SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
DHANANJAYA Y. CHANDRACHUD, M.R. SHAH, JJ.
NEELAM MANMOHAN ATTAVAR – APPELLANT
VERSUS
MANMOHAN ATTAVAR (D) THROUGH LRS. – RESPONDENTS
MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATION NO.42 OF 2021 IN TRANSFERRED CASE (CRIMINAL) NO. 1 of 2020
Decided on : 05-02-2021
Constitution of India – Article 137 – Recall of order – Earlier IA for recalling of order was dismissed and at that time also applicant-petitioner in person was heard – Present application also deserves to be dismissed and accordingly dismissed – Merely because order might not be in favour of applicant earlier, cannot be a ground for recusal – A litigant cannot be permitted to browbeat Court by seeking a Bench of its choice. (Paras 2, 3 and 4)
Result : Application dismissed.
ORDER :
M.R. SHAH, J.
1. The present application has been preferred by the applicant/petitioner herein to recall the order passed by this Court dated 03.09.2020 passed in Transferred Case (Criminal) No. 1 of 2020.
2. We have heard the applicant-petitioner in person at length. When we pointed out to the applicant-petitioner in person that as earlier another application filed by her for the very same relief as in the present application was dismissed by this Court, the second application for the same relief could not be maintainable, the applicant-petitioner in person submitted that one of us (Dr. Dhananjaya Y.Chandrachud, J.) should recuse himself from hearing the present application. We see no valid and good ground for recusal by one of us. Merely because the order might not be in favour of the applicant earlier, cannot be a ground for recusal. A litigant cannot be permitted to browbeat the Court by seeking a Bench of its choice. Therefore, the prayer of the applicant-petitioner in person that one of us (Dr. Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, J.) should recuse from hearing the present miscellaneous application is not accepted and the said prayer is rejected.
3. Now so far as the present application on merits is concerned, at the outset, it is required to be noted that earlier one other application was filed by the applicant-petitioner in person for the very relief, i.e., to recall order dated 03.09.2020 passed by this Court in Transferred Case (Criminal) No. 1 of 2020 and the same came to be lodged by the Registrar and the application challenging the order of the Registrar lodging the application for recall of the order dated 03.09.2020 was dismissed. That thereafter, once again, the applicant-petitioner in person has preferred the present application for the very relief, i.e., for recalling of order dated 03.09.2020 which shall not be maintainable. Even otherwise, it is required to be noted that order dated 03.09.2020 was pronounced after hearing the applicant. As observed hereinabove, earlier IA for recalling of order dated 03.09.2020 was dismissed and at that time also the applicant-petitioner in person was also heard.
4. In view of the above, the present application also deserves to be dismissed and is accordingly dismissed. It is observed that the Registry shall not accept any further miscellaneous application on the subject matter of order dated 03.09.2020 or the order dated 29.10.2020 passed in IA No. 101770 of 2020 or in the present order.
Merely because order might not be in favour of applicant earlier, cannot be a ground for recusal. A litigant cannot be permitted to browbeat Court by seeking a Bench of its choice.
Inherent powers to recall orders exist but only for valid grounds; absence of representation alone does not justify such recall.
The primary prayer in both recall applications was substantially the recall of the order dated December 6, 2018, and the Court rejected the second recall application on the ground of constructive res....
A court order recalling a previous decision must offer substantial reasons; parties should not be deprived of the right to present their evidence without justified cause.
Recall of witnesses under Section 311 Cr.P.C. not permissible as routine after evidence closure to prevent trial delays.
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.