20. Sections 354, 375 and 377 IPC have come up for consideration before the superior courts of the country on innumerable occasions in a period of almost one and a half century. Only sexual intercourse, namely, hetrosexual intercourse involving penetration of the vagina by the penis coupled with the explanation that penetration is sufficient to constitute the sexual intercourse necessary for the offence of rape has been held to come within the purview of Section 375 IPC. The wide definition which the petitioner wants to be given to "rape" as defined in Section 375 IPC so that the same may become an offence punishable under Section 376 IPC has neither been considered nor accepted by any Court in India so far. Prosecution of an accused for an offence under Section 376 IPC on radically enlarged meaning of Section 375 IPC as suggested by the petitioner may violate the guarantee enshrined in Article 20(1) of the Constitution which says that no person shall be convicted ! of any offence
except for violation of a law in force at the time of the commission of the act charged as an offence, nor be subjected to a penalty greater than that which might have been inflicted under the law in force at the time of the commission of the offence. (contiuned)
21. The decision of Constitutional Court of South Africa cited by learned counsel for the petitioner does not commend to us as the Court there treated "Gays and Lesbian in permanent same sex life partnerships" at par with "spouses" and took upon itself the task of Parliament in holding that in Section 25(5) of the Aliens Control Act, after the word "spouse", the words "or partner in a permanent same sex life partnership" should be read. The decision of House of Lords in R. v. R. was given on its own facts which deserve notice. Here the wife had left her matrimonial home with her son on 21st October, 1989 and went to live with her parents. She had consulted solicitors about matrimonial problems and had left a letter for the husband informing him that she intended to petition for divorce. On 23rd October, 1989 the husband spoke to his wife on telephone indicating that it was his intention also to seek divorce. In the night of 12th Novemb! er, 1989 the husband forced his way into the
house of his wife's parents, who were out at that time and attempted to have sexual intercourse with her against her will. In the course of doing so he assaulted her by squeezing her neck with both hands. On the facts of the case the conviction of the husband may not be illegal. It is very doubtful whether the principle laid down can be of universal application. In Regina v. Burstow psychiatric injury was held to be bodily harm under Section 20, having regard to the meaning of the word in the usage of the present day. In our opinion the judgment of the International Tribunal can have no application here as Tribunal itself noted that no definition of rape can be found in International law and it was dealing with prosecution of persons responsible for serious violations of International Humanitarian Law committed in the Territory of former Yugoslavia. The judgment is not at all concerned with interpretation of any provision of domestic law in peace time conditions. The decisi! ons cited
by the learned counsel for the petitioner, therefore, do not persuade us to enlarge the definition of rape as given in Section 375 IPC which has been consistently so understood for over a century through out the country.
22. It may be noted that ours is a vast and big country of over 100 crore people. Normally, the first reaction of a victim of crime is to report the incident at the police station and it is the police personnel who register a case under the appropriate Sections of the Penal Code. Such police personnel are invariably not highly educated people but they have studied the basic provisions of the Indian Penal Code and after registering the case under the appropriate sections, further action is taken by them as provided in Code of Criminal Procedure. Indian Penal Code is a part of the curriculum in the law degree and it is the existing definition of "rape" as contained in Section 375 IPC which is taught to every student of law. A criminal case is initially handled by a Magistrate and thereafter such cases as are exclusively triable by Court of Session are committed the Court of Session. The entire legal fraternity of India, lawyers or Judges, have the definition as conta! ined in Section 375
IPC engrained in their mind and the cases are decided on the said basis. The first and foremost requirement in criminal law is that it should be absolutely certain and clear. An exercise to alter the definition of rape, as contained in Section 375 IPC, by a process of judicial interpretation, and that too when there is no ambiguity in the provisions of the enactment is bound to result in good deal of chaos and confusion, and will not be in the interest of society at large.
23. Stare decisis is a well known doctrine in legal jurisprudence. The doctrine of stare decisis, meaning to stand by decided cases, rests upon the principle that law by which men are governed should be fixed, definite and known, and that, when the law is declared by court of competent jurisdiction authorised to construe if, such declaration, in absence of palpable mistake or error, is itself evidence of the law until changed by competent authority. It requires that rules of law when clearly announced and established by a Court of last resort should not be lightly disregarded and set aside but should be adhered to and followed. What it precludes is that where a principle of law has become established by a series of decisions, it is binding on the Courts and should be followed in similar cases. It is a wholesome doctrine which gives certainty to law and guides the people to mould their affairs in future.
24. In Mishri Lal v. Dhierendra Nath 1999 (4) SCC 11 importance of this doctrine was emphasised for the purpose of avoiding uncertainty and confusion and paras 14, 15, 16 and 21 of the Reports read as under :
"14. This Court in Muktul v. Manbhari AIR 1958 SC 918 explained the scope of the doctrine of stare decisis with reference to Haralsbury's Laws of England and Corpus Juris Secundum in the following manner:
"The principle of stare decisis is thus stated in Halsbury's Laws of England, 2nd Edn.:
'Apart from any question as to the courts being of coordinate jurisdiction, a decision which has been followed for a long period of time, and has been acted upon by persons in the formation of contracts or in the disposition of their property, or in the general conduct of affairs, or in legal procedure or in other ways, will generally be followed by courts of higher authority than the court establishing the rule, even though the court before whom the matter arises afterwards might not have given the same decision had the question come before it originally. But the Supreme Appellate Court will not shrink from overruling a decision, or series of decisions, which establish a doctrine plainly outside the statute and outside the common law, when no title and no contract will be shaken, no persons can complain, and no general course of dealing be altered by the remedy of a mistake."
The same doctrine is thus explained in Corpus Juris Secundum -
'Under the stare decisis rule, a principle of law which has become settled by a series of decisions generally is binding on the courts and should be followed in similar cases. This rule is based on expediency and public policy, and, although generally it should be strictly adhered to by the courts, it is not universally applicable.'"
15. Be it noted however that Corpus Juris Secundum adds a rider that
"previous decisions should not be followed to the extent that grievous wrong may result; and, accordingly, the courts ordinarily will not adhere to a rule of principle established by previous decisions which they are convinced is erroneous. The rule of stare decisis is not so imperative or inflexible as to preclude a departure therefrom in any case, but its application must be determined in each case by the discretion of the court, and previous decisions should not be followed to the extent that error may be perpetuated and grievous wrong may result."
16. The statement though deserves serious consideration in the event of a definite finding as to the perpetration of a grave wrong but that by itself does not denude me time-tested doctrine of stare decisis of its efficacy. Taking recourse to the doctrine would be an imperative necessity to avoid uncertainty and contusion. The basic feature of law is its certainty and in the event of there being uncertainty as regards the state of law - the society would be in utter confusion the resultant effect of which would bring about a situation of chaos - a situation which ought always to be avoided.
except for violation of a law in force at the time of the commission of the act charged as an offence, nor be subjected to a penalty greater than that which might have been inflicted under the law in force at the time of the commission of the offence. (contiuned)
21. The decision of Constitutional Court of South Africa cited by learned counsel for the petitioner does not commend to us as the Court there treated "Gays and Lesbian in permanent same sex life partnerships" at par with "spouses" and took upon itself the task of Parliament in holding that in Section 25(5) of the Aliens Control Act, after the word "spouse", the words "or partner in a permanent same sex life partnership" should be read. The decision of House of Lords in R. v. R. was given on its own facts which deserve notice. Here the wife had left her matrimonial home with her son on 21st October, 1989 and went to live with her parents. She had consulted solicitors about matrimonial problems and had left a letter for the husband informing him that she intended to petition for divorce. On 23rd October, 1989 the husband spoke to his wife on telephone indicating that it was his intention also to seek divorce. In the night of 12th Novemb! er, 1989 the husband forced his way into the
house of his wife's parents, who were out at that time and attempted to have sexual intercourse with her against her will. In the course of doing so he assaulted her by squeezing her neck with both hands. On the facts of the case the conviction of the husband may not be illegal. It is very doubtful whether the principle laid down can be of universal application. In Regina v. Burstow psychiatric injury was held to be bodily harm under Section 20, having regard to the meaning of the word in the usage of the present day. In our opinion the judgment of the International Tribunal can have no application here as Tribunal itself noted that no definition of rape can be found in International law and it was dealing with prosecution of persons responsible for serious violations of International Humanitarian Law committed in the Territory of former Yugoslavia. The judgment is not at all concerned with interpretation of any provision of domestic law in peace time conditions. The decisi! ons cited
by the learned counsel for the petitioner, therefore, do not persuade us to enlarge the definition of rape as given in Section 375 IPC which has been consistently so understood for over a century through out the country.
22. It may be noted that ours is a vast and big country of over 100 crore people. Normally, the first reaction of a victim of crime is to report the incident at the police station and it is the police personnel who register a case under the appropriate Sections of the Penal Code. Such police personnel are invariably not highly educated people but they have studied the basic provisions of the Indian Penal Code and after registering the case under the appropriate sections, further action is taken by them as provided in Code of Criminal Procedure. Indian Penal Code is a part of the curriculum in the law degree and it is the existing definition of "rape" as contained in Section 375 IPC which is taught to every student of law. A criminal case is initially handled by a Magistrate and thereafter such cases as are exclusively triable by Court of Session are committed the Court of Session. The entire legal fraternity of India, lawyers or Judges, have the definition as conta! ined in Section 375
IPC engrained in their mind and the cases are decided on the said basis. The first and foremost requirement in criminal law is that it should be absolutely certain and clear. An exercise to alter the definition of rape, as contained in Section 375 IPC, by a process of judicial interpretation, and that too when there is no ambiguity in the provisions of the enactment is bound to result in good deal of chaos and confusion, and will not be in the interest of society at large.
23. Stare decisis is a well known doctrine in legal jurisprudence. The doctrine of stare decisis, meaning to stand by decided cases, rests upon the principle that law by which men are governed should be fixed, definite and known, and that, when the law is declared by court of competent jurisdiction authorised to construe if, such declaration, in absence of palpable mistake or error, is itself evidence of the law until changed by competent authority. It requires that rules of law when clearly announced and established by a Court of last resort should not be lightly disregarded and set aside but should be adhered to and followed. What it precludes is that where a principle of law has become established by a series of decisions, it is binding on the Courts and should be followed in similar cases. It is a wholesome doctrine which gives certainty to law and guides the people to mould their affairs in future.
24. In Mishri Lal v. Dhierendra Nath 1999 (4) SCC 11 importance of this doctrine was emphasised for the purpose of avoiding uncertainty and confusion and paras 14, 15, 16 and 21 of the Reports read as under :
"14. This Court in Muktul v. Manbhari AIR 1958 SC 918 explained the scope of the doctrine of stare decisis with reference to Haralsbury's Laws of England and Corpus Juris Secundum in the following manner:
"The principle of stare decisis is thus stated in Halsbury's Laws of England, 2nd Edn.:
'Apart from any question as to the courts being of coordinate jurisdiction, a decision which has been followed for a long period of time, and has been acted upon by persons in the formation of contracts or in the disposition of their property, or in the general conduct of affairs, or in legal procedure or in other ways, will generally be followed by courts of higher authority than the court establishing the rule, even though the court before whom the matter arises afterwards might not have given the same decision had the question come before it originally. But the Supreme Appellate Court will not shrink from overruling a decision, or series of decisions, which establish a doctrine plainly outside the statute and outside the common law, when no title and no contract will be shaken, no persons can complain, and no general course of dealing be altered by the remedy of a mistake."
The same doctrine is thus explained in Corpus Juris Secundum -
'Under the stare decisis rule, a principle of law which has become settled by a series of decisions generally is binding on the courts and should be followed in similar cases. This rule is based on expediency and public policy, and, although generally it should be strictly adhered to by the courts, it is not universally applicable.'"
15. Be it noted however that Corpus Juris Secundum adds a rider that
"previous decisions should not be followed to the extent that grievous wrong may result; and, accordingly, the courts ordinarily will not adhere to a rule of principle established by previous decisions which they are convinced is erroneous. The rule of stare decisis is not so imperative or inflexible as to preclude a departure therefrom in any case, but its application must be determined in each case by the discretion of the court, and previous decisions should not be followed to the extent that error may be perpetuated and grievous wrong may result."
16. The statement though deserves serious consideration in the event of a definite finding as to the perpetration of a grave wrong but that by itself does not denude me time-tested doctrine of stare decisis of its efficacy. Taking recourse to the doctrine would be an imperative necessity to avoid uncertainty and contusion. The basic feature of law is its certainty and in the event of there being uncertainty as regards the state of law - the society would be in utter confusion the resultant effect of which would bring about a situation of chaos - a situation which ought always to be avoided.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home