SC: Division Bench must deal with all the issues urged if they are carried in intra-court appeal.

A two-judge bench of the apex court on 26.10.2018 in RAGHUBIR SINGH V. STATE OF RAJASTHAN & ORS. (CIVIL APPEAL NO.10781 OF 2018) set aside the final judgment of the High Court of Judicature for Rajasthan at Jaipur upholding judgment of the learned Single Judge. The bench was headed by:-

• JUSTICE ABHAY MANOHAR SAPRE
• JUSTICE INDU MALHOTRA

FACTS: 

The dispute was related to acquisition of land under the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act (The Act). The challenge was made by the appellant (writ petitioner) by filing the writ petition in the High Court to the issuance of Section 4 notifications and subsequent notifications issued under the Act on several factual and legal grounds.   The learned Single Judge dismissed the writ petition, which gave rise to filing of the intra court appeal by the writ petitioner before the Division Bench. The Division Bench dismissed the appeal and upheld the order passed by the learned Single judge, which gave rise to filing of special leave to appeal in the Supreme Court Court.

ISSUES:

• Whether the divisional bench of the High Court was right in disposing of the appeal resulting in its dismissal?

CONTENTIONS:

By appellants:

• The high court was not right in disposing of the appeal.
• Division bench did not deal with any of the issues arising in the case.
• It didn’t deal with any of the submissions.
• Judgement should be set aside.

By respondents:

• The high court was right in disposing of the appeal and its judgement should be upheld.

OBSERVATIONS: The court observed that:-

• Division bench did not deal with any of the issues arising in the case and nor it seemed to have dealt with any of the submissions urged by the parties and, especially, the submissions urged by the appellant.
• The intra court appeal did involve factual and legal issues, which were decided by the Single Judge.
• Once issues were carried in intra court appeal by an aggrieved party it was incumbent upon the Division Bench to deal with all the issues urged and record its findings one way or the other on every issue urged keeping in   view the legal provisions applicable to the issues.

HELD:

The court set aside the impugned order and remanded the case to the Division Bench of the High Court for its decision on merits uninfluenced by any of Supreme Court’s observations in accordance with law. The High Court was requested to dispose of the appeal as expeditiously as possible preferably within 6 months. Pending applications were disposed of.

For full judgement refer: https://www.supremecourt.gov.in/supremecourt/2018/8515/8515_2018_Judgement_26-Oct-2018.pdf