Full Judgment Text
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
1
Reportable
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION/
CRIMINAL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION
PETITION FOR SPECIAL LEAVE TO APPEAL (CRL)No.7016 OF 2019
UNION OF INDIA …Petitioner
VERSUS
NISAR PALLATHUKADAVIL ALIYAR …Respondent
WITH
WRIT PETITION (CRL.)NO. 210 OF 2019
MAYANK DHHAKAD …Petitioner
VERSUS
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. …Respondents
AND
PETITION FOR SPECIAL LEAVE TO APPEAL(CRL)NO.7021 OF 2019
UNION OF INDIA …Petitioner
VERSUS
HAPPY ARVIND KUMAR DHAKAD …Respondent
AND
WRIT PETITION (CRL.)NO. 220 OF 2019
Signature Not Verified
ASHARAF A.U. …Petitioner
VERSUS
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. …Respondents
Digitally signed by
MUKESH KUMAR
Date: 2019.08.21
17:08:21 IST
Reason:
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
2
J U D G M E N T
Uday Umesh Lalit, J.
1. This Petition for Special Leave to Appeal challenges the Opinion
dated 22.07.2019 of the Advisory Board constituted under Section 8(a) of
the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling
Activities Act, 1974 (‘the COFEPOSA Act’, for short) in Reference No. 81
of 2019. The Opinion in Part-II of the Report of the Advisory Board was to
the following effect:-
“The Advisory Board is of the opinion that there is no
sufficient cause for the continued detention of the above
named detenu under Section 3 of the Conservation of
Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities
Act, 1974 (55 of 1974).”
2. In the present case, an order of detention under Section 3(1) of the
COFEPOSA Act was passed by the competent authority on 17.05.2019,
pursuant to which the respondent herein was detained. The documents and
the grounds were served within the statutory period. Writ Petition
(Criminal) No.2843 of 2019 was thereafter filed by the respondent in the
High Court of Judicature at Bombay challenging the order of detention on
certain grounds. After the response was filed by the present petitioner, the
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
3
High Court by its order dated 25.06.2019 allowed said Writ Petition and
quashed the order of detention. However, on the request of the learned
counsel for the petitioner, the High Court stayed the operation of its own
order to enable the petitioner to approach this Court and challenge the
judgment rendered by the High Court. Accordingly, Special Leave Petition
(Criminal) No.5459 of 2019 was filed in this Court by the petitioner.
3. By its Judgment and Order dated 18.07.2019 passed in Criminal
Appeal No.1064 of 2019 arising out of aforesaid Special Leave Petition
(Criminal) No.5459 of 2019 and in other connected Appeals, this Court
allowed said Appeals and set aside the judgment of the High Court dated
25.06.2019.
4. In the meantime, in terms of Section 8(b) of the COFEPOSA Act,
the case of the respondent-detenu, pursuant to the order of detention
mentioned above was referred to the Advisory Board. It is a matter of
record that the decision of this Court dated 18.07.2019 was brought to the
notice of the Advisory Board pursuant to the requisition made by the Joint
Director, Ministry of Finance, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence,
Government of India. On 22.07.2019 the Advisory Board found that there
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
4
was no sufficient cause for the continued detention of the respondent-
detenu and rendered its Opinion as stated above.
5. The petitioner being aggrieved has filed the present Petition for
Special Leave to Appeal against the aforesaid Opinion of the Advisory
Board. On 08.08.2019 the following Order was passed by a Bench of this
Court:-
“In this special leave petition, Union of India has
challenged the opinion of the Advisory Board dated
22.07.2019.
Regarding detention order passed against the
respondent in Criminal Appeal No.1064 of 2019
(arising out of SLP(Crl.)No. 5459 of 2019), we have
passed the judgment on 18.07.2019 expressing our
views. Since we have already expressed our views,
we are of the view that the matter(s) has to be placed
before any other Bench after obtaining necessary
orders from Hon’ble the Chief Justice of India.
Subject to orders passed by Hon’ble the Chief Justice
of India, list the matter accordingly before any other
Bench.”
The Petition was accordingly posted before us on 16.08.2019.
Since it involved issues of personal liberty, the matter was heard finally, at
the end of which an order was dictated in open court. The petition
preferred against the opinion of the Advisory Board was dismissed and the
detenu was directed to be released forthwith. The following are the reasons
in support of the operative part of the order.
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
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6. At the outset, a preliminary objection was raised by Mr. Mukul
Rohatgi, learned Senior Advocate, appearing on behalf of the respondent
about the maintainability of the present Petition for Special Leave to
Appeal. It was submitted that under sub-section (c) of Section 8 of the
COFEPOSA Act the Advisory Board has to prepare its report specifying in
a separate paragraph of said report its opinion as to whether or not there is
sufficient cause for the detention of the person concerned; that excepting
that part of the report in which the opinion of the Advisory Board is
specified, rest of the report is confidential; and that in terms of sub-section
(f) of Section 8, if the Advisory Board has reported that there is in its
opinion no sufficient cause for the detention of a person, the appropriate
Government is obliged to revoke the order of detention and cause the
person to be released forthwith. It was submitted that the reasoning which
weighed with the Advisory Board in its report would be non-justiciable and
mere opinion cannot be subject matter of any challenge in a court of law
and that a petition under Article 136(1) would not be maintainable. Mr.
Rohatgi, learned Senior Advocate, relied upon decisions of this Court in
1
Dharam Singh Rathi vs. State of Punjab and others , Akshoy Konai vs.
1 AIR 1958 SC 152 = 1958 SCR 996
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
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2 3
State of West Bengal , A.K. Roy vs. Union of India and others and
4
Calcutta Dock Labour Board and others vs. Jaffar Imam and others .
7. On the other hand, Mr. K.M. Natraj, learned Additional Solicitor
General, submitted that if the opinion of the Advisory Board were to be
against the person detained, there could be no challenge to the opinion
and/or report of the Advisory Board and to that extent the opinion would be
non-justiciable. However, in his submission, if the opinion of the Advisory
Board were to the effect that there was no sufficient cause for the detention
of the person concerned, the challenge was still available to the appropriate
government and the capacity of the Advisory Board while rendering such
opinion would be that of a Tribunal and therefore the opinion could be
subject matter of a challenge. He relied upon decisions of this Court in
5
Bharat Bank Ltd., Delhi vs. Employees of the Bharat Bank Ltd., Delhi
and in Columbia Sportswear Company vs. Director of Income Tax,
6
Bangalore .
8. Section 8 of the COFEPOSA Act is as under:-
“ 8. Advisory Board. - For the purposes of sub-clause (a) of
clause (4), and sub-clause (c) of clause (7), of article 22 of
the Constitution,—
2 (1973) 1 SCC 297
3 (1982) 1 SCC 271
4
(1965) 3 SCR 453 = AIR 1966 SC 282
5 1950 SCR 459 = AIR 1950 SC 188
6 (2012) 11 SCC 224
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Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
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(a) the Central Government and each State Government
shall, whenever necessary, constitute one or more Advisory
Boards each of which shall consist of a Chairman and two
other persons possessing the qualifications specified in sub-
clause (a) of clause (4) of article 22 of the Constitution;
(b) save as otherwise provided in section 9, the appropriate
Government shall, within five weeks from the date of
detention of a person under a detention order make a
reference in respect thereof to the Advisory Board
constituted under clause (a) to enable the Advisory Board
to make the report under sub-clause (a) of clause (4) of
article 22 of the Constitution;
(c) the Advisory Board to which a reference is made under
clause (b) shall after considering the reference and the
materials placed before it and after calling for such further
information as it may deem necessary from the appropriate
Government or from any person called for the purpose
through the appropriate Government or from the person
concerned, and if, in any particular case, it considers it
essential so to do or if the person concerned desires to be
heard in person, after hearing him in person, prepare its
report specifying in a separate paragraph thereof its opinion
as to whether or not there is sufficient cause for the
detention of the person concerned and submit the same
within eleven weeks from the date of detention of the
person concerned;
(d) when there is a difference of opinion among the
members forming the Advisory Board, the opinion of the
majority of such members shall be deemed to be the
opinion of the Board;
(e) a person against whom an order of detention has been
made under this Act shall not be entitled to appear by any
legal practitioner in any matter connected with the
reference to the Advisory Board, and the proceedings of the
Advisory Board and its report, excepting that part of the
report in which the opinion of the Advisory Board is
specified, shall be confidential;
(f) in every case where the Advisory Board has reported
that there is in its opinion sufficient cause for the detention
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Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
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| of a person, the appropriate Government may confirm the<br>detention order and continue the detention of the person<br>concerned for such period as it thinks fit and in every case<br>where the Advisory Board has reported that there is in its<br>opinion no sufficient cause for the detention of the person<br>concerned, the appropriate Government shall revoke the<br>detention order and cause the person to be released<br>forthwith.” | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This Section refers to provisions of sub-clause (a) of clause (4) and<br>sub-clause (c) of clause (7) of Article 22 of the Constitution and states so in<br>sub-section (b) that a reference is made to the Advisory Board to enable the<br>Board to make a report under sub-clause (a) of clause (4) of Article 22 of<br>the Constitution. The text of Article 22 may, therefore, be considered at<br>this stage:-<br>“22. Protection against arrest and detention in certain<br>cases.—(1) No person who is arrested shall be detained in<br>custody without being informed, as soon as may be, of the<br>grounds for such arrest nor shall he be denied the right to<br>consult, and to be defended by, a legal practitioner of his<br>choice.<br>(2) Every person who is arrested and detained in custody<br>shall be produced before the nearest magistrate within a<br>period of twenty-four hours of such arrest excluding the<br>time necessary for the journey from the place of arrest to<br>the court of the magistrate and no such person shall be<br>detained in custody beyond the said period without the<br>authority of a magistrate.<br>(3) Nothing in clauses (1) and (2) shall apply—<br>(a) to any person who for the time being is an enemy<br>alien; or<br>(b) to any person who is arrested or detained under any<br>law providing for preventive detention. | This Section refers to provisions of sub-clause (a) of clause (4) and<br>sub-clause (c) of clause (7) of Article 22 of the Constitution and states so in<br>sub-section (b) that a reference is made to the Advisory Board to enable the<br>Board to make a report under sub-clause (a) of clause (4) of Article 22 of<br>the Constitution. The text of Article 22 may, therefore, be considered at<br>this stage:- | |||
| “22. Protection against arrest and detention in certain<br>cases.—(1) No person who is arrested shall be detained in<br>custody without being informed, as soon as may be, of the<br>grounds for such arrest nor shall he be denied the right to<br>consult, and to be defended by, a legal practitioner of his<br>choice. | ||||
| (2) Every person who is arrested and detained in custody<br>shall be produced before the nearest magistrate within a<br>period of twenty-four hours of such arrest excluding the<br>time necessary for the journey from the place of arrest to<br>the court of the magistrate and no such person shall be<br>detained in custody beyond the said period without the<br>authority of a magistrate. | ||||
| (3) Nothing in clauses (1) and (2) shall apply— | ||||
| (a) to any person who for the time being is an enemy<br>alien; or | ||||
| (b) to any person who is arrested or detained under any<br>law providing for preventive detention. |
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Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
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| (4) No law providing for preventive detention shall<br>authorise the detention of a person for a longer period than<br>three months unless—<br>(a) an Advisory Board consisting of persons who<br>are, or have been, or are qualified to be appointed as,<br>Judges of a High Court has reported before the<br>expiration of the said period of three months that<br>there is in its opinion sufficient cause for such<br>detention:<br>Provided that nothing in this sub-clause shall<br>authorise the detention of any person beyond the<br>maximum period prescribed by any law made by<br>Parliament under sub-clause (b) of clause (7); or<br>(b) such person is detained in accordance with the<br>provisions of any law made by Parliament under<br>sub-clauses (a) and (b) of clause (7).<br>(5) When any person is detained in pursuance of an order<br>made under any law providing for preventive detention, the<br>authority making the order shall, as soon as may be,<br>communicate to such person the grounds on which the<br>order has been made and shall afford him the earliest<br>opportunity of making a representation against the order.<br>(6) Nothing in clause (5) shall require the authority making<br>any such order as is referred to in that clause to disclose<br>facts which such authority considers to be against the<br>public interest to disclose.<br>(7) Parliament may by law prescribe—<br>(a) the circumstances under which, and the class or<br>classes of cases in which, a person may be detained<br>for a period longer than three months under any law<br>providing for preventive detention without obtaining<br>the opinion of an Advisory Board in accordance with<br>the provisions of sub-clause (a) of clause (4);<br>(b) the maximum period for which any person may in<br>any class or classes of cases be detained under any<br>law providing for preventive detention; and<br>(c) the procedure to be followed by an Advisory<br>Board in an inquiry under sub-clause (a) of clause (4). | (4) No law providing for preventive detention shall<br>authorise the detention of a person for a longer period than<br>three months unless— | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (a) an Advisory Board consisting of persons who<br>are, or have been, or are qualified to be appointed as,<br>Judges of a High Court has reported before the<br>expiration of the said period of three months that<br>there is in its opinion sufficient cause for such<br>detention: | ||||
| Provided that nothing in this sub-clause shall<br>authorise the detention of any person beyond the<br>maximum period prescribed by any law made by<br>Parliament under sub-clause (b) of clause (7); or | ||||
| (b) such person is detained in accordance with the<br>provisions of any law made by Parliament under<br>sub-clauses (a) and (b) of clause (7). | ||||
| (5) When any person is detained in pursuance of an order<br>made under any law providing for preventive detention, the<br>authority making the order shall, as soon as may be,<br>communicate to such person the grounds on which the<br>order has been made and shall afford him the earliest<br>opportunity of making a representation against the order. | ||||
| (6) Nothing in clause (5) shall require the authority making<br>any such order as is referred to in that clause to disclose<br>facts which such authority considers to be against the<br>public interest to disclose. | ||||
| (7) Parliament may by law prescribe— | ||||
| (a) the circumstances under which, and the class or<br>classes of cases in which, a person may be detained<br>for a period longer than three months under any law<br>providing for preventive detention without obtaining<br>the opinion of an Advisory Board in accordance with<br>the provisions of sub-clause (a) of clause (4); | ||||
| (b) the maximum period for which any person may in<br>any class or classes of cases be detained under any<br>law providing for preventive detention; and | ||||
| (c) the procedure to be followed by an Advisory<br>Board in an inquiry under sub-clause (a) of clause (4). | ||||
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Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
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9. In terms of clause (4) of Article 22 of the Constitution, no law
providing for preventive detention shall authorise the detention of any
person for a period longer than three months unless an Advisory Board had
reported before the expiration of said period of three months that in its
opinion there was sufficient cause for such detention. The question
whether there is sufficient cause for detention or not is in the exclusive
domain of the Advisory Board. In terms of clause (7) (c) of Article 22 of
the Constitution the procedure to be followed by the Advisory Board can be
prescribed by the Parliament by law.
10. Accordingly, in the COFEPOSA Act enacted by the Parliament,
appropriate provisions are made in Section 8. Sub-section (b) of said
Section 8 facilitates reference to the Advisory Board to enable it to make
the report under sub-clause (a) of clause (4) of Article 22 of the
Constitution while sub-sections (c), (d) and (e) of said Section 8 deal with
the procedure to be adopted by the Advisory Board. In terms of sub-
section (e) of Section 8, the report of the Advisory Board has to be in two
parts. The first part is to contain the assessment made by the Advisory
Board in the form of a report which is completely confidential. The second
part contains the result of such assessment in the form of an opinion. It is
this second part of opinion alone which is not confidential. Sub-section (f)
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Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
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of Section 8 obliges the appropriate government to revoke the detention
order and cause the person to be released forthwith in case the Advisory
Board has reported that there was, in its opinion, no sufficient cause for the
detention of the person concerned. However, if the opinion is otherwise
and the Advisory Board has found that there was sufficient cause for the
detention of the person, the appropriate government ‘may confirm’ the
detention order and continue the detention. The choice is available to the
appropriate government only in the latter of these two eventualities.
Therefore, in case the opinion is to the effect that there was no sufficient
cause for the detention of the person concerned, the appropriate
government has to revoke the detention order and cause the person
concerned to be released forthwith.
1
11. Dharam Singh Rathi was a decision of the Constitution Bench of
this Court, in which it was alleged that the Advisory Board had not made
any report within the prescribed period. The submission in that behalf was
noted as under:-
“3. … …Under Section 10 of the Act the Board has no
power to make any order to continue or discontinue the
detention, but is only under a duty to submit its report to
the State Government. In this context, therefore, a plain
reading of para 10( xii ) indicates that the grievance of the
petitioner, in substance, is that the Board has not submitted
its report within the prescribed period and that, therefore,
his detention has become illegal. … …”
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
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Concluding that there was non-compliance of the procedure laid
down in Section 10 of the Preventive Detention Act, 1950, the petition was
allowed and the detenu was directed to be set at liberty forthwith. Mr.
Rohatgi, learned Senior Advocate, however relied upon the sentence which
stated that the Advisory Board had no power to make any order to continue
or discontinue of the detention but its duty was only to submit a report to
the State Government.
2
12. In Akshoy Konai the submission raised on behalf of the detenu
was that the decision of the Advisory Board was never communicated to
him. The further submission was that the opinion of the Advisory Board
should have been communicated to the detenu so as to enable him to
question the legality of said opinion. These submissions were rejected by a
Bench of three Judges of this Court as under:-
“4. The first objection against the petitioner’s detention
raised by Shri B. Dutta, the learned counsel appearing as
amicus curiae in support of the writ petition, is that though
the petitioner had been heard in person by the Advisory
Board the decision of the Board was never communicated
to him. This omission, according to the counsel, invalidates
the petitioner’s detention as he was not able to take any
step to have this opinion scrutinised by any judicial
tribunal. This submission is, in our opinion, difficult to
accept. Under Section 11 of the Act the Advisory Board is
required only to submit its report to the appropriate
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Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
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Government. There is no obligation imposed by the Act on
the Board to communicate its decision to the detenu. The
mere fact that under Section 11 the Board hears the person
affected by the detention order in case he desires to be so
heard, would not for that reason alone impose on the Board
a legal obligation to communicate its decision to the
detenu. Our attention has not been drawn to any provision
of law or to any priciple which would imply any such
obligation. In any event omission on the part of the
Advisory Board to do so cannot invalidate the petitioner’s
detention. … …
5. The submission that the Advisory Board should have
communicated its opinion to the petitioner so as to enable
him to question its legality is also misconceived. In the first
instance the Advisory Board constituted under Section 9 of
the Act, as its name connotes, is only required to function
in an advisory capacity. Its opinion which is merely an
advice is binding on the appropriate Government only if
according to it there is no sufficient cause for the detention
in question: in that eventuality the detenu cannot possibly
have any grievance. When the Board reports that there is
sufficient cause for the detention in question the
appropriate Government is not bound under the law to
confirm the order of detention. It may or may not do so.
The advisory opinion of the Board is merely intended to
assist the appropriate Government in determining the
question of confirming the detention order and continuing
the detention. It is binding on the appropriate Government
only when it favours the detenu and not when it goes
against him. Such advisory opinion can scarcely be an
appropriate subject-matter of review or scrutiny by the
judicial courts or tribunals. Secondly the proceedings of the
Board and its report are expressly declared by Section 11
(4) of the Act to be confidential except that part of the
report in which its opinion is specified. This provision
clearly indicates that the advisory opinion is never intended
to be open to challenge on the merits before any tribunal.
So far as the final opinion of the Board is concerned the
communication of the confirmation of the detention order
by the State Government clearly informed the petitioner
that the opinion of the Board was against him.”
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
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| 13. A.K. Roy3 was also a decision of the Constitution Bench of<br>this Court. It was observed in para 98 as under:- |
98. … …In proceedings before the Advisory Board, the
question for consideration of the Board is not whether the
detenu is guilty of any charge but whether there is sufficient
cause for the detention of the person concerned. The
detention, it must be remembered, is based not on facts
proved either by applying the test of preponderance of
probabilities or of reasonable doubt. The detention is based
on the subjective satisfaction of the detaining authority that
it is necessary to detain a particular person in order to
prevent him from acting in a manner prejudicial to certain
stated objects. The proceeding of the Advisory Board has
therefore to be structured differently from the proceeding of
judicial or quasi-judicial tribunals, before which there is a
lis to adjudicate upon.”
4
14. In Calcutta Dock Labour Board the question was whether after
having suffered an order of detention under Section 3(1)(a)(ii) of the
Prevention Detention Act, 1950, the services of the concerned person could
be terminated by the employer merely on the ground that there was an
order of detention. In that context a Bench of three Judges of this Court
observed:-
“12. But the question which we have to consider in the
present appeals is of a different character. A citizen may
suffer loss of liberty if he is detained validly under the Act;
even so, does it follow that the detention order which
deprived the citizen of his liberty should also serve
indirectly but effectively the purpose of depriving the said
citizen of his livelihood? If the view taken by the
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
15
appellant’s officers who tried the disciplinary proceedings
is accepted, it would follow that if a citizen is detained and
his detention is confirmed by the State Government, his
services would be terminated merely and solely by reason
of such detention. In our opinion, such a position is
obviously and demonstrably inconsistent with the
elementary concept of the rule of law on which our
Constitution is founded. When a citizen is detained, he may
not succeed in challenging the order of detention passed
against him, unless he is able to adduce grounds
permissible under the Act. But we are unable to agree with
Mr Sen’s argument that after such a citizen is released from
detention, an employer, like the appellant, can immediately
start disciplinary proceedings against him and tell him in
substance that he was detained for prejudicial activities
which amount to misconduct and that the detention order
was confirmed by the State Government after consultation
with the Advisory Board, and so, he is liable to be
dismissed from his employment. It is obvious that the
Advisory Board does not try the question about the
propriety or validity of the citizen’s detention as a court of
law would; indeed, its function is limited to consider the
relevant material placed before it and the representation
received from the detenu, and then submit its report, to the
State Government within the time specified by Section
10(1) of the Act. It is not disputed that the Advisory Board
considers evidence against the detenu which has not been
tested in the normal way by cross-examination; its decision
is essentially different in character from a judicial or quasi-
judicial decision. In some cases, a detenu may be given a
hearing; but such a hearing is often, if not always, likely to
be ineffective, because the detenu is deprived of an
opportunity to cross-examine the evidence on which the
detaining authorities rely and may not be able to adduce
evidence before the Advisory Board to rebut the allegations
made against him. Having regard to the nature of the
enquiry which the Advisory Board is authorised or
permitted to hold before expressing its approval to the
detention of a detenu, it would, we think, be entirely
erroneous and wholly unsafe to treat the opinion expressed
by the Advisory Board as amounting to a judgment of a
criminal court. The main infirmity which has vitiated the
impugned orders arises from the fact that the said orders
equate detention of a detenu with his conviction by a
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
16
criminal court. We are, therefore, satisfied that the court of
appeal was right in taking the view that in a departmental
enquiry which the appellant held against the respondents it
was not open to the appellant to act on suspicion, and
inasmuch as the appellant’s decision is clearly based upon
the detention orders and nothing else, there can be little
doubt that, in substance, the said conclusion is based on
suspicion and nothing more.”
15. According to the aforesaid decisions the nature of opinion given by
the Advisory Board is neither judicial nor quasi judicial; that it would be
erroneous and unsafe to treat the opinion expressed by the Advisory Board
as amounting to a judgment of a criminal court; that the Advisory Board
does not try the question about the propriety or validity of the citizen’s
detention as a court of law would, but, its function is limited. As stated in
2
Akshoy Konai , the opinion is merely intended to assist the government
and it is binding on the appropriate government only if it favours the detenu
and not when it goes against him. It was laid down in said decision that the
opinion of the Advisory Board cannot be subject matter of review or
scrutiny by the judicial courts/tribunals. The element of confidentiality was
also taken note of and it was observed that the Advisory Board opinion is
never intended to be open to challenge on the merits before any tribunal.
16. The decisions relied upon by the learned Additional Solicitor
General pertain to fields other than preventive detention. In Bharat Bank
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
17
5
Ltd. the issue was whether a decision of an Industrial Tribunal could be
amenable to the appellate jurisdiction under Article 136(1) of the
Constitution. The reliance was placed by the learned Additional Solicitor
General on the opinion of S. Fazal Ali, J. as under:-
“The important question to be decided in this case is
whether the present appeal lies at all to this Court. The
question is not free from difficulty, but on the whole I am
inclined to think that the appeal does lie. It is fully
recognized that the scope of Article 136 of the Constitution
is very wide, but the significance of the language used in
the section can be appreciated only by comparing it with
the articles which precede it. Article 132 deals with the
appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in cases
involving a substantial question of law as to the
interpretation of the Constitution, and the words used in
that article are: “appeal ... from any judgment, decree or
final order”. Article 133 deals with appeals in civil matters
and the same words are used here also. Article 134 deals
with appeals in criminal matters, and the words used in it
are: “appeal ... from any judgment, final order or sentence”.
In Article 136, the words “judgment” and “decree,” which
are used in Articles 132 and 133 are retained. Similarly, the
words “judgment” and “sentence” occurring in Article 134
are also retained. But the expression “final order” becomes
“order,” and, instead of the High Court, reference is made
to “any court.” Certain other words are also used in the
article which seem to me to have a special significance,
these being “determination,” “cause or matter” and
“tribunal”. It is obvious that these words greatly widen the
scope of Article 136. They show that an appeal will lie also
from a determination or order of “any tribunal” in any
cause or matter.
6. Can we then say that an Industrial Tribunal does not fall
within the scope of Article 136? If we go by a mere label,
the answer must be in the affirmative. But we have to look
further and see what are the main functions of the Tribunal
and how it proceeds to discharge those functions. This is
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
18
necessary because I take it to be implied that before an
appeal can lie to this Court from a tribunal it must perform
some kind of judicial function and partake to some extent
of the character of a Court.
7. Now there can be no doubt that the Industrial Tribunal
has, to use a well-known expression, “all the trappings of a
court” and performs functions which cannot but be
regarded as judicial. This is evident from the rules by
which the proceedings before the Tribunal are regulated. It
appears that the proceeding before it commences on an
application which in many respects is in the nature of a
plaint. It has the same powers as are vested in a civil court
under the Code of Civil Procedure when trying a suit, in
respect of discovery, inspection, granting adjournment,
reception of evidence taken on affidavit, enforcing the
attendance of witnesses, compelling the production of
documents, issuing commissions etc. It is to be deemed to
be a civil court within the meaning of Sections 480 and 482
of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1898. It may admit and
call for evidence at any stage of the proceeding and has the
power to administer oaths. The parties appearing before it
have the right of examination, cross-examination and re-
examination and of addressing it after all evidence has been
called. A party may also be represented by a legal
practitioner with its permission.
8. The matter does not rest there. The main function of this
Tribunal is to adjudicate on industrial disputes which
implies that there must be two or more parties before it
with conflicting cases, and that it has also to arrive at a
conclusion as to how the dispute is to be ended. Prima
facie, therefore, a Tribunal like this cannot be excluded
from the scope of Article 136, but before any final
conclusion can be expressed on the subject certain
contentions which have been put forward on behalf of the
respondents have to be disposed of.”
17. Similarly, reliance was also placed on the decision in Columbia
6.
Sportswear Company In that case the issue was whether an Advance
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
19
Ruling pronounced by the Authority for Advance Rulings (Income Tax)
constituted under Chapter XIX-B of the Income Tax Act, 1961 could be
challenged under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution before the High
Court or under Article 136 of the Constitution before this Court. Reliance
was placed by the learned Additional Solicitor General on para 15 of the
decision, which was to the following effect:-
“As Section 245-S expressly makes the advance ruling
binding on the applicant, in respect of the transaction and
on the Commissioner and the income tax authorities
subordinate to him, the Authority is a body acting in
judicial capacity. H.M. Seervai in his book Constitutional
Law of India (4th Edn.) while discussing the tests for
identifying judicial functions in Para 16.99 quotes the
following passage from Prof. de Smith’s Judicial Review
on p. 1502:
“An authority acts in a judicial capacity when,
after investigation and deliberation, it performs
an act or makes a decision that is binding and
conclusive and imposes obligation upon or affects
the rights of individuals.”
We have, therefore, no doubt in our mind that the Authority
is a body exercising judicial power conferred on it by
Chapter XIX-B of the Act and is a tribunal within the
meaning of the expression in Articles 136 and 227 of the
Constitution.”
18. Both these decisions on which reliance was placed by the learned
Additional Solicitor General were completely in different context. It is
well settled that wherever a body is exercising judicial/quasi judicial power
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
20
and is a tribunal within the meaning of the expressions in Article 136 and
227 of the Constitution, the decisions so rendered are amenable to
challenge.
19. But the basic issue in the present matter is the nature of power
exercised by the Advisory Board when an opinion is given by it pursuant to
a reference made to it under Section 8(b) of the COFEPOSA Act. The
report of the Advisory Board, excepting its opinion, is strictly confidential
and the nature of the power so exercised by the Advisory Board in giving
its report and the opinion, has already been pronounced upon by this Court
1 2
in the cases referred to above viz. Dharam Singh Rathi , Akshoy Konai ,
3 4
A.K. Roy and Calcutta Dock Labour Board .
We follow these decisions and hold the present petition seeking to
challenge the Opinion dated 22.07.2019 of the Advisory Board as not
maintainable.
20. The Petition for Special Leave to Appeal is, therefore, dismissed.
21. In view of the Opinion of the Advisory Board as stated above and
the dismissal of the Petition for Special Leave to Appeal (Criminal) No.
7016 of 2019, no orders are called for in Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 220
of 2019 as said Writ Petition prays for writ, order or direction quashing and
SLP(Criminal)No.7016 of 2019 etc. etc.
Union of India vs. Nisar Pallathukadavil Aliyar
21
setting aside the order of detention dated 17.05.2019 passed against the
aforementioned respondent-detenu. The writ petition stands disposed of.
22. For the reasons as stated above, Petition for Special Leave to
Appeal (Criminal) No. 7021 of 2019 preferred by the petitioner against the
Opinion dated 22.07.2019 passed by the Advisory Board in Reference No.
87 of 2019 in connection with the detenu named ‘Happy Arvind Kumar
Dhakad’ is also found to be not maintainable. The Petition for Special
Leave to Appeal is, therefore, dismissed.
23. Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 210 of 2019 inter alia prayed for writ
order or direction seeking quashing of the order of detention dated
17.05.2019 passed against aforesaid detenu ‘Happy Arvind Kumar
Dhakad’. Again, in view of the Opinion of the Advisory Board in
Reference No.87 of 2019 and the dismissal of Special Leave Petition
(Criminal) No. 7021 of 2019 no separate orders are called for. This Writ
Petition is, therefore, disposed of.
……………………………….J.
[Uday Umesh Lalit]
……………………………….J.
[R. Subhash Reddy]
New Delhi;
August 21, 2019.