21. In this context reference may also be made to two English decisions:
(a) in Admiralty Commrs. v. Valverda (Owners) 1938 AC 173 (AC at p. 194) wherein the House of Lords observed that even long established conveyancing practice, although not as authoritative as a judicial decision, will cause the House of Lords to hesitate before declaring it wrong, and
(b) in Button v. Director of Public Prosecution 1966 AC 591 the House of Lords observed :
"In Corpus Juris Secundum, a contemporary statement of American Law, the stare decisis rule has been stated to be 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. It has been stated that this rule is based on expediency and public policy and should be strictly adhered to by the courts. Under this rule courts are bound to follow the common law as it has been judicially declared in previously adjudicated cases and rules of substantive law should be reasonably interpreted and administered. This rule has to preserve the harmony and stability of the law and to make as steadfast as possible judicially declared principles affecting the rights of property, it being indispensable to the due administration of justice, especially by a court of last resort, that a question once deliberately examined and declared should be considered as settled and closed to further argument. It is a sal! utary rule,
entitled to great weight and ordinarily should be strictly adhered to by the courts. The courts are slow to interfere with the principle announced by the decision, and it may be upheld even though they would decide otherwise were the question a new one, or equitable considerations might suggest, a different result and although it has been erroneously applied in a particular case. The rule represents an element of continuity in law and is rooted in the psychologic need to satisfy reasonable expectations, but it is a principle of policy and not a mechanical formula of adherence to the latest decision however recent and questionable when such adherence involves collision with a prior doctrine more embracing in its scope, intrinsically sounder and verified by experience."
25. It may be noticed that on July 26, 1966, the House of Lords made a departure from its past practice when a statement was made to the following effect:
"Their lordships regard the use of precedent as an indispensable foundation upon which to decide what is the law and its application to individual cases. It provides at least some degree of certainty upon which individuals can rely in the conduct of their affairs, as well as a basis for orderly development of legal rules.
Their lordships nevertheless recognise that too rigid adherence to precedent may lead to injustice in a particular case and also unduly restrict the proper development of the law. They propose therefore to modify their present practice and, while treating former decisions of this House as normally binding, to depart from a previous decision when it appears right to do so.
In this connection they will boar in mind the danger of disturbing retrospectively the basis on which contracts, settlements of property and fiscal arrangements have been entered into and also the especial need for certainty as to the criminal law.
This announcement is not intended to affect the use of precedent elsewhere than in this House."
26. While making the above statement a rule of caution was sounded that while departing from a previous decision when it appears right to do so, the especial need for certainty as to criminal law shall be borne in mind. There is absolutely no doubt or confusion regarding the interpretation of provisions of Section 375 IPC and the law is very well settled. The inquiry before the Courts relate only to the factual aspect of the matter which depends upon the evidence available on the record and not on the legal aspect. Accepting the contention of the writ petitioner and giving a wider meaning to Section 375 IPC will lead to a serious confusion in the minds of prosecuting agency and the Courts which instead of achieving the object of expeditiously bringing a criminal to book may unnecessarily prolong the legal proceedings and would have an adverse impact on the society as a whole. We are, therefore, of the opinion that it will not be in the larger interest of the State or the peo! ple to alter the definition of "rape" as contained in Section 375 IPC by a process of judicial interpretation as is sought to be done by means of the present writ petition.
27. The other aspect which has been highlighted and needs consideration relates to providing protection to a victim of sexual abuse at the time of recording his statement in court. The main suggestions made by the petitioner are for incorporating special provisions in child sexual abuse cases to the following effect:
(i) permitting use of a videotaped interview of the child's statement by the judge (in the presence of a child support person),
(ii) allow a child to testify via closed circuit television or from behind a screen to obtain a full and candid account of the acts complained of.
(iii) The cross examination of a minor should only be carried out by the judge based on written questions submitted by the defense upon perusal of the testimony of the minor
(iv) Whenever a child is required to give testimony, sufficient breaks should be given as and when required by the child.
28. The Law Commission, in its response, did not accept the said request in view of Section 273 Cr.P.C. as in its opinion the principle of the said Section which is founded upon natural justice, cannot be done away in trials and inquiries concerning sexual offences. The Commission, however, observed that in an appropriate case it may be open to the prosecution to request the Court to provide a screen in such a manner that the victim does not see the accused while at the same time provide an opportunity to the accused to listen to the testimony of the victim and give appropriate instructions to his counsel for an effective cross-examination. The Law Commission suggested that with a view to allay any apprehensions on this score, a proviso can be placed above the Explanation to Section 273 of the Criminal Procedure Code to the following effect: "Provided that where the evidence of a person below sixteen years who is alleged to have been subjected to sexual assault or any o! ther sexual offence, is to be recorded, the Court may, take appropriate measures to ensure that such person is not confronted by the accused while at the same time ensuring the right of cross-examination of the accused.".
29. Ms. Meenakshi Arora has referred to a decision of the Canadian Supreme Court in Her Majesty The Queen, Appellant v. D.O.L., Respondent and the Attorney General of Canada, etc. (1993) 4 SCR 419, wherein the constitutional validity of Section 715.1 of the Criminal Code was examined. This section provides that in any proceeding relating to certain sexual offences in which the complainant was under age of eighteen years at the time the offence is alleged to have been committed, a videotape made within a reasonable time after the alleged offence in which the complainant describes the act complained of, is admissible in evidence, if the complainant while testifying adopts the contents of the videotape. The Court of Appeal had declared Section 715.1 unconstitutional on the ground that the same contravened Sections 7 and 11(d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and could not be sustained under Section 1. The Supreme Court took note of some glaring features in such ty! pe of
cases viz. the innate power imbalance which exists between abuser and the abused child; a failure to recognise that the occurrence of child sexual abuse is one intertwined with the sexual abuse of all women, regardless of age; and that the Court cannot disregard the propensity of victims of sexual abuse to fail to report the abuse in order to conceal their plight from institutions without the criminal justice system which hold stereotypical and biased views about the victimisation of women. The Court accordingly held that the procedures set out in Section 715.1 are designed to diminish the stress and trauma suffered by child complainants as a byproduct of their role in the criminal justice system. The "system induced trauma" often ultimately serves to re-victimise the young complainant. The Section was intended to preserve the evidence of the child and to remove the need for them to repeat their story many times. It is often repetition of the story that results in! the infliction of trauma and stress upon a child who is made to believe that she is not being believed and that her experiences are not validated. The benefits such a provision would have in limiting the strain imposed on child witness who arc required to provide detailed testimony about confusing, embarrassing and frightful incidents of abuse in an intimidating, confrontational and often hostile court room atmosphere. Another advantage afforded by the Section is the opportunity for the child to answer delicate questions about the abuse in a more controlled, less stressful and less hostile environment, a factor which according to social science research, may drastically increase the likelihood of eliciting the truth about the events at hand. The videotape testimony enables the Court to hear a more accurate account of what the child was saying about the incident at the time it first came to light and the videotape of an early interview if used in evidence can supplement the evidence of a chil! d who is inarticulate or forgetful at the trial. The Section also acts to remove the pressure placed on a child victim of sexual assault when the attainment of "truth" depends entirely on her ability to control her fear, her shame and the horror of being face to face with the accused when she must describe her abuse in a compelling and coherent manner. The Court also observed that the rules of evidence have not been constitutionalised into unaltered principles of fundamental justice. Neither should they be interpreted in a restrictive manner which may essentially defeat their purpose of seeking truth and justice. Rules of evidence, as much as the law itself, are not cast in stone and will evolve with time. The Court accordingly reversed the judgment of Court of Appeal and upheld the constitutionality of Section 715.1. (contiuned)
(a) in Admiralty Commrs. v. Valverda (Owners) 1938 AC 173 (AC at p. 194) wherein the House of Lords observed that even long established conveyancing practice, although not as authoritative as a judicial decision, will cause the House of Lords to hesitate before declaring it wrong, and
(b) in Button v. Director of Public Prosecution 1966 AC 591 the House of Lords observed :
"In Corpus Juris Secundum, a contemporary statement of American Law, the stare decisis rule has been stated to be 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. It has been stated that this rule is based on expediency and public policy and should be strictly adhered to by the courts. Under this rule courts are bound to follow the common law as it has been judicially declared in previously adjudicated cases and rules of substantive law should be reasonably interpreted and administered. This rule has to preserve the harmony and stability of the law and to make as steadfast as possible judicially declared principles affecting the rights of property, it being indispensable to the due administration of justice, especially by a court of last resort, that a question once deliberately examined and declared should be considered as settled and closed to further argument. It is a sal! utary rule,
entitled to great weight and ordinarily should be strictly adhered to by the courts. The courts are slow to interfere with the principle announced by the decision, and it may be upheld even though they would decide otherwise were the question a new one, or equitable considerations might suggest, a different result and although it has been erroneously applied in a particular case. The rule represents an element of continuity in law and is rooted in the psychologic need to satisfy reasonable expectations, but it is a principle of policy and not a mechanical formula of adherence to the latest decision however recent and questionable when such adherence involves collision with a prior doctrine more embracing in its scope, intrinsically sounder and verified by experience."
25. It may be noticed that on July 26, 1966, the House of Lords made a departure from its past practice when a statement was made to the following effect:
"Their lordships regard the use of precedent as an indispensable foundation upon which to decide what is the law and its application to individual cases. It provides at least some degree of certainty upon which individuals can rely in the conduct of their affairs, as well as a basis for orderly development of legal rules.
Their lordships nevertheless recognise that too rigid adherence to precedent may lead to injustice in a particular case and also unduly restrict the proper development of the law. They propose therefore to modify their present practice and, while treating former decisions of this House as normally binding, to depart from a previous decision when it appears right to do so.
In this connection they will boar in mind the danger of disturbing retrospectively the basis on which contracts, settlements of property and fiscal arrangements have been entered into and also the especial need for certainty as to the criminal law.
This announcement is not intended to affect the use of precedent elsewhere than in this House."
26. While making the above statement a rule of caution was sounded that while departing from a previous decision when it appears right to do so, the especial need for certainty as to criminal law shall be borne in mind. There is absolutely no doubt or confusion regarding the interpretation of provisions of Section 375 IPC and the law is very well settled. The inquiry before the Courts relate only to the factual aspect of the matter which depends upon the evidence available on the record and not on the legal aspect. Accepting the contention of the writ petitioner and giving a wider meaning to Section 375 IPC will lead to a serious confusion in the minds of prosecuting agency and the Courts which instead of achieving the object of expeditiously bringing a criminal to book may unnecessarily prolong the legal proceedings and would have an adverse impact on the society as a whole. We are, therefore, of the opinion that it will not be in the larger interest of the State or the peo! ple to alter the definition of "rape" as contained in Section 375 IPC by a process of judicial interpretation as is sought to be done by means of the present writ petition.
27. The other aspect which has been highlighted and needs consideration relates to providing protection to a victim of sexual abuse at the time of recording his statement in court. The main suggestions made by the petitioner are for incorporating special provisions in child sexual abuse cases to the following effect:
(i) permitting use of a videotaped interview of the child's statement by the judge (in the presence of a child support person),
(ii) allow a child to testify via closed circuit television or from behind a screen to obtain a full and candid account of the acts complained of.
(iii) The cross examination of a minor should only be carried out by the judge based on written questions submitted by the defense upon perusal of the testimony of the minor
(iv) Whenever a child is required to give testimony, sufficient breaks should be given as and when required by the child.
28. The Law Commission, in its response, did not accept the said request in view of Section 273 Cr.P.C. as in its opinion the principle of the said Section which is founded upon natural justice, cannot be done away in trials and inquiries concerning sexual offences. The Commission, however, observed that in an appropriate case it may be open to the prosecution to request the Court to provide a screen in such a manner that the victim does not see the accused while at the same time provide an opportunity to the accused to listen to the testimony of the victim and give appropriate instructions to his counsel for an effective cross-examination. The Law Commission suggested that with a view to allay any apprehensions on this score, a proviso can be placed above the Explanation to Section 273 of the Criminal Procedure Code to the following effect: "Provided that where the evidence of a person below sixteen years who is alleged to have been subjected to sexual assault or any o! ther sexual offence, is to be recorded, the Court may, take appropriate measures to ensure that such person is not confronted by the accused while at the same time ensuring the right of cross-examination of the accused.".
29. Ms. Meenakshi Arora has referred to a decision of the Canadian Supreme Court in Her Majesty The Queen, Appellant v. D.O.L., Respondent and the Attorney General of Canada, etc. (1993) 4 SCR 419, wherein the constitutional validity of Section 715.1 of the Criminal Code was examined. This section provides that in any proceeding relating to certain sexual offences in which the complainant was under age of eighteen years at the time the offence is alleged to have been committed, a videotape made within a reasonable time after the alleged offence in which the complainant describes the act complained of, is admissible in evidence, if the complainant while testifying adopts the contents of the videotape. The Court of Appeal had declared Section 715.1 unconstitutional on the ground that the same contravened Sections 7 and 11(d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and could not be sustained under Section 1. The Supreme Court took note of some glaring features in such ty! pe of
cases viz. the innate power imbalance which exists between abuser and the abused child; a failure to recognise that the occurrence of child sexual abuse is one intertwined with the sexual abuse of all women, regardless of age; and that the Court cannot disregard the propensity of victims of sexual abuse to fail to report the abuse in order to conceal their plight from institutions without the criminal justice system which hold stereotypical and biased views about the victimisation of women. The Court accordingly held that the procedures set out in Section 715.1 are designed to diminish the stress and trauma suffered by child complainants as a byproduct of their role in the criminal justice system. The "system induced trauma" often ultimately serves to re-victimise the young complainant. The Section was intended to preserve the evidence of the child and to remove the need for them to repeat their story many times. It is often repetition of the story that results in! the infliction of trauma and stress upon a child who is made to believe that she is not being believed and that her experiences are not validated. The benefits such a provision would have in limiting the strain imposed on child witness who arc required to provide detailed testimony about confusing, embarrassing and frightful incidents of abuse in an intimidating, confrontational and often hostile court room atmosphere. Another advantage afforded by the Section is the opportunity for the child to answer delicate questions about the abuse in a more controlled, less stressful and less hostile environment, a factor which according to social science research, may drastically increase the likelihood of eliciting the truth about the events at hand. The videotape testimony enables the Court to hear a more accurate account of what the child was saying about the incident at the time it first came to light and the videotape of an early interview if used in evidence can supplement the evidence of a chil! d who is inarticulate or forgetful at the trial. The Section also acts to remove the pressure placed on a child victim of sexual assault when the attainment of "truth" depends entirely on her ability to control her fear, her shame and the horror of being face to face with the accused when she must describe her abuse in a compelling and coherent manner. The Court also observed that the rules of evidence have not been constitutionalised into unaltered principles of fundamental justice. Neither should they be interpreted in a restrictive manner which may essentially defeat their purpose of seeking truth and justice. Rules of evidence, as much as the law itself, are not cast in stone and will evolve with time. The Court accordingly reversed the judgment of Court of Appeal and upheld the constitutionality of Section 715.1. (contiuned)
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