Court emphasizes finality in litigation, upholds previous judgment over subsequent ruling.

The Court held that the previous judgment by a Three Judge Bench addressing the issues raised in the special leave petition must be followed. Emphasizing the importance of finality in litigation, the Court stated that a subsequent judgment overruling the previous one would only affect cases decided after the overruled judgment. Citing the Explanation to Order XLVII Rule 1 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the Court dismissed the special leave petition and disposed of any pending applications, underscoring the principles of public policy and justice in upholding the previous judgment.

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Issues involved:
The issues raised in a special leave petition have been addressed by a previous judgment of a Three Judge Bench. The petitioner seeks to keep the matter pending due to a review petition against the previous judgment. The respondent highlights the dismissal of a similar case and the reservation of liberty in another case for review. The main issue is whether the previous judgment should be followed or not.

Judgment Details:
The Court notes that the issues raised in the special leave petition have already been addressed in a previous judgment by a Three Judge Bench. The petitioner requests to keep the matter pending due to a review petition against the earlier judgment. On the contrary, the respondent points out the dismissal of a similar case and the reservation of liberty for review in another case. The Court opines that the previous judgment is currently applicable and must be followed in the present case. The Court emphasizes that if a subsequent judgment overrules the previous one, it will only impact cases decided after the overruled judgment. The Explanation to Order XLVII Rule 1 of the Code of Civil Procedure is cited to support this position, stating that the reversal of a legal question in a superior Court does not warrant a review of a judgment. The Court highlights the importance of finality in litigation and the principles of public policy and justice in upholding the previous judgment. Consequently, the special leave petition is dismissed, and any pending applications are disposed of accordingly.

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