr. L.J. 545 are not relevant.

It appears to us that there is good deal of force in the argument
that section 411A of the old Code which corresponds to section 374 of
the new Code contained the expression 'original jurisdiction'. The new
Code abolished the original jurisdiction of High Courts but retained
B the extraordinary original criminal jurisdiction conferred by ,clause 24
of the Letters Patent which some of the High Courts had.

The right of appeal is, therefore, confined only to cases decided
by the High Court in its Letter Patent jurisdiction which in terms is
'extraordinary original criminal jurisdiction'.
c By the time the new Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 was
framed, Article 21 had not been interpreted so as to include one right
of appeal both on facts and law.

Shri Ram Jethmalani made elaborate submissions before us re-
D garding the purpose of the Criminal Law Amendment Act and the
constitution of the Special Court. In our opinion, these submissions
have no relevance and do not authorise this Court to confer a special
jurisdiction on a High Court not warranted by the statute. The obser-
vations of this Court in Re The Special Courts Bill, 1978, [1979] 2 SCR
476 are not relevant for this purpose. Similarly, the observations on
E right of appeal in V.C. Shukla v. Delhi Administration, [1980] 3 SCR
500, Shri Jethmalani brought to our notice certain facts to say that the
powers given in the Criminal Law Amendment Act were sought to be
misused by the State Government under the influence of the appellant.
In our opinion, these submissions are not relevant for the present
purpose. Mr. Jethmalani submitted that the argument that in so far as
F section 407 purports to authorise such a transfer it stands repealed by
section 7(1) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act is wrong. He said it
can be done in its extraordinary criminal jurisdiction. We are unable to
accept this submission. We are also unable to accept the submission
that the order of transfer was made with full knowledge of section 7(1)
of the Criminal Law Amendment Act and the so-called eyclusive
G jurisdiction was taken away from Special Judges and the directions
were not given per incuriam. That is not right. He drew our attention
to the principles of interpretation of statutes and drew our attention to
the purpose of section 7(1) of the Act. He submitted that when the
Amending Act changes the law, the change must be confined to the
mischief present and intended to be dealt with. He drew us to the Tek
H Chand Committee Report and submitted that he did not wish that an
A.R. ANTULAY 1•. R.S. NAYAK fMUKHARJI. J.J 65

occasional case withdrawn and tried in a High Court was because of
A
delay in disposal of corruption cases. He further submitted that
interference with existing jurisdiction and powers of superior Courts·
can only be by express and clear language. It cannot be brought about
by a side wind.

Thirdly, the Act of 1952 and the Code have to be read and B
construed together, he urged. The Court is never anxious to discover a
repugnancy and infer apro tanto repeal. Resort to the non obstante
clause is permissible only when it is impossible to harmonise the two
provisions.

Shri Jethmalani highlighted before us that it was for the first time
a Chief Minister had been found guilty of receiving quid pro quo for
c
orderS of allotment of cement to various builders by a Single Judge of
the High Court confirmed by a Division Bench of·the High Court. He
also urged before us that it was for the first time such a Chief Minister
did not have the courage to prosecute his special leave petition before
this Court against the. findings of three Judges of the High Court. Shri D
J ethmalani also urge,d that it was for the first time I.his Court found
that a case instituted in 1982 m.ade no progress till 1984. Shri Jethma-
lani also sought to contend that section 7(1) of the 1952 Act states
"shall be triable by Special Judges only", ·but does not say that under
no circumstances the case will be transferred to be tried by the High
Couri even in its Extraordinary Original Criminal Jurisdiction. He E
submitted that section 407(l)(iv) is very much in the statute and and it
is not repealed in respect of the cases pending before the Special
Judge. There is no question of repealing section 407(l)(iv). Section
· 407 deals with the power of the High Court to transfer cases and
appeals. Section 7 is entirely different and ·one has to understand the
scheme of the Act of 1952, he urged. It was an Act which provided for F
a more speedy trial of certain offences. For this it gave power to
appoint Special Judges .and stipulated for appointment of Special
Judges under. the Act. Seetion 7 states that notwithstanding anything
contained in the Code, the offences mentioned in sub-section (1) of
. section 6 shall be triable by Special Judges only. By express terms·
therefore, .it takes away the right to transfer cases contained in the G
Code to any other Court which is not a Special Court. Shri Jethmalani
sought to urge that the Constitution Bench had considered this posi-
tion. That is not So. He submitted that the directions of this Court on
16th February, 1984 were not given per incuriam or void for any
reason. He referred us to Dias on .iurisprudence, 5th Edition, page 128
and relied on the decision of Milianges v. George Frank (Textiles) Ltd., H
66 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.
[1975] 3 All E.R. 801 at 821. He submitted that the per incuriam rule
A does not apply where the previous authority is alluded to. It is true that
previous statute is referred to in the other judgment delivered on the
same date in connection with different contentions. Section 7( 1) was
not referred to in respect of the directions given on 16th February,
1984 in the case of R.S. Nayak v. A.R. Antulay (supra). Therefore, as
If mentioned hereinbefore the observations indubitably were per incu-
riam. In this case in view of the specific language used in section 7, it is
not necessary to consider the other submissions of Shri Jethmalani,
whether the procedure for trial by Special Judges under the Code has
stood repealed or not. The concept of repeal may have no application
in this case. It is clear that words should normally be given their ordi-
C nary meaning bearing in mind the context. It is only where the literal
meaning is not clear that one resorts to the golden rule of interpreta-
tion or the mischief rule of interpretation. This is well illustrated from
the observations of Tindal, C.J. in Sussex Peerage Claim, I1844] 11 Cl
& Fin 85 at 143. He observed:

D "The only rule for the construction of Acts of Parliament is
that they should be construed according to the intent of the
Parliament which passed the Act. If the words of the sta-
tute are in themselves precise and unambiguous, then no
more can be necessary tha!l to expound those words in that
natural and ordinary sense. The words themselves alone
E do, in such case, best declare the intention of the lawgiver.
But if any doubt arises from the terms employed by the
legislature, it has always been held a safe means of collect-
ing the intention, to call in aid the ground and cause of
making the statute, and to have recourse to the preamble,
which, according to Chief Justice Pyer, Stewell v. Lord
F Zouch, [1569] 1Plowd353 at 369 is a key to open the minds
of the makers of the Act, and the mischiefs which they
intend to redress".

This passage states the commonly accepted view concerning the
relationship between the literal and mischief rules of interpretation of
G statutes. Here there is no question as to what was the previous law and
what was intended to be placed or replaced as observed by Lord

-
Wilberforce in 274 House of Lords Debate, Co\. 1294 on 16th
November, 1966, see Cross; Statutory Interpretation, second edition,
page 36. He observed that the interpretation of legislation is just a part
of the process of being a good lawyer; a multi-faceted thing, calling for
H many varied talents; not a subject which can be confined in rules.
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI, J.J 67

When the words are clear nothing remains to be seen. If words are as A
such ambiguous or doubtful other aids come in. In this context, the
submission of controversy was whether the Code repealed the Act of
1952 or whether it was repugnant or not is futile exercise to undertake.
Shri Jethmalani distinguished the decision in Chadha's case, which has
already been discussed. It is not necessary to discuss the controversy
whether the Chartered High Courts contained the Extraordinary B
Original Criminal Jurisdiction by the Letters Patent.

Article 134(1)(b) does not recognise in every High Court power
to withdraw for trial cases from any Court subordinate to its authority.
At least this Article cannot be construed to mean where power to
withdraw is restricted, it can be widened by virtue of Article 134(1)(b) C
of the Constitution. Section 374 of the Code undoubtedly gives a right
of appeal. Where by a specific clause of a specific statute the power is
given for trial by the Special Judge only and transfer can be from one
such Judge to another Special Judge, there is no warrant to suggest
that the High Court has power to transfer such a case from a Judge
uiidet section 6 of the Act of 1952 to itself. It is not a case of exclusion D
of the superior Courts. So the submissions made on this aspect by Shri
Jethmalani are not relevant.

Dealing with the submission that the order of the Constitution
Bench was void or non-est and it violated the principles of natural
justice, it was submitted by Shri Jethmalani that it was factually inc01- E
rect. Inspite of the submissions the appellant did not make any submis-
sion as to directions for transfer as asked for by Shri Tarkunde. It was
submitted that the case. should be transferred to the High Court. The
C.ourt merely observed there that they had given ample direction. No
question of submission arose after the judgment was delivered. In any
case, if this was ·bad the fact that no objection had been raised would F
not make .it good. No question of technical rules or res judicata apply,
Shri Jethmalani submitted that it would amount to an abuse of the
process of the Court. He referred us to Re Tarling, [1979] 1 All E.R.
981at987;.Ali v. Secretary of State for the Horne Department, [1984] .1
All E.R. 1()09 at 1014 and Seervai's Constitutional Law, Vol. 1, pages
260 to 265. We are of the opinion that these submissions are not G
relevant. There is no abuse of the process of the Court. Shri Jethma-
lani submitted that there was no prejudice to the accused. There was
prejudi!i<' ·to the accused in being singled out as a special class of
accused for a special dispensation without room for any appeal as of
right and without power of the revision to the High Court. There is
prejudice in that, Reliance placed on the decision of this Court in H
68 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

Ramesh Chandra Arora v. The State, [1960] 1 S.C.R. 924 at 927 was
A
not proper in the facts of this case.

If a discrimination is brought about by judicial perception and
not by executive whim, if it is unauthorised by law, it will be in deroga-
tion of the right of the appellant as the special procedure in Anwar Ali
B Sarkar's case (supra) curtailed the rights and privileges of the accused.
Similarly, in this case by judicial direction the rights and privileges of
the accused have been curtailed without any justification in law. Re-
liance was placed on the observations of the seven Judges Bench in Re:
Special Courts Bill, 1978 (supra). Shri Jethmalani relied on the said
observations therein and emphasised that purity in public life is a
c desired goal at all times and in all situations and ordinary Criminal
Courts due to congestion of work cannot reasonably be expected to
bring the prosecutions to speedy termination. He further submitted
that it is imperative that persons holding high public or political office
must be speedily tried in the interests of justice. Longer these trials
last, justice will tarry, assuming the charges to be justified, greater will
D be the impediments in fostering democracy, ·which is not a plant of
easy growth. All this is true but the trial even of person holding public
office though to be made speedily must be done in accordance with the
procedure established by law. The provisions of section 6 read with
section 7 of the Act of 1952 in the facts and circumstances of this case is
the procedure established by law; any deviation even by a judicial
E direction will be negation of the rule of law.

Our attention was drawn to Article 145(e) and it was submitted
that review can be made only where power is expressly conferred and
the review is subject to the rules made under Article 145(e) by the
Supreme Court. The principle of finality on which the Article proceeds
F applies to both judgments and orders made by the Supreme Court. But
directions given per incuriam and in violation of certain constitutional
limitations and in derogation of the principles of natural justice can
always be remedied by the court ex debite justitiae. Shri Jethmalani's
submission was that ex debite justitiae, these directions could not be
recalled. We are unable to agree with this submission.
G
The Privy Council in Isaacs v. Robertson, (1984] 3 A.E.R. 140
held that orders made by a Court of unlimited jurisdiction in the
course of contentious litigation are either regular or irregular. If an
order is regular it can only be set aside by an appellate Court; if it is
irregular it can be set aside by the Court that made it on application
H being made to that Court either under rules of Court dealing expressly
A.R. ANTULAY "· R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI, J.] 69

with setting aside orders for irregularity or ex debite justitiae if the
A
circumstances warranted, namely, where there was a breach of the
rules of natural justice etc. Shri Jethmalani urged before us that Lord
Diplock had in express terms rejected the argument that any orders of
a superior Court of unlimited jurisdiction can over be void in the sense
that they can be ignored with impunity. We are not concerned with
that. Lord Diplock delivered the judgment. Another Judge who sat in B
the Privy Council with him was Lord Keith of Kinkel. Both these Law
Lords were parties to the House of Lords judgment in Re Racal Com-
munications Ltd. case [1980] 2 A.E.R. 634 and their Lordships did not
extend this principle any further. Shri Jethnialani submitted that there
was no question of reviewing an order passed on the construction of
law. Lord Scarman refused to extend the Anisminic principle to
superior Courts by the felicitous statement that this amounted to com- c
parison of incomparables. We are not concerned with this controversy.
We are not "comparing incomparables. We are correcting an irregu-
larity committed by Court not on construction or misconstruction of a
statute but on non-perception of certain provisions and certain
authorities which would amount to derogation of the constitutional D
rights of the citizen.

The directions given by the order of 16th February, 1984 at page
557 were certainly without hearing though in the presence of the
parties. Again consequential upon directions these were challenged
ultimately in this Court and finally this Court reserved the right to E
challenge these by an appropriate application. '

The directions were in deprival of Constitutional rights and con-
trary to the express provisions of the Act of 1952. The directions were
given in violation of the principles of natural justice. The directions
were without precedent in the background of the Act of 1952. The F
directions definitely deprived the appellant of certain rights of appeal
and revision and his rights under the Constitution.

We do not labour ourselves on the question of discretion to
disobey a judicial order on the ground of invalid judicial order. See
discretion to Disobey by Mertimer R. Kadish and Sanford H. Kadish G
pages 111 and 112. These directions were void because the power was
not there for this Court to transfer a proceeding under the Act of 1952
from one Special Judge to the High Court. This is not a case of colla-
teral attack on judicial proceeding; it is a case where the Court having
no Court superior to it rectifies its own order. We recognise that the
distinction between an error which entails absence. of jurisdiction and H
70 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988) Supp. 1 S.C.R.

an error made within the jurisdiction is very fine. So fine indeed that it
A
is rapidly being eroded as observed by Lord Wilberforce in Anismimc
Ltd. v. Foreign Compensation Commissioner, [1969) 1 All E.R. 208 at
244. Having regard to the enormity of the consequences of the error to
the appellant and by reason of the fact that the directions were given
suo motu, we do not find there is anything in the observations of
B lttavira Mathai v. Varkey Varkey and another, [1964) 1 S.C.R. 495
which detract the power of the Court to review its judgment ex debit•?
justitiae in case injustice has been caused. No court, however, high han
jurisdiction to give an order unwarranted by the Constitution and,,
therefore, the principles of Bhatia Co-operative Housing Society Ltd.
v. D.C. Patel, [1953) S.C.R. 185 at 190would not apply.
c In giving the directions this Court infringed the Constitutional
safeguards granted to a citizen or to an accused and injustice results
therefrom. It is just and proper for the Court to rectify and recall that
in justice, in the peculiar facts and circumstances of this case.

D This case has caused us considerable anxiety. The appellant-
accused has held an important position in this country, being the Chief
Minister of a premier State of the country. He has been charged with
serious criminal offences. His trial in accordance with law and the
procedure established by law would have to be in accordance with the
1952 Act. That could not possibly be done because of the directions of
E this Court dated 16th February, 1984, as indicated above. It has not
yet been found whether the appellant is guilty or innocent. It is un-
fortunate, unfortunate for the people of the State, unfortunate for the
country as a whole, unfortunate f'i'r the future working of domocracy
in this country which, though is not a plant of an easy growth yet is
with deep root in the Indian polity that delay has occurred due to
F procedural wrangles. The appellant may be guilty of grave offences
alleged against him or he may be completely or if not completely to a
large extent, innocent. Values in public life and perspective of these
, values in public life, have undergone serious changes and erosion dur-
ing the last few decades. What was unheard of before is common place
today. A new value orientation is being undergone in our life and in
G our culture. We are at the threshold of the cross-roads of values. It is,
for the sovereign people of the country to settle those conflicts yet the
Courts have vital roles to play in such matters. With the avowed object
of speedier trial the case of the appellant had been transferred to the
High Court but on grounds of expediency of trial he cannot be sub-
jected to a procedure unwarranted by law, and contrary to the
H constitutional provisions. The appellant may or may not be an ideal
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MUKHARJI. J.J 71

politician, It is a fact, however, that the allegations have been brought
A
against him by a person belonging to a political party opposed to his
but that is not the decisive factor. If the appellant-Shri Abdul
Rehman Antulay has infringed law, he must be dealt with in accord-
ance with the law. We proclaim and pronounce that no man is above
the law; but at the same time reiterate and declare that no man can be
denied his rights under the Constitution and the laws. He has a right to B
be dealt with in accordance with the law and not in derogation of it.
This Court, in its anxiety to facilitate the parties to have a speedy trial
gave directions on 16th February, 1984 as mentioned hereinbefore
without conscious awareness of the exclusive jurisdiction of the Special
Courts under the 1952 Act and that being the only procedure estab-
lished by law, there can be no deviation from the terms of Article 21 of
the Constitution of India. That is the only procedure under which it c
should have been guided. By reason of giving the directions on 16th
February, 1984 this Court had also unintentionally caused the appel-
lant the denial of rights under Article 14 of the Constitution by deny-
ing him the equal protection of law by being signled out for a special
procedure not provided for by law. When these factors are brought to D
the notice of this Court, even if there are any technicalities this Court
should not feel shackled and decline to rectify that injustice or
otherwise the injustice noticed will remain forever a blot on justice. It
has been said long time ago that "Actus Curiae Neminem Gravabit"-
an act of the Court sha,ll prejudice no man. This maxim is founded
upon justice and good sense and affords a safe and certain guide for E
the administration of the law.

Lord Cairns in Alexander Rodger v. The Comptoir D'escompte
De Paris, (Law Reports Vol. III 1869-71 page 465 at page 475)
observed thus:
F
"Now, their Lordships are of opinion, that one of the first
and highest duties of all Courts is to take care that the act
of the Court does no injury to any of the Suitors, and when
the expression 'the act of the Court' is used, it does not
mean merely the act of the Primary Court, or of any inter-
mediate Court of appeal, but the act of the Court as a G
whole, from the lowest Court which entertains jurisdiction
over the matter up to the highest Court which finally dis-
poses of the case. It is the duty of the aggregate of those
Tribunals, if I may use the expression, to take care that no
act of the Court in the course of the whole of the proceed-
ings does an injury to the suitors in the Court." H
72 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [19S8) Supp. 1 S.C.R.

This passage was quoted in the Gujarat High Court by D.A.
A Desai, J. speaking for the Gujarat High,Court in Vrajlal v. Jadavji
(supra) as mentioned before. It appears that in giving directions on
16th February, 1984, this Court acted per incuriam inasmuch it did not
bear in mind consciously the consequences and the provisions of
sections 6 and 7 of the 1952 Act and the binding nature of the larger
B Bench decision in Anwar Ali Sarkar's case (supra) which was not
adverted to by this Court. The basic fundamentals of the administra-
tion of justice are simple. No man should suffer because of the mistake
of the Court. No man should suffer a wrong by technical procedure of
irregularities. Rules or procedures are the hand-maids of justice and
not the mistress of the justice. Ex debite justitiae, we must do justice to
him. If a man has been wronged so long as it lies within the human
c machinery of administration of justice that wrong must be remedied.
This is a peculiar fact of this case which requires emphasis .

.Shri Rao, learned counsel for the appellant has vehemently
canvassed before us that the appellant has suffered a great wrong for
D over six and a half years. He has undergone trials and proceedings
' because of the mistakes of the Court. Shri Rao submitted that the
appellant should be made not to suffer more. Counsel urged that poli-
tical battles must be fought in the political arena. Yet a charge of
infraction of law cannot remain uninvestigated against itn erstwhile
Chief Minister of a premier State of the coun!ry.
E
Shri Rao has canvassed before us on the authority of Hussainara
Khatoon v. Home Secretary, State of Bihar, Patna, [1979] 3 S.C.R. 169
at 179-180; Kadra Pahadiyal (I) v. State of Bihar, A.LR. 1981 S.C.
939; Kadra Pahadiya (II) v. State of Bihar, A.LR. 1982 S.C. 1167 and
Sheela Barse v. Union of India, A.LR. 1986 S.C. 1773. He has, how-
F ever, very strongly relied upon the observations of this Court in Suk
Das v. Union Territory of Arunachal Pradesh (supra). In that case ihe
appellant a government servant was tried and convicted to suffer im-
prisonment for two years for offences under Section 506 read with
Section 34, I.P.C. He was not represented at the trial by any lawyer by
reason of his inability to afford legal representation. On appeal the
G High Court held that the trial was not vitiated since no application for
legal aid was made by him. On appeal this Court quashed the convic-
tion and considered the question whether the appellant would have to
be tried in accordance with law after providing legal assistance to him.
This Court felt that in the interests of justice the appellant should be •
reinstated in service without back wages and accordingly directed that
H no trial should take place. Shri Rao submitted that we should in the
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MISRA, .I.I 73

facts of this case in the interests of justice direct that the appellant
A
should not be tried again. Shri Rao submitted to let the appellant go
only on this long delay and personal inconveniences suffered by the
appellant, no more injury be caused to him. We have considered the
submission. Yet we must remind ourselves that purity of public Ufe is
one of the cardinal principal which must be upheld as a matter of
public policy. Allegations of legal infractions and criminal infractions
must be investigated in accordance with law and procedure established
under the Constitution. Even if he has been wronged, if he is allowed
to be left in doubt that would cause more serious damage to the appel-
lant. Public confidence in public administration should not be eroded
any further. One wrong cannot be remedied by another wrong.

In the aforesaid view of the matter and having regard to the facts c
and circumstances of the case, we are of the opinion that the legal
wrong that has been caused to the appellant should be remedied. Let
that wrong be therefore remedied. Let right be done and in doing so
let no more further injury be caused to public purpose.
D
In the aforesaid view of•the matter the appeal is allowed; all
proceedings in this matter subsequent to the directions of this Court on
16th February, 1984 as indicated before are set aside and quashed. The
trial shall proceed in accordance with law, that is to say under the Act
of 1952 as mentioned hereinbefore.
E
RANG ANATH MISRA, J: I have had the advantage of perusing
the judgment proposed by my learned Brother Mukharji, J. While I
agree with the conclusion proposed by my esteemed Brother, keeping
the importance of the matter, particularly the consequences the deci-
sion may generate as also the fact that I was a party to the two-Judge
Bench decision 'of this Court reported in 1986 (2) SCC 716 in view, I F
propose to express my opinion separately.

Abdul Rehman Antulay, the appellant, was the Chief Minister of
the State of Maharashtra from 1980 till January 20, 1982, when he
resigned his office but continued to be a member of the Maharashtra
Legislative Assembly. Ramdas Shrinivas Nayak, Respondent No. 1 G
herein, lodged a complaint in the Court of Chief Metropolitan Magis-
trate, 28th Esplanade, Bombay, on September 11, 1981, against
Antulay alleging commission of several offences under the lndiao
. '
Penal Code as also Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act,
1947 ('1947 Act' for short). The learned Magistrate was of the view
that prosecution under Sections 161 and 165 of the Penal Code and H
74 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A Section 5 of the 1947 Act required sanction as a condition precedent
and in its absence the complaint was not maintainable. The Governor
of Bombay later accorded sanction and the Respondent no. 1 filed a
fresh complaint, this time in the Court of the Special Judge of
Bombay, alleging the commission of those offences which had formed
the subject-matter of the complaint before the Magistrate. On receiv-
B ing summons from the Court of the particular Special Judge, Antulay
took the stand that the said Special Judge had no jurisdiction to enter-
tain the complaint in view of the provisions of Section 7 of the Crimi-
nal Law Aniendment Act, 1952 (hereinafter referred to as the 1952
Act) to take cognizance and such cognizance could not be taken on a
private complaint. These objections were overruled by the Special
C Judge by order dated October 20, 1982, and the case was set down for
recording evidence of the prosecution. The Criminal Revision Petition
of the accused against the order of the Special Judge was rejected by
the Bombay High Court and it held that a private complaint was main-
tainable and in view of the notification specifying a particular Special
Judge for the offences in question there was no basis for the objec-
D tions. This Court granted special leave to the accused against the deci-
sion of the High Court that a private complaint was maintainable.
Crimi;ial Appeal No. 347 of 1983 thus came to be instituted. In the
meantime, objection raised before the Special Judge that without
sanction the accused who still continued to be a member of Legislative
Assembly, could not be prosecuted came to be accepted by the Special
E Judge. The complainant filed a criminal revision application before the
High Court questioning that order. This Court granted special leave
against the decision that sanction was necessary, whereupon Criminal
Appeal No. 356 of 1983 was registered and the pending crinimal revi-
sion application before the High Court was transferred to this Court.
Both the criminal appeals and the transferred criminal revision were
F heard together by a five-Judge Bench of this Court but the two appeals
were disposed of by two separate judgments delivered on February 16,
1984. The judgment in Criminal Appeal No. 347 of 1983 is reported in
(1984) 2 SCR 914. In the present appeal we are not very much con-
cerned with that judgment. The judgment of Criminal Appeal No. 356
of 1983 is reported in (1984) 2 SCR 495. As already noticed the main
G theme of the criminal appeal was as to whether a member of the
Legislative Assembly was a public servant for whose prosecution fpr
the offences involved in the complaint sanction was necessary as a
condition precedent. This Court at page 557 of the Reports came to
hold:

H "To sum up, the learned Special Judge was clearly in
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MISRA, J.] 7)

error in holding that M.L.A. is a public servant within the A
meaning of the expression in Section 12(a) and further
erred in holding that a sanction of the Legislative Assembly
of Maharashtra or majority of the members was a condition
precedent to taking cognizance of offences committed by
the accused. For the reasons herein stated both the conclu-
sions are wholly unsustainable and must be quashed and set B
aside."

Consequently this Court directed:

"This appeal accordingly succeeds and is allowed.
The order and decision of the learned Special Judge Shri
R.B. Sule dated July 25, 1983 discharging the accused in c
Special Case No. 24 of 1982 and Special Case No. 3/1983 is
hereby set aside and the trial shall proceed further from the
stage where the accused was discharged."

This Court gave a further direction to the following effect: D
;
"The accused was the Chief Minister of a premier
State-the State of Maharashtra. By a prosecution laun-
ched as early as on September 11, 1981, his character and
integrity came under a cloud. Nearly 2: '12 years have rolled
by and the case has not moved an inch further. An expediti- E
ous trial is primarily in the interest of the accused and a
mandate of Article 21. Expeditious disposal of a criminal
case is in the interest of both, ·the prosecution and the
accused. Therefore, Special Case No. 24 of 1982 and Spe-
cial Case No: 3/83 pending in the Court of Special Judge,
Greater Bombay Shri R.B. Sule are withdrawn and trans- F
ferred to the High Court of Bombay with a request to the
learned Chief Justice to assign these two cases to a: sitting
Judge of the High Court. On being so assigned, the learned
Judge may proceed to expeditiously dispose of the cases
preferably by holding the trial from day to day."
G
Pursuant to this direction, the two cases came to be post~d for
trial before Khatri J. of the Bombay High Court and trial opened on
April 9, 1984. The appellant challenged Khatri J. ;s jurisdiction on 12th
> March, 1984 when the matter was first placed before him but by two
separate 'orders dated 13th March, 1984 and 16th March, 1984, th:
learned Judge rejected the objection by saying that he was bound by H
76 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [ 1988] Supp. l S.C.R.

this Court's direction of the 16th February, 1984. Antulay then moved
A
this Court by filing an application under Article 32 of the Constitution.
A two-Judge Bench consisting of Desai and A.N. Sen. JJ. by order
dated 17th April, 1984 dismissed the applications by saying:

B Sen, J.:

"There is no merit in this writ petition. The writ peti
tion is accordingly dismissed.

In my view, the writ petition challenging the validity
of the order and judgment passed by this ti;urt as nullity or
c otherwise incorrect cannot be entertained. I wish to make
it clear that the dismissal of this writ petition will not pre
judice the right of the petitioner to approach the Court
with an appropriate review petition or to file any other
application which he may be entitled in law to file."
D
Desai, J.:

"I broadly agree with the conclusion recorded by my
brother. The learned Judge in deciding the SLP (Cr!.) Nos.
1949-50 of 1984 has followed the decision of this Court.
E The learned Judge was perfectly justified and indeed it was
the duty of the learned Judge to follow the decision of this
Court which is binding on him. Special leave petitions are
dismissed." (1984 (3) SCR 482).
-

16 witnesses were examined by Khatri J. by July 27, 1984. Khatri J.
p was relieved of trying the case on his request, whereupon the learned
Chief Justice numinated Mehta J. to continue the trial. 41 more
witnesses were examined before him and at the stage when 57 wit
nesses in all had been examined for the prosecution, the Trial Judge
invited the parties to consider the framing of charges. 43 draft charges
were placed for his consideration on behalf of the prosecution and the
G learned Trial Judge framed 21 charges and recorded an order of dis
charge in respect of the remaining 22. At the instance of the complain
ant, Respondent No. 1, the matter came before this Court in appeal on
special leave and a two-Judge Bench of which I happened to be one, by
judgment dated April 17, 1986, in Criminal Appeal No. 658 of 1985
[(1962) 2 sec 716] set aside the order of discharge in regard to the
H several offences excepting extortion and directed the learned Trial
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MISRA, .J.J 77

Judge to frame charges for the same. This Court n;q11ested.~l,i.e•]earned
A
Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court to nominate anoth.er Judge to
take up the matter from the stage at wl,iich Mehta J. had mad.e the
.order of discharge. Shah J. came to .be nominated •by the learned Chief
.:Justice to continue the trial. By order ,dated July 24,, 1986, Shah J ..
rejected the application of the accused for proceeding against the
alleged co-conspirators by holding that there had been a long delay, B
most of the prosecution witnesses had already been examined and that
if the co-conspirators were then brought on record, a de novo trial
would be necessitated. The appellant challenged the order of Shah J.
by filing a special leave petition before this Court wherein he farther
alleged that the High Court had no jurisdiction to try the case. A
·two-Judge "Ben~h, of whic_h •Mykh,erji J., my learned brother, was a
member, granted special leaye, whereupon this Criminal Appeal c
(No. 468 of 1986).cameto be registered. The'Respondent.No. 1 asked
for revocation of special leave in .Criminal Miscellaneous Petition
No. 4248 of 1986. While rejecting .the said revocation applic_ation, by
order dat.ed October 29, 1986, i)le two,Judge Bench formulated
several questions that.arose for consideration and referred the matter D
for hearing by a Benrh of seven Judges of the•Court. That is how this
seven-Judge Bench has comet() be constituted to hear the appeal.

It is the settled position in law that jurisdiction of courts comes
solely from the law of the land and cannot be exercised otherwise. So
far as the position in this country is concerned conferment of jurisdic- lE
tion is possible either by the provisions -0f the Constitution or by
specific laws enacted by the Legislature. For instance, .Article 129
confers all the powers of a court of record on the Supreine Court
including the power to punish for contempt ·Of itself. Articles 131, 132,
133, 134, 135, 137·, 138 and 139 confer different jurisdictions -00 the
Supreme Court while Articles 225, 226, 227, 228 and 230 deal with ;F
conferment of jurisdiction on the High Courts. Instances of confer-
ment of jurisdiction by specific law are very common. The law_s of
procedure both criminal and civil confer jurisdiction on different
courts. Special jurisdiction is con.ferred· by special statute. It is thus
clear that jurisdiction can be exercised only when provided for either
in the Constitution or in the laws made by the Legislature. Jurisdiction G
is thus the authority or power of the court to deal with a matter -and
make an order carrying binding force in the facts. In support of judicial
opinion for this view reference may be made to the permanent edition
·, of 'Words and Phrases Vol. 23A' at page 1611. It .would be appropriat,e
to refer to two small passages occurring at ·pages 174 .a1,1d .175 of the
Volume1·At page 174, referring to the decision in Carli/e.v. N(ltiona/ H
78 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I19881 Supp. 1 S.C.R.

Oil & Development Co. it has been stated:
A
"Jurisdiction is the authority to hear and determine,
and in order .that it may exist the following1<1re essential: (1)
A court created by law, organized and sitting; (2) authority
given it by law to hear and determine causes of the kind in
B question; (3) power given it by law to render a judgment
such as it assumes to render; (4) authority over the parties
to the case if the judgment is to bind them personally as.a
judgment in personam, which is acquired over the plaintiff
by his appearance and· submission of the matter to the
court, and is acquired over the defendant by his voluntary
appearance, or by service of process on him; (5) authority
c over the thing adjudicated upon its being located within the
court's territory' and by actually seizing it if liable to be
carried away; (6) authority to decide the question involved,
which is acquired by the question being submitted to" it by
the parties for decisiod." ·

Article 139A of the Constitution·authorises this Court to-transfer
cases from a High Court to itself or from one High Court to another
and is, therefore, not relevant for our purpose. Section 406 of the
Code empowers this Court to transfer cases and appeals by providing:
•
E "(l) Whenever it is made .to appear to the Supreme
Court that an order under this section is expedient for the
ends of justice, it may direct that any particular case of
appeal be transferred from one High Court to another High
Court or from a Crimine.l Court subordinate to one High
Court to an.other Criminal Court of equal or superior juris~
F diction subordinate to another High Court.

· (2) The Supreme Court may act under this $ection
only on the application of the Attorney-General of India or
of a party interested, and every such application shall be
made by motion, which shall, except when the applicant is
G the Attorney-General of India or the Advocate-General of
the State, be supported by affiavit or affirmation.

(3) .............. ".

The offences alleged to have been committed by the accused here are
H either p\lnishable under the Penal Code or under Act 2 of 1947, both
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAY AK [MISRA, .T.J 79

of which could have been tried in an appropriate court under the
Criminal Procedure Code; but Parliament by the Criminal Law A
Amendment Act 46 of 1952 (1952 Act for short) amended both the
Penal Code as also the Criminal Procedure Code with a view to provid-
ing for a more speedy trial of certain offences. The relevant sections of
the 1952 Act are sections 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. For convenience, they are
extracted below: B

"6. Power to appoint special Judges {1) The State
Government may, by notification in the official Gazette,
appoint as many special Judges as may be necessary for
such area or areas as may be specified· in the notific.ation to
try the following offences, namely,
c
..(a) an· offence punishable under section 161, section
162, section 163, section 164, section 165 or section
·' 165A of the .{ndiaP Penal Code (45 of 1860) or section
5 of the Preventi<>n of Corruption Act, .1947 (2 of
1947); D

· (b) any conspiracy to commit or any attempt to
. commit' or r.ny abetment of any of the offences speci-
fied in clause (a).

(2) A person shall not be qualified for appointment as a E
special Judge under this Act unless he is, or has been, a
Sessions Judge or an Additional Sessions Judge or an
Assistant Sessions .Tuclgc undct the Code of Criminal Pro-
cedure. 1898 (5 of 1898) .. ,

"7. Coses triable by Special Judges (1) Notwithstanding F
anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure,
1898 (5 of 1898). ot in any other law the offences specified
in sub·section ( 1) of section 6 shall be triable by ·Special.
Judges only;

(2) Every offence specified in sub-section ( l) of sec- G
tion 6 shall be tried by the Special Judge for the area within
which it was committed, or where there are more Special
Judges than one for such area, by such one bf them as may
be specified in this behalf by the State Government.

(3) When trying any case, a Special Judge may also H
80 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

try any offence other than an offeru:« specified in section 6
A with which the accused may, under the Code of Criminal
Procedure, 1898 (5of1898), be charged at the.same irial".
''
8. Procedure and powers of Special Judges (1) A
Special Judge may take cognizance of offences without the
B accused being committed to him for trial, and in .trying the
accused persons, shall follow the procedure prescribed by
the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898), for the
trial of warrant cases by Magistrates.
'
(2) A special Judge, may, with a view to obtaining the
evidence of any person supposed to have been directly or
c indirect!}' concerned in, or privy to, an offence, tender a
pardon to such person on condition of his making a full a.nd
true disclosure of the whole circumstances within his
knowledge relating to the offence and to every other
person concerned, whether as principal or abettor; in the
D commission thereof; and any pardon so tendered shall, for
the purposes .of ~ections ·339 and 339·A of the Code of
Criminal Procedure, 1898 (S of 1898), be deemed to have
been tendered under section 338 at' that Code.

(3) Save as provided in sub-section (1) or sub-section
E (2), the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898
(5 of 1898), shall, so far as they are not inconsistent with
this Act, apply to the proceedings before a Special Judge;
and for the purposes of the said provisions, the Court of the
Special Judge ·shall be deemed to be a Court of Session
t'l'}'ing cases without '!, jury or without the aid of assessors
F and the person conducting a prosecution before a Special
Judge·shall be deemed to.be a public prosecutor.

(3-A) In particular, and without prejudice to the
generality of the provisions contained in sub-section (3),
the ·provisions of sections 350 and 549 of the Code of Crimi-
G nal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898), shall, so far as may be.
apply to the proceedings before a Special Judge, and for
the purposes of the said provisions a special Judge shall be
deemed to be a Magistrate.

(4) A special Judge may pass upon any person con-
victed by him any sentence authorized by law for punish-
A.R: ANTULAY ,. R.S. NAYAK IMISRA, J.I 81

ment of the offence of which such person is convicted."
A

"9. Appeal and revision-The High Court may exer
cise, so far as they may be applicable, all the powers con
ferred by Chapters XXXI and XXXII of the Code of Crimi-
nal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898) on a High Court as if the
Court of the special Judge were a Court of Session trying B
cases without a jury within the local limits of the jurisdic
tion of the High Court."

"10. Transfer of certain peniiing cases-All cases tri
able by a special Judge under section 7 which, immediately
before the commencement of this Act, were pending
C
before any Magistrate shall, on such commencement, be
forwarded for trial to the special Judge having jurisdiction
over such cases."

On the ratio of the seven-Judge Bench decision of this Court in the
State of West Bengal v. Anwar Ali Sarkar, [1952] SCR 284 the vires of D
this Act are not open to challenge. The majority of the learned Judges
in Anwar Ali Sarkar's case expressed the view that it was open to the
Legislature to set up a special forum for expedient trial or n particular
class of cases. Section 7(1) has clearly provided that offences specified
in sub-section (1) of section 6 shall be triable by the Special Judge only
and has taken away the power of the courts established under the Code E
of Criminal Procedure to try those offences. Section 10 of the Act
required all pending cases on the date of commencement of the Act to
stand transferred to the respective Special Judge. Unless there be
challenge to the provision creating exclusive jurisdiction of the Special
Judge, the procedural law in the Amending Act is binding on courts as
also the parties and no court is entitled to make orders contrary to the F
law which are binding. As long as section 7 of the Amending Act of
1952 hold the field it was not open to any court including the apex
Court to act contrary to section 7( 1) of the Amending Act.

The power to transfer a case conferred by the Constitution or by
section 406 of the Code of Criminal Procedure does not specifically G
relate to the special Court. Section 406 of the Code could perhaps be
applied on the principle that the Special Judge was a subordinate court
for transferring a case from one special Judge to another special Judge.
That \llGU\d be so because such a transfer would not contravene the
mandate of section 7(1) of the Amending Act of 1952. While that may
be so, the provisions for transfer, already referred to, do not authorise H
82 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [19881 Supp. 1 S.C.R.

transfer of a case pending in th,e court of a special Judge first to the
A Supreme Court and then to the High Court for trial. A four Judge
Bench in Raja Soap Factory v. S.P. Santharaj, [1965] 2 SCR 800 was
considering the jurisdiction of the High Court to deal with a matter
Shah J., as he then was, spoke for the court thus:

B "But if the learned Judge, as reported in the summary of
the judgment, was of the opinion that the High Court is
competent to assume to itself jurisdiction which it does not
otherwise possess, merely because an 'extra-ordinary situa-
tion' has arisen, with respect to the learned Judge, we are
unable to approve of that view. By 'jurisdiction' is meant
the extent of the' power which is conferred upon.the court
c by its Constitution to try a proceeding; its exercise cannot
be enlarged because what the learned Judge calls an extra-
ordinary _situation 'requires' the Court tO ex_erc!se it".

, Brother Mukharji in his elaborate judgment has come to the
D conclusion that the question of transferring the case from the court of
the special Judge to the High Court was not in issue before the five-
Judge Bench. Mr. Jethmalani in course of the argument has almost
accepted the position that this was not asked for on behalf of the
complainant at the hearing of the matter before the Constitution
Bench. From a reading of the judgment of the Constitution Bench it
E appears that the transfer was a suo motu direction of the court. Since
this particular aspect of the matter had not been argued and counsel
did not have an opport.unity of pointing out the legal bar against trans-
fer, the learned Judges of this Court obviously did not take note of the
special provisions in section 7( l) of the 1952 Act. I am inclined to
agree with Mr. Rao for Antulay that if this position had been
F appropriately placed, the direction for transfer from the court oi exclu-
sive jurisdiction to the High Court would not have been made by the
Constitution Bench. It is appropriate to presumethatthis Court never'
intends to act contrary to law.

There is no doubt that after the Division Bench of Desai and
G Sen, JJ. dismissed the writ petition and the special leave petitions on
17th April, 1984, by indicating that the petitioner could file an
appropriate review petition or any other application which he may be
entitled in law to file, no further action was taken until charges were
fran1ed on the basis of evidence of 57 \vitne~ses and a mass of docu- .r _
men ts. After a gap of more than three years, want of jurisdiction of the
H High Court was sought to be reagitated before the two-Judge Bench
A.R. ANTULAY '" R.S. NAYAK [MISRA . .I.I 83

in the present proceedings. During this intervening period of three
years or so a lot of evidence wa5 collected by examining the prosecu- A
tion witnesses and exhibiting documents. A learned Judge of the High
Court devoted his full time to the case. Mr. Jethmalani pointed out to
us in course of his argument that the evidence that has already been
collected is actually ahnost three-fourths of what the prosecution had
to put in. Court's time has been consumed, evidence has been col- B
lected and parties have been put to huge expenses. To entertain the
claim of the appellant that the transfer of the case from the Special
Judge to the High Court was without authority of law at this point of
time would necessarily wipe out the evidence and set the clock back by
about four years. It may be that so_tne of the witnesses may no longer
be available when the de novo. trial takes place. Apart from these
features, according to Mr. Jethmalani to say at this stage that the- C
dire.ction given by a five-Judge Bench is not. binding and, therefore,
not operative ·will shakeethe confidence of. the litigant public in the
judicial pmcess and.in the interest of the system fr should not be done,
·. Long arguments were advanced on .either side in support of their ·
respective stands-the appellant pleading that the 'direction for trans- . D
fer of the proceedings from the Spe,cial Judge tq the High Court was a
nullity and Mr . .Jethmalani contending that the ~pex,Court had exer-
cised its powers for expediting the frial and the action was not contrary
to law, Brother Mukharji has dealt with these submissions at length
and I do not find any necessity to dwell. upon this aspect· in full
measure. In the ultimate analysis I am satisfied that this Court did.not E
·possess the power to transfer the proceedings from the _Special)udge
to the High Court: Antulay has raised objection at this stage before
the matter has been concluded. In case after a full dressed trial, he is
convicted, there can be no doubt that the wise men in law will raise on
his behalf, inter alia, the same conten\ion as has been advanced now by
way of challenge to the conviction. If the accused is really guilty of the F
offences as alleged by the prosecution there can be no two opinions
that he should be suitably punished and the social mechanism of
punishing the guilty must come heavily upon him. No known loopholes
should be permitted to creep in and subsist so as to give a handle to the
accused to get out.,of the net by pleading legal ·infirmity ~hen on facts
the offences are made'out. The importance of this consideration G
should not be overlooked in assessing the situation as to whether the
direction of this Court as contained in the five-Judge Bench decision
should be permitted to be questioned at this stage or not.
'
Mr. Rao for Antulay argued at length and Brother Mukharji has
noticed all those contentions that by the change of the forum of the H
84 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988] Supp. I S.C.R.

trial the accused has been prejudiced. Undoubtedly, by this process he
A
misses a forum of appeal because if the trial was handled by .a Special
Judge, the first appeal would lie to the High Court and a further appeal
by special leave muld come before this Court. If the matter is'tried by
the High Court theie w.ould be only one forum .of appeal being this
Court, whether as of right or by way of special leave. The appellant has
B also conlended that the direction violates Article .14 of the Constitu-
tion because he alone has been singled out and picked up for being
t•eated differently from similarly placed accused persons. Some of
these aspects cannot be overlooked with ease. I must, however, indi-
cate here that the argument based upon the extended meaning given to
the contents of Article 21 of the Constitution, though attractive have
not appealed to me.
c
One of the well-known principles of law is that decision made by
a competent court should be taken as final subject to further proceed-
ings ·contemplated by the law of procedure. In the absence of any
further proceeding, the direction of the Constitution Bench of 16ih of .
o February, 1984 became final and it is the obligation of everyone to
implement the direction of the apex Court. Such an order of this Court
should by all canons of judicial discipline be binding .on this Court as
"'ell and cannot be interfered with after attaining finality. Brother
Mukharji has referred to several authorities in support of h.is conclu-
sionthat an order made without jurisdiction is not a valid one and can
E be ignored, overlooked or brushed aside depending upon the situa-
tion. I .do not propose to delve into that. aspect in my separate
judgment. ·

It is a well-settled p<>Sition in law that an act of the court should •
not injure any of- the suitors. The Privy Council in the well-known
F debsion of Alexander Rodger v. The·Comptori D' Escompte De Paris,
[1871] 3 P.C. 465 observed:-

"One of the first and highest duties of all courts is to
take care that the act of the court does no injury to any of
the suitors, and when the expression act of the court is used,
G it does not mean merely the act of the primary court, or of
any intermediate court of appeal, but the act of the court as
a whole, from the lowest court which entertains jurisdiction
over the matter upto the highest court which finally dis-
·poses of the. c.ase. It is the duty of the aggregate of those '
Tribunals, if I may use the expression, to take care that no
H act of the court in the course of the whole of the proceed-
A.R. ANTULAY L R.S. NAYAK [MISRA. J.[ 85

ingS does an injury to the suitors in courts."
A
Brother Mukharji has also referred to several other authorities which
support this view. ·

Once it is found that the order of transfer by this Court dated
16th of February, 1984, was not within jurisdiction by the direction of B
the transfer of the proceedings made by this Court, the appellant
should not suffer.

What remains to be decided is the procedure by which the direc-
tion of the 16th of February, 1984, could be recalled or altered. There
can be no doubt that certiorari shall not lie to quash a judicial order of C
this Court. That is so on account of the fact that the Benches of this
Court are not subordinate to larger Benches thereof and certiorari is,
therefore, not admissible for quashing of the orders made on the judi-
cial side of the court. Mr. Rao had relied upon the ratio in the case of
Prem Chand Garg v. Excise Commissioner, UP., Allahabad, [1963] 1
SCR 885. Brother Mukharji has dealt with this case at considerable D
length. This Court was then dealing with an Article 32 petition which
had been filed to challenge the vires of rule 12 of Order 35 of this
Court's Rules. Gajendragadkar, J., as the learned Judge then was,
spoke for himself and three of his learned brethren including the
learned Chief Justice. The facts of the case as appearing from the
judgment show that there was a judicial order directing furnishing of E
security of Rs.2,500 towards the respondent's costs and the majority
judgment directed:

"In the result, the petition is allowed and the order
passed against the petitioners on December 12, 1961, cal-
ling upon them to furnish security of Rs.2,500 is set aside." F

Shah, J. who wrote a separate judgment upheld the vi res of the rule
and directed dismissal of the petition. The fact that a judicial order was
being made the subje~t matter of a petition under Article 32 of the
Constitution was not noticed and whether such a proceeding was ten-
able was not considered. A nine-Judge Bench of this Court in Naresh G
Shridhar Mirajkar & Ors. v. State of Maharashtra & Anr., [1966] 3
SCR 744 referred to the judgment in Prem Chand Garg's case (supra).
Gajendragadkar, CJ., who delivered the leading and ma.iority judg-
ment stated at page 765 of the Reports:

"In support of his argument that a judicial decision H
86 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

can be corrected by this Court in exercise of its writ juris-
A
diction under Article 32(2), Mr. Setalvad has relied upon
another decision of this Court in Prem Chand Garg v~
Excise Commissioner, UP. Allahabad (supra). In that
case, the petitioner had been required to furnish security
for the costs of the respondent under rule 12 of order 35 of
B the Supreme Court lfoles. By his petition filed under Arti-
cle 32, he contended that the rule was invalid as it placed•
obstructions on the fundamental right guaranteed under
Article 32 to move the Supreme Court for the enforcement
of fundamental rights. This plea was upheld by the majo-
rity decision with the result that the order requiring him to
furnish security was vacated. In appreciating the effect of
c this decision, it'is necessary to bear in mind the nature of
the contentions raised before the Court in that case. The
rule itself, in terms, conferred discretion on the court,
while dealing with applications made under Article 32, to
impose such terms as to costs as to the giving of security as
D it thinks fit. The learned Solicitor General who supported
the validity of the rule, urged that though the order requir-
ing security to be deposited may be said to retard or
obstruct the fundamental right of the citizen guaranteed by
Article 32(1), the rute itself could not be effectively chal-
lenged as invalid, because it was merely discretionary; it
E did not impose an obligation on the court to demand any
security; and he supplemented his argument by contending
that under Article 142 of the Constitution, the powers of
this court were wide enough to impose any term or condi-
tion subject to which proceedings before this Court could
be permitted to be conducted. He suggested that the
F powers of this Court under Article 142 were not subject to
any of the provisions contained in Part III including Article
32(1). On the other hand, Mr. Pathak who challenged the
validity of the rule, urged that though the rule was in form
and in substance discretionary. he disputed the validity of
the power which the rule conferred on this Court to
G demand security ........... It would thus be seen that the
main controversy in the case of Prem Chand Garg centered
round the question as to whether Article 145 conferred
powers on this Court to make rules, though they may be ,,
inconsistent with the constitutional provisions prescribed
by Part III. Once it was held that the powers under Article
H 142 had to be read subject not only to the fundamental
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MISRA, J.J 87

rights, but to other binding statutory provisions, it became A
clear that the rule which authorised the making of the
impugned order was invalid. It was in that context that the
validity of the order had te be incidentally examined. The
petition was made not to challenge the order as such, but to
challenge the validity of the rule under which the order was
made. Once a rule was struck ct.own as being invalid, the B
order passed under the said rule had to be vacated. It is
difficult to see how this decision can be pressed into service
-~·
by Mr. Setalvad in support of the argument that a judicial
order passed by this Court was held to be subject to the writ
jurisdiction of this Court itself ....... ".

In view of this decision in Mirajkar's case. (supra) it must be taken as
c
concluded that judicial proceedings in this Court are not subject to the
writ jurisdiction thereof.

On behalf of the appellant; at one stage, it was contended that
the appeal may be taken as a review. Apart from the fact that the D
petition of review had to be filed within 30 days-and here there has
been inordinate delay-the petition for review had to be placed before
the same Bench and now that two of the learned Judges of that Con-
stitution Bench are still available, it must have gone only before a
Bench of five with those two learned Judges. Again under the Rules of
the Court a review petition was not to be heard in Court and was liable E
to be disposed of by circulation. In these circumstances, the petition of
appeal could not be taken as a review petition. The question, there-
fore, to be considered now i~ what is the modality to be followed for
vacating the impugned direction.

This being the apex Court, no litigant has any opportunity of F
approaching any higher forum to question its decisions. Lord Buck-
master in 1917 A.C. 170 stated:

"All rules of court are nothing but provisions inten-
ded to secure proper administration of justice. It is, there-
fore, essential that they should be made to serve. and be G
subordinate to that purpose."

This Court in Gujarat v. Ram Prakash, [1970] 2 SCR 875 reiterated
the position by saying:

"Procedure is the handmaid and not a mistress of H
88 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.
law, intended to subserve and facilitate the cause of justice
A
and not to govern or obstruct it, like all rules of procedure,
this rule demands a construction which would promote this
cause."

Once judicial satisfaction is reached that the direction was not open to
B be made and it is accepted as a mistake of the court, it is not only
appropriate but also the duty of the Court to rectify the mistake by
exercising inherent powers. Judicial opinion heavily leans in favour of
this view that a mistake of the Court can be corrected by the Court itself
without any fetters. This is on the principle as indicated in Alexander
Rodger's case (supra). I am of the view that in the present situation,
the Court's inherent powers can be exercised to remedy the mistake.
c Mahajan, J. speaking for a four-Judge Bench in Kishan Dea v. Radha
Kissen, {1953] SCR 136, at page 153 stated:

"The Judge had jurisdiction to correct his own error
without entering into ·a discussion of the grounds taken by
D the decree-holder or the objections raised by the judgment-
debtors."

The Privy Council in Debi v. Habib, ILR 35 All. 331, pointed out
that an abuse of the process of the Court may be committed by the
court or by a party. Where a court employed a procedure in doing
E something which it never intended to do and there is an abuse of the
process of the court it can be corrected. Lord Shaw spoke for the Law
lords thus:

"Quite apart from section 151, any court might have
rightly considered itself to possess an inherent power to
F rectify the mistake which had been inadvertently made."

It was pointed out by the Privy Council in Murtaza v. Yasin, AIR 1916
PC 85 that:

"Where substantial injustice would otherwise result,
G the court has, in their Lordships' opinion, an inherent
power to set aside its own judgments of condemnation so as
to let in bona fide claims by parties ...... ".

Indian authorities are in abundance to support the view that injustice
done should be corrected by applying the principle actus curiae
H neminem gravabit an act of the court shall prejudice no one.
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [MISRA, J.] 89

To err is human, is the off-quoted sayi~g. Courts including the
A
apex one are no exception. To own up the mistake when judicial
satisfaction is reached does not militate against its status or authority.
Perhaps it would enhance both.

It is time to sound a note of caution. This Court under its Rules
of Business ordinarily sits in divisions and not as a whole one. Each B
Bench, whether small or large, exercises the powers vested in the
Court and decisions rendered by the Benches irrespective of their size
are considered as decisions of the Court. The practice has developed
that a larger Bench is entitled to overrule the decision of a smaller
Bench notwithstanding the fact that each of the decisions is that of the
Court. That principle, however, would not apply in the present situa-
tion and since we are sitting as a Bench of Seven we are not entitled to c
reverse the decision of the Constitution Bench. Overruling when made
by a larger Bench of an earlier decision of a smaller one is intended to
take away the precedent value of the decision without affe~ting the
binding effect of the decision in the particular case. Antulay, there-
fore, is not entitled to take advantage of the matter being before a D
larger Bench. In fact, if it is a ~ase of exercise of inherent powers to
rectify a mistake it was open even to a five-Judge Bench to do that and
it did not require a Bench larger than the Constitution Bench for that
purpose.

Mr. Jethmalani had told us during arguments that if there was E
interference in this case there was possibility of litigants thinking that
the. Court had made a direction by going out of its way because an
influential person like Antulay was involved. We are sorry that such a
suggestion was made before us by a senior counsel. If a mistake is
detected and the apex Court is not able to correct it with a view to
doing justice for fear of being misunderstood, the cause of justice is F
bound to suffer and for the apex Court the apprehension would not be
a valid consideration. Today it is Abdul Rehman Antulay with a politi-
cal background and perhaps some status and wealth but tomorrow it
can be any ill-placed citizen. This Court while administering justice
does not take into consideration as to who is before it. Every litigant is
entitled to the same consideration and if an order is war~anted in the G
interest of justice, the contention of Mr. Jethmalani cannot stand in
the way as a_ bar to the making of that order.

There is still another aspect which should be taken note of.
Finality of the orders is the rule. By our directing recall of an order the
well-settled propositions of law would not be set at naught. Such a H
90 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988) Supp. I S.C.R.
situation may not recur in the ordinary course of judicial functioning
A
and if there be one certainly the Bench before which it comes would
appropriately deal with it. No strait jacket formula can be laid down
for judicial functioning particularly for the apex Court. The apprehen-
sion that the present decision may be used as a precedent to challe'nge
judicial orders of this Court is perhaps misplaced because those who
B are familiar with the judicial functioning are aware of the limits and
they would not seek support from this case as a precedent. We are sure
that if precedent value is sought to be derived out of this decision, the
Court which is asked to use this as an instrument would be alive to the
peculiar facts and circumstances of the case in which this order is being
made.
c I agree with the ultimate conclusion proposed by my learned
brother Mukharji.

OZA, J. I had the opportunity to go through opinion prepared
by learned brother Justice Mukharji and I agree with his opinion. I
D have gone through these additional reasons prepared by learned
brother Justice R.N. Misra. It appears that the learned brother had
tried to emphasise that even if an error is apparent in a judgment or an
order passed by this Court it will not be open to a writ of certiorari and
I have no hesitation in agreeing with this view expressed. At the same
time I have no hesitation in observing that there should be no hesita-
E tion in correcting an error in exercise of inherent jurisdiction if it
comes to our notice.

It is.clear from the opinions of learned brothers Justice Mukharji
and Justice Misra that the jurisdiction to try a case could only be
conferred by law enacted by the legislature and this Court could not
p confer jurisdiction if it does not exist in Jaw and it is this error which is
sought to be corrected. Although it is unfortunate that it is being·
corrected after long lapse of time. I agree with the opinion prepared by
Justice Mukharji and also the additional opinion prepared by Justice
Misra.

G RAY, ·J. I have the privilege of going through the judgment
prepared by learned brother Mukharji, J and I agreed with the same.
Recently, I have received a separate judgment from brother R .N.
Misra, J and I have decipherred the same.
,.•
In both the judgments it has been clearly observed that judicial
H order of this court is not amenable to a writ of certiorari for correcting
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK (VENKATACHALIAH, J.] 91

any error in the.judgment. It has also been observed that the jurisdic-
A
tion or power to try and decide a cause is conferred on the courts by·
the Law of the Lands enacted by the Legislature or by the provisions of
the Constitution.· It has also been highlighted that the court cannot
confer a jurisdiction on itself which is not provided in the law. It has
also· been observed that the act of the court does not injure any of the
suitors. It is for this reason that the error in question is sought to be B
corrected after a lapse of more than three years. I agree with the
opinion expressed by Justice Mukharji in the judgment as well as the
additional opinion given by Justice Misra in his separate judgment.

VENKATACHALIAH, J. Appellant, a former Chief Minister of
Maharashtra, is on trial for certain offences under Sections 161, 165,
Indian Penal Code and under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.
c
The questions raised in .this appeal are extra-ordinary in many respects
touching, as they do, certain matters fundamental to the finality of
judicial proc~dings. It also raises a question--0f far-reaching
consequences_.:_whether, independently of the review jurisdiction
under Article 137 of the Constitution, a different bench of this Court, D
could undo the finality of earlier pronouncements of different benches
which have, otherwfae, reached finality.

If the appeal is accepted, it will have effect of blowing-off, by a
side-wind as it were, a number of earlier decisions of different benches
of this Court, binding inter-parties, rendered at various stages of the E
said criminal prosecution including three judgments cif 5 judge
benches of this Court. What imparts an added and grim poignance to
the case is that the appeal, if allowed, would set to naught all the
proceedings taken over the years before three successive Judges of the
High Court of Bombay and in which already _57 witnesses have been
exami.ned for the prosecution-all these done pursuant to the direction F
dated 16.12.1984 issued by a five judge Be.nch of this Court. This by
itself should be no deterrant for this Court to afford relief if there has
been a gross miscarriage of justice and if appropriate proceedings
recognised by law are taken. Lord Atkin said "Finality is a good thing,
but justice is a better". [See 60 Indian Appeals 354 PC]. Considera-
tions of finality are subject to the paramount consid~rations of justice; G
but the remedial action must be appropriate and known toJaw. The
question is whether there is any such gross miscarriage of justice in this
case, if so whether relief can be granted ih the manner now sought.

The words of caution of the judicial committee in Venkata
Narasimha Appa Row v. The Court of Wards & Ors., [1886] lILR 660 H
(at page 664) are worth recalling:
92 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988) Supp. 1 S.C.R.

"There is a salutary maxim which ought to be
A
observed by all courts of last resort-interest reipublicae ut
sit finis litium. Its strict observance may occasionally entail
hardship- upon individual litigants, but the mischief arising
from that source must be small in comparison with the great
mischief which would necessarily result from doubt being
B thrown upon the finality of the decisions of such a tribunal
as this."
(emphasis supplied).

2. I have had the opportunity, and the benefit, of reading in
draft the learned and instructive opinions of my learned Brothers
C Sabyasachi Mukharji J., and Ranganath Misra J. They have, though
for slightly differing reasons, proposed to accept the appeal. This will
have the effect of setting-aside five successive earlier orders of d!ffe-
rent benches of the Court made at different stages of the criminal
prosecution, including the three judgments of Benches of five Judges
of this Court in R.S. Nayak v. A.R. Antulay, (1984) 2 SCR 495 and
D A.R. Antulay v. R.S. Nayak, (1984) 2 SCR 914 and R.S. Nayak v. A.R.
Antulay, [ 1984) 3 SCR 412.

I have bestowed a respectful and anxious consideration to the
weighty opinion of my brothers with utmost respect, I regret to have to
deny myself the honour of agreeing with them in the view they take
E both of the problem and the solution that has commended itself to
them. Apart from other things, how can the effect and finality of this
Court's Order dated 17.4.1984 in Writ Petition No. 708 of 1984 be
unsettled in these proceedings? Admittedly, this order was made after
hearing and does not share the alleged vitiating factors attributed to the
order dated 16.2.1984. That order concludes everything necessarily
F inconsistent with it. In all humility, !..venture to say that the proposed
remedy and the procedure for its grant are fraught with far greater
dangers than the supposed injustice they seek to relieve: and would
throw open an unprecedented procedural flood-gate which might,
quite ironically, enable a repetitive challenge to the present decision
itself on the very grounds on which the relief is held permissible in the
G appeal. To seek to be wiser than the law, it is·said, is the very thing by
good laws forbidden. Well trodden path is the best path.

Ranganath Misra J. if I may say so with respect, has rightly
recognised these imperatives:

H "It is time to sound 'a note of caution. This Court
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [VENKATACHAL!AH, J.] 93

under its rules of business ordinarily sits in divisions and
A
not as a whole one. Each Bench, whether small or large,
exercises the powers vested in the Court and decisions
rendered by the Benches irrespective of their size are con-
sidered as decisions of the Court. The practice has deve-
loped that a larger bench is entitled to over-rule the deci-
sion of a small bench notwithstanding the fact that each of B
· the decisions is that of the Court. That principle, however,
would not apply in the present situation and since we are
sitting as a Bench of Seven we are not entitled to reverse
the decision of the Constitution Bench."

Learned brother, however, hopes this case to be more an excep-
tion than the Rule: c
"Finality of the orders is the rule. By our directing recall of
an order the well-settled propositions of law would not be
set at naught. Such a situation may not recur in the ordi-
nary course of judicial functioning and if there be one, D
certainly the bench before which it comes would appro-
priately deal with it."

3. A brief advertence to certain antecedent events which consti-
tute the back-drop for the proper perception of the core-issue arising
in this appeal may not be out of place: E

Appellant was· the ·Chief Minister of Maharashtra between
9.6.1980 and 12.1.1982 on which latter date he resigned as a result of
certain adverse findings made against him in a Court proceeding. On
9.8.1982; Ramdas Srinivas Nayak, respondent No. 1, with the sanction
of the Governor of Maharashtra, accorded on 28. 7 .1982, filed in the F
Court of Special-Judge, Bombay, a criminal Case No. 24 of 1982 alleg-
ing against the appellant certain offences under Section ·161 and 165 of
Indian Penal Code and Section 6 of the Prevention of Corruption Act,
1947, of which the Special-Judge took cognisance.

Appellant questioned the jurisdiction of Special Judge to take G
cognisance of those offences on a private compiaint. On 20.10.1982,
the Special Judge over-ruled the objection. On 7.3.1983, the High
Court dismissed appellant's revision petition in.which the order of the
Special Judge was assaHed. The criminal case thereafter stood trans-
ferred to another Special Judge, Shri R.B. Sule. Appellant did not,
accept the order of the High Court dlited 7.3 .1983 against which he ff
94 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

came up ln appeal to this court, by Special-leave, in Criminal appeal
A
No. 347 of 1983. During the pendency of this appeal, however,
another important event occurred. The Special Judge, Shri R.B. Sule,
by his order dated 25.7.1983, discharged the appellant, holding that,
the prosecution was not maintainable without the sanction of the
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, of which the appellant continued
B to be a member, notwithstanding his ceasing to be Chief Minister.
Respondent No. 1 challenged this order of discharge in a Criminal
Revision Petition No. 354 of 1982 before the High Court of Bombay.
Respondent No. 1 also sought, and was granted, special-leave to
appeal against Judge Sule's order directly to this court in Criminal
appeal No. 356 of 1983. This Court also withdrew to itself the ,said
C criminal revision application No. 354 of 1982 pending before the High
Court. All the three matters-the two appeals (Cr!. A. 347 of 1983 and
356 of 1983) and Criminal Revision Petition so withdrawn to this
Court-were heard by a five Judge bench and disposed of by two
separate Judgments dated 16.2.1984.

D By Judgment in Cr!. appeal N9. 356 of 1983 R.S. Nayak v. A.R.
Antulay, [1984] 2 SCR 495 this Court, while setting aside the view of
the Special Judge that sanction of the Legislative Assembly was neces-
sary, further directed the trial of the case by a Judge of the Bombay
, High Court. This Court observed that despite lapse of several years
after commencement of the prosecution the case had "not moved an
E inch further", that "expeditious trial is primarily necessary in the in-
terest of the accused and mandate of Article 21", and that "therefore
Special case No. 24 of 1982 and Special Case No. 3 of 1983 pending in
the Court of Special Ju'dge, Greater Bombay, Shri R.B. Suie" be
withdrawn and transferred to the High Court of Bombay, with a re-
quest to the learned Chief Justice to assign these two cases to a sitting
F Judge of the High Court. The Judge so designated was also directed to
dispose of ihe case expeditiously, preferably "by holding the trial
from day-to-day".

Appellant, in these proceedings, does not assail the correctness
of the view taken by the 5 Judge Bench on the question of the sanction.
G Appellant has confined his challenge to what he calls the constitutional
infirmity-and the consequent nullity-of the directions given as to
the transfer of the case to a Judge of the High Court.

In effctuation of the directions dated 16.2.1984 of this Court the
trial went on before three successive learned Judges of the High Court.
H It is not necessary here to advert to the reasons for the change of
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK {VENKATACHALIAH, J.] 95

Judges. It is, however, relevant to mention that when the matter was
A
before Khatri J. who was the first teamed Judge to be designated by
the Chief Justice on the High Court, the appellant challenged his
jurisdiction, on grounds which amounted to a challenge to the validity
of directions of this Court .for the transfer of the case. Khatri J. quite
obviously, felt bound to repel the challenge to his jurisdiction.
Learned Judge said appellant's remedy, if any was to seek a review of B
the directions dated 16.2.1984 at the hands of this Court.

Learned Judge also pointed out in his order dated 14.3.1984
what, according to him, was the true legal position permitting the
transfer of the case from the Special-Judge to be tried by the High
Court in exercise of its extra-ordinary original criminal jurisdiction. In
his order dated 16.3.1984, Khatri J. observed: c

" ....... Normally it is the exclusive jurisdiction of a
Special Judge alone to try corruption charges. This position
flows from Section 7 of the 1952 Act. However, this does
not mean that under no circumstances whatever, can trial D
of such offences be not tried by a Court of superior jurisdic-
tion than the Special Judge. I have no hesitation in contem-
plating at three situations in which a Court of Superior
jurisdiction could try such offence ...... "

"8. The third situation can be contemplated under the E
Code of Criminal· Procedure itself where a Court of
superior jurisdiction may have to try the special cases.
Admittedly, there are no special provisions in the 1952 Act
or 1947 Act relating to the transfer of special cases from
· one Court to the other. So by virtue of the combined opera-
tion of Sec. 8(3) of the 1952 Act and Section 4(2) of the F
Code of Criminal Procedure, the High Court will have
jurisdiction under Sec 407 of the Code in relation to the
special cases also. An examination of the provisions of Sec-
tion 407 leaves no doubt that where the requisite conditions
are fulfilled, the High Court will be within its legitimate
powers to direct that a special case be transferred to and G
tried before itself."

Appellant did not seek any review of the directions at the hands
of the Bench which had issued them, but moved in this Court a Writ
Petition No. 708 of 1984 under Article 32 of the Constitution assailing
the view taken by Khatri J. as to jurisdiction which in substance meant H
96 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

a challenge to the original order dated 16.2.1984 made by this court. A
A division Bench consisting of D.A. Desai and A.N. Sen, JJ. di~missed
the writ petition on 17.4.1984. Sen, J. speaking for the bench said:
.!
"In my view, the writ petition challenging the validity of
the order and judgment passed by this Court as nullity or
B otherwise is incorrect, cannot be entertained. I wish to
make it clear that the dismissal of this writ petition will not
prejudice the right of the petitioner to approach the Court
with an appropriate review petition or to file any other
application which he may be entitled in law to file."
(emphasis supplied)
c [A.R. Antulayv. Union, [1984] 3 SCR482]

This order has become final. Even then no review was sought.

It is also relevant to refer here to another pro,nouncement of a
D five Judge bench of this Court dated 5.4.1984 in R.S. Nayak v. A.R.
Antulay, [1984] 3 SCR 412 in Criminal misc. petition No. 1740 of 1984
disposing of a prayer for issue of certain directions as to the procedure
to be followed before the designated Judge of the High Court. The
bench referred to the provisions of law, which according to it, enabled
the transfer bt the trial of the criminal case to the High Court. The
E view taken by my two learned. Brothers, it is needless to emphasise,
has the effect of setting at naught this pronouncement of the five Judge
Bench as well. The five Judge bench considered the legal foundations
of the power to transfer and said:

" ............ To be precise, the learned Judge has
F to try the case according to the procedure prescribed for
cases instituted otherwise than on police report by Magis-
trate. This position is clearly an unambiguous in vie.v of the
fact that this Court while allowing the appeal was hearing
amongst others Transferred case No. 347 of 1983 being the
Criminal Revision Application No. 354 of 1983 on the file
G of the High Court of the Judicature at Bombay against the
order of the learned Special Judge, Shri R.B. Sule dis-
charging the accused. If the criminal revision application
was not withdrawn to this Court, the High Court while
hearing criminal revision application could have under
sec. 407(8), Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, would have
H to follow the same procedure which the Court of Special
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK !VENKATACHALIAH, J.) 97

Judge would have followed if the case would not have been
so transferred ..... " A
(emphasis supplied)

According to the Bench, the High Court's power under Section
407, Criminal Procedure Code for withdrawing to itself the case from a
Special Judge, who was, for this purpose, a Sessions Judge, was pre- B
served notwithstanding the exclusivity of the jurisdidion of the Special
Judge and that the Supreme Court was entitled to and did exercise that
power as the Criminal Review application pending in the High Court
had been withdrawn to the Supreme Court. The·main basis of appel-
lant's case is that all this is per-incurriam, without jurisdiction and a
nullity.
c
In the meanwhile Mehta J. was nominated by the Chief Justice of
the High Court in place of Khatri. J. In addition to the 17 witnesses
already examined by Khatri J. 41 more witnesses were examined for
the prosecution before Mehta J. of the 43 charges which the prosecu-
tion required to be framed in the case, Mehta J. declined to frame D
charges in respect of 22 and discharged the appellant of those alleged
offences. Again respondent No. 1 came up to this Court which by its
order dated 17.4.1986 in Criminal Appeal No. 658 of 1985, [reported
in (1985) 2 sec 716] set aside the order of discharge in regard to 22
offences and directed that charges be drawn in respect of them. This
Court also suggested that another Judge be nominated to take up the E
case. It is, thus, that Shah J came to conduct the further trial.

4. I may now tum to the occasion for the present appeal. In the
further proceedings before Shah J. the -appellant contended that some
of the alleged co-conspirators, some of whom had already been
examined as prosecution witnesses, and some others proposed to be so p
examined should also be included in the array of accused persons. This
prayer, Shah J had no hesitation to reject. It is against this order dated
24.7.1986 that the present appeal has come up. With this appeal as an
opening, appellant has raised directions of the five Judges Bench, on
16.2.1984; of the serious violations of his constitutional-rights; of a
hostile discrimination of having to face a trial before a Judge of the G
High Court instead of the Special-Judge, etc. A Division Bench con-
sisting of E.S. Venkataramiah and Sabyasachi Mukharji JJ. in view of
the seriousness of the grievances aired in the appeal, referred it to be
heard by a bench of seven Judges.

5. The actual decision of Shah J in the appeal declining to pro- H
98 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A ceed against the alleged co-conspirators is in a short compass. But the
appeal itself, has assumed a dimension far beyond the scope of the
order it seeks to be an appeal against. The appeal has become signifi-
cant not for its pale determined by the order under appeal; but more
for the collateral questions for which it has served as a spring board in
this Court.
B
6. Before going into these challenges, it is necessary to say
something on the merits of the order under appeal itself. An accused
person cannot assert any right to a joint trial with his co-accused.
Normally it is the right of the prosecution to decide whom it prose-
cutes. It can decline to array a person as a co-accused and, instead,
examine him as a witness for the prosecution. What weight is to be
c attached to that evidence, as it may smack of the testimony of a guilty
partner, in crime, is a different matter. Prosecution can enter Nolle
proseque against any accused-person. It can seek to withdraw a charge
against an accused person. These propositions are too well settled to
require any further elaboration. Suffice it to say that the matter is
D cooicluded by the pronouncement of this Court in Choraria v.
Mahara~htra, I1968] 2 SCR 624 where Hidayathullah J referred to the
argument that the accomplice, a certain Ethyl Wong in that case, had
also to be arrayed as an accused and repelled it, observing:

" ..... Mr. Jethmalani's argument that the Magis-
E trate.should have promptly put her in the dock because of
her incriminating answers overlooks S. 132 (proviso)".

" ..... The prosecution was not bound to prosecute
her, if they thought that her ev"dence was necessary to
break a smugglers' ring. Ethyl Wong was prosecuted by S.
F • 132 (proviso) of the Indian Evidence Act even if she gave
evidence incriminating herself. She was a competent wit-
ness although her evidence could only be received with the
caution necessary in all accomplice evidence ...... "

On this point, really, appellant cannot be heard to complain. Of
G the so called co-conspirators some have been examined already as
prosecution witnesses; some others proposed to be so examined; and

-
two others, it would appear, had died in t!ie interregnum. The appeal
on the point has no substance and would require to be dismissed. We
must now turn to the larger issue raised in the ap~eal.

H 7. While Shri P.P. Rao, learned Senior Counsel far the appel-
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [VENKATACHALIAH, J.]. 99

]ant, handling an otherwise delicate and sensitive issue, deployed all
•
t,, ! �al tools that a first rate legal-smithy could design, Shri Ram A
Je, ,,d]ani, learned Senior Counsel, however, pointed out the
impermissibility both as a matter of law and propriety of a different
bench embarking upon the present exercise which, in effect, meant the
exertion of an appellate and superior jurisdiction over the earlier five
Judge Bench and the precedential problems and anomalies such a B
course would create for the future.

8. The contentions raised and urged by Shri P .P, Rao admit of
being summarised and formulated thus:

(a) That Supreme Court has, and can, exercise only such
jurisdiction as is invested in it by the Constitution and the C
laws; that even the power under Article 142(1) is not unfet
tered, but is confined within the ambit of the jurisdiction
otherwise available to it; that the Supreme Court, like any
other court, cannot make any order that violates the law;
that Section 7(1) of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, D
1952, (1952 Act) envisages and sets-up a special and exclu
sive forum for trial of certain offences; that the direction
for trial of those offences by a Judge of the High Court is
wholly without jurisdiction and void; and that 'Nullity' of
the order could be set up and raised whenever and where-
ver the order is sought to be enforced or effectuated; E

(b) That in directing a Judge of the High Court to try the
case the Supreme Court virtually sought to create a new
jurisdiction and a new forum not existent in and recognised
by law and has, accordingly, usurped Legislative powers,
violating the basic tenets of the doctrine of separation of F
powers;.

(c) That by being singled out for trial by the High Court,
appellant is exposed to a hostile discrimination, violative of
his fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 and if the
principles in State of West Bengal v. Anwar Ali Sarkar, G
[1952] SCR 284. The law applicable to Anwar Ali Sarckr
should equally apply to Abdul Rahman Antulay.

(d) That the directions for transfer were issued withom
affording an opportunity to the appellant of being hear�
and therefore void as violative of Rules of Natural Justice. H
100 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A (e) That the transfer of the case to the High Court
deprived appellant of an appeal, as of right, to the High
·~.
Court. At least one appeal, as of right is the minimal con-
stitutional safeguard.

B (f) That any order iqcluding a judicial order, even if it be
of the highest Court, which violates the fundamental rights
of a person is a nullity and can be assailed by a petition
under Article 32 of the Constitution on the principles laid
down in Prem Chand Garg v. Excise Commissioner, UP.,
[1963] 1SCR885.
c (g) That, at all events, the order dated 16.2.1984 in so far
as the impugned direction is concerned, is per incuriam
passed ignoring the express statutory provisions of Section
7(1) of Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1952, and the
earlier decision of this Court in Gurucharan Das Chadha·v.
D State of Rajasthan, [1966] 2 SCR 678.

(h) That the direction for transfer of the case is a clear and
manife,t case of mistake committed by the Court and that
when a person is pr~judiced by a mistake of Court it is the
duty of the Court to correct its own mistake: Actus Curiae
E N ominem Gravabit.

9. Courts are as much human institutions as any other and share
all human susceptibilities to error. Justice Jackso~ said:

" ........ Whenever decisions of one Court are reviewed
F by another, a percentage of them are reversed. That
reflects a difference in outlook normally found between
personnel comprising different courts. However, reversal
by a higher court is not proof that justice is thereby better
done. There is no doubt that if there were a super-Supreme
Court a substantial proportion of our reversals of state
G Courts would also be reversed. We are not final because we
are infallible, but we are infallible only because we· are
final."

H
(See Brown v. Allen, [1944] US 443 at 540.

In Broom v. Cassel, [1972] AC 1027 (at 1131}Lord Diplock said: -
A.R. ANTULAY 1•. R.S. NAYAK IVENKATACHALIAH, J.] JO]

" ...... It is inevitable in a hierarchical system of, .courts A
that there are decisions of the supreme appellate tribunal
which do not attract the unanimous approval of all mem-
bers of the judiciary. When I sat in Court of Appeal I
sometimes thought the House of Lords was wrong in over
ruling me. Even since that time there have been occasions,
of which the instant appeal itself is one, when, alone or in B
company, I have dissented from a decision of the majority
of this House. But thejudicial system only works if someone
is allowed to have the last word and if that last word, once
spoken, is loyally accepted."

Judge Learned Hand, referred to as one of the most profound
legal minds in the jurisprudence of the English speaking world, com-
c
mended the Cromwellian intellectual humility and desired that these
words of Cromwell be written over the portals of every church, over
court house and at every cross road in the nation: "! beseech ye
....................... think that ye may be mistaken."
D
As a learned author said, while infallibility is an unrealisable
ideal, "correctness", is often a matter of opinion. An erroneous deci-
sion must be as binding as a correct one. It would be an unattainable
ideal to require the binding effect of a judgment to defend on its being
correct in the absolute, for the test <If correctness would be resort to
another Court the infallibility of which is, again subject to a similar E
further investigation. No self-respecting Judge would wish to act if he
did so at the risk of being called a usurper whenever he failed to
anticipate and predict what another Judge thought of his conclusions.
Even infallibility would not protect him he would need the gift of
prophecy-ability to anticipate the fallibilities of others as well. A
proper perception of means and ends of the judicial process, that in F
the interest of finality it is inevitable to make some compromise bet-
ween its ambitions of ideal justice in absolute terms and its limitations.

10. Re: Contentions (a) ar.d (b): In the course of arguments we
were treated to a wide ranging, and no less interesting, submissions on
the concept of "jurisdiction" and "nullity" in relation to judicial G
orders. Appellant cont~nds that the earlier bench had no jurisdictioi\'
to issue the impugned directions which were without any visible legal
support, that they are 'void' as violative of the constitutional-rights.of
~ the appellant, and, also as violating the Rules of natural justice.
Notwithstanding these appeal to high-sounding and emotive appellate-
ous; I have serious reservations about both the permissibility-in these H
102 SUPREME COURT REPORTS 11988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A proceedings-of an examination of the merits of these challenges. Shri
Rao's appeal to the principle of "nullity" and reliance on a collateral
challenge in aid thereof suffers from a basic fallacy as to the very
concept of the jurisdiction of superior courts. In relation to the powers
of superior courts, the familiar distinction between jurisdictional
issues and adjudicatory issues-appropriate to Tribunals of limited
B jurisdiction,-has no place. Before a superior court there is no distinc-
tion in the quality of the decision-making-process respecting jurisdic-
tional questions on the one hand and ad judicatory issues or issues
pertaining to the merits, on the other.

11. The expression "jurisdiction" or the power to determine is,
it is said, a verbal cast of many colours. In the case of a Tribunal, an
c error of law might become not merely an error in jurisdiction but
might partake of the character of an error of jurisdiction. But,
otherwise, jurisdiction is a 'legal shelter'-a power to bind despite a
possible error in the decision. The existence of jurisdiction does not
depend on the correctness of its exercise. The authority to decide
O embodies a privilege to bind despite error, a privilege which is
inherent in and indispensable to every judicial function. The charac-
teristic attribute of a judicial act is that it binds whether it be right or it
be wrong. In Malkarjun v. Narahari, 11900] 27 I.A. 216 the executing
Court had quite wrongly, held that a particular person represented the
estate of the deceased Judgment-debtor and put the property for sale
E in execution. The judicial committee said:

"In doing so, the Court was exercising its jurisdiction. It
made a sad mistake, it is true; but a court has jurisdiction to
decide wrong as efe!l as right. If it decides wrong, the
wronged party can only take the course prescribed by law
F for setting matters right and if that course is not taken the
decision, however wrong, caunot be disturbed."

In the course of the arguments there were references to the
Anisminic case. In my view, reliance on the Anisminic principle is
wholly misplaced in this case. That case related to the powers of Tri-
\J bunals of limited jurisdiction. It would be a mistake of first magnitude
to import these inhibitions as to jurisdiction into the concept of the
jurisdiction of superior courts. A finding of a superior court even on a
question of its own jurisdiction, however grossly erroneous it may,
otherwise be, is not a nullity; nor one which could at all be said to have
been reached without jurisdiction, susceptible to be ignored or to
H admit of any collateral-attack. Otherwise, the adjudications of
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [VENKATACHALIAH, J.] !03

superior courts would be held-up to ridicule and the remedies gener-
ally arising from and considered concomitants of such classification of A
judicial-errors would be So seriously abused and expanded as to make
a mockery of those foundational principles essential to the stability of
administration of justice.

The superior court has jurisdiction to determine its own jurisdic- .s
tion and an error in that determination does not make it an error of
jurisdiction. Holdsworth (History of English Law vol. 6 page 239) refers '
to the theoritical possibility of a judgment of a superior' court being a
nullity if it had acted coram-non-judice. But who will decide that ques-
tion if the infirmity stems from an act of the Highest Court in the land?
It was observed:
c
" ... It follows that a superior court has jurisdiction
to determine its own jurisdiction; and that therefore an
erroneous conclusion as to the ambit of its jurisdiction is
merely an abuse of its jurisdiction, and not an act outside
its jurisdiction ...... " D

" ... In the second place, it is grounded upon tile fact
that, while the judges of the superior courts are answerable
only to God and the king, the judges of the inferior courts
are answerable to the superior courts for any excess of
jurisdiction ... " E

'Theoritically the judge of a superior court might be
liable if he acted coram non judice; but there is no legal
tribunal to enforce that liability. Thus both lines of reason-
ing led to the same conclusion-the total immunity of the
judges of the superi<?f courts." F

Rubinstein in his "Jurisdiction and Illegality" says:

" .... In practice, every act made by a superior court
is always deemed valid (though, possibly, voidable) where-
ver it is relied upon. This exclusion from the rules of vali- G
dity is indispensable. Superior courts knew the final arbiters
of the validity of acts done by other bodies; their \)wn deci-
sions must be immune from collateral attack unless confu-
sion is to reign. The superior courts decisions lay down the
rules of validity but are not governed by these rules."
(See P. 12) H
104 SUPREME COURT REPORTS 11988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A clear reference to inappositeness and limitations of the
A Anisminic Rule in relation to Superior Court so to be found in the
opinion of Lord Diplock in Re Racal Communications Ltd. 11980 2 All
E.R. 634], thus:

"There is in my view, however, also an obvious dis-
B tinction between jurisdiction conferred by a statute on a
court of law of limited jurisdiction to decide a defined ques-
tion finally and conclusively oi unappealably, and a similar
jurisdiction conferred on the High Court or a judge of the
High Court acting in his judicial capacity. The High Court
is not a court of limited jurisdiction and its constitutional
role indudes the interpretation of written laws. There is
c • thus no room for the inference that Parliament did not
intend the High Court or the judge of the High Court act-
ing in his judicial capacity to be entitled and, indeed, re-
quired to construe the words of the statute by which the
question submitted to his decision was defined. There is
D simply no room for error going to his jurisdiction, or as is
conceded by counsel for the respondent, is there any room
for judicial review. Judicial review is available as a remedy
for mistakes of law made by inferior courts and tribunals
only. Mistakes of law made by judges of the High Court
acting in their judicial capacity as such can be corrected
E only by means of appeal to an appellate court and if, as in
the instant case, the statute provides that the judge's deci-
sion shall not be appealable, they cannot be corrected at
all."
!See page 639 & 640].

F In the same case, Lord Salmon, said:

"The Court of Appeal, however, relied strongly on
the decision of your Lordship's House in Anisminic Ltd. v.
Foreign Compensation Commission, 11969) l All ER 209.
That decision however was not, in my respectful view in
G any way relevant to the present appeal. It has no applica-
tion to any decision or order made at first instance in the
High Court of Justice. It is confined to decisions made by
commissioners, tribunals or inferior courts which can now
be reviewed by the High Court of Justice, just as the deci-
sion of inferior courts used to be reviewed by the old Court
H of King's Bench under the prerogative writs. If and when
·:,

A.R. ANTULAY 1·. R.S. Ni\Yi\K IVENK/\TACHALIAH, .I.I 105

any such review is made hy. the High Court, it cm1 he A
appealed to the Court of Appeal and hence, by IC'\VC, to
your Lordship's House. [See page 641].

Again in Issac v. Robertson, [1984] 3 All E.R. 140 the Privy
Council reiterated the fallacy of speaking in the language of Nullity,
void, etc., in relation to Judgments of superior courts. It was pointed H
out that it could only be called 'irregular'. Lord Diplock observed:

"Their Lordships would, however, take this opportunity to
point out that in relation to orders of a court of unlimited
jurisdiction it is misleading to seek to draw distinctions
between orders that arc 'void' in the sense that they can be
ignored with impunity by those persons to whom they are ·C
addressed, and orders that are 'voidable' and may be
enforced unless and until they are set aside. Dicta that
refers to the possibility of these being such a distinction
between orders to which the description 'void' and 'void-
' able' respectively have been applied can be found in the D
opinion given by the judicial committee of the Privy
Council in Marsh v. Marsh, [ 1945] AC 271 at 284 and Max-
foy v. United Africa Co. Ltd., [1961] All EWR 1169. [1962]
AC 152, but in neither of those appeals nor in any other
case to which counsel has been able to refer their Lordships
has any order of a court of unlimited jurisdiction been held E
to fall in a category of court orders that can simply be
ignored because they are void ipso facto without there
being any need for proceeding to have them set aside. The
cases that are referred to in these dicta do not support the
proposition that there is any category of orders of a court of
unlimited jurisdiction of this kind ..... " f'

"The contrasting legal concepts of voidness nnd voi-
dability form part of the English Law of contract. They are
inapplicable to orders made by a court of unlimited jurisd-
iction in the course of contentious litigation. Such an order
' is either irregular or regular. If it is irrcgu lar it can be set G
aside by the court that made it on application to that court:
if it is regular it can only be set aside by an appellate court
on appeal if there is one to which an appeal lies. "[Sec page
143] .

Superior courts apart, even the ordinary civil conrts of the land H
106 SUPREME COURT REPORTS 11988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

have jurisdiction to decide questions of their own jurisdiction. This
A Court, in the context of the question whether the provisions of
Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control Act, 1947,
w·as not attracted t() the premises in question and whether, conse-
quently, the exclusion under Section 28 of that Act, of the jurisdiction
of all courts other than the Court of Small Causes in Greater Bombay
B did not operate, observed:

" ..... The crucial point, therefore, in order to de-
termine the C! uestion of the jurisdiction of the City Civil
Court to entertain the suit, is to ascertain whether, in view
of Section 4 of the Act, the Act applies to the premises at
all. If it does, the City Civil Court has no jurisdiction but if
c it does not then it has such jurisdiction. The question at
once arises as to who is to decide this point in controversy. I-
· It is well settled that a Civil Court has inherent power to
decide the question of its own jurisdiction, although, as a
result of its enquiry, it may turn out that it has no jurisdic-
D tion over the suit. Accordingly, we think, in agreement
with High Court that this preliminary objection is not well
;
founded in principle or on authority and should be re jec- 1
ted." !See AIR 1953 (SC) 16 at 19. Bhatia Co-operative
Housing Society Ltd. v. D.C. Patell

E It would, in my opinion, be wholly erroneous to characterise the
directions issued by the five Judge bench as a nullity,.amenable to be
ignored or so declared in a collateral attack.

12. A judgment, inter-parties, is final and concludes the parties.
In Re Hastings (No. 3) 11959] 1 All ER 698, the question arose
F whether despite the refusal of a writ of Habeas Corpus by a Divisional
Court of..4he Queen's bench, the petitioner had, yet, a right to apply
for the writ in the Chancery Division. Harman J. called the supposed
, right an illusion:

"Counsel for the applicant, for whose argument I for
G one am much indebted, said that the clou oi his case as this,
that there still was this right to go from Judge to Judge, and
that if that were not so the whole structure would come to
the ground .... "

"I think that the Judgment of the Queen's bench
H Divisional Court did make it clear that this supposed right
-t

A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [VENKATACHALIAH, J.] 107

was an illusion. If that be right, the rest follows. Ni:J body
doubts that there was a right to go from court to court; as A
my Lord has already explained. There are no different
courts now to go to. The courts that used to sit in bane have
been swept away and their places taken by Divisional •
Courts, which are entirely the creatures of statute and rule.
Applications for a writ of habeas corpus are assigned by the B
rule to Divisional Courts of the Queen's Bench Division,
and that is the only place to which a applicant may go
...... "[See page 701]

. In Daryao v. State of U.P., 11962] 1SCR574 it w11s held:

"It is in the interest of the public at large th&t a final- C
ity should attach to the binding decisions .pronounced by
courts of competent jurisdiction, and it is also in the public
interest that individuals should not be vexed twice over
with the same kind of litigation. If these two principles
form the foundation of the general rule of res-judicata they D
· cannot be treated as irrelevant or inadmissible. even in de'!l-
ing with fundamental rights in petitions filed under Article
32". [See page 5831.

In Trilok Chand v. H.B. Munshi, I 1969] 2 SCR 824 Bachawat J.
recognised the same limitations even in matter pertaining to the con- E
ferment of fundamental rights.

" .... The right to move this Court for enforcement
of fundamental rights is guaranteed by Article 32. The writ
under Article 32 issues as a matter of course if a breach of
a fundamental right is established. But this does not mean F
that in giving relief under Article 32 the Court must ignore
and trample under foot all laws of procedure, evidence,
limitation, res judicata and the like .... "

" .... the object of the statutes of limitation was to
give effect to the maxim 'interest reipublicae ut sit finis G
litium' (Cop Litt 303)-the interest of the State requires
that there should be a limit to litigation. The rule of res
judicata is founded upon the same rule of public policy
...... "!See page 842 and 8431

It is to be recalled that an earlier petition, W.P. No. 708 of 1984 H
108 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. I S.C.R.

A under Article 32 moved before this Court had been dismissed, reserv-
ing leave to the appellant to seek review.

· The words of Venkataramiah J in Sheonandan Paswan v. State of
Bihar, [ 1987] 1 SCC 288 at 343 are apt and are attracted to the present
case:
B
"The reversal of the earlier judgment of this court by
this process strikes at the finality of judgments of this Court
and would amount to the abuse of the power of review vested
in this Court, particularly in a criminal case. It may be
noted that no other court in the country has been given the
power of review in criminal cases. I am of the view that the
c majority judgment of Baharul Islam and R.B. Misra, JJ.
should remain undisturbed. This case cannot be converted
into an appeal against the earlier decision of this Court."
(Emphasis supplied)

D 13. The exclusiveness of jurisdiction of the special judge under
Section 7(1) of 1952 Act, in turn, depends on the construction to be
placed on the relevant statutory-provision. If on such a construction,
howev_er erroneous it may be, the court holds that the operation of
Sec. 407, Cr.P.C. is not excluded. that interpretation will denude the
plenitude of the exclusivity claimed for the forum. To say that the
E court usurped legislative powers and created a new jurisdiction and a
new forum ignores the basic concept of functioning of courts. The
power t.o interpret laws is the domain and function of courts. Even in
regard to the country's fundamental-law as a Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States said: "but the Constitution is what ;
the judges say it is". In Thomas v. Collins, 323 ( 1945) US 516 it was
F said:

"The case confronts us again with the duty our system
places on this Court to say where the individual's freedom
ends and the State's power begins. Choice on that border,
now as always is, delicate .... "
G
I am afraid appellant does himself no service by resting his case
on these high conceptual fundamentals.

14. The pronou.ncements of every Division-Bench of this Court
are pronouncements of the Court itself. A larger bench, merely on the
H strength of its numbers, cannot un-do the finality of the decisions of
A.R: ANTULAY v. R.S.-NAYAK [VENKATACHALIAH, J.] 109

other division benches. If the decision suffers from an error the only
way to correct it, is to go in Review under Article 137 read with Order A
40 Rule I framed under Article 145 before "as far as is practicable" the
same judges. This is not a matter merely of some dispensable pro-
cedural 'form' but the requirement of substance. The reported deci-
sions on the review power under the Civil Procedure Code when it had
a similar provision for the same judges hearing the matter demonstrate B
the high purpose sought io be served thereby.·

15. In regard to the concept of Collateral Attack on Judicial
Proceedings it is instructive to recall some observations of Van Fleet
on the limitations-and their desirability-on such actions.

"One who does not understand the theory of a science, c
who has no clear conception of its principles, cannot apply
it with certainty to the problems; it is adapted to solve. In
order to understand the principles which govern in deter-
mining the validity of RIGHTS AND TITLES depending
upon the proceedings of judicial tribunals, generally called D
the doctrine of COLLATERAL ATTACK ON JUDG-
MENTS, it is necessary to have a clear conception of the
THEORY OF JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS ..... "

" - - - __ And as no one would think of holding a judgment of
the court of last resort void if its jurisdiction were debatable E
or even colorable, the· same rule must be applied to ihe
judgments of all judicial tribunals. This is the true theory of
judicial action when viewed collaterally. If any jurisdic-
tional question is debatable or colorable, the tribunal must
decide it; and an erroneous conclusion can any be corrected
by some proceeding provided by law for so doing, com- F
monly called a Direct Attack. It is only where it can be
shown lawfully, that some matter or thing essential to
jurisdiction is wanting, that the proceeding is void,
collaterally.

It is the duty of the courts to set their faces against all G
collateral assaults on judicial proceedings for two reasons,
namely: First. Not one case in a hundred has any merits in it

"_ .... Second. The second reason why the courts should
reduce the chances for a successful collateral attack to the H
110 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [J9ss1 Supp. 1 S.C.R.
lowest minimum is, that they bring the courts themselves
A into disrepute: Many people look upon the courts as placed
where jugglery and smartness are substituted for justice
"

" ...... Such things tend to weaken law and order and to
B cause men to settle their rights by violence. For these
reasons, when the judgment rendered did not exceed the
possible power of the court, and the notice was sufficient to
put the defendant upon inquiry, a court should hesitate
long before holding the proceedings void collaterally
"
(emphasis supplied)
c
16. But in certain cases, motions to set aside Judgments are
permitted where, for instance a judgment was rendered in ignorance of
the fact that a necessary party had not been served at all, and was
wrongly shown as served or in ignorance of the fact that a necessary-
D party had died and the estate was not represented. Again, a judgment
obtained by fraud could be subject to an action for setting it aside.
Where such a·judgment obtained by fraud tended to prejudice a non-
party, as in the case of judgments in-rem such as for divorce, or jactita-
t\on or probate etc. eve!). a person, not eo-nomine a party to the
proceedings, could seek a setting-aside of the judgment.
E
Where a party has had no notice and a decree is made against
him, he can approach the court for setting-aside the decision. In such a
case the party is said to become entitled to relief ex-debito justitiae, on
proof of the fact that there was no service. This is a class of cases where
there is no trial at all and tlie judgment is for default. D.N. Gordan, in
F his "Actions to set aside judgments." (1961 77 Law Quarterly Review
356) says:

"The more familiar applications to set aside judgments are
those made on motion and otherwise summarily. But th~e
are judgments obtained by default, which do not represent
G a judicial determination. In general, Judgments rendered
after a trial are conclusive between the parties unless and
until reversed on appeal. Certainly in general judgments of
superior courts cannot be overturned or questioned bet-
ween the parties in collateral actions. Yet there is a type of
collateral action known as an action of review, by which (
H even a superior court's judgment can be questioned, even
between the parties, and set aside ..... "
. A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [VENKATACHALIAH, J.J 111

Cases of such frank failure of natural justice are obvious cases A
where relief is granted as of right. Where a person is not actually
served but is held erroneously, to have been served, he can agitate that
grievance only in that forum or in any further proceeding therefrom.
In Issac's case [1984] 3 All ER 140 privy council referred to:

" ............ , ... a category of orders of such a court B
which a person affected by the order is entitled to apply to
have set aside ex-debito justitiae in exercise of the inherent
jurisdiction of the court without needing to have recourse
to the Rule>i that deal expressly with proceedings to set-
aside orders for irregularity and give to the judge a discre-
tion as to the order he will make".
c
In the present case by the order dated 5.4.1984 a five judge
bench set-out, what according to it, was, the legal basis and source of
jurisdiction to order transfer. On 17.4.1984 appellant's writ petition
challenging that transfer as a nullity was dismissed. These orders are
not which appellant is entitled to have set-aside ex-debito justitiae by D
another bench. Reliance on the observations in Issac's case is wholly
misplaced.

The decision of the Privy Council in Rajunder Narain Rae v. Bijai
Govind Singh, [2 NIA 181] illustrates the point. Referring to the law
on the matter, Lord Brougham saiO: E

"It is unquestionably the strict rule, and ought to be dis-
tinctly understood as such, that no cause in this Court can
be re-heard, and that an Order once made, that is, a report
submitted to His Majesty and adopted, by being made an
Order in Council, is final, and cannot be altered. The same F
is the case of the judgments of the House of Lords, that is,
of the Court of Parliament, or of the King in Parliament as
it is sometimes expressed, the only other supreme tribunal
in this country. Whatever, therefore, has been really de-
termined in these Courts must stand, there being no power
of re-hearing for purpose of changing the judgment pro- G
nounced; nevertheless, if by misprision in embodying the
judgments, errors have been introduced, these Courts pos-
sess, by common law, the same power which the Courts of
Record and Statute have of rectifying the mistakes which
have crept in. The Courts of Equity may correct the
Decrees made while they are in minutes; when they are H
112 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988[ Supp. 1 S.C.R.

complete they can only vary them by re-hearing; and when
they are signe_d and enrolled they can no longer be re-
heard, but they must be altered, if at all, by Appeal. The
Courts of Law, after the term in which the judgments are
given can only alter them so as to correct misprisions, a
power given by the Statutes of Amendment. The House of
B Lords exercises a similar power of rectifying mistakes made
in drawing up its own judgments, and this Court must pos-
sess the same authority. The Lords have, however, gone a
step further, and have corrected mistakes introduced
through inadvertence in the details of judgments; or have
supplied manifest defects, in order to enable the Decrees to
be enforced, or have added explanatory matter, or have
c reconciled inconsistencies. But with the exception of one
case in 1669, of doubtful authority, here, and another in
Parliament of still less weight in 1642 (which was an Appeal
from the Privy Council to Parliament, and at a time when
the Government was in an unsettled state), no instance, it
is believed, can be produced of a rehearing upon the whole
cause, and an entire alteration of the judgment once pro-
nounced ..... "

17. The second class of cases where a judgment is assailed for
fraud, is illustrated by the Duchess qf Kingston's case (1776 2 Sm. L.C.
E 644 13th Ed.). In that case, the Duchess was prosecuted for bigamy on
the allegation that she entered into marriage while her marriage to
another person, a certain Hervey, was still subsisting. In her defence,
the Duchess relied upon a decree of jactitation from an ecclesiastical
court which purported to show that she had never been married to
Hervey. The prosecution sought to get over this on the allegation the
F decree was obtained in a sham and collusive proceeding. The House of
Lords held the facts established before Court rendered the decree
nugatory and was incapable of supplying that particular defence. De
Grey CJ said that the collusive decree was not be impeached from
within; yet like all other acts of the highest authority, it is impeachable
from without, although it is not permitted to show that the court was
G mistaken, it may be shown that they were misled. Fraud which affected
the judgment was described by the learned Chief Justice as an
"extrinsic collateral act, which vitiates the most solemn proceedings of
courts of justice."

18. The argument of nullity is too tall and has no place in this
ijJ case. The earlier direction proceeded on a construction of Section 7(1)
-
A.R. ANTULAY 1•. R.S. NAYAK [VENKATACHALIAH, J.] 113

of the Act and Section 407 Cr.P.C. We do not sit here in appeal over A
what the five Judge bench said and p'roclaim how wrong they were. We
are, simply, not entitled to embark, at a later stage, upon an investiga-
tion of the correctness of the very same decision. The same bench can,
of course, reconsider the mattP,r under Article 137.. ···•
;I

However, even to the extent the argument goes that the High B
Court under Section 407 Cr.P.C. could not withdraw to itself a trial
from Special-Judge under the 1952 Act, the view of the earlier bench.is
a possible view. The submissions of Shri Ram Jethmalani that the
exclusivity of the jurisdiction claimed for the special forum under the
1952 Act is in relation to Courts which would, otherwise, be Courts of
competing or co-ordinate jurisdictions and that such exclusivity does
not effec\ the superior jurisdiction of the High Court to withdraw, in
c
appropriate situations, the case to itself in exercise of its extra-
ordinary original criminal jurisdiction; that canons of Statutory-cons-
truction, appropriate to the situation, require that the exclusion of
jurisdiction implied in the 1952 amending Act should not be pushed
beyond the purpose sought to be served by the amending law; and that D
the law while creating the special jurisdiction did not seek to exclude
the extra-ordinary jurisdiction of the High Court are not without
force. The argument, relying upon Kavasji Pestonji Dalal v. Rustomji
Sorabji JamGdar & Anr., AIR 1949 Bombay 42 that while the ordinary
··~ competing jurisdictions of other Courts were excluded, the extra-
ordinary jurisdiction of the High Court was neither intended to be, E
nor, in fact, affected, is a matter which would also bear serious exami-
nation. In Sir Francis Bennion's Statutory Interpretation, there are
passages at page 433 which referring to presumption against implied
-.• repeal, suggest that in view of the difficulties in determining whether
an implication of repeal was intended in a particular situation itwould
be a reasonable presumption that where the legislature desired a F
repeal, it would have made it plain by express words. In Sutherland
Statutory construction the following passages occur:

"Prior statutes relating to the same subject matter are
to be compared with the new provisions; and if possible by
reasonable construction, both are to be so construed that G
effect is given to every provision of each. Statutes in pari
materia although in apparent conflict, are so far as reason-
ably possible constructed to be in harmony with each
other."
(Emphasis supplied)
H
114 SUPREMI;: COURT REPORTS [19881 Supp. 1 S.C.R.

"When the legislature enacts a provision, it has
A
before it a 11 the other provisions relating to the same.sub-
ject matter which it enacts at that time, whether in the
same statute or in a separate Act. It is evident that it has in
mind the provisions of a prior Act to which it refers,
whether it phrases the later Act as amendment or an in-
B dependent Act. Experience indicates that a legislature does
not deliberately enact inconsistent provisions when it is rec-
ogzant of them both, without expressly recognizing the
inconsistency."
(emphasis supplied)

Reliance by Shri Ram Jethmalani on these principles to support
c his submission that the power under Section 407 was unaffected and
that the decision in State of Rajasthan v. Gurucharan Das-
- Chadda (supra), can not also be taken to have concluded the matter, is
not un-arguable. I would, therefore, hold contentions (a) and (b)
against appellant.

19. Re: contention (c):

The fundamental right under Article 14, by all reckoning, has a
very high place in constitutional scale of values. Before a person is
deprived of his personal liberty, not only that the Procedure establis-
E hed by law must strictly be complied with and not departed from to the
disadvantage or detriment of the person but also that the procedure
for such deprivation of personal liberty must be reasonable, fair and
just. Article 21 imposes limitations upon the procedure and requires it
to conform to such standards of reasonableness, fairness and justness
as the Court acting as sentinal of fundamental rights would in the
F context, consider necessary and requisite. The court will be the arbiter
of the question whether the procedure is reasonable, fair and just.

If the operation of Section 407, Cr.P.C. is not impliedly excluded
and therefore, enables the withdrawal of a case by the High Court to
itself for trial as, indeed, has been held by the earlier bench, the
G argument based on Article 14 would really amount to a challenge to
the very vires of Section 407. All accused persons cannot claim to be
tried by the same Judge. The discriminations-inherent in the choice
of one of the concurrent jurisdictions-are not brought about by an
inanimate statutory-rule or by executive fiat. The withdrawal of a case
under Section 407 is made by a conscious judicial act and is the result
H of judicial discernment. If the law permits the withdrawal of the trial to
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NA~AK [VENKATACHAhlAH, J.] 115

the High Court from a Special Judge, such a Jaw enabling withdrawal
A
would not, prima facie, be bad as violation of Ar.tide 14. The five
Judge bench in the earlier case has held that such a transfer is permissi-
ble under law. The appeal to the principle in Anwar Ali Sarkar's case
(supra), in such a context would be somewhat outof place.

B
If the law did not permit such a transfer then the trial before a
forum which is not according to law violates the rights of the accused
person. In the earlier decision the transfer has been held to be permis-
sible. That decision has assumed finality.

If appellant says that he is singled out for a hostile 'treatment on
the ground alone that he is exposed to a trial before a Judge of the c
. High Court then the submission has a touch of irony. Indeed that a
trial by a Judge of the High Court makes for added re-assurance of
justice, has been recognised in a number of judicial pronouncement.
Th" argument that a Judge of the High Court may not necessarily
possess the statutory-qualifications requisite for being appointed as a D
Special Judge appears to be specious. A judge of the High Court hears
appeals arising from the decisions of the Special Judge, and exercises a
jurisdiction which includes powers co-extensive with that of the trial
court. There is, thus, no substance in contention (c).

21. Re: Contention(d): E

This grievance is not substantiated on facts; nor, having regard to
the subsequent course.of events permissible to be raised at this stage.
These directions, it is not disputed, were issu~d on 16.2.1984 in the
open Court in the presence of appellant's learned counsel at the time
of pronouncement of the judgment. Learned counsel had the right and F
the opportunity of making an appropriate submission to the court as to
the permissibility or otherwise of the transfer. Even if the submissions
of Shri Ram Jethmala.ni that in a revision application Section 403 of
the Criminal Procedure Code does not envisage a right of being heard
and that transfer of a case to be ttied by the Judge of the High Court
cannot, in the estimate of any right thinking person, be said to be G
detrimental to the accused person is not accepted, however, applicant,
by his own conduct, has disentitled himself to make grievance of it in
these proceedings. It cannot be said that after the directions were
..., pronounced and before the order was signed there was no opportunity
for the appellant's learned counsel to make any submissions in regard
to the allege.d illegality or impropriety of the directions. Appellant.did H
116 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [19881 Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A- not utilise the opportunity. That apart, even after being told by two
judicial orders that appellant, if aggrieved, may seek a review, he did
not do so. Even the grounds urged in the many subsequent proceed-
ings appellant took to get rid of the effect of the direction do not
appear to. include the grievance that he had no opportunity of being
heard. Where, as here, a party having had an opportunity to raise a
B grievance in the earlier proceedings does not do so and makes it a
technicality later he cannot be heard to complain. Even in respect of so
important jurisdiction as Habeas Corpus, the observation of Gibson J
in Re. Tarling [1979] 1 All E.R. 981at987 are significant:

"Firstly, it is clear to the Court that an applicant for
habeas corpus is required to put forward on his initial appli-
c cation then whole of the case which is then fairly available
to him he is not free to advance an application on one
ground, and to keep back a separate ground of application
as a basis for a second or renewed ·application to the Court.

D The true doctrine of estoppel known as res judicata
does not apply to the decision of this Court on an applica-
tion for habeas corpus we refer to the words of Lord Parke!
CJ delivering the Judgment of the Court in Re. Hastings
(No. 2). There is, however, a wider sense in which the
doctrine of res judicata may be applicable, whereby it
becomes an abuse of process to raise in subsequent pro-
ceedings matters which could, and therefore, should have
been litigated in earlier proceedings ....... "

This statement of the law by Gibson J was approved by Sir John
Donaldson MR in the Court of appeal in Ali v. Secretary of State for
f the Home Department, [1984] I All E.R. 1009 at 1019.

Rules of natural justice embodies fairness in-action. By all
standards, tney are great assurances of Justice and fairness. But they
should not be pushed to a breaking point. It is not inappropriate to
recall what Lord Denning said in R.-v. Secretary of State for the Home
G Department ex-parte Mugha/, I 1973] 3 All ER 796:

'" ...... The rules of natural justice must not be stretched
to'o far. Only too often the people who have done wrong
seek to invoke the rules of natural justice so as to avoid the
consequences.
H
Contention (d) is insubstantial.
···:

A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [VENKATACHALIAH, J.J 117

22. Re. Contention (e):
A
The contention that the transfer of the case to the High Court
involves the elimination of the appellant's right of appeal to the High
Court which he would otherwise have and that the appeal under Arti-
cle 136 of the Constitution is not as of right may not be substantial in
view of Section 374, Cr. P.C. which provides such an appeal as of B
right, when the triahs held by the High Court. There is no substance in
contention (e) either.

23. Re. Contention (f):

The argument is that the earlier order of the five Judge bench in
so far as it violates the fundamental rights .of .the appellant under C
Article 14 and 21.must be held to be void and amenable to challenge
under Article 32 in this very Court and that the decision of this Court
in Premchand Garg's case (supra) supports such a position. As rightly
pointed out by Ranganath Misra, J. Premchand Garg's case needs to
be understood in the light of the observations made in Naresh Sridhar D
Mirajkar & Ors. v. State of Maharashtra & Anr., [1966] 3 SCC 744. In
Mirajkar's case, Gajendragadkar, CJ., who had himself delivered the
opinion in Garg's case, noticed the contention based on Garg's case
thus:

"In support of his argument that a judicial decision E
can be corrected by this Court in exercise of its writ juris-
diction under Article 32(2), Mr. Setalvad hasrelied upon
another decision of this Court in Prem Chand Garg v.
Excise Commi.<sioner, UP, Allahabad (supra) ..... "

Learned Cliief Justice referring to the scope of the matter that F
fell for consideration in Garg's case stated:

" . . . . . It would thus be seen that the main con-
troversy in the case of Prem Chand Garg centered round
the question as to whether Article 145 conferred powers on
this Court to make rules, though they may be incon~istent G
with the constitutional provisions prescribed by part III.
Once it as held that the powers under Article 142 had to be
!ffi"tl. read subject not only to the fundamental rights, but to
other binding statutory provisions, it became clear that the
ruler which authorised the making of the impugned order
was invalid. It was in that context that the validity of the H
"

118 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

order had to be incidentally .examined. The petition was
A made not to challenge the order as such, but to challenge
the validity of the rule under which the order was made
"

Repelling the contention, learned Chief Justice said:
B
" ..... It is difficult to see now this decision can be
pressed into service by Mr. Setalvad in support of the argu-
ment that a judicial order passed by this Court was held to
be subject to the writ jurisdiction of this Court itself ..... "

A passage from Kadish&. Kadish "Discretion to Disobey", 1973
c Edn. may usefully by recalled:

"On one view, it would appear that !\le right of a
citizen to defy illegitimate judicial authority should be the
same as his right to defy illegitimate legislative authority.
D After all, ifa rule that transgresses the Constitution or is
otherwise invalid is no law at all and never was one, it
should hardly matter whether a court or a legislature made
the rule. Yet the prevailing approach of the courts has been
'lo treat invalid court orders quite differently from invalid
statutes. The long established principle of the old equity
E courts was that an erroneously issued in junction must be
obeyed until the error was judicially determined. Only
where the issuing court could be said to have lacked jurisd-
iction in the sense of authority to adjudicate the cause and
to reach the parties through its mandate were disobedient
contemnors permitted to raise the invalidity of the order as
F a full defence. By and large, American courts have de-
clined to treat the unconstitutionality of a court order as a
jurisdictional defect within this traditional equity principle,
and in notable instances they have qualified that principle
even where the defect was jurisdiction in the accepted
sense." (See 111).
G
Indeed Ranganath Misra, J. in his opinion rejected the contention of
the appellant in these terms:

"In view of this decision in Mirajkar's case, supra, it
must be· taken as concluded that judicial proceedings in this
H Court are not subject to the writ jurisdiction thereof."
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [VENKATACHALIAH, J.J 119

There is no substance in contention (f) either.
A
24. Contention (g):

It is asserted that the impugned directions issued by the five
Judge Bench was per-incuriam as it ignored the Statute and the earlier
Chadda's case. B

But the point is that the circumstance that a decision is rea~hed
per-incuriam, merely serves to denude the decision of its precedent-
value. Such a decision would not be binding as a judicial precedent. A
co-ordinate bench can ,disagree with it and decline to follow it. A
larger bench can ~ver rule such decision. When a previous decision is C
so overruled it does not happen-nor has the overruling bench any
jurisdiction so to do-that the finality ·of the operative order' inter-
parties, in the previous decision is overturned: In this context the word
'decision' means only the reason for the previous order and not the
operative-order in the previous decision, binding inter-parties. Even if
a previous decision is overruled by a larger-bench, the efficacy and D
binding nature, of the adjudication expressed in the operative order
remains undisturbed inte.r-parties. Even if the earlier decision of the
five Judge bench is per-incuriani-the operative part of the order cannot
be interfered within the manner now sought to be done. That apart the .
five Judge bench gave its reason. The reason, in our opinion, may or .
may not be sufficient. There is advertence to Section 7(1) of the 1952 E
Act and to the exclusive jurisdiction created thereunder. There is also
reference to Section 407 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Can such a
decision be characterised as one reached per-incurium? Indeed, Ran-
./
ganath Misra, J. says this on the point:

"Overruling when made by a larger bench of an F
. earlier decision of a smaller one is intended to take away
the precedent val.ue of the decision without affecting the
binding effect of ihe decision in the particular case.
Antulay, therefore, is not entitled to take advantage of the
matter being before alarger bench ...... "
G
I respectfully agree. Point (g) is bereft of substance and merits. ·

.,, 25. Re: Contention (h):

The argument is that the appellant has been prejudiced by a
mistake of the Court and it is not only within power but a duty as well, H
120 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

of the Cour• to correct its own mistake, so that no party is prejudiced
A by the Court's mistake: Actus Curiae Neminem Gravabid.

I am afraid this maxim has no application to conscious conclu-
sions reached in a judicial decision. The maxim is not a·source of a
general power to reopen and rehear adjudication which have other-
B wise assumed finality. The maxim operates in a different and narrow
area. The.best illustration of the operation of the maxim is provided by
the application of the rule of nunc-pro-tunc. For instance, if owing to
the delay in what the court should, otherwise, have done earlier but
did later, a party suffers owing to events occurring in the interrugnum,
the Court has the power to remedy it. The area of operation of the
maxim is, generally, procedural. Errors in judicial findings, either of
c facts or law or aper alive decisions consciously arrived at as a part of
the jndicial-exercise cannot be interfered with by resort to his maxim.
There is no substance in contention (h).

26. It is true that the highest court in the land should no:, by
D technicalities of procedure forge fetters on its own feet and disable
itself in cases of serious miscarriages of justice. It is said that "Life of
Jaw is not logjc; it has been experience." Bnt it is equally true as
Cardozo said: 'But Holmes did not tell us that logic is to be ignored
when .experience· is silent. Those who do not put the teachings of
experience and the lessons of logic out of consideration would tell
E what inspires confidence in the judiciary and what does not. Judicial
vacillations fall in the latter category and undermine respect of the
judiciary and judicial institutions, denuding thereby respect for law
and the confidence in the even-handedness in the adminstration of
,iustice by Courts. It would be gross injustice, says an author, (Miller-
' data of jurisprudence') to decide alternate cases on opposite princi-
F pies. The power to alter a decision by review must be expressly confer-
red or necessarily inferred. The power of review-and the limitations
on the power-under Article 137 are implicit recognitions of what
would, otherwise, be final and irrevocable. No appeal could be made
to the doctrine of inherent powers of the Court either. Inherent pow-
ers do not confer, or constitute a source of, jurisdiction. They are to be
G exercised in aid of a jurisdiction that is already invested. The remedy
of the appellant, if any, is recourse to Article 137; no where else. This
appears to me both good sense and good law.

The appeal is dismissed.

H RANGANATHAN, J. 1. I have had ihe benefit of perusing the
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN. J.J 121
drafts of the judgments proposed by my learned brothers Sabyasachi
Mukharji, Ranganath Misra and Venkatachaliah, JJ. On the question A
whether the direction given by this Court in its judgment dated
16.2.1984 should be recalled, I find myself in agreement with the conc-
lusion of Venkatachaliah, J. (though for slightly different reasons) in
preference to the conclusion reached by Sabyasachi Mukharji, J. and
Ranganath Misra, J. I would, therefore, like to set out my views sepa-
B
rately on this issue.
THE ISSUES
1. This is an appeal by special leave from a judgment of Shah J.,
of the Bombay High Court. The appellant is being tried for offences
under Ss. 120B, 420, 161 and 165 of the Indian Penal Code (I.P.C.)
read with S. 5(1)(d) and 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, c
1947. The proceedings against the appellant were started in the Court
of Sri Bhutta, a Special Judge, appointed under S. 6(1) of the Criminal
Law (Amendment) Act, 1952 (hereinafter referred to as 'the 1952
Act'). The proceedings have had a chequered career as narrated in the
judgment of my learned brother Sabyasachi Mukharji, J. Various
0
issues have come up for consideration of this Court at the earlier stages
of the proceedings and the judgments of this Court have been reported
in 1982 2 S.C.C. 463, 1984 2 SCR 495, 1984 2 SCR 914, 1984 3 SCR
412, 1984 3 SCR 482 and 1986 2 S.C.C. 716. At present the appellant is
being tried by a learned Judge of the Bombay High Court nominated
by the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court in pursuance of the
E
direction given by this Court in its order dated 16.2.1984 (reported in
1984 2 SCR 495). By the order presently under appeal, the learned
Judge (s) framed as many as 79 charges against the appellant and (b)
rejected the prayer of the appellant that certain persons, named as
co-conspirators of the appellant in the complaint on the basis of which
the prosecution has been launched should be arrayed as co-accused
F
along with him. But the principal contention urged on behalf of the
appellant before us centres not round the merits of the order under
appeal on the above two issues but round what the counsel for the
appellant has described as a fundamental and far-reaching objection to
the very validity of his trial before the learned Judge. As already
stated, the trial is being conducted by the learned Judge pursuant to
G
the direction of this Court dated 16.2.1984. The contention of the
learned counsel is that the said direction is per incuriam, illegal,
invalid, contrary to the principles of natural justice and violative of the
fundamental rights of the petitioner. This naturally raises two
important issues for our consideration:
A. Whether the said direction is inoperative, invalid or illegal, H
as alleged; and
122 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

B. Whether, if it is, this Court can and should recall, withdraw,
A
revoke or set aside the same in the present proceedings.

Since the issues involve a review or reconsideration of a direction
given by a Bench of five judges of this Court, this seven-judge Bench
has been constituted to hear the appeal.
B
2. It is r.ot easy to say which of the two issues raised should be
touched upon first as, whichever one is taken up first, the second will
not arise for consideration unless the first is answered in the affirma-
tive. However, as the correctness of the directiion issued is impugned
by the petitioner, as there is no detailed discussion in the earlier order
on the points raised by the petitioner, and as Sabyasachi Mukharji, J.
c has expressed an opinion on these contentions with parts of which I am
unable to agree, it will be perhaps more convenient to have a look at
the first issue as if it were coming up for consideration for the first time
before us and then, depending upon the answer to it, consider the
second issue as to whether this Court has any jurisdiction to recall or
D revoke the earlier order. The issues will, therefore, be discussed in this
order.

A. ARE THE DIRECTIONS ON 16.2.1984 PROPER, VALID
AND LEGAL?

E 3. For the appellant, it is contended that the direction given in
the last para of the order of the Bench of five Judges dated 16.2.1984
(extracted in the judgment of Sabyasachi Mukharji, J.) is vitiated by
illegality, irregularity and lack of jurisdiction on the following
grounds:

F (i) Conferment of jurisdiction on courts is the function of the
legislature. It was not competent for this Court to confer jurisdic-
tion on a learned Judge of the High Court to try the appellant,
as, under the 1952 Act, an offence of the type in question can be
tried only by a special Judge appointed thereunder. This has
b.een overlooked while issuing the direction which is, therefore,
G per incuriam.

(ii) The direction above-mentioned (a) relates to an issue which
was not before the Court (b) on which no arguments were
addressed and (c) in regard to which the appellant had no
opportunity to make his submissions. It was nobody's case
H before the above Bench that the trial of the accused should no
•
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN, l.J 123

longer be conducted by a Special Judge but should be before a
High Court Judge. A

(iii) In issuing the impugned direction, the Bench violated the
principles of natural justice, as mentioned above. It also over-
looked that, as a result thereof, the petitioner (a) was dis-
criminated against by being put to trial before a different forum B
as compared to other public servants accused of similar offences
and (b) lost valuable rights of revision and first appeal to the
High Court which he would have had, if tried in the normal
course.

The direction was thus also violative of natural justice as well as the
fundamental rights of the petitioner under Article 14 and 21 of the C
Constitution.

Primary Jurisdiction

4. There can be-and, indeed, counsel for the respondent had- o
no quarrel with the initial premise of the learned counsel for the appel-
lant that the conferrnent of jurisdiction on courts is a matter for the
legislature. Entry 77 of List I, entry 3 of List II and entries 1, 2, llA
and 46 of List III of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution set out
the respective powers of parliament and the State Legislatures in that
regard. It is common ground that the jurisdiction to try offences of the E
type with which are concerned here is vested by the 1952 Act in Special
Judges appointed by the respective State Governments. The first ques-
tion that has been agitated before us is whether this Court was right in
transferring the case for trial from the Court of a Special Judge, to a
Judge nominated by the ChiefJustice of Bombay.

High Court's Power of Transfer

5. The power of the Supreme Court to transfer cases can be
traced, in criminal matters, either to Art. 139A of the Constitution or
Section 406 of the Code of Criminal Procedure ("Cr. P.C.), 1973.
Here, again, it is common ground that neither of these provisions G
cover the present case. Sri Jethmalani, learned counsel for the respon-
dent, seeks to support the order of transfer by reference to Section 407
(not Section 406) of the Code and cl. 29 of the Letters Patent of the
~ Bombay High Court. Section 407 reads t~us:
I
(1) Whenever it is made to appear to the High Court- H
124 SUPREME COURT REPORTS I1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

(a) that a fair and impartial inquiry or trial cannot be had in any
A
Criminal Court subordinate thereto, or

(b) that some question of law of unusual difficulty is likely to
arise, or

B (c) that an order under this section is required by any provision
of this Code, or will tend to the general convenience of foe
parties or witnesses, or is expedient for the ends of justice,

it may order-

(i) that any offence be inquired into or tried by any Court not
c qualified under Section 177 to 185 (both inclusive), but in other
respects competent to inquire into or try such offences;

(ii) that any particular case or appeal, or class of cases or appe-
als, be transferred from a Criminal Court subordinate to its
D authority to any other such Criminal Court of equal or superior
jurisdiction;

(iii) that any particular case be committed for trial to a Court of
Session; or

E (iv) that any particular case or appeal be transferred to and
tried before itself.

(2) the High Court may act either on the report of the lower
court or on the application of a party interested or on its own
initiative:
F
xxx xxx xxx
xxx xxx xxx
xxx xxx xxx
G (9) Nothing in !bis section shall be deemed to affect any order
of Government under Section 197."

And cl. 29 of the Letters Patent of the Bombay High Court runs thus:
"And we do further ordain that the said High Court shall
H have power to direct the transfer of anv criminal case or
I
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN. J.[ 125

appeal from any Court to any other Court of appeal or
superior jurisdiction, and also to directthe preliminary in- A
vestigation of trial of any criminal case by any officer of
Court otherwise competent to investigate or try it though
such cas~ belongs, in ordinary course, to the jurisdiction of
some other officer, of Court."
B
The argument is that this power of transfer vested in the High Court
can well be exercised by the Supreme Court while dealing with an
appeal from the High Court in the case.

6. For the appellant, it is contended that the power of transfer
under section 407 cannot be invoked to transfer a case from a Special
Judge appointed under the 1952 Act to the High Court. Learned c
counsel for the appellant contends that the language of section 7(1) of
the Act is mandatory; it directs that offences specified in the Act can
be tried only by persons appointed, under S. 6(2) of the Act, by the
State Government, to be special judges, No other Judge, it is said, has
jurisdiction to try such a case, even if he is a Judge of the 'High Court. D
In this context, it is pointed out that a person, to be appointed as a
special Judge, under section 6(2) of the 1952 Act, should be one who
is, or has been, a Sessions Judge (which expression in this context
includes an Additional Sessions Judge and/or an Assistant Sessions
Judge). All High Court Judges may not have been Sessions Judges
earlier and, it is common ground, Shah, J. who has been nominated by E
the Chief Justice for trying this case does not fulfill the qualifications
prescribed for appointment as a Special Judge. But, that consideration
apart, the argument is that, while a High Court can transfer a case
from one special judge to another, and the Supreme Court, from a
special judge in one State to a special judge in another State, a High
Court cannot withdraw a case from a Special Judge to itself and the F
Supreme Court cannot transfer a case from a Special Judge to the High
Court.

7. On the other hand, it is contended for the respondent that the
only purpose of the 1952 Act is to ensure that cases of corruption and
bribery do not get bogged up in the ordinary criminal courts which are G
over-burdened with all sorts of cases. Its object is not to create special
courts in the sense of courts manned by specially qualified personnel
or courts following any special type of procedure. All that is done is to
earmark some of the existing sessions judges for trying these offences
exclusively.' The idea is just to segregate corruption and bribery cases
to a few of the sessions judges so that they could deal with them H
126 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

effectively and expeditiously. It is a classification in which the
A
emphasis is on the types of offences and nature of offenders rather
than on the qualifications of judges. That being so, the requirement in
section 7(1) that these cases should be tried by special judges only is
intended just to exclude their trial by the other normal criminal courts
of coordinate jurisdiction and not to exclude the High Court. ·
B
8. Before dealing with these contentions, it may be useful to
touch upon the question whether a judge of a High Court can be
appointed by the State Government as a special judge to try offences
of the type specified in section 6 of the 1952 Act. It will be seen at once
that not all the judges of the High Court (but only those elevated from
the State subordinate judiciary) would fulfill the qualifications pre-
c scribed under section 6(2) of the 1952 Act. Though there is nothing in
ss. 6 and 7 read together to preclude altogether the appointment of a
judge of the High Court fulfilling the above qualifications as a special
judge, it would appear that such is not the (atleast not the normal)
contemplation of the Act. Perhaps it is possible to argue that, under
D the Act, it is permissible for the State Government to appoint one of
the High Court Judges (who has been a Sessions Judge) to be a Special
Judge under the Act. If that had been done, that Judge would have
been a. Special Judge and would have been exercising his original
jurisdiction in conducting the trial. But that is not the case here. In
response to a specific question put by us as to whether a High Court
E Judge can be appointed as a Sp~cial Judge under the 1952 Act, Shri
Jethmalani submitted that a High Court Judge cannot be so appointed.
I am inclined to agree. The scheme of the Act, in particular the provi-
sionS contained in ss. 8(3A) and 9, militate against this concept.
Hence, apart from the fact that in this case no appointment of a High
Court Judge, as a Special Judge, has in fact been made, it is not
F possible to take the view that the statutory provisions permit the con-
ferment of a jurisdiction to try this case on a High Court Judge as a
Special Judge.

9. Turning now to the powers of transfer under section 407, one
may first deal with the decision of this Court in Gurucharan Das
G · Chadha v. State of Rajasthan, [1966] 2 S.C.R. 678 on which both
counsel strongly relied. That was a decision by three judges of this
Court on a petition under section 527 of the 1898 Cr.P.C. (correspond-
ing to section 406 of the 1973 Cr.P.C.). The petitioner had prayed for
the transfer of a case pending in the court of a Special Judge in
Bharatpur, Rajasthan to another criminal court of equal or superior
H jurisdiction subordinate to a High Court other than the High Court of
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN, J.[ 127

Rajasthan. The petition was eventually dismissed on merits. But the
Supreme Court dealt with the provisions of section 527 of the 1898 A
Cr.P.C. in the context of an objection taken by the respondent State
that the Supreme Court did not have the jurisdiction to transfer a case
pending before the Special Judge, Bharatpur. The contention was that
a case assigned by the State Government under the 1952 Act to a
Special Judge cannot be transferred at all because, under the terms of B
that Act, which is a self-contained special law, such a case must be
tried only by the designated Special Judge. The Court observed that
the argument was extremely plausible but not capable of bearing close
scrutiny. After referring to the provisions of section 6, 7 and 8 of the
1952 Act, the Court set out the arguments for the State thus:

"The Advocate-General, Rajasthan, in opposing the peti- C
tion relies principally on the provisions of section 7(1) and
7(2) and contends that the two sub-sections create two
restrictions which must be read together. The first is that
offenc"s specified in section 6(1) can be tried by Special
Judges only. The second is that every such offence shall be D
tried by the Special Judge for the area within which it is
committed and if there are more special judges in that area
by the Special Judge chosen by the Government. These two
conditions, being statutory, it is submitted that no order
can be made under section 52il because, on transfer, even if
a special judge is entrusted with the case, the second condi- E
tion is bound to be broken."

Dealing with this contention the Court observed:

"This condition, if literally understood, would lead to the
conclusion that a case once made over to a special Judge in F
an area where there is no other special Judge, cannot be
transferred at all. This could hardly have been intended. If
this were so, the power to transfer a case intra-state under
s. 526 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, on a parity of
reasoning, must also be lacking. But this Court in Rama-
chandra Parsadv. State of Bihar, [1962) 2 S.C.R. 50 unheld G
the transfer of a case by the High Court which took it to a
special judge who had no jurisdiction in the area where the
offence was committed. In holding that the transfer was
valid this Court relied upon the third sub-section of Section
8 of the Act. That sub-section preserves the application of
any provision of the Code of Criminal Procedure It it is not H
;--

128 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

inconsistent with the Act, save as provided in the first two
A sub-sections of that section. The question, therefore, resol-
ves itself to this: Is there an inconsistency between S. 527 of
the Code and the second sub-section of S. 7? The answer is
that there is none. Apparently this Court in the earlier case
found no inconsistency and the reasons appear to be there:
B The condition that an offence specified in S. 6(2) shall be
tried by a special Judge for the area within wnich it is
committed merely specifies which of several special Judges
appointed in the State by the State Government shall try it. ,,
The provision is analogous to others under which the
i
jurisdiction of Magistrates and Sessions Judges is deter-
mined on a territorial basis. Enactments in the Code of
c Criminal Procedure intended to confer territorial jurisdic-
tion upon courts and Presiding Officers have never oeen
held to stand in the way of transfer of criminal cases outside
those areas of territorial jurisdiction. The order of transfer
when it is made under the powers given l]y the Code invests
D another officer with jurisdiction although oridnarily he
would lack territorial jurisdiction to try the case. The order
of this Court, therefore, which transfer(s) a case from one
special Judge subordinate to one High Court to another
special Judge subordinate to another High Court creates
jurisdiction in the latter in much the same way as the trans-
E fer by the High Court from one Sessions Judge in a Session
Division to another Sessions Judge in another Sessions
Division.

There is no comparison between the first sub-section and the
second sub-section of Section 7. The condition in the second
F sub-section of S. 7 is not of the same character as the condi-
tion in the first sub-section. The first sub-section creates a
condition which is a sine qua non for the trial of certain
offences. That condition is that the trial must be before a
special Judge. The second sub-section distributes the work
between special Judges and lays emphasis on the fact that
G trial must be before a special Judge appointed for the area
in which the offence is committed. This second condition is
~-,' .-.
on a par with the distribution of work territorially between •
different Sessions Judges and Magistrates. An order of
transfer, by the very nature of things must, some times,
result in taking the case out of the territory and the provi-
H sions of the Code which are preserved by the third sub-
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN. J.[ 129

section of S. 8 must supervene to enable this to be done and
A
the second sub-section of S. 7 must yield. We do not con-
sider that this creates any inconsistency because the territo-
rial jurisdiction created by the second sub-section of S. 7
operates in a different sphere and under different circumst-
ances. Inconsistency can only be found if two provisions of
law apply in identical circumstances ·and create contradic- B
tions. Such a situation does not arise when either this Court
or the High Court exercises its powers of transfer. We are
accordingly of the opinion that the Supreme Court in exer-
cise of its jurisdiction and power under S. 527 of the Code
of Criminal Procedure can transfer a case from a Special
Judge subordinate to the High Court to another special
Judge subordinate to another High Court."
c
(emphasis added)

10. The attempt of Sri Jethmalani is !O bring the present case
within the scope of the observations contained in the latter part of the
extract set out above. He submits that a special judge, except insofar D
as a specific provision to the contrary is made, is a court subordinate to
the High Court, as explained in 1984 2 S.C.R. 914 (at pages 943-4) and
proceedings before him are subject to the provisions of the 1973
Cr.P .C.; the field of operation of the first sub-section of section 7 is
merely to earmark certain Sessions Judges for purposes of trying cases
of corruption by public servants and this provision is, in principle, not E
different from the earmarking of cases on the basis of territorial juris-
diction dealt with by sub-section 2 of section 7. The argument is no
doubt a plausible one. It does look somewhat odd to say that a Ses-
sions Judge can, but a High Court Judge cannot, try an offence under
the Act. The object of the Act, as rightly pointed out by counsel, is
only to segregate certain cases to special courts which will concentrate F
on such cases so as to expedite their disposal and not to oust the
superior jurisdiction of the High Court or its powers of superintend-
ence over subordinate courts under article 227 of the Constitution, an
aspect only of which is reflected in s. 407 of the Cr.P.C. However,
were the matter to be considered as res integra, I would be inclined to
accept the contention urged on behalf of the appellant, for the follow- G
ing reasons. In the first place, the argument of the counsel for the
respondent runs counter to the observations made by the Supreme
Court in the earlier part of the extract set out above that the first
sub-section of section 7 and the second sub-section are totally different
in character. The first sub-section deals with a sine qua non for the trial
of certain offences, whereas the second sub-section is only of a pro- H
130 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

cedural nature earmarking territorial jurisdiction among persons com-
A petent to try the offence. They are, therefore, vitally different in
nature. The Supreme Court has clearly held in the passage extracted
above that. the case can be transforred only from one special judge to
another. In other words, while the requirement of territorial jurisdic-
tion is subordinate to S. 406 or 407, the requirement that the trial
B should be by a special judge is not. It is true that those observations
are not binding on this larger Bench and moreover the Supreme Court
there was dealing only with an objection based on sub~section (2) of
Section 7. It is, however, clear that the Bench, even if it had accepted
the transfer petition of Gurcharan Das Chadha, would have rejected a
prayer to transfer the case to a court other than that of a Special Judge
appointed by the transferee State. I am in respectful agreement with
C · the view taken in that case that there is a vital qualitative difference
between the two sub-sections and that while a case can be transferred
to a special judge who may not have the ordinary territorial jurisdic-
tion over it, a transfer cannot be made to an ordinary magistrate or a
court of session even if it has territorial jurisdiction. If the contention
D of the learned counsel for the respondent that s. 7(1) and s. 407
operate in different fields and are not inconsistent with each other
were right, it should be logically possible to say that the High Court
can, under s. 407, transfer a case from a special judge to any other
Court of Session. But such a conclusion would be clearly repugnant to
the scheme of the 1952 Act and plainly incorrect. It is, therefore,
E difficult to accept the argument of Sri Jethmalani that we should place
the restriction C()ntained in the first sub-section of section 7 also as
being on the same footing as that in the second sub-section and hold
that the power of transfer contained in the Criminal Procedure Code
can be availed of to transfer a case from a Special Judge to any other
criminal courfor even the High Court. The case can be transferred
p only from one special judge to another special judge; it cannot be
transferred even to a High Court Judge except where a High Court
Judge is appointed as a Special Judge. A power of transfer postulates •
that the court to which transfer or withdrawal is sought is competent to
exercise jurisdiction over the case. (vide, Raja Soap Factory v.
Shantaraj, [1965] 2 S.C.R. 800).
G
11. This vie-.y also derives support from two provisions of s. 407
itself. The first is this. Even when a case is transferred from one
criminal court t6 another, the restriction as to territorial jurisdiction
may be infringed. To obviate a contention based on lack of territorial
jurisdiction in the transferee court in such a case, clause (ii) of s. 407
H provides that the order of transfer will prevail, lack of jurisdiction
'

A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK IRANGANATHAN, J.) 131

under Ss. 177 to 185 of the Code notwithstanding. The second diffi-
A
culty arises, even .under the Cr.P.C. itself, by virtue of S. 197 which
not only plac~s restriction on the institution of certain prosecutions
against public servants without Government sanction but also empow-
ers the Government, inter alia, to determine the court before which
such trial is to be conducted. When the forum of such a trial is transfer-
red under s . .407 an objection may be taken to the continuance of the B
trial by the transferee court based on the order passed under s. 197.
This eventuality is provided against by s. 407(9) of the, Act which
porvides that nothing in s. 407 shall be deemed to affect an order
passed under s. 407. Although specifically providing for these conting-
encies, the section is silent in so far as a transfer from the court of a
Special Judge under the 1952 Act is concerned though it is a much later
enactment. c
. 12. On the contrary, the language of s. 7(1) of the 1952 Act
places a definite hurdle in the way of construing s. 407 of the Cr.P.C.
as overriding its provisions. For, it opens with the words:
D
"Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Crimi-
nal Procedure, 1898 or in any other law".

In view of this non-obstanti clause also, it becomes difficult to hold that
the provisions of section 407 of the 1973 Cr.P .C. ~ill override, or even
operate consistently with, the provisions of the 1952 Act. For the same E
reason it is not possible to hold that the power of transfer contained in
clause 29 of the Letters Patent of the Bombay High Court can be
exercised in a manner not contemplated by section 7( 1) of the 1952
Act.

13. Thirdly, whatever may be the position where a case is trans- F
ferred from one special judge to another or from one ordinary subordi-
rate criminal court to another of equal or superior jurisdictiion, the
withdrawal of a case by the High Court from such a Court to itself for
trial places certain handicaps on the accused. It is true that the court to
which the case has been transferred is a superior court and in fact,.the
High Court. Unfortunately, however, the high Court judge is not a G
person to whom the trial of the case can be assigned under s. 7(1) of
the 1952 Act. As pointed out by the Supreme Court in Surajmal Mohta
v. Viswanatha Sastry, [1955) 1 S.C.R. 448 at pp. 464 in a slightly
different context, the circumstance that a much superior forum is
assigned to try a case than the one normally available cannot by itself
be treated as a "sufficient safeguard and a good substitute" for the . H
I
!+
'
132 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

normal forum and the rights available under the normal procedure.
A
The accused here loses his right of coming up in revision or appeal to
the High Court from the interlocutory and final ord!).rs of the trial
court, ~ loses the right of having two courts-a subordinate court and
the High Court-adjudicl!-te upon his contentions before bringing the
matter up in ihe Supreme Court. Though, as is pointed out later, these
B' are not· such handicaps as violate the fundamental rights of such an
accused, they are circumstances which create prejudice to the accused
and may not be overlooked in adopting one construction of the statute
in preference to the other.

14. Sri Jethmalani vehemently contended that the construction
C of s. 407 sought for by the appellant is totally opposed to well settled
canons of statutory construction. He urged that the provisions of the
1952 Act should be .interpreted in the light of the objects it sought to
achieve and its amplitude should not be extended beyond its limited
objective. He said that a construction of the Act which leads to
repugnancy with, or entails pro tanto repeal of, the basic criminal
D procedural law and seeks to divest jurisdiction vested in a superior
court should be avoided. These aspects have been considered earlier.
The 1952 Act sought to expedite the trial of cases involving public
servants by the creation of courts presided over by experienced special
judges to be appointed by the State Government. There is however
nothing implausible in saying that the Act having already earmarked
E these cases for trial by experienced Sessions Judges made this provi-
sion immune against the applicability of the provisions of other laws in
general and the Cr.P.C. in particular. Effect is only being given to
these express and specific words used in section 7(1) and no question
arises of any construction being encouraged that is repugnant to the
Cr.P.C. or involves an implied repeal, pro tanto, of its provisions. As
F has already been pointed out, if the requirement ins. 7(1) were held to
be subordinate to the provisions contained in s. 406-7, then in princi-
ple, even a case falling under the 1952 Act can be transferred to any
other Sessions Judge 'and that would defeat the whole purpose of the
Act and is clearly not envisaged by it.

G Supreme Court's power of transfer

15. It will have been noticed that the power of transfer under
section 407 or cl. 29 of the Letters Patent which has been discussed f4ill
above is a power vested in the High Court. So the question will arise
whether, even assuming that the High Court could have exercised such
H power, the Supreme Court could have done so. On behalf of the
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN, J.J 133

respondent, it was contended that, as the power of the High Court
A
under s. 407 can be exercised on application of a party or even suo
motu and can be exercised by it at any stage irrespective of whether
any application or matter in connection with the case is pending before
it or not, the Supreme Court, as an appellate Court, has a co-equal
jurisdiction to exercise the power of transfer in the same manner as the
High Court could. In any event, the Supreme Court could exercise the B
power as one incidental or ancillary to the power of disposing of a
revision or appeal before it. The appellants, however, contend that ;as
the power of the Supreme Court to order transfer of cases has been
specifically provided for in section 406 and would normally exclude
cases of intra-state transfer covered by section 407 of the Code, the
statute should not be so construed as to imply a power of the Supreme
Court, in appeal or revision, to transfer a case from a subordinate
c
court to the High Court. The argument also is that what the Supreme
Court, as an appellate or revisional court, could have done was either
(a) to direct the High Court to consider whether this was a fit case for
it to exercise its power under section 407(1)(iv) to withdraw the case to
itself and try the same with a view to expeditiously.dispose it of or (b) D
to.have withdrawn the case to itself for trial. But, it is contended, no
power which the Supreme Court could exercise as an appellate or
revisional court could have enabled the Supreme Court to transfer the
case from the Special Judge to the High Court.

16. Here also, the contentions of both parties are nicdy · E
balanced but I am inclined to think that had the matter been res integra
and directions for transfer were being sought before us for the first
time, this Court would have hesitated to issue such a direction and may
at best have left it to the High Court to consider the matter and
exercise its own discretion. As already pointed out, the powers of the
Suprerne Court to transfer cases from .one court to another are to be F
found in Article 139-A of the Constitution and section 406 of the
Cr.P.C. The provisions envisaged either inter-state transfers of.cases
i.e. from a court in one State to a court in another State or the with-
drawal of a case by the Supreme Court to itself. Intra-State transfer
among courts subordinate to a High Court inter-se or from a court
subordinate to a High Court to the High Court is within the jurisdic- G ·
lion of the appropriate High Court. The attempt of counsel for the
resondent is to justify the transfer by attributing the powers of the
High Court under section 407 to the Supreme Court in its capacity as
an appellate or revisional court. This argument overlooks that the
powers of the Supreme Court, in disposing of an appeal or revision,
are circumscribed by the scope of the proceedings before it. In this H
'
134 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988) Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A case, it is common ground that the question of transfer was not put in
issue before the Supreme Court.

17. The reliance placed in this context on the provisio'ls con-
tained in articles 140 and 142 of the Constitution and S. 401 read with
S. 386 of the Cr.P.C. does not also help. Article 140 is only a provi-
B sions enabling Parliament to confer supplementary powers on the
Supreme Court to enable it to deal more effectively to exercise the
jurisdication conferred on it by or under the Constitution. Article 142
is also not of much assistance. In the first place, the operative words in
that article, again are "in the exercise of its jurisdiction." The
Supreme Court was hearing an appeal from the order of discharge and
connected matters. There was no issue or controversy or discussion
C before it as to the comparative merits of a trial before a special judge
vis-a-vis one before the High Court. There was only an oral request
said to have been made, admittedly, after the judgment was announ-
ced. Wide as the powers under article 141 are, they do not in my view,
envisage an order of the type presently in question. The Nanavati case
D (1961 SCR 497, to which reference was made by Sri Jethmalani,
involved a totally different type of situation. Secondly, it is one of the
contentions of the appellant that an order of this type, far from being
necessary for doing complete justice in the cause or matter pending
before the Court, has actually resulted in injustice, an aspect discussed
a little later. Thirdly, however wide and plenary the language of the
E article, the directions given by the Court should not be inconsistent
with, repugnant to or in violation of the specific provisions of any
statute. If the provisions of the 1952 Act read with article 139-A and
Ss. 406-407 of the Cr.P.C. do not permitthe transfer of the case from a
special judge to the High Court, that effect cannot be achieved indi-
rectly. it is, therefore, difficult to say, in the circumstances of the case,
F that the Supreme Court can issue the impugned direction in exercise of
the powers under Article 142 or under s. 407 available to it as an
appellate court.

18. Learned counsel for the complainant also sought to support
the order of transfer by reference to section 386 and 401 of the 1973
G Cr.P .C. He suggested that the Court, having set aside the order of
discharge, had necessarily to think about consequential orders and
that such directions as were issued are fully justified by the above
provisions. He relied in this context on the decision of the Privy
Council in Hari v. Emperor, AIR 1935 P.C. 122. It is difficult to accept "
this argument. Section 401 provides that, in the revision pending be-
H fore it, the High Court can exercise any of the powers conferred on a
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK (RANGANATHAN, l.I 135

court of appeal under section 386. Section 386, dealing with the pow- A
ers of the appellate court enables the court, in a case such as this:
. (i) under clause (a), to alter or reverse the order under appeal/revi-
sion; or {ii) under clause (e), to make any amendment or any conse-
quential or incidental order that may be just or proper. The decision
relied on by counsel, Hari v. Emperor, AIR 1935 P.C. 122, is of no
assistance to him. In that case~the Additional Judicial Commissioner, B
who heard an appeal on a difference of opinion between two other
judicial commissioner had come to the conclusion that the conviction
had to be set aside. Then he had the duty to determine what should be
done and S. 426 of the 1898 Cr.P.C. (corresponding to section 386 of
the 1973 Cr.P.C.) exactly provided for the situation and empowered
him: c
"to reverse the finding and sentence and acquit or dis-
charge the accused or order him t<I be retried by a court of
com'petent jurisdiction subordillate 10 such apellate
Court."
D
In the present case, the Special Judge, Sri Sule, had discharged the
accused because of his conclusion that the prosecution lacked the
11ecessary sanction. The conclusion of the Supreme Court that this
conclusion was wrong meant, automatically, that the prosecution had
been properly initiated and that the proceedings before the Special
Judge should go on. The direction that the trial should be shifted to the E
High Court can hardly be described as a consequential or incidental
order. Such a direction did not flow, as a necessary consequence of the
conclusion of the court on the issues and points debated before it. I
am, therefore, inclined to agree with counsel for the appellant that this
Court was in error when it directed that the trial of the case should be
before a High Court Judge. P

19. It follows from the above discussion that the appellant, in
consequence of the impugned direction, is being tried by a 'Court
which has no jurisdiction-and which cannot be empowered by the
Supreme Court-to try him. The continued trial before the High
Court, therefore, infringes Article 21 of the Constitution. G

Denial of equality and violation of Article 21.

20. It was vehemently contended for the appellant that, by giv-
ing the impugned direction, this Court has deprived the appellant of
his fundamental rights. He has been denied a right to equality, H
136 $UPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

inasmuch as his case has been singled out for trial by a different,
A
though higher, forum as compared to other public servants. His funda-
mental right under Article 21, it is said, has been violated, inasmuch as
the direction has deprived him of a right of revision and first appeal to
the High Court which he would have had from an order or sentence
had he been tried by 'a Special Judge and it is doubtful whether he
8 would have a right to appeal to this Court at all. It is pointed out that a
right of first appeal against a conviction in a criminal case has been
held, by this Court, to be a part of the.fundamental right guaranteed
under Article 21 of the Constitution. It is not necessary for me to
consider these arguments in view of my conclusion that the High Court
could not have been directed to try the petitioner's case. I would,
however, like to say that, in my opinion, the arguments based on
c Articles 14 and 21 cannot be accepted, in case it is to be held for any
reason that the transfer of the apellant's case to the High Court was
valid and within the competence of this Court. I say this for the follow-
ing reason: If the argument is to be accepted, it will be appreciated, it
cannot be confined to cases of transfer to the High Court of cases
D under the 1952 Act but would also be equally valid to impugn the
withdrawal of a criminal case tried in the normal course under the
Cr.P.C. from a subordinate court trying it to the High Court by invok-
ing the powers under section 407. To put it in other words, the argu-
ment, in substance, ilssails the validity of secion 407 of the 1973
Cr.P .C. In my opinion, this attack has to be repelled. The section
E cannot be challenged under Article 14 as it is based on a reasonable
classificatio_n having relation to the objects sought to be achieved.
Though, in general, the trial of cases will be by courts having the
normal jurisdiction over them, the exigencies of the situation may
require that they be dealt with by some other court for various
reasons. Likewise, the nature of a case, the nature of issues involved
F and other circumstances may render it more expedient, effective,
expeditious or desirable that the case should be tried by a superior
court or the High Court_ itself. The power of transfer and withdrawal
contained in s. 407 of the Cr.P .C. is one dictated by the requirements
of justice and is, indeed, but an aspect of the supervisory powers of a
superior court over courts subordinate to it: (see also sections 408 to
G 411 of the Cr.P.C.). A judicial discretion to transfer or withdraw is
vested in the highest court of the State and is made exercisable only in
the circumstances set out in the section. Such a power is not only
necessary and desirable but indispensable in the cause of the administ-
ration of justice. The accused will continue to be tried by a court of
equal or superior jurisdiction. Section 407(8) read with S. 474 of the
H Cr.P.C. and section 8(3) of the 1952 Act makes it clear that he will be
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN, J.l 137

tried in accocdance with the procedure followed by the original Court
A
or ordinarily by a Court of Session. The accused will, therefore, suffer
no prejudice by reason of the application of s. 407. Even ·if there is a
differential treatment which causes prejudice, it is based on logical and
acceptable considerations with a view to promote the interest of
justice. The transfer or withdrawal of a case to another court or the
High Court, in such circumstances, can hardly be said to result in
hostile discrimination against the accused in such a case.

21. Considerable reliance was placed on behalf of the appellant
on State v. Anwar Ali Sarkar, [1952] S.C.R. 284. Tbis decision seems
to have influenced the learned judges before whom this appeal first
came up for hearing in referring the matter to this larget Bench and
has also been aplied to the facts and situation here by my learned
c
brother, Sabyasachi Mukharji; J. But it seems to me that the said
decision has no relevance here. There, the category of cases which
were to be allocated to a Special Judge were not well defined; the
selection of cases was to be made by the executive; and the procedure
to be followed by the special courts was different from the normal D
criminal procedure. As already pointed out, the position here is
entireiy different. The 1952 legislation has been enacted to give effect
to the Tek Chand Committee and to remedy a state of affairs prevalent
in respect of a well defined class of offences and its provisions con-
stituting special judges to try offences of corruption is not under
challenge. Only a power of transfer is being exercised by the Supreme E
Court which is sought to be traced back to the power of the High Court
under s. 407. The vircs of that provision also is not being chalienged.
What is perhaps being said is that the Supreme Court ought not to
have considered this case a fit one for withdrawal for trial to the High
Court. That plea should be and is being considered here on merits but
the plea that Artide 14 has been violated by the exercise of a power· F
under s. 407 on the strength of Anwar Ali Sarkar's case wholly appears
to be untenable. Reference may be made in this context to Kathi
Raning Rawat v. The State of Saurashtra, I1952] 3 S.C.R. 435 and Re:
Special Courts Bill, 1978, [1979] 2 S,C.R. 476 and Shukla v. Delhi
Administration, [1980] 3 S.C.R. 500, which have upheld the creation
of special judges to try certain classes of offences. G

22. It may be convenient at this place to refer to certain observa-
tions by the Bench of this Court, while referring this matter to the
larger Bench, in a note appended to their order on this aspect. The
learned Judges have posed the following questions in paragraphs 4 arid
6~ili~n~: M
138 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A "4. The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1952 as its pream-
ble says is passed to provide for speedier trial? Does not
further speeding up of the case by transferring the case to
the High Court for speedy disposal violate the principle
laid down by seven learned Judges of this Court in Anwar
Ali Sarkar's case ( 1952) S.C.R. 284 and result in violation
B
of Article 14 of the Constitution? The following observa-
tions of Vivian Bose, J. in Anwar Ali Sarkar's case at pages
366-387 of the Report are relevant:

'Tested in the light of these considerations, I am of opinion
that the whole of the West Bengal Special Courts Act of
c 1950 offends the provisions of Article 14 and is therefore
bad. When the froth and the foam of discussion is cleared
away and learned dialectics placed on one side, we reach at
last the human element which to my minci is the most
important of all. We find men accused of heinous crimes
called upon to answer for their lives and liberties. We find
D
them picked out from their fellows, and however much the
new procedure may give them a few crumbs of advantage,
in the bulk they are deprived of substantial and valuable
privileges of defence which others, similarly charged, are
able to claim. It matters not to me, nor indeed to them and
their families and their friends, whether this be done in
E good faith, whether it be done for the convenience of gov-
ernment, whether the process can be scientifically classified
and labelled, or whether it is an experiment in speedier trials
made for the good of society at large. It matters now how
lofty and laudable the motives are. The question with
which I charge myself is, can fair-minded, reasonable,
F
unbiassed and resolute men, who are not swayed by emo-
tion or prejudice, regard this with equanimity and call it
reasonable, just and fair, regard it as that equal treatment
and protection in the defence of liberties which is expected
of a sovereign democratic republic in the conditions which
obtain in India today? I have but one answer to that. On
G that short and simple ground I would decide this case and
hold the Act bad.'
(Underlining by us)

Do not the above observations apply to judicial orders
also?
H
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN. J.I 139

6. Does the degree of heinousness of the crime with which
A
an accused is charged or his status or the influence that he
commands iri society have any bearing on the applicability
or the constriction of Article 14 or Article 21. ?"

23. In my opinion, the answers to the questions posed will,
again, depend on whether the impugned direction can be brought B
within the scope of section 407 of the 1973 Cr.P.C. or not. Jf I am right
in my conclusion that it cannot, the direction will clearly be contrary to
the provisions of the Cr.P.C. and hence violative of Article 21. It could
also perhaps be said to be discriminatory on the ground that, in the
absence of not only a statutory provision but even any well defined
policy or criteria, the only two reasons given in the order-namely, the
status of the petitioner and delay in the progress of the trial-are
c
inadequate to justify the special treatment meted out to the appellant.
On the other hand, if the provisions of section 407 Cr.P.C. are applic-
able, the direction will be in consonance with a procedure prescribed
by law and hence safe from attack as violative of Article 21. The
reasons given, in the context of the developme11ts in the case, can also D
be sought to be justified in terms of clauses (a), (b) or (c) of Section
407(1). In such an event, the direction will not amount to an arbitrary
discrimination but can be justified as the exercise of a choice of courses
permitted under a valid statutory classification intended to serve a
public purpose.
E
24. The argument of infringment of article 21 is based essentially
on the premise that the accused will be deprived, in cases where the
trial is withdrawn to the High Court of a right of first appeal. This fear
is entirely unfounded. I think Sri Jethmalani is right in contending that
where a case is thus withdrawn and tried by the Court, the High Court
will be conducting the trial in the exercise of its extraordinary original F
criminal jurisdiction. As pointed out by Sabyasachi Mukharji, J., the
old Presjdency-town High Courts once exercised original jurisdiction
in criminal matters but this has since been abolished. One possible
view is that now all original criminal jurisdiction exercised by High
Court is only extraordinary original criminal' jurisdiction. Another
possible view is that still High Courts do exercise oridnary original G
criminal jurisdiction in habeas corpus and contempt of court matters
and also under some specific enactments (e.g. Companies' Act Ss. 454
It. and 633). They can be properly described as exercising extraordinary
original criminal jurisdiction, where though the ordinary original crim-
inal jurisdiction is vested in a subordinate criminal court c r special
Judge, a case is withdrawn by the High Court to itself for trial. The H
140 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R..

A decision in Madura Tirupparankundram etc. v. Nikhan Sahib, 35
C.W.N. 1088, Kavasji Pestonji v. Rustomji Sorabji, AIR 1949 Bombay
42, Su[lil Chandra Roy and another v. The State, AIR 1954 Calcutta
305, People's Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Sardul Singh Caveeshar and others,
AIR 1961 Punjab 87 and People's Patriotic Front v. K.K. Bir/a and
others, [1984] Cr!. L.J. 545 cited by him amply support this contention.
B If this ·be so, then Sri Jethmalani is also right in saying that a right of
first appeal to the Supreme Court against the order passed by the High
Court will be available to the accused under s. 374 ofthe 1973 Cr.P.C.
In other words, in the ordinary run of criminal cases tried by a Court of
Sessions, the accused will be tried in the first instance by a court
subordinate to the High Court; he will then have a right of first appeal
to the High Court and then can seek leave of the Supreme Court to
C appeal to it under Article 136. In the case of a withdrawn cose, the
accused has the privilege of being tried in the first instance by t~e High
Court itself with a right to approach the apex Court by way of appeal.
The apprehension that the judgment in the trial by the High Court, in
the latter case, will be final, with only a chance of obtaining special
D leave under article 136 is totally unfounded. There is also some force
in the submission of Sri Jethmalani that, if that really be the position
and the appellant had no right of appeal against the High Court's
judgment, the Supreme Court will consider any petition presented
under Article 136 in the light of the inbuilt requirements of Article 21
and dispose of it as if it were itself a petition of appeal from the
E judgment. (see, in this context, the observations of this Court in
Sadananthan v. Arunachalam, [1980] 2 S.C.R. 673. That, apart it may
be pointed out, this is also an argument that would be valid in respect
even of ordinary criminal trials withdrawn to the High Court under s.
407 of the Cr.P.C. and thus, like the previous argument regarding
Article 14, indirectly challenges the validity of S.407 itself as infringing
F Article 21. For the reasons discussed, I have come to the conclusion
that an accused, tried directly by the High Court by withdrawal of his
case from a subordinate court, has a right of appeal to the Supreme
Court under s. 374 of the Cr.P.C. The allegation of an infringement of
Article 21 in such cases is, therefore, unfounded. Natural Justice

G 25. The appellant's contention that the impugned direction is-
sued by this Court on 16.2.1984 was in violation of the principles of
natural justice appears to be well founded. It is really not in dispute
before us that there was no whisper or suggestion in the proceedings
before this Court that the venue of the trial should be shifted to the
High Court. This direction was issued suo motu by the learned Judges
H without putting it to the counsel for the parties that this was what they
: ' '~.'

A.f,. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN. J.[ 141

proposed to do. The difficulties created by observations or directions
A
on issues not debated before the Court have been highlighted by Lord
Diplock in Hadmor Productions Ltd. v. Hamilton, [1983] A.C. 191).
In that case, Lord Denning, in the Court of Appeal, had in his judg-
ment, relied on a certain passage from the speech of Lord Wedderburn
in Parliament as reported in Hansard (Parliamentary Reports) in sup-
port of the view taken by him. The counsel for the parties had had no B
inkling or information that recourse was likely to be.had by the Judge
to this source, as it had been authoritatively held by the House of
Lords in Davis v.·Johns, [1979] A.C. 264 thafthese reports should not
be referred to by counsel or relied upon by the court for any purpose.
Commenting on this aspect, Lord Diplock observed:

"Under our adversary system of procedure, for a judge to c
disregard the rule by which counsel are bound has the
effect of depriving the parties to the action of the benefit of
one of the most fundamental rules of natural justice: the
right of each to btl'informed of any point adverse to him
that is going to be relied upon by the judge and to be given D
an opportunity of stating what his answer to it is. Jn the
instant case, counsel for Hamilton and Bould complained
that Lord Denning M.R. had selected one speech alone to
rely upon out of many that had been made ..... and that,
if he has counsel had known that (Lord Denning) was going
to do that, not only would he have wished to criticise what E
Lord Wedderburn had said in his speech ..... but he
would also have wished to rely on other speeches disagree-
ing with Lord Wedderburn if he, as counsel, had been
entitled to refer to Hansard ..... "

The position is somewhat worse in the present case. Unlike the F
Hamilton case (supra) where the Judge had only used Hansard to deal
with an issue the.it arose in the appeal, the direction in the present case
was something totally alien to the scope of the appeal, on an issue that
was neither raised nor debated in the course of the hearing and comp-
letely unexpected.
G
26. Shri Jethmalani submitted that, when the judgment was
announced, counsel for the complainant (present respondent) had
made an oral request that the trial be transferred to ·the High Court
_, and that the Judges replied that they had already done that. He sub-
mitted that, at that time and subsequently, the appellant could have
protested and put forward his objections but did not and had thus H
142 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

acquiesced in a direction which was, in truth, beneficial to him as this
A
Court had only directed that he should be tried by a High Court Judge,
a direction against which no one can reasonably complain. This aspect
of the respondent's arguments will be dealt with later but, for the
present, all that is necessary is to say that the direction must have come
as a surprise to the appellant and had been issued without hearing him
B on the course proposed to be adopted.

Conclusion

27. To sum up, my conclusion on issue A is that the direction
issued by the Court was not warranted in law, being contrary to the
special provisions of the 1952 Act, was also not in conformity with the
c principles of natural justice and that, unless the direction can be
justified with reference to S. 407 of the Cr. P.C., the petitioner's
fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 2 I can be said to have been
infringed by reason of this direftion. This takes me on to the question
whether it follows as a consequence that the direction issued can be, or
D should be, recalled, annulled, revoked or set aside by us now.

B.CAN AND SHOULD THE DIRECTION OF 16.2.84 BE
RECALLED?

28. It will be appreciated that, whatever may be the ultimate
E conclusion on the correctness, propriety or otherwise of the Court's
direction dated 16.2.1984, that was a direction given by this Court in a
proceeding between the same parties and the important and far-
reaching question that falls for consideration is whether it is at all open
to the appellant to seek to challenge the correctness of that direction at
a later stage of the same trial.
F
Is a review possible?

29. The first thought that would occur to any one who seeks a
modification of an order of this Court, particularly on the ground that
it contained a direction regarding which he had not been heard, would
G be to seek a review of that order under Article 137 of the Constitution
read with the relevant rules. Realising that this would be a direct and
straight forward remedy, it was contended for the appellant that the
present appeal may be treated as an application for such review.

30. The power of review is conferred on this Court by Article 137
H of the Constitution which reads thus:
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN, J.I 143

"Subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament
A
or any.rules made under Article 145, the Supreme Court
shall have power to review any judgment pronounced or
order made by it."

It is subject not only to the provisions of any law made by Parliament
(and there is no such law so far framed) but also to any rules made by B
this Court under Artie!<; 145. This Court has made rules in pursuance of
art. 145 which are contained in Order XL in Part VIII of the Supreme
Court Rules. Three of these rules are relevant for our present
purposes. They read as follows:

"(l) The Court may review its judgment or order, but no C
appliction for review will be entertained in a civil proceed-
ing except on the ground mentioned in Order XLVII, rule
1 of the Code, and in a criminal proceeding except on the
ground of an error apparent on the face of the record.

(2) An application for review shall be by a petition, and 0
shall be filed within thirty days from the· date of the judg-
ment or order sought to be reviewed. It shall set out clearly
its grounds for review.

(3) Unless otherwise ordered by the Court an application
for review shall be disposed of by circulation without any E
oral arguments, but the petitioner may supplement his pet-
ition by additional written arguments. The court may either
dismiss the petition or direct notice to the opposite party.
An application for review shall as far as practicable be
circulated to tbe same Judge or Bench of Judges that
delivered the judgment or order sought to be revie.wed." F

31. It is contended on behalf of the respondent that the present
pleas of the appellant cannot be treated as an application for review,
firstly, because they do not seek to rectify any error apparent on the
face of the record; secondly, because the prayer is being made after
the expiry of the period of thirty days mentioned in rule 2 and there is G
no sufficient cause for condoning the delay in the making of the appli-
cation and thirdly, for the reason that a review petition has to be listed
as far as practicable before the same Judge or Bench of Judges that
delivered the order sought to be reviewed and in this case at least two
of the learned Judges, who passed the order on 16.2.1984, are still
available to consider the application for review. These grounds may H
now be considered.
•
"""'
144 SUPREME COURT REPORTS !1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A 32. For reasons which I shall later discuss, I am 'of opinion that
the order dated 16.2.1984 does not suffer from any error apparent on
the face of the record which can be rectified on a review application.
So far as the second point is concerned, it is common ground that the
prayer for review has been made beyond the period mentioned in Rule
2 of Order XL of the Supreme Court Rules. No doubt this Court has
B power to extend the time within which a review petition may be filed
but learned counsel for the respondent vehemently contended that this
is not a fit case for exercising the power of condonation of delay. It is
urged that, far from this being a fit case for the entertainment of the
application for review beyond the time prescribed, the history of the
case will show that the petitioner has deliberately avoided filing a
C review petition within the time prescribed for reasons best known to
himself.

33. In support of his contention, learned counsel for the respon-
dent invited our attention to the following sequence of events and
made the following points:
D
(a) The order of this Court was passed on 16.2.1984. At the time
of the pronouncement of the said order, counsel for the pre-
sent respondent had made a request that the trial of the case
may be shifted to the High Court and the Court had
observed that a direction to this effect had been included in
E the judgment. Even assuming that there had been no issues
raised and no arguments advanced on the question of trans-
fer at the time of the hearing of the appeals, there was
nothing to preclude the counsel for the appellant, when the
counsel for the complainant made the above request, from
contending that it should not be done, or, at least, that it
F should not be done without further hearing him and pointing
out this was not a matter which had been debated at the
hearing of the appeal. But no, the counsel for the accused
chose to remain quiet and did not raise any objection at that
point of time. He could have filed a review application soon
thereafter but he did not do so. Perhaps he considered, at
G that stage, that the order which after all enabled him to be
tried by a High Court Judge in preference to a Special Judge
was favourable to him and, therefore, he did not choose to
object.

(b) The matter came up before the trial judge on 13th March,
H; 1984. The accused, who appeared in person, stated that he
'·

A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN, J.) 145

did not want to engage any counsel "at least for the present': A
He would :10t put down his arguments in writing and when
he argued the gravemen of his attack was that this Court's
order transferring the trial from the Special Judge to the
High Court was wrong on merits. Naturally, the learned
Judge. found it difficult to accept the contention that he
should go behind the orderof the Supreme Court. He rightly B
pointed out that if the accused had any grievance to make,
his proper remedy was to move the Supreme Court for
review of its judgment or for such further directions or
clarifications as may be expedient. Thus, as early as 13th
March, 1984, Khatri, J., had given a specific opportunity to
the accused to come to this Court and seek a review of the
direction. It can perhaps be said that on 16.2. 1984, when this
c
Court passed the impugned direction, the appellant was not
fully conscious of the impact of the said direction and that,
therefore, he did not object to it immediately. But, by the
13th March, 1984, he had ample time to think about the
matter and to consult his counsel. The appellant himself was D
a barrister. He chose not to engage counsel but to argue
himself and, even after the trial court specifically pointed out
to him that it was bound by the direction of this Court under
Arts. 141 annd 144 of the Constitution and that, if at all, his
remedy was to go to the Supreme Court by way of review or
by way of an application for clarification, he chose to take no E
action thereon.

c) On 16th March, 1984, Khatri, J. disposed of the preliminary
objections raised by the accused challenging the jurisdiction
and competence of this Court to try the accused. Counsel for
the respondent points out that, at the time of the hearing, the F
appellant had urged before Khatri, J. all the objections to
the trial, which he is now putting forth. These objections
have been summarised in paragraph 3 of the order passed by
the learned Judge and each one of them has been dealt with
elaborately by the learned Judge. It has been pointed out by
him that the Supreme Court was considering not only the G
appeals preferred by the accused and the complainant,
namely, Cr!. Appeal Nos. 246, 247 and 356 of 1983 but also
two revision petitions being C:R. Nos. 354 'and 359 of 1983
which had been withdrawn by the Supreme Court to itself for
disposal along with Cr!. Appeal No. 356 of 1983. A little
later in the order the learned Judge pointed out that, even H
146 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988) Supp. 1 S.C.R.

assuming that in the first instance the trial can be conducted
A
only by a Special Judge, the proceedings could be withdrawn
hy the high Court to itself under powers vested in it under
Article 228(a) of the Constitution as well as section 407 of the
Cr.P .C. When the criminal revisions stood transferred to the
Supreme Court (this was obviously done under Article 139-A
B though that article is not specifically mentioned in the judg-
ment of the Supreme Court), the Supreme Court could pass
the order under Article· 139-A read with Article 142. The
learned Judge also disposed of the objections based on Arti-
cle 21. He pointed out that-as against an ordinary accused
person tried by a special judge, who gets a right of appeal to
the High Court, a court of superior jurisdiction, with a
c further right of appeal to the Supreme Court under s. 374 of
the Cr.P.C. and that an order of transfer passed in the
interest of expeditious disposal of a trial was primarily in the
interests of the accused and could hardly be said to be pre-
judicial to the accused. Despite the very careful and fully
D detailed reasons passed by the High Court, the appellant did
not choose to seek a review of the earlier direction.

{d) Against the order of the learned Judge dated 16.3.1984 the
complainant came to the Court because he was dissatisfied
with certain observations made by the trial Judge in regard
E to the procedure to be followed by the High Court in pro-
ceeding with the trial. This matter was heard in open court
by same five learned Judges who had disposed of the matter
earlier on 16.2.1984. The accused was represented by a
senior counsel and the Government of Maharashtra had also
engaged a senior counsel to represent its case. Even at this
F hearing the counsel for the appellant did not choose to raii;e
any objection against the direction given in the order dated
16.2.1984. The appeal before the Supreme Conrt was for
•
getting a clarification of the very order dated 16.2.1984. This
was a golden opportunity for the appellant also to seek a
review or clarification of the impugned direction, if really he
G had a grievance that he had not been heard by the Court
before it issued the direction and that it was also contrary to
the provisions of the 1952 Act as well as violative of the
rights of the accused under Art. 21 of the Constitution.

( e) The petitioner instead filed two special leave petitions and a
H writ petition against the orders of Khatri, J. dated 13.3.1984
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN, J.: 147
\
and 16.3.1984. In the writ petition, the petitioner had
A
mentioned that the impugned direction had been issued
without hearing him. In these matters counsel for the
accused made both oral and written submissions and all con-
tentions and arguments, which have now been put forward,
had been raised in the written arguments. The appeals and
writ petition were disposed of by this Court. This Court B
naturally dismissed the special leave petitions pointing out
that the High Court was quite correct in considering itself
bound by the directions of the Court. The Court also .dismis-
sed the writ petition as without merit. But once again it
observed that the proper remedy of the petitioner was else-
where and not by way of a writ petition. These two orders,
according to the learned counsel for the respondent. conc- c
lude the matter against the appellant. The dismissal of the
writ petition reminded the petiti_oner of his right to move the
Court by other means and, though this advice was tendered
as early as 17.4. 1984, the petitioner did nothing. So far as the
special leave petition was concerned, its dismissal meant the D
affirmation in full of the decision given by Justice Khatri
dismissing and disposing of all the objections raised by the
petitioner before him. Whatever may have been the position
on 16.2. 1984 or 16.3.1984, there was absolutely no explana-
tion or justification for the conduct of the petitioner in failing
to file an application for review between 17.4. 1984 and E
October, 1986.

34. Recounting the above history, which according to him fully
.;- explained the attitude of the accused, learned counsel for the respon-
dent submitted that in his view the appellant was obviously tryinll to
avoid a review petition perhaps because it was likely to go before the F
same learned Judges and he did not think that he would get any relief
and perhaps also because he might have felt that a review was not an
. adequate remedy for him as, under the rules, it would be disposed of in
chamber without hearing him once again. But, whatever may be the
reason, it is submitted, the delay between April 1984 and October,
1986 stood totally unexplained and even now there was no proper G
review petition before this Court. In the circumstances, it is urged that
this present belated prayer for review.

111. 35. There is substance in these contentions. The prayer for
·review is being made very belatedly, and having regard to the cif-
cumstances outlined above there is hardly any reason to condone the H
148 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A delay in the prayer for review. The appellant was alive to all his pre-
sent contentions as is seen from the papers in the writ petition. At least
when the writ petition was dismissed as an inappropriate remedy, he
should have at once moved this Court for review. The delay from April
1984 to October 1986 is totally inexplicable. That apart, there is also
validity in the respondent's contention that, even if we are inclined to
B condone the delay, the application will have to be heard as far as
possible by the same learned Judges who disposed of the earlier mat-
ter. In other words, that application will have to be heard by a Bench
which includes the two learned Judges who disposed of the appeal on
16.2.1984 and who are still available in this Court to deal with any
proper review application, that may be filed. However, since in my
view, the delay has not been satisfactorily explained, I am of opinion
c that the prayer of the appellant· that the present pleas may be treated
as one in the nature of a review application and the appellant given
relief on that basis has to be rejected.

Is a writ maintainable?
D
36. This takes one to a consideration of the second line of attack
by the appellant's counsel. His proposition was that a judicial order of
a court---even the High Court or this Court may breach the principles
of natural justice or the fundamental rights and that, if it does so, it can
be quashed by this Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction under Article
E 32. In other words, the plea would seem to be that the present pro-
ceedings may be treated as in the nature of a writ petition to quash the
impugned order on the above ground. The earliest of the cases relied
upon to support this contention is the decision in Prem Chand Garg v.
Excise Commissioner, [1963] Supp. 1 S.C.R. 885, which may perhaps
be described as the sheet-anchor of the appellant's contentions on this
F point. The facts of that case have been set out in the judgment of
Sabyasachi Mukharji, J. and need not be repeated. The case was heard
by a Bench of five judges. Four of them, speaking through Gajen-
dragadkar, J. held that Rule 12 of Order XXXV of the Supreme Court
Rules violated Article 32 and declared it invalid. This also set aside an
earlier order dated 12.12.1961 passed by the Court in pursuance of the
G rule calling upon the petitioner to deposit cash security. Sri Rao con-
tended that this case involved two separate issues for consideration by
the Court: (a) the validity of the rule and (b) the validity of the order
dated 12.12.1961; and that the decision is authority not only for the
proposition that a writ petition under Article 32 could be filed to im-
pugn the constitutional validity of a rule but also for the proposition
H that the Court could entertain a writ petition to set aside a judicial
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN, J.] 149

order passed by the Court earlier on discovering that it is inconsistent A
with the fundamental rights of the petitioner. Counsel submitted that
an impression in the minds of some persons that the decision in Prem
Chand Garg is not good law after the decision of the nine-Judge Bench
in Naresh Sridhar Mirajkar v. State, [1966] 3 S.C.R. 744 is incorrect.
He submitted that, far from Garg's case being overruled, it has been
confirmed in the later case. B

37. Mirajkar was a case in which the validity of an interlocutory
order passed by a judge of the Bombay High Court pertaining to the
publication of reports of the proceedings in a suit pending before him
was challenged by a journalist as violating his fundamental rights un-
der Article 19 of the Constitution. The matter came to the Supreme
Court by way of a writ petition under Article 32. The validity of the
c
order was upheld by the majority of the Judges while Hidayatullah J.
dissented. In this connection it is necessary to refer to a passge at p.
767 in the judgment of Gajendragadkar, C.J.

"Mr. Setalvad has conceded that if a court of competent D
jurisdiction makes an order in a proceeding before it, and
the order is inter-partes, its validity cannot be challenged
by invoking the jurisdiction of this Court under Art: 32,
though the said order may affect the aggrieved party's
fondamental rights. His whole argument before us has been
that the impugned order affects the fundamental rights of a E
stranger to the proceeding before the Court; and that, he
contends, justifies the petitioners in moving this Court
und.er Arte. 32. It is necessary to examine the validity of
this arp,ument."

The question before the Supreme Court was thus as to whether, F
even at the instance of a stranger to the earlier proceedings, the earlier
order could be challenged by means of a writ petition under Article 32.
One of the questions that had to be considered by the Court was
whether the judicial order passed by the learned judge of the High
Court was amenable to be writ jurisdiction of the Court under Article
32. On this question, the judges reacted differently: G

(i) Gajendragadkar, CJ and Wanchoo, Mudholkar, Sikri and
I!'. Ramaswamy, JJ. had this to say:

"The High Court is a superior Court of Record and it is for
it to consider whether any matter falls within its jurisdiction H
150 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

or not. The order is a judicial order and if it is erroneous, a
A
person aggrieved by it, though a stranger, could move this
Court under Article 136 and the order can be corrected in
appeal but the question about the existence of the said
jurisdiction as well as the validity or the propriety of the
order cannot be raised in writ proceedings under article 32.';
B
(ii) Sarkar J. also concurred in the view that this Court had no
power to issue a certiorari to the High Court. He observed:

"I confess the question is of some haziness. That haziness
arises because the courts in our country which have been
given the power to issue the writ are not fully analogous to
c the English courts having that power. We have to seek a
way out for ourselves. Having given the matter my best
consideration, I venture to think that it was not contemp-
lated that a High Court is an inferior court even though it is
a court of limited jurisdiction. The Constitution gave
D power to the High Court to issue the writ. In England, an
inferior court could .never issue the writ. I think it would be
abhorrent to the principle of certiorari if a Court which can
itself issue the writ is to be made subject to be corrected by
a writ issued by another court. When a court has the power
to issue the writ, it is not according to the fundamental
E principles of certiorari, an inferior court or a court of
limited jurisdiction. It does not cease to be so because
another Court to which appeals from it lie has also the
power to issue the writ. That should furnish strong justifi-
cation for saying that the Constitution did not contemplate
the High Courts to be inferior courts so that their decisions
F would be liable to be quashed by writs issued by the
Supreme Court which also had been given power to issue
the writs. Nor do .I think that the cause of justice will in any
manner be affected if a High Court is not made amenable
to correct by this Court by the issue of the writ. In my
opinion, therefore, this Court has not power to issue a
G certiorari to a High Court."

(iii) BachawatJ. held:

"The High Court has jurisdiction to decide if it could rest-
rain the publication of anv document or information relat-
H ing to the trial. of a pendmg suit or concerning which the
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN. J.I 151

suit is brought, if it erroneously assume a jurisdiction not
A
vested in it, its decision may be set aside in appropriate
proceedings but the decision is not open to attack under
Article 32 on the ground that it infringes the fundamental
right under Article 19( l)(a). If a stranger is prejudiced by
an order forbidding the publication of the report of any
proceeding, his proper course is only to apply to the Court B
to lift the ban."

(iv) Justice Shah thought that, in principle, a writ petition could
perhaps be filed to challenge an order of a High Court on the ground
that it violated the fundamental rights of the petitioner under Articles
20, 21. and 22 but he left the question open. He, however, concluded
that an order of the nature in issue before the Court could not be said C
to infringe Article 19.

38. Hidayatullah J., as His Lordship then was, however, dissen-
ted. He observed:
D
"Even assuming the impugned order means a temporary
suppression of the evidence of the witness, the trial Judge
had no jurisdiction to pass the order. As he passed no
recorded order, the appropriate remedy (in fact the only
effective remedy) is to seek to quash the order by a writ
under Article 32. E

There may be action by a Judge which may offend the
fundamental rig'its under articles 14, 15, 19, 20, 21 and 22
and an appeal to this Court will not only be practicable but
will also be an ineffective remedy and this Court can issue a
writ to the High Court to quash its order under Article 32 of F
the Constitution. Since there is no exception in Article 32
in respect of the High Courts there is a presumption that
the High Courts are not excluded. Even with the enactment
of Article 226, the power which is conferred on the High
Court is not in every sense a coordinate power and the
implication of reading articles 32, 136 and 226 together is G
that there is no sharing of the powers to issue the preroga-
tive writs possessed by this Court. Under the total scheme
of the Constitution, the subordination of the High Courts
to the Supreme Court is not only evident but is logical."

His Lordship proceeded to meet an objection that such a course might H
152 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

cast a slur on the High Courts or open the floodgates of litigation. He
A
observed:

"Article 32 is concerned with Fundamental Rights and
Fundamental Rights only. It is not concerned with
breaches of law which do not involve fundamehtal rights
B directly. The ordinary writs of certiorari, mandamus and
prohibition can only issue by enforcement of Fundamental
Rights. A clear cut case of breach of Fundamental Right
alone can be the basis for the exercise of this power. I have
already given examples of actions of courts and judges
which are not instances of wrong judicial orders capable of
being brought before this court only by appeal but breaches
c of Fundamental Rights clear and simple. Denial of equality
as for example by excluding members of a particular party
or of a particular community from the public court room in
a public hearing without any fault, when others are allowed
to stay on would be a case of breach of fundamental right of
D equal protection given by this Constitution. Must an
affected person in such a case ask the Judge to write down
his order, so that he may appeal against it? Or is he
expected to ask for special leave from this Court? If a High
Court judge in England acted improperly, there may be no
remedy because of the limitations on the rights of the sub-
E ject against the Crown. But in such circumstances in Eng-
land the hearing is considered vitiated and the decision
voidable. This need not arise here. The High Court in our
country in similar circumstances is not immune because
there is a remedy to move this court for a writ against
discriminatory treatment and this Court should not in a
F suitable case shirk to issue a writ to a High Court Judge,
who ignores the funda.nental rights and his obligations
under the Constitution. Other cases can easily be imagined
under Article 14, 15, 19, 20, 21and22 of the Constitution,
in which there may be action by a Judge which may offend
the fundamental rights and in which an appeal to this Court
G will not only be not practicable but also quite an ineffective
remedy.

We need not be dismayed that the view J take means a slur
on the High Courts or that this Court will be flooded with
petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution. Although
H the High Courts possess a power to interfere by way of high
A.R .. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN, J.] 153

prerogative writs of certiorari, mandamus and prohibition,
A
such powers have not been invoked against the normal and
routine work of subordinate courts and tribunals. The
reason is that people understand the difference between an
approach to the High Court by way of appeals etc. and
approach for the purpose of asking for writs under Article
226. Nor have the High Courts spread a Procrustean bed B
for high prerogative writs for all actions to lie. Decisions of
the courts have been subjected to statutory appeals and
revisions but the losing side has not charged the Judge with
" a breach of fundamental rights because he ordered attach-
ment of property belonging to a stranger to the litigation or
by his order affected rights of the parties or even strangers.
This is beca.use the people understand the difference bet- c
ween normal proceedings of a civil nature and proceedings
in which there is a breach of fundamental rights. The courts
acts, between parties and even between parties and stran-
gers, done impersonally and objectively are challengeable
under the ordinary law only. But acts which involve the D
court with a fundamental right are quite different."

One more passage from the judgment needs to be quoted.
Observed the learned Judge:

"I may dispose of a few results which it was suggested, E
might flow from my view that this Court can issue a high
prerogative writ to the High Court for enforcement of
fundamental rights. It was suggested that the High Courts
might issue writs to this Court and to other High Courts
and one Judge or Bench in the High Court and the
Supreme Court might issue a writ to another judge or F
Bench in the same Court. This is an erroneous assumption.
To begin with High Courts cannot issue a writ to the
Supreme Court1 because the writ goes down and not up.
Similarly, a High Court cannot issue a writ to another High
Court. The writ does not go to a court placed on an equal
footing in the matter of jurisdiction G

xx xx xx
I must hold that this English practice of not issuing writs in
the same court is in the very nature of things. One High
Court will thus not be able to issue a writ to another High H
154 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (19881 Supp. 1 S.C.R.

Court nor even to a court exercising the powers of the High
A
Court. In so far as this Court is concerned, the argument
that one Bench or one Judge might issue a writ to another
Bench or Judge, need hardly be considered. My opinion
gives no support to such a view and I hope I have said
nothing to give countenance to it. These are imaginary
B fears which have no rea!ity either in law or in fact."

39. I have set out at length portions from the judgment of
Hidayatullah, J. as Shri Rao placed considerable reliance on it. From
the above extracts, it will be seen that the majority of the Court was
clearly of opinion that an order of a High Court cannot be challenged
by way of a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution on. the
c ground that it violates the fundamental rights, not even at the instance
of a person who was not at all a party to the proceedings in which the
earlier order was passed. Even Hidayatullah, J. has clearly expressed
the view that, though a writ of certiorari might issue to quash the order
of a High Court in appropriate case, it cannot lie from a Bench of one
0 court to another Bench of the same High Court. Subba Rao, C.J. has
also made an observation to like effect in regard to High Court
Benches inter se in Ghu/am Sarwarv. Union, [196712 S.C.R. 271. The
decision in Prem Chand Garg, seems to indicate to the contrary. But it
is clearly distinguishable and has been distinguished by the nine judge
Bench in Mirajkar. The observations of Gujendragadkar, C.J. (at p.
E 766), and Sarkar, J. (at p. 780), be seen in this context. In that case, it
is true that the order passed by the Court directing the appellant to
deposit security was also quashed but that was a purely consequential
order which followed on the well-founded challenge to the validity of
the rule. Hidayatullah, J. also agreed that this was so and explained
that the judicial decision which was based on the rule was only revised.
F (p. 790).

40. Sri Rao also referred to Sadhanatham v. Arunachalam,
[19801 2 S.C.R. 873. In that case, the petitioner was acquitted by the
High Court, in appeal, of charges under section 302 and 148 of the
Indian Penal Code. The brother of the deceased, not the State or the
G informant, petitioned this court under Article 136 of the, Constitution
for special leave to appeal against the acquittal. Leave was granted and
his appeal was eventually allowed by the High Court. The judgment of
the High Court was set aside and the conviction and sentence imposed
by the trial court under section 302 was upheld by the Supreme Court
in his earlier decision reported in [1979] 3 S.C.R. 482. Thereupon, the
H petitioner filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution,
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN, J.] 155

challenging the validity of the earlier order of this Court. Eventually, A
the petition was dismissed on the merits of the case. However, learned
counsel for the appellant strongly relied on the fact that in this case a
Bench of five judges of this Court entertained a petition under Article
32 to reconsider a decision passed by it in an appeal before the Court.
He submitted that it was inconceivable that it did not occur to the
learned judges who decided the case that, after Miraikar, a writ peti- B
tion under Article 32 was not at all entertainable. He, therefore, relied
upon this judgment as supporting his proposition that in an appro-
priate case this court can entertain a petition under Article 32 and
review an earlier decision of this court passed on an appeal or on a writ
petition or otherwise. This decision, one is constrained to remark, is of
no direct assistance to the appellant. It is no authority for the proposi- C
tion that an earlier order of the court could be quashed on the ground
that it offends the Fundamental Right. As the petition was eventually
dismissed on the merits, it was not necessary for the court to consider
whether, if they had come to the conclusion that the earlier order was
mcorrect or invalid, they would have interfered therewith on the writ
petition filed by the petitioner. D

41. Two more decisions referred to on l)ehalf of the appellant
may be touched upon here. The first was the decision of this Court in
Attorney-General v. Lachma Devi, AIR 1986 S.C. 467. In that case the
High Court had passed an order that certain persons found guilty of
murder should be hanged in public. This order was challenged by a "E
writ petition filed under article 32 by the Attorney-General of India,
on the ground that it violated Article 21 of the Constitution. This
petition was allowed by this Court. The second decision. on which
reliance was placed is that in Sukhdas v. Union Territory, [1986) 2
S.C.C. 401. In that case the petitioner, accused of a criminal offence
had not been provided with legal assistance by the court. The Supreme F
Court pointed out that this was a constitutional lapse on the part of
the court and that the conviction on the face of the record suffered
from a fatal infirmity. These decisions do not carry the petitioner any
further. Sukhdas was a decision on an appeal and Lachma Devi does
not go beyond the views expressed by Hidayatullah, J. and Shah, J. in
Mirajkar. G

42. On a survey of these decisions, it appears to me that Prem
Chand Garg cannot be treated as an authority for the proposition that
an earlier order of this Court could be quashed by the issue of a writ on
the ground that it violate<;! the fundamental rights. Mirajkar clearly
precludes such a course. It is, therefore, not possible to accept the H
156 SUPREME COURT REPORTS 11988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A appellant's plea that the direction dated 16.2.1984 should be quashed
on the grounds put forward by the petitioner.

Inherent power to declare orders to be null and void

43. The next line of argument of learned counsel for the appel-
B lant is that the order dated 16.2.1984, in so far as it contained the
impugned direction, was a complete nullity .. Being an order without
jurisdiction, it could be ignored by the person affected or challenged
by him at any stage of the proceedings before any Court, particularly
in a criminal case, vide Dhirendra Kumar v. Superintendent, 11955].1
S.C.R. 224. Counsel also relied on the following observations made in
C Kiran Singh v. Chaman Paswan, IAIR 1955 S.C.R. 117.]

"The answer to these contentions must depend on what the
position in law is when a Court entertains a suit or an
appeal over which it has no jurisdiction, and what the effect
of Section 11 of the Suits Valuation Act is on that position.
D It is a fundamental princple well established that a decree
passed by a Court without jurisdiction is a nullity, and that
its invalidity could be set up whenever and wherever it is
sought to be enforced or relied upon, even at the stage of
execution and even in collateral proceedings. A defect of
jurisdiction, whether it is pecuniary or territorial, or whether
E it is in respect of the subject matter of the action, strikes at
the very authority o/ the Court to pass any decree, and such
a defect cannot be cured even by consent of parties. If the
question now under consideration fell to be determined
only on the applicatbn of general principles governing the
matter, there can be no doubt that the District Court of
F Monghyr was coram non judice, and that its judgments and
decree would be nullities."
(emphasis added)

He also extensively quoted from the dicta of this Court in M. L. Sethi v.
R.P. Kapur, 11973] 1 S.C.R. 697, where after setting out the speeches
G of Lord Reid and Lord Pearce in Anisminic Ltd. v. Foreign Compensa-
tion Commissioner, I 1969] 2 A.C. 147 this Court observed:

"The dicta of the majority of the House of Lords in the
above case would show the extent to which 'lack' and
'excess' of jurisdiction have been assimilated or, in other
H words, the extent to which we have moved away from the
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN, J.[ 157

traditional concept of "jurisdiction". The effect of the dicta
A
in that case is to reduce the difference between jurisdic-
tional error and error of law within jurisdiction almost to
vani>hing point. The practical effect of the decision is that
any error of law can be reckoned as jurisdictional. This
comes perilously clos,e to. saying t_hat there is jurisdiction if
the decision is right in law but none if it is wrong. Almost B
any inisconsiruction of a statute can be represented as
"basing their decision on a matter with which they have no
right to deal", "impose an unwarranted condition" or
"addressing themselves to a wrong question." The major-
ity opinion in the case leaves a Court or Tribunal with
virtually no margin of legal error .. Whether there is excess
or jurisdiction or merely error within jurisdiction can be c
.determined only by construing the empowering statute,
which will give little guidance. It is really a question of how
much latitude the Court is prepared to allow. In the end it
can only be a value judgment (see R.W.R. Wade, "Con-
stitutional and Administrative Aspects of the Anisintic D
case", Law Quarterly Review, Vo. 85, 1969 p. 198). Why is
it that a wrong decisran on a question of limitation or res
judicata was treated as a jurisdictional error and liable to
be interfered with in revision? It is a bit difficult to under-
stand how an erroneous decision on a question of limitation
or res judicata could oust the jurisdiction of the Court in E
the primitive sense of the term and render the decision or a
decree embodying the decision a nullity liable to collateral
attack. The reason can only be that the error of law was
considered as vital by the Court. And there is no yardstick
to determine the magnitude of the error other than the
opinion of this Court." F

He also referred to Badri Prasad v. Nagarmal, [1959) 1 Supp. S.C.R.
769 which followed the clear law laid down in Surajmul Nagarmul v.
Triton Insurance Co. Ltd., [1924) L.R. 52 I.A. 126, Balai Chandra
Hazra v. Shewdhari Jadav, [1978) 3 S.C.R. 147 which followed
Ledgard v. Bull, {L.R. 13 I.A. 134; Meenakshi Naidu v. Subratnaniya G
Sastri, L.R. 14 I.A. 140 and Sukhrani v. Hari Shankar, [1979) 3 S.C.R
671. Sri Rao, citing a reference from Halsbury's Laws of England (4th
Edition) Vol. X, para 713, pages 321'2, contended that the High
Court's jurisdiction clearly stood excluded bys. 7(1) of the 1~52 Act
and, hence, the direction of the Supreme Court was als.o one without
jurisdiction. H
•
158 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988) Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A 44. In dealing with this contention, one important aspect of the
concept of jurisdiction has to be borne in mind. As pointed out by
Mathew J. in Kapur v. Sethi, (supra), the word "jurisdiction is a verbal
coat of many colours.". It is used in a wide and broad sense while
dealing with administrative or quasi-judicial tribunals and subordinate
courts over which the superior courts exercise a power of judicial
B review and superintendence. Then it is only a question of "how much
latitude the court is prepared to allow" and "there is no yardstick to
determine the magnitude of the error other than the opinion of the
court." But the position is different with superior courts with unlimi-
ted jurisdiction. These are always presumed to act with jurisdiction
and unless it is clearly shown that any particular order is patently one
which could not, on any conceivable view of its jurisdiction, have been
c passed by such court, such an order can neither be ignored nor even
recalled, annulled, revoked or set aside in subsequent proceedings by
the same court. This distinction is well brought out in the speeches of
Lord Diplock, Lord Edmund-Devier and Lord Scarman in Re. Racal
Communications Ltd., [1980] 2 A.E.R. 634. In the interests of brevity,
D I resist the temptation to quote extracts from the speeches here.

45. In the present case, the order passed is not one of patent lack
of jurisdiction, as I shall explain later. Though I have come to the
conclusion, on considering the arguments addressed now before us,
that the direction in the order dated 16.2.1984 cannot be justified by
E reference to Article 142 of the Constitution or S. 407 of the 1973.Cr.
P.C., that is not an incontrovertible position. It was possible for
another court to give a wider interpretation to these provisions and
come to the conclusion that surh an order could be made under those
provisions. If this Court had discussed the relevant provisions and
specifically expressed such a conclusion, it could not have been mod-
F ified in subsequent proceedings by this Bench merely because we are
inclined to hold differently. The mere fact that the direction was given,
without an elaborate discussion, cannot render it vulnerable to. such
review.

46. Shri P.P. Rao then placed considerable reliance on the ob-
G servations of the Privy Co.uncil in Isaacs v. Robertson, [1984] 3 A.E.R.
140 an appeal from a decision of the Court of Appeal of St. Vincent
and the Grenadines. Briefly the facts were that Robertson had
obtained· an interim injunction against Isaacs· and two others on ;Ill
31.5.1979 which the latter refused to obey. The respondents motion
for committal of the appellant for conterr;pt was dismissed by the High
H Court of Saiµt Vincent. The Court of Appeal allowed the respondents

•
at' kR. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN, J.[ 159

application; the appellants were found to be in contempt and also
A
asked to pay respondents costs. However, no penalty was inflicted
because the appellant would have been entitled to succeed on an appli-
cation for setting aside the injunction, has he filed one. The main
attack by the appellant on the Court of Appeal's judgment was based
on the contention that, as a consequence of the operation of certain
rules of the Supreme Couri of St. Vincent, the interlocutory injunction B
granted by the High Court was a nullity: so disobedience to it could not
constitute a contempt of court. Lord Diplock observed:

Glosgow J. accepted this contention, the Court of Appeal
rejected it, in their Lordships' view correctly, on the short
and well established ground that an order made by a court
of unlimited jurisdiction, such as the High Court of Saint c
Vincent must be obeyed unless and until it has been. set
aside by the court. For this proposition Robotham AJA I
cited the passage in the judgment of Romer L.J. in
Hadkinson v. Hadkinson, [1952] 2 All. E.R. 567 at 569,
(1952) P. 285 at 288. D

It is the plain and unqualified obligation of every person
'!! against, or in respect of whom an order is made by a Court
• of competent jurisdiction to obey it unless and until that
order is discharged. The uncompromising nature of this
-· obligation is shown by the fact that it extends even to cases E
where the person affected by an order believes it to be
irregular or even void. Lord Cotteniiam, Leven to cases
where the person affected by an order believes it to be
~ irregular or even void. Lord Cotteniiam, L.C. said in
Al;
Chuck v. Cremer, [1946] 1 Coop Temp Cott 338 at 342, 47
tt''"
' -~
E.R. 884 at 855: "A party, who knows of an order, whether F
null or valid, regular or irregular, cannot be permitted to
disobey it ..... It would be most dangerous to hold that
the suitors, or their solicitors, could themselves judge
,;;i.. whether an order was null or valid-whether it was regular

i
.";j
or irregular. That they should come to the court and not
take upon themselves to determine such a question. That G
the course of a party knowing of an order, which was null or
·i
l
irregular, and who might be affected by it, was plain. He
should apply to the Court that it might be discharged. As
long as it existed it must not be obeyed." Such being the
nature of this obligation, two consequences will, in general,
ff
X}
follow from its breach. The first is that anyone who dis- H
r
160 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. 1 S.C.R.

A obeys an order of the court .... .is in contempt and may be
published by committal or attachment or otherwise.

It is in their Lordships view, says aH that needs to be said
on this topic. It is not itself sufficient reason for dismissi~g
this appeal.
B
Having said this, the learned.Law Lord proceeded to say: ,,...'.

"The cases that are referred to in these dicta do not support
the proposition that there is any category of orders of a
court of unlimited jurisdiction of this kind, what they do
support is the quite different proposition that there is a
c category of orders of such a court which a person affected
by the order is entitled to apply to have set aside ex debito
justitiae in the exercise of the inherent jurisdiction of the
court without his needing to have recourse to the rules that
deals expressly with proceedings to set aside orders for
D irregularity and give to the Judge a discretion as to the
order he will make. The judges in the case that have drawn
the distinction between the two types of orders have cauti-
ously refrained from seeking to lay down a comprehensive
definition of defects that bring an order in the category that
attracts ex debito justitiae the right to have it set aside save
E that specifically it includes orders that have been obtained
in breach of rules of natural justice. The contrasting legal
concepts of voidness and voidability form part of the Eng-
lish law of contract. They are inapplicable to orders made •:
by a court of unlimited jurisdiction in the course ofconten-
tions litigation. Such an order is either irregular or regular.
F If it is irregular it can be set aside by the court that made it
on application to that court, if it is regular it can only be set
aside by an appellate court on appeal if there is one to
which an appeaflies."

Sri Rao strongly relied on this passage and, modifying his earlier,
G . somewhat extreme, contention that the direction given on 16.2.1984
being a nullity and without jurisdiction could be ignored by all
concerned-even by the trial judge-he contended, on the strength of
these observations. that he was at least entitled ex debito justitiae to
come to this Court and request the court, in the interests of justice, to
set aside the earlier order "without his needing to have recourse to the
H rules that deal expressly with proceedings to set aside orders for irre-
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN . .I.[ 161

gularity", if only on the ground that the order had been made in
A
breach of the principles of natural justice. Violation of the prindples
of natural justice, he contended, renders the direction a nullity without
any further proof of prejudice (see Kapur v. Jagmohan, [1981] 1
S.C.R. 746 at 766).

47. Learned counsel contended, in this context, that the fact the B
direction had been given in the earlier proceedings in this very case
need not stand in the way of our giving relief, if we are really satisfied
that the dir~ction had been issued per incuriam, without complying
with the principles of natural justice and purported to confer a jurisdic-
tion on the High Court which it did not possess. In this context he
relied on certain decisions holding that an erroneous decision on a
point of jurisdiction will not constitute res judicata:In Mathura Prasad
c
v. Dossibai, (1970) 3 S.C.R. 830, this Court observed:

"A question relating to the jurisdiction of a Court cannot
be deemed to have been finally ·determined by an errone-
ous decision of the Court. If by an erroneous interpretation D
of'the statute, the Court holds that it has no jurisdiction,
the question would not, in our judgment, operate as res
judicata. Similarly, by an erroneous decision, if the Court
assumes jurisdiction which it does not possess under the
statute, the question cannot operate as res judicata between
the same parties, whether the cause of action in the subse- E
quent litigation is the same or otherwise. It is true that in
determining the application of the rule of res judicata the
Court is not concerned with the correctness or otherwise of
the earlier judgment. The matter in issue, if it is one purely
of fact, decided in the earlier proceeding by a competent
court must in a subsequent litigation between the same F
parties be regarded as finally decided and cannot be
re-opened. A mixed question of law and fact determined in
the earlier proceeding between the same parties may not,
for the same reason, be questioned in a subsequent pro-
ceeding between the same parties.
G
xxxxx xxxxx

Where, however the question is one purely of law and it
relates to the jurisdiction of the Court or a decision of the
court sanctioning something which is illegal, by resor to the
rule of res judicata a party affected by the decision will not H
162 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. I S.C.R.

be precluded from challenging the validity of that order
A
under the rule of res judicata, for a rule of procedure cannot •
supersede the law of the land."

Counsel also relied on the decision of this Court in Chu/am Sarwar v.
Union of India, [1965] 2 S.C.C. 271, where it was held that the princi-
B ple of constructive res judiaata was not applicable to habeas corpus
proceedings. He also referred to the observations of D.A. Desai J. in
Soni Vrijlal Jethalal v. Soni Jadavji Govindji, AIR 1972 Guj. 148 that
no act of the court or irregularity can come in the way of justice being
done and one of the highest and the first duty of all courts is to take
care that the act of the court does no in jury to the suitors. He also
made reference to tffe maxim that an ;i,ct of, or mistake on the part, of
c a court shall cause prejudice to no one, vide: Jang Singh v. Brij Lal,
[ 1964] 2 S.C.R. 145 at p. 159. Relying on these decisions and passages
from various treatises which I do not consider it necessary to set out in
in extenso here, Sri Rao contended that this court should not consider
itself bound by the earlier order of the Bench or any kind of technical-
D ity where the liberty of an individual and the rights guaranteed to him
under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution are in is~ue. It is urged
thai, if this Court agrees with him that the direction dated 16.2.1984
was an illegal one, this Court should not hesitate nay, it should
hasten-to set aside the said order and repair the in justice done to the
appellant without further delay. On the other hand, Sri Jethmalani
E vehemently urged that the present attempt to have the entire matter
reopened constitutes a gross abuse of the process of court, that it is
well settled that the principle of res judicata is also available in criminal
matters (vide Bhagat Ram v. State, [1972] 2 S.C.C. 466 and State v.
Tara Chand, [1973] S.C.C. Crl. 774) that in the United States the
principle of res judicata governs even jurisdictional issues and that
F "the slightest hospitality to the accused's pleas will lead to a grave
miscarriage of justice and set up a precedent perilous to public
interest."

48. I have given careful· thought to these contentions. The appel-
lant's counsel has relied to a considerable extent on the maxim "actus
G curiae neminem gravabit" for contending that it is not only within the
power, but a duty as well, of this Court to correct its own mistakes in
order to see that no party is prejudiced by a mistake of the Court. I am
not persuaded that the earlier decision could be reviewed on the appli-
cation of the said maxim. I share the view of my learned brother
Venkatachaliah, J. that this maxim has very limited application and
H that it cannot be availed of to correct or review specific conclusions
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN. J.[ 163

arrived at in a judicial decision. My. brother Venkatachaliah, J. has
A
further taken the view that this Court cannot exercise any inherent
powers for setting right any in justice that may have been caused as a
result of an earlier order of the Court. While alive to the consideration
that "the highest court in the land should not, by technicalities of
procedure, forge fetters on its own feet and disable itself in cases of
serious miscarriages of justice", he has, nevertheless, come to the B
conclusion that "the remedy of the appellant, if any, is by recourse to
article 137 and nowhere else." It is at this point that I.would record a
dissent from his opinion. In my view, the decisions cited do indicate
that situations can and do arise where this.Court may be constrained to
recall or modify an order which has been passed by it earlier and that
when ex facie there is something radically wrong with the earlier order,
this Court may have to exercise its plenary and inherent powers to
c
recall the earlier order without considering itself bound by the nice
technicalities of the procedure for getting this done. Where a mistake
is £ommitted by a subordinate court or a High Court, there are ample
powers in this Court to remedy the situation. But.where the mistake is
in an earlier order of this Court, there is no way. of having it corrected D
except by approaching this Court. Sometimes, the remedy sought can
b.e brought within the four corners of the procedural law in which
event there can be no hurdle in the way of achieving the desired result.
But the mere fact that, for some reason, the conventional remedies are
.not available should not, in my view, render this Court powerless to
give relief. As pointed oui by Lord Diplock in Isaac v. Robertson, E
I 1984) 3 A.E.R. 140, it may not be possible or prudent to lay down a
comprehensive list of defects that will attract the ex debito justitiae
relief. Suffice it to say that the court can grant relief where there is
some manifest illegality or want of jurisdiction in the earlier order or
some palpable in justice is shown to have resulted. Such a power can be
traced either to article 142 of the Constitution or to the powers inhe- F
rent In this Court as the apex court and the guardian of the Consti-
tution.

49. It is, however, indisputable that such power has to be exer-
cised in the "rarest of rare" cases. As rightly pointed out by Sri Jeth-
malani, there is great need for judicial discipline of the highest order in G
exercising such a power, as any laxity in this regard may not only
impair the eminence, dignity and integrity of this Court but may also
lead to chaotic consequences. Nothing should be done to create an
impression that this Court can be easily persuaded to alter its views on
any matter a'ld that a larger Bench of the Court will not only be able to
reverse the precedential effect of an earlier ruling but may also be H
164 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Suop. 1 S.C.R.

A inclined to go back on it and render it ineffective in its application and
binding nature even in regard to subsequent proceedings in the same
case. In Bengal Immunity Company Limited v. The State of Bihar and
Ors., [1955] 2 S.C.R. 603, this Court held that it had the power, in
appropriate cases, to reconsider a previous decision given by it. While
concurring in this conclusion, Venkatarama Ayyar, J. sounded a note
B of warning of consequences which is more germane in the present
context:

"The question then arises as to the principles on which and
the limits within which this power should be exercised. It is
of course not possible to enumerate them exhaustively, nor
is it even desirable that they should not crystallised into rigid
c and inflexible rules·. But one principle stands out promi-
nently above the rest, and that is that in general, there
should be finality in the decisions of the highest courts in
the land, and that is for the benefit and protection of the
public. In this connection, it is necessary to bear in mind
D that next to l'egislatJve enactments, it is decisions of Courts
that form the most important source of law. It is on the
faith of decisions that rights are acquired and obligations
incurred, and States and subjects alike shape their course
of action. It must greatly impair the value of the decisions
of this Court, if the notion came to be entertained that
E there was nothing certain or final about them, which must
be the consequence if the points decided therein came to be
re-considered on the merits every time they were raised. It
should be noted that though the Privy Council has repea-
tedly declared that it has the power to reconsider its deci-
sions, in fact, no instance has been quoted in which it did.
F actually reverse its previous decision except in ecclesiasti-
cal cases. If that is the correct position, then the power to
reconsider is one which should be exercised very sparingly
and only in exceptional circumstances, such as when a
material provision of law had been overlooked, or where a
fundamental assumption on which the decision is based
G turns out to be mistaken. In the present case, it is not
suggested that in deciding the question of law as they did in
The State of Bombay v. The United Motors (India) Ltd.,
[ 1953] S.C.R. 1069 the learned Judges ignored any material
provisions of law, or were under any misapprehension as to
a matter fundamental to the decision. The arguments for
H the appellant before us were in fact only a repetition of the
A.R. ANTULAY v. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN, J.] 165

very contentions which were urged before the learned
A
Judges and negatived by them. The question then resolves
itself to this. Can we differ from a previous decision of this
Court, because a view contrary to the one taken therein
appears to be preferable? I would unhesitatingly answer it
in the negative, not because the view previously taken must
necessarily be infallible but because it is important in public B
interest that the law declared should be certain and final
rather than that it should be declared in one sense· or the
other. That, I conceive, in the reason behind article 141.
There are questions of law on which it is not possible to
avoid difference of opinion, and the present case is itself a
signal example of it. The object of article 141 is that the
decisions of this Court on these questions should settle the c
controversy, and that they should be followed as law by alJ
the Courts, and if they are allowed to be reopened because
a different view appears to be the better one, then the very
purpose with which article 141 has been enacted will be
defeated, and the prospect will have been opened of litig- D
ants subjecting our decisions to a continuous process of
attack before successive Benches in the hope that with
changes in the personnel of the Court which time must
inevitably bring, a different view might find acceptance. I
can imagine nothing more damaging to the prestige of this
Court or to the value of its· pronouncements. In James v. E
Commonwealth, 18 C.L.R. 54, it was observed that a ques-
tion settled by a previous decision should not be allowed to
be reopened "upon a mere suggestion that some or all of
· the Members of the later Court might arrive at a different
conclusion if the matter was res integra. Otherwise, there
would be grave danger of ~ant of continuity in the inter- F
pretation of the Jaw" (per Griffiths, C.J. at p. 58). It is for
this reason that article 141 invests decisions of this Court
with special authority, but the weight of that authority can
only b~ what we ourselves give to it."

Even in the context of a power of review, properly so called, Ven- G
kataramiah, J. had this to say in Sheonandan Paswan v. State of Bihar
&.Ors., I1987] 1 S.C.C. 288:

'The review petition was 'admitted after the appeal had
·been dismissed. only because Nandini Satpathy cases, (1987
· 1 S.C.C. 269 and 1987 1 S.C.C. 279) had been subsequently H
166 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988) Supp. 1 S.C.R.

referred to a larger bench to review the .earlier decisions.
A
When the earlier decisions are allowed to remain intact,
there is no justification to reverse the decision of this Court
by which the appeal had already been dismissed. There is
no warrant for this extraordinary procedure to be adopted
in this case. The reversal of the earlier judgment of this
B Court by this process strikes at the finally of judgments of
this Court and would amount to the abuse of the power of
review vested in this Court, particularly in a criminal case.
It may be noted that no other court in the country has been
given the power of review in criminal cases. I am of the
view that the majority judgment of Babarul Islam and R.B.
Misra, JJ. should remain undisturbed. This case cannot be
c converted into an apeal against the earlier decision of this
Court."

The attempt of the appellant here is more far-reaching. He seeks not
the mere upsetting of a precedent of this Court nor the upsetting of a
D decision of a High Court or this Court in accordance with the normal
procedure. What be wants from us is a declaration that an order passed
by a five judge Bench is wrong and that it should, in effect, be annulled
by us. This should not be done, in my view, unless the earlier order is
vitiated by a patent lack of jurisdiction or has resulted in grave
in justice or has clearly abridged the fundamental rights of the appel-
E lant. The question that arises is whether the present case can be
brought within the narrow range of exceptions which calls for such
interference. I am inclined to think that it does not.

50. I have indicated earlier, while discussing the contentions
urged by Shri P.P. Rao that some of them were plausible and, that, if I
F were asked to answer these questions posed by counsel for the first
time, I might agree with his answers. But I have also indicated that, in
my view, they do not constitute the only way of answering the ques-
tions posed by the learned counsel. Thus, to the question: did this
Court have the jurisdiction to issue the impugned direction, a plausible
answer could well be that it did, if one remembers that one of the
G transferred cases before this Court was the revision petition before the
Bombay High Court in which a transfer of the C?se to the High Court
has been asked for and if one gives a wide interpretation to the provi-
sions of Article 142 of the Constitution. On the question whether this·
Court could transfer the case to a High Court Judge, who was not a
Special Judge, a court could certainly accept the view urged by Sri
H Ram Jethmalani thats. 7(1) of the 1952 Act should not be so construed
A.R. ANTULAY .-. R.S. NAYAK [RANGANATHAN. J.) 167

as to exclude the application of the procedural provisions of the
A
Cr.P.C. in preference to the view that has found favour with me.
Though the order dated 16.2.1984 contains no reference to, or discus-
sion of, S. 407 Cr.P.C., this line of thinking of the judges who issued
the direction does surface in their observations in their decision of
even date rendered on the complainant's special leave petition, [1984] 2
S.C.R. 914 at page 943-4. I have already pointed out that, if the trans- B
fer is referable to s. 407 of the 1973 Cr.P.C., it cannot be impugned as
offending Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution. The mere fact that the
judges did not discuss at length the facts or the provisions of s. 407
Cr.P.C. vis-a-vis the 1952 Act or give a reasoned order as to why they
thought that the trial should be in the High Court itself cannot render
their direction susceptible to a charge of discrimination. A view can
certainly be taken that the mere entrustment of this case to the High c
Court for trial does not perpetrate manifest or grave injustice. On the
other hand, prima facie, it is something beneficial to the accused and
equitable in the interest of justice. Such trial by the High Court, in the
first instance, will be the rule in cases where a criminal trial is with-
drawn to the High Court under s. 407 of the Cr.P.C. or where a High D
Court judge has been constituted as a Special Judge either under the
1952 Act or some other statute. The absence of an appeal to the H,i~h
Court with a right of seeking for further leave to appeal to the
Supreme Court may be considered outweighed by the consideration
that the original trial will be in the High Court (as in Sessions cases of
old, in the Presidency Towns) with a statutory right of appeal to the E
Supreme Court under s. 374 of the Cr.P.C. In this situation, it is
difficult to say that the direction issued by this Court in the impugned
order is based on a view which is manifestly incorrect, palpably absurd
or patently without jurisdiction. Whether it will be considered right or
wrong by a different Bench having a second-look at the issues is a
totally different thing. It will be agreed on all bands that it will not F
behove the prestige and glory of this Court as envisaged under ' the
Constitution if earlier decisions are revised or recalled solely because a
later Bench takes a different view of the issues involved. Granting that
the power of review is available, it is one to be sparingly exercised only
in extraordinary or emergent situations when there can be no two
opinion about the error or lack of jurisdiction in the earlier order and G
there are adey_uate reasons to invoke· a resort to an unconventional
method of recalling or revoking the same. In my opinion, such a situa-
tion is not present here.

51. The only question that has been bothering me is that the
appellant had been given no chance of being heard before the H
168 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1988] Supp. I S.C.R.

impugned direction was given and one cannot say whether the Bench
A would have acted in the same way even if he had been given such
opportunity. However, in the circumstances of the case, I have come 1
to the conclusion that this is not a fit case to interfere with the earlier Ii
order on that ground. It is true that the audi altarem partem rule is a
basic requirement of the rule of law. But judicial decisions also show
B that the degree of compliance with this rule and the extent of consequ-
ences flowing from failure to do so will vary from case to case. Krishna
Iyer, J. observed thus in Nawabkhan Abbaskhan v. State, [1974] 3
S.C.R. 427 thus: I
"an order which infringed a fundamental freedom passed in
violation of the audi alteram partem rule was a nullity. A
c determination is no determination if it is contrary to the
constitutional mandate of Art. 19. On this footing the
externment order was of no effect and its violation was not
off¢nce. Any order made without hearing the party affec-
ted is void and ineffectual to bind parties from the beginng
D if the injury is to a constitutionally guaranteed right. May be
that in ordinary legislation or at common law a Tribunal
having jurisdiction and failing to· hear the parties may com-
mit an illegality which may render the proceedings voidable
when a direct attack was made thereon by way of appeal,
revision or review but nullity is the consequence of uncon-
E stitutionality and so the order of an administrative authority
charged with the duty of complying with natural justice in
the exercise of power before restricting the fundamental
right of a citizen is void ab initio and of no legal efficacy.
The duty ·to hear menacles his jurisdictional exercise and
any act is, in its inception, void except when performed in
F accordance with the conditions laid down in regard to
hearing."
(emphasis added)

So far as this case is concerned, I have indicated earlier that the direc-
tion of 16.2.1984 cannot be said to have infringed the fundamental
G rights of the appellant or caused any miscarriage of justice. As pointed
out by Sri Jethmalani, the appellant did know, on 16.2.84, that the
judges were giving such a direction and yet he did not protest. Perhaps
he did think that being tried by a High Court Judge would be more
beneficial to him, as indeed was likely to be. That apart, as discussed
earlier, several opportunities were available for the appellant to set
H this right. He did not move his little finger to obtain a variation of this
A.ii.. ANTULAY' RS. r<AYAK [RANGANATHAN ..I.I \~9

direction from this Court. He is approaching the Court nearly after A
two years of his trial by the learned judge in the High Court. Volum.es
of testimony, we are told, have been re.corded and numerous.exhibits
have been admitted as evidence. Though the trial is only. at the stage of
the framing charges,. the trial being according to the warrant proce-
dure,. a lot of evidence. has, already gone in and the result ofthe conclu,.
sions of Saby.asachi Mukl!arji., J. would be. to wipe the slate clean. 1'o.
take the entire matter back at this stage to square no. 1 would be. the
very. negation af the purpose of the 1952 Act to speed up all su.ch trials
and: would. result in, more injustice than justice from an objective point
of view. As pojnte.d<out by Lord"Denning in R. v. SeaetaryofiState for
the ffomeDepartrnent ex parte Mugha/, (1973] 3 AllE.R. 796, the rut.es
of natural j.ustice must not be stretched too far. They should n0 .t be
allowed to be c;xpkiitec! as a purely te.chnical weapon to undo a deci-
sien wbich does. no.! in r;eality c.ause s.ubstantial injustice and wl!ich.,
had the party. been really aggrieved thereby, could have been set. riglit
by immediate action. After giving my best anxious and. deep thought to
the pros. and cons of the situation I have come to the conclusion th.at
this is not on<:> of those; cases in which I would consider it appropriate
to recall the earlier direc.tion and order a retrial of the. appellant. cl.e
i,io,yi;i, bc;foi:_e a Special Judge. I woulc\, therefore, dismiss the appeal.

QRDER

ln view of the majonty judgments the· appeal is. allowed; all E
proceedings in this matter subsequent to the directi.ons of this Court on
16th February, 1984 as indicated. in the judgment are. set aside. a.nd
q uasbed. The tnal shall proceed in accordance with law, thii,t is to say,
under the Act of 1952. · ·
N.P.V.