Full Judgment Text
1
REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 2687 OF 2006
Bussa Overseas & Properties (P) Ltd & Anr. ... Appellant(s)
Versus
Union of India & Anr. ...Respondent(s)
J U D G M E N T
Dipak Misra, J.
The present appeal is directed against the judgment and
order dated 14.09.2004 passed by the Division Bench of the
High Court of Judicature at Bombay in Notice of Motion No. 62
Signature Not Verified
of 2004 in Review Petition (Lod) No. 6 of 2004 in Writ Petition
Digitally signed by
Gulshan Kumar Arora
Date: 2016.01.22
17:00:13 IST
Reason:
No. 71 of 1993 whereby the High Court while dealing with an
2
application of review has declined to condone the delay of 129
days in preferring the application for review and also opined
that the application for review was totally devoid of merit. The
expression of the said view led to dismissal of the application
for review.
2. The facts lie in a narrow compass. The appellants filed an
application for refund of excess provisional customs duty
amounting to Rs. 39,71,412/- which was claimed under
Section 18(2) of the Customs Act, 1962 (for brevity, “the Act”).
nd
After the application was submitted, the 2 respondent i.e.,
Assistant Collector of customs by letter dated 01.06.1992
communicated that the claim of the appellants was filed under
the provisions of Section 27(2) of the Act and it was required to
comply with the formalities envisaged under the said provision.
The appellants reiterated their stand that Section 27(2) was not
applicable and prayed for refund of the amount alongwith
interest. However, as nothing effective ensued, the appellants,
left with no option, filed a writ petition before the High Court of
Bombay assailing the memo dated 23.12.1991 and letter dated
3
01.06.1992 which had required the appellants to apply for
refund under Section 27(2) of the Act. During the pendency of
nd
the writ petition the 2 respondent passed an ex-parte
order dated 04.12.1992 dismissing the claim of the refund
under Section 27 of the Act and opined that the claim was
inadmissible.
3. In the mean time, as the factual matrix would undrape,
the Act was amended and Explanations were added to Section
27 of the Act. Placing reliance on the various aspects it was
highlighted before the Division Bench of the High Court that
the rejection of the application for refund was absolutely
unsustainable. It was also urged that the refund was rightly
claimed under Section 18(2)(a) of the Act inasmuch as Section
27 was remotely not applicable.
4. The main plank of submission before the High Court was
that the assessment was provisional and hence, it remained
provisional for all purposes and on finalisation of assessment
under Section 18(2) of the Act if refund is due, then it was
obligatory on the part of the customs authorities to refund the
4
amount without applying the provisions contained in Section
27 of the Act. To buttress the said submission, reliance was
placed on Collector of Central Excise v. India Tyre and
1
Rubber Co. Ltd. and Hindustan Metal Pressing Works v.
2
Commissioner of Central Excise .
5. The High Court appreciating the factual matrix and the
legal submissions came to hold as follows:-
“... while exercising the Writ jurisdiction, if the Writ
Court finds that any direction to refund results in
unjust enrichment to the Petitioners, then it is open
to the Writ Court to decline to exercise its Writ
jurisdiction, even though the Petitioner has a right to
obtain refund. This reasoning of ours is supported by
the Full Bench decision of this Court in the case of
New India Industries vs. Union of India reported in
1990 (1) B.C.R. 315, as well as the decision of the
Apex Court in the case of Mafatlal Industries Ltd.
(supra at para 95). In the present case, admittedly,
the Petitioners have passed on the incidence of duty
to the customers and have recovered the amount due
to them. In this view of the matter, we decline to
issue Writ in favour of the Petitioners.”
Being of the aforesaid view, the High Court dismissed the
writ petition. An application for review was filed which met
with its Waterloo being barred by limitation and also being
1
1997 (94) ELT 495 (Mad.)
2
2003 (153) ELT 15 (S.C.)
5
devoid of substance.
6. Mr. Yashank Adhyaru, learned senior counsel for the
respondents has raised a preliminary objection that the main
order, that is, the order passed in the writ petition having not
been assailed, the challenge only to the order passed in review
is not tenable; and, therefore, the appeal deserves to be
dismissed as not maintainable.
7. It is also contented by him that Section 27 of the Act
refers to refund of duty paid pursuant to an order of
assessment and the term “assessment” is defined under
Section 2(2) of the Act to include provisional assessment and,
therefore, the application required to be made under Section 27
for refund including the refund of duty paid under the
provisional assessment. On that basis it is canvassed that the
authorities were justified in insisting upon the appellants to
apply for refund under Section 27 of the Act. On behalf of the
revenue reliance has been placed on the decisions in Mafatlal
3
Industries Ltd. v. Union of India , Union of India v. Jain
3
89 ELT 247 (S.C.)
6
4
Spinners Ltd. , Alcatel Modi Net WSorks Systems v.
5
Commissioner of Customs and Kunhyammed v. State of
6
Kerala .
8. Mr. Kavin Gulati, learned senior counsel appearing for the
appellants would submit that in view of the trend of recent
decisions, namely, Shanker Motiram Nale v. Shiolalsing
7
Gannusing Rajput , Suseel Finance & Leasing Co. v. M.
8
Lata and others , M.N. Haider and others v. Kendriya
9
Vidyalaya Sangathan and others , Shiv Charan Singh v.
10
State of Punjab and others , Ravi alias Ravichandran v.
11
State represented by Inspector of Police , Vinod Kapoor v.
12 13
State of Goa and others , State of Assam v. Ripa Sarma ,
and Sandhya Educational Society and another v. Union of
14
India and others , the stance set forth by the respondents
may deserve acceptation, but the aforesaid authorities have
4
1992 (61) ELT 321 (S.C.)
5
2000 (117) ELT 522 (Tribunal)
6
2001 (129) ELT 11 (S.C.)
7
(1994) 2 SCC 753
8
(2004) 13 SCC 675
9
(2004) 13 SCC 677
10
(2007) 15 SCC 370
11
(2007) 15 SCC 372
12
(2012) 12 SCC 378
13
(2013) 3 SCC 63
14
(2014) 7 SCC 701
7
ignored the earlier larger Bench decisions rendered in Durga
15
Shankar Mehta v. Thakur Raghuraj Singh and others
and Thungabhadra Industries Ltd. v. Government of
16
Andhra Pradesh and hence, they are not binding
precedents. Learned senior counsel has also drawn inspiration
from Mahendra Saree Emporium (II) v. G.V. Srinivasa
17
Murthy to bolster the stand that the power under Article 136
of the Constitution of India being relatable to plenary
jurisdiction conferred under the Constitution cannot be
curtailed by the ordinary legislation. It is the submission of
Mr. Gulati that the subsequent decisions have been guided by
the provisions contained in the Code of Civil Procedure though
the stipulations therein cannot control the exercise of the
jurisdiction under Article 136 of the Constitution.
9. First we shall deal with the preliminary objection, for if we
accept the same, the appeal would fail on the ground of
maintainability and there will be no necessity to advert to the
controversy on merits.
15
(1955) 1 SCR 267 = AIR 1954 SC 520
16
(1964) 5 SCR 174 = AIR 1964 SC 1372
17
(2005) 1 SCC 481
8
10. In Durga Shankar Mehta (supra), the Constitution
Bench was dealing with a legal acceptability of the order
passed by the Election Tribunal under Section 100(1)(c) of the
Representation of the People Act, 1951. A preliminary objection
was raised challenging the competency of the appeal. It was
contended by the learned counsel for the respondent therein
that Article 329(b) of the Constitution ousts the jurisdiction of
all the ordinary courts in election disputes and provides
expressly that no election to either House of Parliament or to
either House of the Legislature of a State shall be called in
question, except by an election petition presented to such
authority and in such manner as may be provided for by or
under any law made by the appropriate legislature, and
therefore, there can be no challenge to the validity of an
election except by way of an election petition. It was further
urged that the jurisdiction that was created in the Election
Tribunal was a special jurisdiction which could be invoked by
an aggrieved party only by means of an election petition and
9
the decision of the Tribunal was final and conclusive, and,
therefore, this Court could not interfere with the said final
decision by exercising power under Article 136 of the
Constitution. Thus, emphasis was placed on the finality of the
decision rendered by the Election Tribunal. Dealing with the
said preliminary objection, the Constitution Bench opined
thus:-
“… The powers given by Article 136 of the Constitu-
tion however are in the nature of special or residuary
powers which are exercisable outside the purview of
ordinary law, in cases where the needs of justice de-
mand interference by the Supreme Court of the land.
The article itself is worded in the widest terms possi-
ble. It vests in the Supreme Court a plenary jurisdic-
tion in the matter of entertaining and hearing ap-
peals, by granting of special leave, against any kind
of judgment or order made by a court or tribunal in
any cause or matter and the powers could be exer-
cised in spite of the specific provisions for appeal
contained in the Constitution or other laws. The
Constitution for the best of reasons did not choose to
fetter or circumscribe the powers exercisable under
this article in any way. Section 105 of the Represen-
tation of the People Act certainly gives finality to the
decision of the Election Tribunal so far as that Act is
concerned and does not provide for any further ap-
peal but that cannot in any way cut down or affect
the overriding powers which this Court can exercise
in the matter of granting special leave under Article
136 of the Constitution.”
10
Elaborating further, the larger Bench proceeded to state
that there was no prohibition of the exercise of powers by the
Supreme Court in proper cases under Article 136 of the Consti-
tution against the decision or determination of an Election Tri-
bunal which like all other Judicial Tribunals comes within the
purview of the said article.
11. The aforesaid decision, as is evident, deals with the ambit
and sweep of the power exercised by this Court under Article
136 of the Constitution. The larger Bench has expressed the
view that it is a plenary jurisdiction and it cannot be taken
away or abridged by the Representation of the People Act,
1951. The preliminary objection raised therein has to be
carefully appreciated. The submission was that the Supreme
Court did not have jurisdiction to hear an appeal against the
order of an Election Tribunal. In our considered opinion, the
said authority does not lend any assistance to the principle
which is sought to be canvassed by the learned counsel for the
appellants, for there is discussion with regard to the plenary
11
jurisdiction of this Court and ouster of jurisdiction by ordinary
law. That apart, it has to be kept in mind that the subsequent
decisions have opined that the special leave petition under
Section 136 is not maintainable and they have not ignored the
fundamental facet plenary jurisdiction of this Court. We will be
dwelling upon the said aspect at a later stage while we will be
adverting to the principle stated in the subsequent authorities.
12. In Thungabhadra Industries Ltd. (supra), the question
arose whether the common order passed by the High Court of
Andhra Pradesh rejecting the applications to review an earlier
order by that court was correct on the facts of the case. The
three-Judge Bench stated the facts, adverted to the concept of
review jurisdiction as envisaged under Order 47 Rule 1 of the
Civil Procedure Code and thereafter took note of the objection
raised by the learned counsel for the respondent therein urging
that leave granted by this Court should be revoked. The Court
did not permit the respondent to raise the preliminary
objection primarily on two reasons, namely, the special leave
was granted after notice to the respondent and therefore after
12
hearing the respondent as to any objection to the
maintainability of the appeal or to the granting of special leave.
It was further observed that the statement of the case filed on
behalf of the respondent did not disclose any ground upon
which the leave granted should be revoked. The
three-Judge Bench in that context observed thus:-
“… any ground in relation to these matters should
have been urged at that stage and except possibly in
some extraordinary cases where the ground urged
happens to arise subsequent to the grant of the spe-
cial leave or where it could not be ascertained by the
respondent at that date notwithstanding the exercise
of due care; except in such circumstances this Court
will not permit the respondent to urge any argument
regarding the correctness of the order of the Court
granting special leave. Indeed, the very object of is-
suing notice to the respondent before the grant of
leave is to ensure that the latter is afforded an op-
portunity to bring to the notice of the Court any
grounds upon which leave should be refused and the
purpose of the rule would be frustrated if the re-
spondent were permitted to urge at a later stage —
at the stage of the hearing of the appeal and long af-
ter the appellant has incurred all the costs — that
the leave granted after notice to him should be re-
voked on a ground which was available to him when
the application for special leave was heard. This
apart, even the statement of the case filed on behalf
of the respondent does not disclose any ground upon
which the leave granted should be revoked; nor, of
13
course, does it make any prayer seeking such relief.
…”
13. Relying on the aforesaid passage, it is submitted by Mr.
Gulati that stage for raising the issue as to maintainability is
over. Before we anaylse the ratio of the said decision, it is
desirable to take note of judgments that have come into
existence in the meantime.
14. In Shanker Motiram Nale (supra), a two-Judge Bench
has opined that an appeal against the order rejecting the
application for review of a judgment and decree passed by the
learned Single Judge is not appealable as appeal is not against
the basic judgment. To arrive at the said conclusion, the
Court has referred to Order XLVII Rule 7 of the Code of Civil
Procedure, 1908 that bars an appeal against the order of the
court rejecting the review.
15. In Suseel Finance & Leasing Co. (supra), while dealing
with the special leave petition preferred against the rejection of
review petition without assailing the main judgment, the Court
referred to the decision in Shanker Motiram Nale (supra) and
concurred with the said view. In that context, the two-Judge
14
Bench referred to the decisions in Green View Tea &
18
Industries v. Collector and K. Rajamouli v. A.V.K.N.
19
Swamy and opined that:-
“We find that in these two cases the question
whether a special leave petition was maintainable
against an order rejecting a review petition, was
not considered at all. In these cases, the question
was whether special leave petition was barred by
principles of res judicata. It was held that special
leave petition was not barred by principles of res
judicata. In neither of these cases has reference
been made to the abovementioned judgment of
this Court in Shanker Motiram Nale case . In both
those cases it has been held that a special leave
petition is maintainable only in the context of it
not being barred on principles of res judicata. In
both these cases the question whether a special
leave petition is against an order disposing of a re-
view petition was not considered at all. These
cases therefore have no relevance at all.”
16. In M.N. Haider (supra), relying on earlier decisions, it has
been held that once the special leave petition is not
maintainable no orders/judgments can be passed thereon
except to dismiss the same.
17. In Shiv Charan Singh (supra), a two-Judge Bench was
dealing with an appeal challenging an order of review. Relying
18
(2004) 4 SCC 122
19
(2001) 5 SCC 37
15
on the decision in Shanker Motiram Nale (supra), this Court
dismissed the appeal.
18. In Vinod Kapoor (supra), it has been held thus:-
“11. Moreover, on the High Court rejecting the appli-
cation for review of the appellant, the order rejecting
the application for review is not appealable by virtue
of the principle in Order 47 Rule 7 CPC. In Shanker
Motiram Nale v. Shiolalsing Gannusing Rajput , Suseel
Finance & Leasing Co. v. M. Lata and M.N. Haider v.
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan cited by the learned
counsel for Respondent 8, this Court has consis-
tently held that an appeal by way of special leave pe-
tition under Article 136 of the Constitution is not
maintainable against the order rejecting an applica-
tion for review in view of the provisions of Order 47
Rule 7 CPC.
12. There is nothing in the decisions cited by the ap-
pellant to show that this Court has taken a view dif-
ferent from the view taken in Abhishek Malviya v.
20
Welfare Commr with regard to maintainability of an
appeal by way of special leave under Article 136 of
the Constitution against an order of the High Court
after an earlier special leave petition against the
same order had been withdrawn without any liberty
to file a fresh special leave petition. Similarly, there
is nothing in the decisions cited by the appellant to
show that this Court has taken a view that against
the order of the High Court rejecting an application
for review, an appeal by way of special leave under
Article 136 of the Constitution is maintainable.”
19. In Ripa Sarma (supra), the main judgment and order
20
(2008) 3 SCC 108
16
was not challenged before this Court. The challenge was to the
order passed in the review petition. On behalf of the
respondent, a preliminary objection was raised with regard to
maintainability of the special leave petition. On behalf of the
petitioner, reliance was placed on Eastern Coalfields Limited
21
v. Dugal Kumar wherein it has been observed:-
“It was submitted by the learned counsel for the ap-
pellant that when the review petition was dismissed,
the order passed by the Division Bench in intra-
court appeal got merged in the order of review peti-
tion. But even otherwise, when the order passed in
the review petition is challenged, it would not be
proper to dismiss this appeal particularly when leave
was granted in SLP after hearing the parties. We,
therefore, reject the objection raised by the writ peti-
tioner.”
20. The two-Judge Bench in Ripa Sarma (supra), while
dealing with the said observations, opined that the decisions of
this Court in Shanker Motiram Nale (supra), Suseel Finance
& Leasing Co. (supra) and M.N. Haider (supra) were not
brought to the notice of the Court and, on that foundation
proceeded to state as follows:-
“… This apart, the submission with regard to the
merger of the main order with the order in review
21
(2008) 14 SCC 295
17
has been merely noticed, and not accepted. The pre-
liminary objection seems to have been rejected on
the ground that since leave has been granted in the
special leave petition, it would not be proper to dis-
miss the same without hearing the parties.”
And again:-
“In the present case, the preliminary objection has
been raised at the threshold. In addition, it is an in-
escapable fact that the judgment rendered in East-
ern Coalfields Ltd. has been rendered in ignorance of
the earlier judgments of the Benches of co-equal
strength, rendering the same per incuriam. There-
fore, it cannot be elevated to the status of precedent.
…”
21. Recently in Sandhya Educational Society and another
(supra), the Court referred to the decision in Vinod Kapoor
(supra) and opined thus:-
“This Court in Vinod Kapoor v. State of Goa has cate-
gorically observed that once the special leave petition
is dismissed as withdrawn without obtaining appro-
priate permission to file a special leave petition once
over again after exhausting the remedy of review pe-
tition before the High Court, the same is not main-
tainable.”
22. Having noticed the aforesaid pronouncements, we may
now advert to the authority in Thungabhadra Industries Ltd.
(supra). The reasons ascribed therein are two-fold, namely, no
objection had been taken at the initial stage as a consequence
18
of which cost had been incurred by the appellant; and further
no stand had been taken in the statement of the case. In our
view, the decision has to be read in entirety to appreciate why
the three-Judge Bench expressed the said view. The Court
itself had made it clear that it might add that the matter
mentioned by the learned counsel for the respondent in the
said respect, even if urged at the hearing of the special leave
petition would not have materially assisted him in resisting the
grant of special leave. To appreciate the said observation in
proper perspective, we may reproduce the factual backdrop
-
and the analysis made therein:
“… The point he desired to urge was that in the peti-
tion for special leave the appellant had averred that
the decision of this Court reversing the judgment of
the High Court in TRC 120 of 1953 had been
brought to the notice of the High Court, but that this
statement must be erroneous or untrue for two rea-
sons: ( 1 ) This is not referred to in the order now un-
der appeal, and ( 2 ) the decision of this Court was not
reported in any of the law reports — official or unof-
ficial — till long after January 1961 when the peti-
tion for review was heard. It is manifest that neither
of the two circumstances would by itself prove the
untruth of the averment in the special leave petition.
The learned Judges might well have thought that the
decision had no material bearing on the only point
that arose for consideration before them viz. whether
19
their order of September 1959 was or was not viti-
ated by error of the sort which brought it within Or-
der 47. Rule 1 of Civil Procedure Code. It is obvious
that so viewed, it would not have any relevance. As
regards the other point, the appellant did not have
need to wait for a report of the case in the Law Re-
ports but might very well have produced a copy of
the judgment of this Court — and being a party to
the proceeding here it is improbable that it had not a
copy, so that its statement that it drew the attention
of the Court to the decision is not proved to be false
by the decision not being reported till long after Jan-
uary 1961. The oral application for revoking the
leave granted is therefore rejected as entirely devoid
of substance.”
23. The aforesaid decision when properly appreciated clearly
reveals that it pertains to the stage when objection is to be
taken. It does not lay down that a special leave petition against
a review petition is maintainable or not. The focus on the stage
of taking objection is fact-centric but not principle-oriented. To
elaborate, the said decision does not lay down as a principle
that the Court is bereft of power to hear on maintainability. If
we understand the view expressed therein, it can be said that
the Court has been guided by the concept of propriety. In this
regard, we may reproduce the statement of law made by Lord
20
| Halsbury in the case of | Quinn v. Leathem |
|---|
| “ | ...there are two observations of a general character | |
|---|---|---|
| which I wish to make, and one is to repeat what I | ||
| have very often said before, that every judgment | ||
| must be read as applicable to the particular facts | ||
| proved, or assumed to be proved, since the | ||
| generality of the expressions which may be found | ||
| there are not intended to be expositions of the whole | ||
| law, but governed and qualified by the particular | ||
| facts of the case in which such expressions are to be | ||
| found. The other is that a case is only an authority | ||
| for what it actually decides. I entirely deny that it | ||
| can be quoted for a proposition that may seem to | ||
| follow logically from it. Such a mode of reasoning | ||
| assumes that the law is necessarily a logical code, | ||
| whereas every lawyer must acknowledge that the law | ||
| is not always logical at all.” |
23
24. In Krishena Kumar v. Union of India and others the
Constitution Bench, while appreciating the concept of ratio
decidendi , adverted to the principles stated in Caledonian
| Quinn | (supra) and |
|---|
observations made by Sir Frederick Pollock and thereafter laid
down thus:-
| “ | The ratio decidendi is the underlying principle, |
|---|---|
| namely, the general reasons or the general grounds | |
| upon which the decision is based on the test or |
22
(1901) AC 495
23
(1990) 4 SCC 207
24
(1882) 7 App Cas 259 : 46 LT 826 (HL)
21
| abstract from the specific peculiarities of the | |
|---|---|
| particular case which gives rise to the decision. The | |
| ratio decidendi has to be ascertained by an analysis | |
| of the facts of the case and the process of reasoning | |
| involving the major premise consisting of a | |
| pre-existing rule of law, either statutory or | |
| judge-made, and a minor premise consisting of the | |
| material facts of the case under immediate | |
| consideration. If it is not clear, it is not the duty of | |
| the court to spell it out with difficulty in order to be | |
| bound by it. In the words of Halsbury (4th edn., Vol. | |
| 26, para 573) “The concrete decision alone is binding | |
| between the parties to it but it is the abstract ratio | |
| decidendi, as ascertained on a consideration of the | |
| judgment in relation to the subject matter of the | |
| decision, which alone has the force of law and which | |
| when it is clear it is not part of a tribunal’s duty to | |
| spell out with difficulty a ratio decidendi in order to | |
| bound by it, and it is always dangerous to take one | |
| or two observations out of a long judgment and treat | |
| them as if they gave the ratio decidendi of the case. | |
| If more reasons than one are given by a tribunal for | |
| its judgment, all are taken as forming the ratio | |
| decidendi.” |
Viewed in the backdrop of the factual score in entirety, we
are of the considered opinion that decision in Thungabhadra
Industries Ltd. (supra) has to be confined to the facts of the
said case.
25. Earlier we have stated that we will refer to the principles
stated in Durga Shankar Mehta ’s case (supra). The said
22
authority deals with width of power conferred under Article
136. It is submitted by Mr. Gulati that the said power is of
great magnitude and cannot be controlled by any stature. It
has been held in Durga Shankar Mehta (supra) that it is a
plenary jurisdiction. In Mahendra Saree Emporium (II)
(supra), a three-Judge Bench, in the context of power under
Article 136, has held thus: -
“The jurisdiction conferred on this Court by Article
136 of the Constitution is a plenary jurisdiction in
the matter of entertaining and hearing appeals by
granting special leave against any kind of judgment
or order made by court or tribunal in any case or
matter and the jurisdiction can be exercised in spite
of other specific provisions for appeal contained in
the Constitution or other laws. This article confers
on the Supreme Court special or residuary powers
which are exercisable outside the purview of the or-
dinary laws in cases where the needs of justice de-
mand interference by the Supreme Court [see Con-
stitution Bench decisions in Durga Shankar Mehta v.
Thakur Raghuraj Singh and Union Carbide Corpn. v.
25
Union of India . In Durga Shankar Mehta case the
Constitution Bench held that Section 105 of the
Representation of the People Act, 1951 which gives
finality to the decision of the Election Tribunal has
the effect of giving finality so far as that Act is con-
cerned and the fact that it does not provide for any
further appeal cannot cut down, or have an overrid-
ing effect on, the powers which the Supreme Court
can exercise by virtue of Article 136 of the Constitu-
25
(1991) 4 SCC 584 (SCC para 58)
23
tion. The constitutional jurisdiction conferred by Ar-
ticle 136 cannot be limited or taken away by any leg-
islation subordinate to the Constitution. This view
finds support from the Constitution Bench decision
of this Court in S.P. Sampath Kumar v. Union of In-
26
dia and the recent decision of this Court in Surya
27
Dev Rai v. Ram Chander Rai . In Surya Dev Rai case
this Court has on a review of several authorities held
that any legislation subordinate to the Constitution
cannot whittle down, much less take away, the juris-
diction and powers conferred on the constitutional
courts of the country.”
26. The aforequoted passage has to be appositely understood.
The three-Judge Bench has held that any legislation
subordinate to the Constitution cannot whittle down or take
away the jurisdiction and powers conferred on the
constitutional courts of the country. The decisions which we
have referred to earlier deal about the maintainability of the
challenge to the order of review when the main order is not
assailed. The real test is even if the order passed in review is
set aside, the order that is not challenged cannot be set aside.
The decision in Eastern Coalfields Limited (supra) has been
rightly opined in Ripa Sarma ’s case, has been rendered in
ignorance of the earlier judgments of co-equal strength. That
26
(1987) 1 SCC 124
27
(2003) 6 SCC 675
24
apart, we are inclined to agree with the view in Ripa Sarma
(supra) wherein it has been observed that the submission with
regard to the merger of the main order with the order in review
has been merely noticed in Eastern Coalfields Limited
(supra) and not accepted. Needless to state that when the
prayer for review is dismissed, there can be no merger. If the
order passed in review recalls the main order and a different
order is passed, definitely the main order does not exist. In
that event, there is no need to challenge the main order, for it
is the order in review that affects the aggrieved party. The
decisions pertaining to maintainability of special leave petition
or for that matter appeal have to be seemly understood.
Though the decisions in Shanker Motiram Nale (supra) the
two-Judge Bench referred to Order 47 Rule 7 of the Code of
Civil Procedure that bars an appeal against the order of the
court rejecting the review, it is not to be understood that the
court has curtailed the plenary jurisdiction under Article 136 of
the Constitution by taking recourse to the provisions in the
Code of Civil Procedure. It has to be understood that the Court
25
has evolved and formulated a principle that if the basic
judgment is not assailed and the challenge is only to the order
passed in review, this Court is obliged not to entertain such
special leave petition. The said principle has gained the
authoritative status and has been treated as a precedential
principle for more than two decades and we are disposed to
think that there is hardly any necessity not to be guided by the
said precedent. In this context, we may profitably reproduce a
passage from Government of Andhra Pradesh and others v.
28
A.P. Jaiswal and others wherein a three-Judge Bench has
observed thus:-
| “ | Consistency is the cornerstone of the | |
|---|---|---|
| administration of justice. It is consistency which | ||
| creates confidence in the system and this | ||
| consistency can never be achieved without respect to | ||
| the rule of finality. It is with a view to achieve | ||
| consistency in judicial pronouncements, the Courts | ||
| have evolved the rule of precedents, principle of stare | ||
| decisis etc. These rules and principle are based on | ||
| public policy...” |
27. In view of the aforesaid analysis, the submission of
Mr. Gulati that all the subsequent judgments are per incuriam
28
AIR 2001 SC 499
26
as they have not taken into consideration the decision rendered
in Thungabhadra Industries Ltd. (supra) is not correct.
Consequently, the appeal, being not maintainable, stands
dismissed. There shall be no order as to costs.
.................................J.
[Dipak Misra]
.................................J.
[Shiva Kirti Singh]
NEW DELHI
JANUARY 22, 2016
ITEM NO.1A COURT NO.4 SECTION III
S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Civil Appeal No(s). 2687/2006
BUSSA OVERSEAS & PROPERTIES (P) LTD.& ANR Appellant(s)
VERSUS
UNION OF INDIA & ANR. Respondent(s)
Date : 22/01/2016 This appeal was called on for judgment today.
For Appellant(s) Mr. Kavin Gulati, Sr. Adv.
Ms. Ruby Singh Ahuja, Adv.
Mr. Utsav Trivedi, Adv.
Mrs. Manik Karanjawala, AOR
Ms. Anisha Mitra, Adv.
For Respondent(s) Mr. Yashank Adhyaru, Adv.
Mr. Tara Chandra Sharma, Adv.
Mr. B.V. Niren, Adv.
Mr. B. Krishna Prasad, AOR
Hon'ble Mr. Justice Dipak Misra pronounced the judgment of the
Bench consisting His Lordship and Hon'ble Mr. Justice Shiva Kirti
Singh.
The appeal is dismissed in terms of the signed reportable
judgment. There shall be no order as to costs.
(Gulshan Kumar Arora) (H.S. Parasher)
Court Master Court Master
(Signed reportable judgment is placed on the file)