The Supreme Court called the Allahabad High Court’s move to alter punishment “totally untenable.” It set aside the order, citing a clear violation of Section 362 CrPC
New Delhi (April 23) – The Supreme Court of India has strongly criticized the Allahabad High Court for changing the punishment of three people after their conviction, calling the procedure followed by the High Court completely wrong and against the law. The Supreme Court set aside the High Court’s decision, saying it had no legal basis.
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A two-judge bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih gave this verdict while hearing the matter. The Court explained that as per Section 362 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), once a final judgment or order in a criminal case has been signed, the court has no power to change or review it, unless it is to correct a simple clerical or arithmetic mistake.
The Supreme Court clearly stated,
“We fail to understand as to how the high court, in the present case also, in spite of the plain and unambiguous words used in the provisions of section 362 of CrPC, has committed such an error.”
This sharp observation from the top court shows its disapproval of the High Court’s handling of the case.
The bench reminded that,
Section 362 of the CrPC is very clear. It says that once the court has finalized a case and signed the judgment, it cannot be changed or reviewed except to fix minor mistakes like spelling or calculation errors. This rule exists to ensure stability and certainty in criminal judgments.
The Supreme Court emphasized that the Allahabad High Court’s action of modifying the conviction was not only against this clear legal provision but also set a bad example for the lower courts.
The top court said that courts must follow the law strictly, especially in criminal matters where justice and procedure are deeply linked.
The bench concluded that,
the Allahabad High Court’s decision could not be allowed to stand and therefore canceled the order.
This ruling from the Supreme Court sends a strong message to all courts in the country that once a judgment is passed and signed in a criminal case, it cannot be reopened or altered unless there is a very minor mistake to fix. This principle is meant to preserve the integrity and finality of judicial decisions.
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