2019 Supreme(SC) 492
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
ABHAY MANOHAR SAPRE, DINESH MAHESHWARI, JJ.
M/s. Trimex Sands Pvt. Limited & Anr. – Appellant
Versus
Union of India & Ors. – Respondents
Civil Appeal No.4283 of 2019, S.L.P.(C) No.2348 of 2018
Decided On : 25-04-2019
For Appellant(s) : Mr.Aniruddha Deshmukh, AOR
For Respondent(s): Mr.Sarad Kumar Singhania, Adv. Mr.Gurmeet Singh Makker, Adv. Mr.Jasmeet Singh, AOR Mr.Arvind Kumar Sharma, AOR
Headnote:Constitution of India – Article 226 – Administration of justice – High Court disposing writ petition on wrong statement made by counsel for one party, not on merits – Matter remitted back to High Court for fresh consideration. (Para 15, 16)
Facts of the case:
Counsel for Union of India made a wrong statement before the High Court on which basis it disposed the writ petition. Wrong statement was made due to wrong briefing.
Finding of the Court:
Matter needs to be restored to files of the High court for fresh consideration on merits.
Result: Appeal allowed.
JUDGMENT :
Abhay Manohar Sapre, J.
1. Leave granted.
2. This appeal is directed against the final judgment and order dated 09.11.2017 passed by the High Court of Delhi at New Delhi in Writ Petition (C) No.5734 of 2016 whereby the High Court disposed of the said writ petition filed by respondent No.3 herein (original writ petitioner before the High Court) against respondent Nos.1 and 2 herein (Union of India and another) and set aside the order dated 30.06.2016(notified on 06.07.2016).
3. Heard learned counsel on IA No.16352 of 2018.
4. This is an application made by the Union of India through the Under Secretary, Ministry of Mines for appropriate directions and for disposal of the appeal.
5. A few facts need mention for the disposal of the said application so also the appeal, which involves a short point.
6. By impugned order, the High Court disposed of writ petition No.5734 of 2016 filed by respondent No.3 herein (original writ petitioner before the High Court) against respondent Nos.1 and 2 herein (Union of India and another).
7. The challenge in the said writ petition was to an order dated 30.06.2016 (notified on 06.07.2016) issued by the respondents of the writ petition, i.e., Union of India through its concerned Ministry.
8. It is not in dispute that the High Court by impugned order dated 09.11.2017 disposed of the writ petition and set aside the order dated 30.06.2016 which was impugned in the writ petition on the basis of statement made by the learned counsel appearing for the Union of India.
9. In other words, the High Court did not consider necessary to decide the writ petition on the merits of the controversy in the light of the statement made by the learned counsel, who appeared for the Union of India. It is clear from Paras 9 and 10 of the impugned order quoted infra:
“9. In view of his aforesaid statement, the impugned order dated 30.06.2016 notified on 06.07.2016 is set aside. The respondents would take further steps to process the grant of Exploration License pursuant to the order dated 05.04.2011 in accordance with law.
10. It is clarified that this Court has not expressed an opinion on the merits of the dispute between the parties and the above order has been passed solely on the basis of the statement made on behalf of respondents.”
10. It is this order, which is now impugned by the appellant by filing the present special leave to appeal. Since the appellants were not parties to the writ petition, they sought leave to file the present special leave to appeal to question the legality and correctness of the impugned order in the present appeal.
11. It is brought to the notice of the Court in the application under consideration (IA No.16352/2018) that the Union of India (respondents of the writ petition) have filed a review petition (103/2018) in the High Court against the impugned order dated 09.11.2017 passed in writ petition No.5734/2016, which is now the subject matter of the present special leave to appeal, praying therein to recall the order dated 09.11.2017. The review petition is pending.
12. During the course of submissions, it has also been pointed out that in another batch of petitions led by W.P. No.7537 of 2018 (M/s Standard Metalloys Pvt. Ltd. vs. Union of India), the High Court passed a detailed order on 06.02.2019 and set aside the impugned order dated 30.06.2016 on merits. Be that as it may, we need not enter into any other aspect of the matter because herein, the recall is sought essentially on the ground that an incorrect statement was made by the learned counsel, who appeared for the Union of India in the said writ petition, which led for its disposal wrongly. It is stated therein that the statement was made by the learned counsel on the basis of incorrect/wrong briefing made to him by the concerned official.
13. A prayer is, therefore, made that because during the pendency of the appeal and subsequent to passing of the impugned order, certain events have also taken place, therefore, this appeal can be dispo