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TIRUPATI BALAJI DEVELOPERS PVT. LTD. AND ORS. versus STTE OF BIHAR AND ORS.

Citation: [2004] SUPP. 1 S.C.R. 494 · Decided: 21-04-2004 · Supreme Court of India · Bench: R.C. LAHOTI · Disposal: Disposed off

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Judgment (excerpt)

A 
TIRUPATI BALAJI DEVELOPERS PVT. LTD. AND ORS. 
,V. 
ST A TE OF BIHAR AND ORS. 
APRIL 21, 2004 
B 
[R.C. LAHOTI AND ASHOK BHAN, JJ.] 
Constitution of India, 1950: 
Articles 124 and 129-Establishment. of Supreme Court-Court of 
C Record-Supreme Court and High Courts-Relati01:iship between-Held: 
Supreme Court ~nd High. Courts are both courts of record and are 
constitutionally independent of each other-High Court is not a court 
'subordinate' to the Supreme Court-In the context of appellate jurisdiction, 
High Court exercises an inferior or subordinate jurisdiction-Articles 139-
D A, 141 and .J44 give an edge, and assign a superior place in the constitutional 
hierarchy, to the Supreme Court over. the High Courts-However, in the 
context of Articles 226 and 227 High Courts exercise a larger jurisdiction-
Being constitutional institutions, Supreme Court and High Courts should 
deal with each other observing grace and courtesy-Judges not to criticise 
each other-Any departure therefrom should be corrected by the appellate 
E forum with courtesy and respect and not by way of harsh criticism- While 
issuing directions in exercise of its appellate jurisdiction, Supreme Court 
cautiously abstains from issuing any "directions" as such and rather uses 
alternate and polite expressions. 
Article 136-Nature and scope of-Held: Jurisdiction under Art. 136 
F is very wide and plenary-However, as a rule of prudence and self-imposed 
discipline, Supreme Court refuses to exercise its jurisdiction in the first 
instance if the grievance raised is capable of being taken care of by any 
lower forum competent to do so-It is an extraordinary jurisdiction vested 
in the Supreme Court by the Constitution with implicit trust and faith-lt is 
G a discretionary jurisdiction and should be exercised with extraordinary care ยท 
and caution. 
Article 136-Adverse observations-Against Supreme Court by High 
Court-Expunction of-Held: Jn order to maintain its dignity as the Apex 
Court, such adverse observations expunged from the record of the High 
H Court. 
494 
TIRUPATI BALAJI DEVELOPERS PVT.LTD. v. STATE 
495 
Article 144-Nature and scope of-On the direction of the Supreme A 
Court, Registrar General of Supreme Co.urt addressed a communication to 
the Registrar General of the High Court seeking certain information-High 
Court dealt with such communication on the judicial side-Correctness of-
Held: Such communication should have been dealt with on the administrative 
side-High Court should have appraised the Supreme Court with the correct B 
factual position-Such communication not derogatory to the High Court-
High Court not reduced to the_ status of a litigant merely on account of such 
communication nor the High Court came to be arrayed as a party nor was 
the High Court as an institution and as a court of record called upon to give 
an explanation or to respond 
Article SO-Separation of judiciary from executive-Independence of 
judiciary-Held: The appellate hierarchy, examined in the correct perspective, 
is a factor strongly contributing towards the independent of the judiciary by 
securing finality in adjudication within the system and its insulation from 
any outside interference or correction. 
Interpretation of the Constitution-Guiding factors--Held: 
Interpretation of the Constitution cannot fluctuate with the different values 
in which different judges believe-Concept of the common good, therefore, 
should be the guide. 
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908: 
Sections 96 and JOO-Appeal-Nature and scope of-Held: Appeal 
implies the removal of a cause of action from any inferior court or tribunal 
c 
D 
E 
to a superior one entirely subjecting the facts as well as the law to a review 
and a retrial-Postulates of appellate jurisdiction are (i) existence of the 
relation of superior and inferior courts-(ii) power in the former to review F 
decisions of the latter-Conferral of a principal substantive jurisdiction 
carries with it, as a necessary concomitant, power to exercise such other 
incidental and ancillary powers without which coriferral of principal power 
would be rendered redundant-Also, appeal does _not cease to be an appeal, 
though irregular or incompetent-Existence of appellate jurisdiction obliges G 
lower jurisdiction to render all its assistance to enable the exercise of 
appellate jurisdiction fully and effectively. 
โ€ข 
Words & Phrases: 
"Appeal"-Meaning of 
H 
496 
SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2004) SUPP. I S.C.R. 
A 
A Division Bench of

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