THE STATE OF GUJARAT versus RATILAL LALJIBHAI TANDOL AND ANR.

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THE STATE OF GUJARAT v. RATILAL LAUIBHAI TANDOL AND ANR.

AUGUST 20, 1997

[G.N. RAY AND G.B. PATTANAIK, JJ.)

A

B

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973/Law Officers Rules .of 1939.

S.378/R.50-Circular No. Cri/Misc./5/78/24289/A2 dated 23.7.1979 is- sued by Legal Department, Government of Gujarat-District Magistrate re- c quired to report in regard to filing of appeal against acquittaf-Delay in filing the appeal-High Court directing that proposal for filing appeal should not be processed through District Magistrate and making observations indicating liability of Public Prosecutor in the event of delay-Observations impugned in appeal before this Court-Held, observations made by High Court are modified-Directions given by High Court regarding liability of Public Prosecutor in the event of delay attributable to him are deleted-Guidelines indicated in order to avoid delay in filing such appeals--Govemment may issue appropriate directions consistent with the guidelines indicated in this order-Practice and Procedure-Administration of Criminal justice-Con- stitution of India 1950-Article 136.

D

E

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Criminal Appeal No.

780 of 1997.

From the Judgment and Order dated 26.3.96 of the Guprat High

Court in Misc. Crl. Application No. 2941/95 in Crl. A. No. 375 of 1995.

S .K. D holakia, Ms. H. Wahi and Ms. Sunita Hazariaka for the

Appellant.

Sushi! Kumar (AC.) for the Respondent.

The following Order of the Court was delivered :

Leave granted.

F

G

Heard Mr. S.K. Dholakia, the learned senior counsel appearing for the appellant-State of Gujarat and Mr. Sushi! Kumar, the learned senior H

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SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1997] SUPP. 3 S.C.R.

A counsel appearing as amicus curiae to assist the Court in this matter. Certain observations made by the Gujarat High Court in disposmg of Criminal Miscellaneous Application No. 2941of95 in Criminal Appeal No. 375/95 (The State of Gujarat v. Ratilal Laljibhai Tandol and Anr. are impugned in this appeal by the State of Gujarat.

B

It has been submitted by Mr. Dholakia that although on the proposal initiated by the Public Prosecutor for preferring appeal against order of acquittal the State Government takes the final. decision, the State Government has felt that the opinion of the District Magistrate being in overall charge of the district is necessary for taking appropriate decision C by State Government. Our attention has been drawn to the circular dated 23rd July, 1979 issued by the Legal Department of the Government of Gujarat being Circular No. Cri/Misc./5!78/24289/A2. It has been indicated in the said circular that the District Magistrate who is holding an important position in the District can reflect on several circumstances indicated in D the circular in his report so that the Government will have the benefit of the experience and knowledge of the person who is likely to be most conversant with the local condition and circumstances, which facts could not be shown or suggested by the Pubic Prosecutor or the Assistant Public Prosecutor.

E

Mr. Dholakia has submitted that in view of such perception of the State Government, it was decided that the proposal to prefer appeal against the order of acquittal should be routed through the District Magistrate. In the impugned observations the High Court has given a direction that hence forward no proposal should be routed through the F District Magistrate. Such direction of the High Court was not appropriate even though the High Court had anxiety that there should not be delay in preferring appeal in appropriate case.

G

Mr. Sushi! Kumar the learned senior counsel appearing as amicus curaie has however submitted under the Code of Criminal Procedure, the District Magistrate does not come in the picture in the decision making process regarding filing an appeal against that order of acquittal. He has submitted that there is no difficulty in getting valued opinion from any responsible officer of the State Government including the District Magistrate but for such opinion proposal to prefer appeal initiated by the H Public prosecutor is not required to be routed through the District

STATEv. R.L TANDOL

475

Magistrate Rule 50 of Law Officers' Rules of 1939 which is admittedly A being followed even today indicates that the proposal of the Public Prosecutor is to be considered by the State Gover.Qlllent and final decision is to be taken by the State Government. Such Rule is also in conformity with the Code of Criminal Procedure. Therefore, the High Court is jus tified in indicating that under the law, the proposal is not required to be B · routed through the District Magistrate. Mr. Sushi! Kumar has also sub mitted that the High Court has indicated its concern flowing from the experience revealed from the large number of cases coming before the High Court that because of the procedural wrangles unnecessary delay is often committed for which some of the appeals are likely to be dismissed on the score of bar of limitation because in some cases inordinate delay C may not be properly explained. Mr. Dholakia has however submitted that the High Court should have refrained from interfering with the policy decision of the State Government by indicating that the role of the District Magistrate is to be bye passed altogether. Such direction of the High Court will virtually deprive the State Government to get the valued opinion qf the D District Magistrate for cogent reasons.

After taking into consideration the submissions of the learned coun- sel it appears to us that the High Court, in its anxiety to ensure that the appeal are preferred within reasonable time and avoidable delay does not occur in processing the proposal to prefer appea~ has made the impugned E obse.rvations. Although we appreciate the anxiety of the High Court that the appeal shoul\I be presented within reasonable time and procedural wrangles should be avoided so that unnecessary and avoidable delay do not take place, it appears to us that some of the observations of the High Court are quite strong and should have been avoided. We, therefore, modify the F observations made by the High Court by deleting the directions regarding the liability of the Public Prosecutor in the event of delay attributable to Public Prosecutor. Such deletion is made by hoping that the Public Prosecutors will be alive to their duties and responsibilities and the State Government will not fail to take appropriate action against the erring G Public Prosecutors. In modification of the observation of the High Court it is also directed that the concerned Public Prosecutor will initiate the proposal for preferring appeal against the order of acquittal and send such proposal directly to the Law Department of the State of Gujarat. ·But a copy of the proposal should also be sent by the Public Prosecutor to the District Magistrate of the concerned district so that the opinion of t_he H

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476

SUPREMECOURTREPORTS [1997)SUPP.3S.C.R.

A District Magistrate is obtained by the State Government before final

decision is taken by the State Government to prefer the proposed appeal. .,. The State Government should issue necessary instruction to the District Magistrate that the District Magistrate would send its views on the proposal as expeditiously as practicable so that proposed appeal may be B filed within the period of limitation. If such opinion of the District Magistrate is not received by the appropriate Legal Department of the State within a reasonable time, the concerned Legal Department will not wait for the response of the District Magistrate on the proposal given by the Public Prosecutor and a final decision will be taken by the State Government even in the absence of opinion of the District Magistrate so that the proposed appeal is not barred by limitation. Needless to point out that the State Government should take final decision within such time frame so that some reasonable time is left with the Government counsel to draw up the memorandum of appeal and to present appeal petition before the Court within the period of limitation. The appeal is accordingly dis- D posed of. The State Government may issue appropriate directions consis tent with the guideline indicated in this order. We place on record our deep appreciation of the assistance rendered by Mr. Sush;t Kumar appear ing as amicus curiae in this matter.

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R.P.

Appeal disposed of.