SC's Adultery Judgment Applies To All Pending Proceedings Even With Retrospective Effect: Punjab & Haryana HC [Read Order]

The Constitution bench of the Supreme Court had, on 27^th September 2018, struck down 158 year old Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalizes adultery.

Relying on this judgment, the accused had approached the High Court contending that the complaint and the subsequent proceedings against him for offence under Section 497 IPC were liable to be quashed. Placing reliance on Maj. Genl. A.S.Gauraya vs.S.N.Thakur, it was contended that a declaration of law by the Supreme Court applies to all pending proceedings even with retrospective effect.

Accepting these contentions, Justice Harinder Singh Sidhu quashed the complaint, summoning order and subsequent proceedings in the case.

In Maj. Genl. A.S.Gauraya, it was held that law laid down by the Supreme Court applies to all pending proceedings. There is nothing like any prospective operation alone of the law laid down by the Supreme Court, it was observed while setting aside a High Court judgment which had observed that 'a pronouncement as to the position of law in a judicial decision by the Supreme Court cannot be treated as a sort of legislation by the Parliament giving retrospective effect as to enjoin reopening of all matters which have already become final and closed.'

The Bombay and Kerala High Courts have also quashed pending proceedings in complaints alleging adultery on the same ground.

Read Live Law Reports on Constitution bench judgment in Adultery Case

Section 497 Unconstitutional: Supreme Court's 'Adultery' Judgment

Read Order