Practice Of Pronouncing Final Orders Without A Reasoned Judgment Has To Be Stopped And Discouraged: SC
📌 Principle: Courts Must Deliver Reasoned Judgments Along With Final Orders
🟤 Why It Matters:
Reason is the Soul of Justice:
A judicial order is not just a conclusion — it is a public act of reasoning.
When a party loses or wins, they have the right to know why.
Ensures Fairness and Transparency:
Without reasons, a judgment appears arbitrary.
Giving reasons discourages bias, shows application of mind, and helps build trust in the judiciary.
Enables Right to Appeal:
A party cannot file an appeal if there are no reasons to challenge.
An appellate court cannot review an unreasoned order.
Judicial Accountability:
Reasoned orders help the higher judiciary, public, and legal community evaluate the correctness of decisions.
It ensures that judges remain accountable to the discipline of logic and law.
🧑⚖️ Case Law Illustration: Sudha Rani v. State (Hypothetical Supreme Court Case)
In Sudha Rani v. State, the petitioner challenged a High Court order that simply stated:
“The petition is dismissed. No grounds are made out.”
There were no facts discussed, no reasoning provided, and no reference to the issues raised.
What the Supreme Court Held:
“The practice of issuing final orders without a reasoned judgment must be stopped. Justice is not a matter of impression, but of logic. The parties who approach the court are entitled to know why they have succeeded or failed.”
“A judicial order without reasons is like a body without a soul — it lacks the essential element that makes it justiciable, reviewable, and respectable.”
Directions Given:
The Supreme Court set aside the High Court’s unreasoned order.
Directed the matter to be decided afresh with a reasoned judgment.
Observed that judicial discipline requires every adjudicating authority to record reasons, especially in final orders.
⚖️ Broader Judicial Values Reinforced:
| Legal Value | Importance |
|---|---|
| Reasoned Decisions | Foundation of justice and judicial legitimacy |
| Rule of Law | Requires transparency and rationality |
| Fair Hearing | Parties deserve to understand the outcome |
| Appellate Review | Needs a logical basis to examine decisions |
📝 Conclusion:
The Supreme Court's direction that the practice of pronouncing final orders without reasons must be stopped and discouraged reinforces the principle that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done.
A reasoned judgment:
Is not a formality
Is essential for trust, accountability, and review
Transforms a verdict into justice
The court’s message is clear: An order without reasons is not a judgment — it's merely a declaration. And such declarations have no place in a reason-based justice system.
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