Sambhu Nath Sarkar v. State of West Bengal & Ors.

l A B SAMBHU NATH SARKAR _v._ THE STAIB OF WEST BENGAL & ORS. _April_ 19, 1973 ### c [J. M. SHELAT, ACTING C.J., K. S. HEGDE, A. N. RAY, P. JAc:f6.NMOHAN REDDY, H.R. KHANNA, A. K. MUKHERJEA AND Y. V. CHANDRACHUD, JJ.] _The_ _Mllillfe11ance_ _of_ _Internal Security Act,_ (26 _of_ 1971), _s._ _17A-lf violates_ _Art._ 14 _and Art._ 22(7) _of_ _the Constitution._ _Constitution_ _of India,_ 1950, _Art._ 22(4)(a) _and (b)_ _of Art._ _22(1)-Scope of._ _Practice-Scope_ _of_ _Supreme Court's Power_ _to_ _review_ _its earlier decisions._ The ~1aintenance of Internal Security Act, 1971, was passed on July 2, 1971. On Del.:ember 3, 1971, a Proclamation of Emergency was issul!d and on the next d~y. the Defence of India Act. 1971, was enacted. Section 6 of the Defence of India Act introduced various amendments and a new section, s. 17,\, in the Maintenance of Internal Security Act. Section 17 A effectuated 3 niain changqs: (a) It overrides, by its _non .. abstante_ clause, the other provf .. sions of the Act; (b) a person mayi be detained in a class or classes of cases or under the circumstances set out in s. 17A(l) (a) and (b}-namely on the D ground of prejudicial acts in relation to (i) defence of India, relations with foreign powers and security of India, and (ii) security of the State and maintenance of pu51ic order without obtaining the opinion of an Advisory Board for a period longer than 3 months, but not exceeding two years from the date of detention; and ( c) the maximum period of detention of such a person can be 3 years or until the expiry of the Defence of India Act, whichever is later. These changes were brought about by Parliament exetcisjng the power contained in Art. 22(4)(b), (7)(a) and (b), in respect of all the heads under Entries 9 and 3 of Lists I and III of the VII Schedule to the ConstitUtion, except the one: with respect to main· E tenance of essential supplies and services. ... ~ '· The petitioner was arrested on January 29, 1972, under s. 3(1) and (2) of the Maintenance of Internal Security Act, and on April 15, 1972, the Str.te Gov· ernment, after perusing the report of the \dvisqry- Board, confirmed the C'rder of detention under s. 12(1) and directed the detention to continue for 3 years _ _ from the date of detention. # -- ---- In a petition under Art. 32;- -,_ ~ F HELD _:_ The petitioner should be released <ram his detention forthwith. (lj(a) There is no question of discrimination -ori..,.vioJation of Art. 14 as a resu _t_ of any such discrimination. By the use pf the ~Words 1 may .be detained' a resu _t_ of any such discrimination. By the use pf the ~Words 1 may .be detained' in the first part of s. 17A, an unguided discretion h"ns n_Qt been conferred on the ,E-e_taining __ authority whether to. take action under the -m.-Ore drastic provisions of s:-17A or under s. 3(1) read with ss. 10 to 13. [!OE] '· '· _ :- _ _..::..;-_ -- (i) The opening words in-- s-.-_l_Q '!!ave as otlierwi~e expressly provided in this ----1{-.>_ _Act', mean th.at .s. 10 would apply only ..,:_to cas~s not-~xpressly provided for in the Act, that 1s 11 w1>uld not apply to cases falhng unde't ss, 17 and·l7A. (!OBJ (ii) The words 'may be detained' in s, 17A(l) go 'l'.ith'· the words which follow them, namely, '\.vithout obtaining the opinion of_ the· Advisory Board' and 'in any of the following classes of cases or under any-.of the following circums· tances .... ". and hence, are words enabling the authOtity -to detain in certain cases and are net words giving a choice to the authority to apply s. 17A or not. [IOC-D] H (b) Even if the operation of ss. 17A and 10 side by side were to result in any difference in the working of the Act, that difference would not amount to any discrimination, by reason of the provision in s. 17A(2) to the effect that in the case of. a pe.rson to whom s. _17 A _(_ [1 ] ' a~nlies, s. 10 shall be read subject to the modifications set out therem. [100:-EJ 2-L944Sup.Cl/74 2 SUPREMB COURT REPORTS [ 1974] 1 s.c.1 (2) Article 22(4)(a) lays down a rule to which Art. 22(4)(b) read with A Art. 22(7)(a) is an exception. In that view, cl. (7)(a) mnst be construed u a restriction on Parliament's power of making preventive detention laws in tho sense that it can depart from the rule laid down in cl. (4)(a) and' dispense with reference of cases to an Advisory Board only by a law which,Prescribes _both_ the circumstances under wh_ich _and_ the class or classes of cases in which, a person may be detained for a period longer than 3 months without obtaining the opinion of an Advisory Board in accordance with cl. (4)(a). Since s. 17A has failed to comply with the requirement of cl. (7)(a), it has to be declared bad as being B inconsistent with that clause. [23F-H] (a) Parliament has no alternative power either to pass a law providing for a longer. period of detention thaD. ·3 mohths with the intercession of an Advisory Board, or to enact a law under Art. 22(4)(b) read with Art. 22(7)(a) providinr also for a longer detention, but without the intercession of such a Board, for, if such a theory were accepted. it would mean that: (i) Art. 22(4)(a) woultl be totally nullified by Art. 22(4)(.b) read with Art. 22(7)(a), and (ii) whereas State laws providing longer detention would require the intercession of an Advi· sory Board, such laws passed by Parliament would not. A-loreover, the construe~ - C tion, that cl. (4)(b) read with cl. (7).(h) lays down an exception to cl. (4)(a). harmonises the clauses. Therefore, the theory of independent or alternative power of Parliament cannot be accepted. [ISE-H; 19C] (b)(i) An analysis of the 2 clauses. els. (4) and (7) of Art. 22 shows: (A) that ordinarily; detention provided by a p~ventive detention law 1&hould not bt for a period longer than 3 months; (B) that if however such a law does provide for a longer period than 3 months. it must provide for the intercession of an Advisory Board; and (C) that situations may arise when in certain classes of D cases Parlic;t.ment alone should be empowered to enact a law which provides for a longer detention even without the intercession of an Advisory Board. [19A-B] (ii) The law under cl. 7(a) would be a drastic law, as compared to the one lo which cl. (4)(a) would apply, and the presumption would be that such a drastic law would apply to exceptional circumstances and activities ex~ressly and in precise terms described. Circumstances would ordinarily mean situation or events extraneous to the activities of a concerned person or a group of persons, such as riots etc., which might by their pre·existence accentuate the impact of E such activities affecting the . security of the country or a part of it or· the public order. Class or classes of cases, on the other hand, relate to a group or groups of individuals, who; by the nature of their activities fall under one particular group or groups by their common or similar objective or objectives. (218-C, E] (iii) The entries _9_ in List I and 3 in List III of the VII Schedule lay down the topics in respect of which legislation can be made. They are intended to delineate the bounds within which leaislatures can pass detention laws. Tile purpose of these entries and of '\rt. 22(7)(a) are distinct. The purpose of F Art. 22(7) (a) is to distinguish the ordinary from the exceptional to which only the •alutary safeguards provided by cl. (4)(a) would not apply. [21C-E] (iv) Therefore, mere repetition of the subjects or topics of legislation from the entries would not mean prescribing either the circumstances or the classes of cases to which only. as against the rest of the individuals and their activities, the safeguard of intercession of an independent body would not apply. If enumeration of the heads in the entries were to mean compliance with prescribing of circumstances and classes of cases. Parliament would. in such a law. be dealing G with all situations and all classes of cases from the lowest to the most extraordinary or abnormal and not with some only requiring a treatment different from that envisaged by cl. (4)(a); and in such a case. cl. (4)(a) would again be rendered nugatory, for. Parliament can, by enumerating _verbatim_ the heads or subjects set out in the entries, do away with the requirement of cl. (4)(a). [20B-F; 21 E-H] (v) The mean}ng of the word 'and' i~ cl. (7)(a) must ~ held t~ have 'its ordinarv COhtunctive sense. the context in the clause requmng Parliament to prescribe _both_ the circumstances _and_ the classes of cases in which on!Y conside- H ration by the Board can be dispensed with. Hence. cl. (7 )(a) env1Sages that Parliament should apply its mind and prescribe specific situations _and_ ~ of cases which reqrlire a drastic law dispensina with the intervention of an Advisory Board. (22A-B] A 8 #### c D E F G H s. N. SARKAR _v._ WEST BENGAL _(She/at, Acg._ _C.J.)_ 3 (c) The classification of prejudicial activitieo set out in Regulation l~B of the British Defence of the Realm Regulations, 1939, in rr. 34(6) and 36(6) of the Defence of India Rules, 1939, and in o. 3(2) of the W. Bengal (Prevention of Violent Activities) Act, 1970, show, that there is no practical difficulty in prescribing specific circumstances under which _and_ the classes of cases· which need dispensing with the intercession of an Advisory Board. [23F] (3) This Court would review its earlier decisions if it is satisfie~ of its error or of the baneful effect such a decision would have on the general interest of the public or if it is inconsistent with the legal philosophy of our Constitution and in constitutional matters, this Court wo"uld do so more readily than in other branches of law as perpetuation of an error would be harmful to public intereM. Nevertheless, this Court will have to bear in mind the accei)ted rule that earlier decisions are not to be upset e~cept upon a clear compulsion especially when the legislature has acted upon them as perhaps Parliament did, while enactina the impugned s. 17A. [16A-D] Majority view on the construction of Art. 22(4)(b) and (7)(a) in _Gopalan_ v .. _Madras_ [1950] S.C.R. 88, over ruled. [23G-H] _Tile Bengal_ _Immunity_ _Co._ _Ltd._ v. _Bihar,_ !195512 S.C.R. 603 and _URal_ _Re-_ _nJembrancer,_ _Sratt>_ _of_ _West Bengal_ v. _Tiit!_ _Corporation_ _of_ _Calcutta,_ [1967] 2 S.C.R. 176, followed. [The following two questions were left open: ((1) Since the major premise in the majority decision in _Gopafan_ that Art 22 was a self·contained code and therefore the provisions of a law made under that Article would not have to be considered in the light of the provi.,ions of Art. 19. was disaooroved in _Cooptr_ v. _Union of India,_ (1970] 3 S.C.R. 530, ss. 3 and 8 to 13 of the Maintenance of Internal Security Act, must be declared void as imposing unreasonable res~ rrictions; and (2) the maximum period of detention prescribed by the amended s. 13 and by s. 17A(2)(d) did not satisfy Art. 22(7)(b), since the period fixed by Parliament therein is 3 years or until the expiry of the Defence of India Act whichever is later, which was an uncertain event.] [24A-E] ORIGJNAI. JURISDICTION : Writ Petition No. 266 of 1972. (Petition under Art. 32 of the Constitution of India for issue of writ in the nature of habeas corpus) _Naranarayan_ _Oooptu,_ _Dilip_ _Sinha,_ _Pulak Ranjan_ _Ma11Jal_ and _Rathi11_ _Das,_ for the petitioner. _Nirm De,_ Attorney-Oeneral of India, D. _N._ _Mukherjee_ and _G._ _S._ _Chatterjee,_ for the respondent. _Niren_ _De,_ Attorney-General of India, _B._ _Sen_ and _S._ _P._ _Nayar,_ for Attorney General of India . _R._ _K._ _Garg_ and _S._ C. _Agarwala,_ for Intcvener Nos. 1 & 4 _R._ _K._ _Garg_ and _K._ _R._ _Nambiar,_ for Intervener No. 2 _Prodyot_ _Kumar_ _Chakravarthy,_ for Intervener No. 3 #### SttELAT, ACTING C.J., At all material times the petitioner was :if .. employee of the Government of West Bengal in the Collectorate of Hooghly District. He was arrested on January 29 1972 pursuant to the <;>rd er of detention dated January 25, 1972 pa~sed by the District Magistrate, Hooghly unde.r s, 3 (2) react with s. 3 (1) of the Maintenance of Internal Secunty Act 26 of 1971. The said order was The Judgment of the Court was delivered by pas~ed. '.'with a view. to preventing him from acting in any manner pre1ud1cial to the mamtenance of public order". He was served with SUPREME COURT REPORTS t 1974] 1 s.c.R. the grounds of detention on that very day. The said grounds of detention were in connection with certain incidents alleged to have taken place on April 25, 1971, September 14, 1971,,0ctober 12, 1971 and January 19, 1972, as set out therein. Before the said order was issued, the petitioner a:-id six others, also Government employees·in Hooghly Collectorate, were prosecuted for their alleged parts in the first two incidents on the basis of the first information report dated September 14, 1971 under s. 143/506 of the Penal Code. On March 29, 1972, they were discharged by the Magistrate on a final report of the police dated March . 10, 1972. Purusant to the said order of detention, the petitioner was detained and is still in Hooghly jail. The mother of the petitioner thereafter filed an application No. 318 of 1972 in the High Court of Calcutta under s. 491 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. In that application the petitioner's detention was challenged onlv on two grounds. namely, vagueness of the grounds of de•ention and _their irrelevance. On May 29, 1972, the High Court dismissed the said application. The present petition is more comprehensive and for the first time challenges the validity of several provisions of the Act. The record before us shows that all the steps required under the Act have been taken and complied with in the time and manner prescribed by the Act. No objection, therefore, to the petitioner's detention on that ground can be validly taken. The petitioner's case was referred to the Advisory Board constituted under the Act, which reported that there was sufficient cause for his detention. On April 15, 1972, the State .Government, on receipt of the said report, confirmed the order of detention under s. 12(1) and directed that detention to con· tinue for three years from the date of detention. The said order of confirmation was dulv communicated to the detenu. The petitioner thereafter made his representation to the State Government on August 10, 1972, that is to say, several months after reference of his case to the Board and the said order of confirmation. The said representa; tion was not considered by the State Government as by that time this writ petition had already peen filed and was pending before this Court. The order of detention has been challenged in the petition on the following grounds : (1) that the grounds of detention were vague; (2) that there was no nexus between the grounds and main tenance of public order: ( ~ that they were mechai!ically framed without the detaining authority applying his mind; ( 4) that the order was _ma/a fide_ and passed for collateral pur pose, namely, to victimise the active members of the State Coordination Committee of which the petitioner was one; (5) that s. 6(6) (d) and (e) of the Defence of India Act, 42 of 1971 increasing the detention period from 12 months to 3 years by the amendment of s. 13 of the Act has A B #### c D E G ' H **A** **B** ### **c** **D** **F** s. ]';, SARKAR _v._ WEST BENGAL _(She/at, Acg._ C.J.) 5 treated equally citizens of India and foreigners and has thereby violated Art. 14; ( 6) that the said order of confirmation providing three years' detention was _ultra vires_ Art. 22. The District Magistrate by his counter-affidavit denied all the grounds of challenge to the validity of the said order. On October 24 1972, the petitioner applied for urging additional grounds of challenie and on liberty being granted to amend, the peti· tion was amended. Stated briefly, the additional grounds challenged, the validity of ss. 3, 5, 8, 11, 12 and 13 of the Act on the grounds of their being unreasonable restrictions and as violating Arts. 14, 19, 21 and 22 by reason of those provisions failing to provide an impartial authority to consider a detenu's representation. and the means to challenge the materials on which the order is made, the materials placed by the authority before the advisory board and. the report of the board based on such materials before government confill'.,ed the detention. The hearing of the case started before the Constitution Bench on November 17, 1972 and was heard on that day and again on November 21, 1972 and December 1, 1972. It seems that a contention was then raised as to the validity of s. 17 A .. of the Act which provides for a period of detention for 21 months without consulting an advisory board, which question, the Bench thought, required reconsideration of the decision in _Gopalan_ v. _Madras.(!)_ The Constitution Bench thought, therefore, that the case should be referred to a larger bench, and that is how this case has come up before us for disposal. The Act was passed on July 2. 1971. Its long title shows that i( was passed to provide for d'-tention for the purpose of maintenance of internal security and matters connected· therewith. Sec. 3(1 )(a) empowers the Central and the State Governments to make an order detaining a person, ·if satisfied with respect to such person that it is necessary to do so with a view to preventing him from acting in any manner prejudicial to : (i) the defence of India. the relations of India with foreign powers, the security of India, or (ii) the security of the ###### State, or the maintenance of public order, or (iii) the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the community. Suh-s. (2) authorises the exercise of the power of detention under sub-s. (l)(a) by certain officers named therein. _inter_ _alia,_ district magistrates, With respect to matters set !mt in s. 3 (1) (a) (ii) and (iii). Sec. 5 confers power on - ·the appropnate government to remove a person detained under s. 3 from one place of detention to another whether within or ·outside the State. Sec. 6 provides that such an order. shall not be invalid on the gi;o1!fld that the concerned person is detained in a jail outside the jurisdicti?n of that Govemm~nt . or the officer making the order. ~. 8 proy1d~s for. th.e commumcabon of grounds for detention to the detenu ordinarily withm five days, and in exceptional cases · within 15 days (I) (1950] S.C.R. 88. 6 **Sl..'PREMB** **COURT** **IU!PORTS** [ **1974] 1** s.c.R. from the date of detention. Sec. _9_ provides for the constitution of advisory boards. Sec. 10 provides that, save as otherwise provided for in the Act, the appropriate Government shall within 30 days from the date of detention refer every case to the advisory board. Under s, 11, the advisory board has to give its report to the Govermnent .within ten weeks from the date of detention. Sub sec. ( 4) of s. 11 disentities the detenu to appear by any legal practitioner before the board and makes the proceedings before and the opinion of the board confidential. Sec. 12 provides that if the board is of opinion that there is sufficient reason for the detention, the Government may confirm the order and continue such detention for such period as it thinks fit. In case the opinion is that there is no such sufficient caus~. !he Government has to revoke the detention order. Sec. 13 provides that the maximum period of detention shall be 12 months from the date of detention. Sec. 17 provides that a foreigner, in respect of whom a detention order is passed, may b~ detained without obtaining the opinion of the advisory board for a longer period than three months, but not exceeding two years in any of the classes of cases, or under any of the circumstances !hereinafter set out in sub-els. (a) to ( d) of sub-s. (1), namely, where a foreigner enters or attempts to enter India or is found with arms, ammunition or explosives, or where a foreigner enters or attempts to enter a notified area or is found therein in breach of s. 3 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1961, or where such a foreigner enters or attempts to enter in an area adjoining the borders of India specified under s. 139 of the Border Security Forces, Act, 1968 without a travel document, or where the Central Government has reason to believe that such a foreigner commits or is likely to commit an offen'ce under the Official Secrets Act, 1923. Sec. 17 thus lays down classes of cases in or circumstances under which foreigners can be detained for a period longer than three months without reference to an advisory board. Art. 19 ( 1) guarantees the rights of freedom of speech and expression, of assembly, to form associations and unions to move freely throughout India, to reside and settle in any part of India and to practi:;.e any profession, occupation, trade or business, subject to reasonable restrictions which may be imposed by law as provided by els. (2) to (6) thereof. Art. 21 guarantees protection of life and liberty, the deprivation of which is not permissible, except in accordance with procedure established by law. Art. 22. by its els. (1) and (2) guarantees that no person can be detained in custody without his being informed, as soon as may be, of the grounds for his arrest and without being furnished with an opportunity to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner of his choice, and his being produced before the nearest magistrate within 24 hours from his arrest. No such person can be detained for more :ban that period without the authority of a magistrate. CI. (3) of Art. 22, however, makes els. ( 1) and (2) inapplicable to a person arrested and detained under a law providing for preventive detention. But cl. ( 4) provides that no law providing for preventive deten· lion shall authorise detention for a period longer than three months unless (a) an advisory board has reported before the expiration of three months that there is sufficient cause for such detention, or (b) such person is detained in accordance with a law made by Parliament nnder cl. 7(a) and (b), **A** **8** #### c **E** **F** **G** **H** s. N. SARKAR _v._ WEST BENGAL _(Shelat, Acg._ C.J.) 7 A **B** ##### c **D** E **F** G **H** "17 A. (l) Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing provisions of this Act, during the period of opera· lion of the Proclamation of Emergency issued on the 3rd day of December, 1971, any person (including a foreigner) in respect of whom an order of detention has been made under this Act, may be detained without obtaining the opinion of the Advisory Board for a period longer than three months, but not exceeding two years from the date of his detention in any o( the foHowing classes of cases or under any of the following circumstances, namely :(a) where such person had been detained with a view to preventing him from .acting i.n any· man!1er prejudicial to the defence of India, relations of India with foreign powers or the security of India; or Cb) where ~uch person had !Jeen detained with a view to preventing ~ from acting in any manner prejudicial to t~e secunty of the State or the maintenance of public order. (2) In t!ie case of any person to whom sub-section (1) applie~. sectio?s 1~ to 13 shall have effect subject to the· followmg modifications, namely, Cl. (7) provides that Parliament may by law prescribe (a) the circumstances under which, and the class or classes of cases in which, a person may be detained for a period longer than three months under \ 1 any law providing for preventive detention without obtaining the opinion of an advisory board in accordance with the provisions of sub-cl. (a) of cl. ( 4); (b) the maximum period for which any person may in auy class or classes of cases be detained under any law providing for preven**tiTe** detention. Parliament under entry 9 of List I of the Seventh Schrr dule can pass such a Jaw for reasons connected with defence, foreign relations or the security of India, and concurrently with State legisla· tures under entry 3, List III for reasons connected with the security of the State, the maintenance of public order or the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the community. On December 3, 1971, the President issued a proclamation of emergency under Art. 352 of the Constitution. On December 4, 1971, Parliament enacted the Defence of India Act, 42 of 1971. The Act was passed in view of the grave emergency which then existed as pro· claimed by the President, and to provide for special measures to ensure public safety and interest, the defence of India and civil defence, for trial of certain offences 1md for matters connected therewith. Sec. 2(3) of the Act provided that it would remairi in force during the period of operation of the proclamation of emergency and for six months !thereafter. By sec. 6, the Act introduced amendments in seve· ral Acts, one amongst them being the Maintenance of Internal Security Act, 1971. Cl, (d) of sub-s. (6) of s. 6 amended s. 13 of the Act by adding after the words therein "from the date of detention'', the words and figures "or until the expiry of the Defence of India Act, 1971, whichever is later". By cl. (e) of sub-s. (6) of s. 6, a new section, s. 17 A was inserted in the Act. The new section reads as follows: A B #### c 8 (a) (b) SUPREME COURT REPORTS [ 1974] 1 S.C.R. in section 10, for the words "shall, within thirty days", the words "may, at any time prior to but in no case later than three months before the expiration of two years" shall be substituted; ###### in section 11, (i) in sub-se~tion (I) for the words "from the date of detention", the words "from the date on which reference is made to it" shall be substi~uted; (ii) in sub-section (:i), for the words "the detention of the person concerned", the words "the continued detention of the perso: concerned" shall he substituted; · (c) in section 12, for the words "ior the detention", in both the places where they occur, the words "for the continued . detention" shall be substituted; (d) in section 13, for the words "twelve months", the (c) ·words "three years" shall be substituted." The new section, s. 17 A effectuates three main changes : ( 1) by !ts _non-obsante_ clause overrides the other provisions of the Act, (2) D a person may be detained in a class or classes of cases or under the circumstances set out in sub-els. (a) and (b) of its sub-s. (I) without obtaining the opinion of an advisory board for a period longer than three months, but not exceeding two years from the date of detention .. that is to say, no opinion of an advisory board need now be obtained for 21 months from the date of d~tention, the first three months of the detention being permissible without such opinion even before the E insertion of s. 17A; and (3) the maximum period of detention of such a person can be three years or until the expiry of the Defence of India Act, 1971 whichever is later. These changes have been brought about by Parliament exercising power contained in cl. ( 4 )(b) read with cl. 7(a) and (b) of Art. 22. The power-is exercised in respect of classes of cases and circumstances relating to all the beads under entries 9 and 3 of Lists I and III of the Seventh Schedule, except one, _viz.,_ F maintenance of essential supplies and services, in re3pect of which Parliament has the power to pass preventive detention laws. Counsel for the petitioner challenged the validity of the provision~ of the Act and the detention order mainly on the following grounds : (1) that the amendments introduced in the Act by s. 6(6)(d) and (e) are violative of Art. 22(4), (5) and (?.); G (2) that s. 10, both prior to and after its amendment, contravenes Art, 22 ( 4) ; (3) that sec. 6(6)(d) and (e) of the Defence of india Act contravenes Art.' 14; ( 4) that the maximum period prescribed by the amendment to s. 13 by s. 6(6)(d) of the Defence of India Act and H hv the new s. 17 A ( 2) ( d) is ultra vires the powers of Parliament since it amounts to punitive and not preventive detention; . s. N. SARKAR I'. WEST BENGAL _(She/at,_ _Acg._ _C.J.)_ 9 A B ### c D E F G H As stated above, s. 17 A authorises detention on the ground of prejudicial acts in relation to (a) defence of India, relations with foreign powers and security of India, and (b) security of the State and - maintenance of public order only. Counsel argued that by the use of the words "may be detained" in the first part of the section an unguided discretion has been conferred on the de•aining authority whether to take action under the more drastic provisions of this section or under s. 3(1) read with ss. 10 to 13, even though the activities in respect of wliich action is taken are in both the c:ises of the kind set out in (a) and (b) above. In support of this argument, counsel relied on the decisions of this Court in _Northern_ _India_ _Caterers_ _Private_ _Ltd._ (5) (6) that secs. 3, 5, 8, 11 and 12 of the Act are violative of Arts. 14, 19 and 21, on the ground that they are unreasonable restrictions and are not saved by any of the sub-clauses of Art. 19 ( 1) ; and that the amendments brought about in them bys. 6{6)(d) and ( e) of the Defence of India Act cannot breathe life in them as they were _non_ _est,_ by reason only of the sub sequent proclamation of emergency. These contentions fall under two parts, (1) relating to the provisions as they stood before the amendments, and (2) relating to the amendments introduced in the Act by the Defence of India Act, s. 6{6)(d) and ( c). As regards the first part, the arguments were that : (i) the Act was invalid as the restrictions placed thereby on the fundamental rights guaranteed by Arts. 14, 19 ( 1 )(a) to (d) and (g), 21 and 22 were not saved by sub-els. (2), (3), (4) and (6) of Art. 19(1); ##### {ii) s. 3. of the Act in so far as it empowers the detention ' of a person on subjective satisfaction, and not on any objective assessment of the truth of allegations made against him, imposes an unreasonable restriction on his several rights guaranteed by Art. 19 (1); (iii) s. 8, which obliges the authority to furnish to the detenu the grounds of detention and confers on him the right to make a representation does not provide for its consideration by an independent and impartial body, is bad; (iv) s. 12 is bad as government can, contrary to principies of natural justice, confirm detention for a period longer than three months on the strength of. an advisory board's report without giving any opportunity to the detenu to know the contents of such a report and to controvert it; (v) the provisions of the Act are discriminatory in so far as they drastically curtail the liberty of a detenu' without his having safeguards available to a person proceeded against under ss. 107 to 110 of the Code of Criminal Pr0cedure. ###### 10 SUPREME COURT REPORTS f 197<! j 1 ~.CR. v. _Punjab,_ ( [1] ) _State_ _of_ _M.P.,_ v. _Thakur Bharat Singh,_ (2) S. _G._ _lai-_ _singhan1_ v. _Union_ _of_ _India,(•) Satwant Singh Sawhney_ v. _D._ _Rama-_ _ratJinam, Assistant Passport Officer,_ _Government_ _of_ _India,_ _New_ _Delhi.(')_ The contention, however, is not borne out by the provisions of ss. 10 and 17A(l) and (2). In the first place, s. 10 opens with the words ''uve as otherwise expressly provided in this Act". These words mean that the section would apply only to cases not expressly provided for in the Act, that is to say, it would not apply to cases falling under ss. 17 and 17 A which deal with cases "otherwise ·expressly provided" in the Act. In the second place, the words "may be detained" in s. 17 A(l) go with the words which follow them, namely, ''withont obtaining the opinion of the advisory board" and in "any of the followin& classes of cases or under any of the following circumstances-''. The words "may be detained", no doubt, enable the authority to detain a person without obtaining the opinion of an advisory board for a period longer than three ·months, but not exceeding two years in the cases therein set out. The words "may be detained" thus are words enabling the authority to detain without a board's opinion for the period there provided for. but are not words giving a choice to the authority to apply .s. 17A(a) or not. Even if the operation of s'. 17A ands. 10 side by side were to result in any difference in the working of the Act, that d.ifl'erence would not seem to amount to any discrimination by reason of the provision in -s. 17A(2) to the effect that in the case of a person to whom sub-s. (1) applies s. 10 shall be read subject to the modification, namely, that for the words "within thirty daiys", the words "at any time prior to but in no case later than three months before the expiration of two years" shall be substituted. In this view, there is no question of discrimination or violation of Art. 14 as a result of any such discrimination. TI1is conclusion is clearly borne out by the combined effect of the _non-obstante_ clause in the commencement of s. 17 A('l) and the qualifying words "save as otherwise provided in this Act" in s. 10. But the more imoortant challenge to the validity of s. 17 A was as £egards its incompatibility with and the non-compliance of the require ments of Art. 22(7). The argument was two fold: (I) that on a proper reading of Art. 22(4), (5) and (7), cl. (7) was an exception to the rnle laid down in cl. (4), and (2) that consequent upon such a cons'truction of cl. (7), that is, as an exception to cl. (4), that clause did not generally empower Parliament to enact a law, on the subjects set out in entries 9 and 3 of Lists I and III respectively, without the saf~­ guard provided by cl. (4), namely, of obtaining an opinion of an impartial body, like the advisory board. On the contrary, that clause #### authorises Parliament to enact a detention law in exceptional class or classes of cases and in exceptional circumstances specifically prescribed by such a law. The contention was that s. 17 A did not comply with such a requirement of cl. (7) inasmuch as enumeration of the snbiects or heads in 's. 17 A, except that with respect to maintenance of essential supplies and services, wotild not mean prescribing class or classes of cases and circumstances as provided by cl. (7). (1) [1967] 3 S. C. R. 399. (2) [1967] ZS. C.R. 454. (3) [1967J ZS. C.R. 703. (4) [1967] 3 S. C. R. 525. A B #### c D E F G A B #### c D E F G s. N. SARKAR _v._ WEST. BENGAL _(She/at,_ _A.cg._ C.l.) 11 Three questions would emerge from this contention : ( 1) whether cl. ( 7) is an exception to the rule laid down in cl. ( 4) ; ( 2) whei;Jier Parliament's power to enact a detention law is lin~ited by the r~wre­ lllents laid down in cl. (7); and (3) whether setting out _verbatim_ the heads or subjects or some of them upon which Parliament can enact such a law would mean compliance of the requirements of cl. (7). These very questions were considered in one form or an~ther in _Gopalan_ v. Madras(l) in connection with s. 12 of the Prevenuve De tention Act, 1950. The validity of that section was impugned on the ground of its not having complied with the requirements latd down m cl. (7), firstly, because the section merely enumerate? the he~ds or subjects, except one, namely, maintenance of essential suppltes. and services upon which wider entries 9 and 3 of Lists I and III respectively Parliament could enact a detention law and not the class or classes of cases and the circumstances in which detention, without the board's opinion, could be ordered, and secondly, because it failed to comply with both the requirements, the word 'and' in that connection being ~sed conjunctively and not disjunctively. Sec. 3(1) of that Act authorised the Central or the State Government to detain a person, (i) if it was satisfied that his detention was necessaey. to preventing him from acting prejudicially to (a) to the defence of India, her relations with foreign powers, the security of India; or (b) the security of the State or the maintenance of public order, or (c) the maintena"Ce of supplies and services essential to the community, or (ii) with reference to a foreigner to regulate his ccmtinued presence in India, or to make arrangements for his exoulsi0n from Jndh. Sec. 9 required the aopr,nriate G0vern mcnt to place the case of the person detained under S; 3 (1) before the advisory board within six weeks from the date of detention only in cases ( 1) where the order was made un. apprehension that the detenu was likely to act prejudicially to the maintenance of. essen· tial snpplies and services, and (2) where it was made against a foreigner under the two heads stated above. S. 12 of the Act provided that a person could be detained without obtaining the board's opinion for a period lonQer than three months. but not e~ceeding one year from the date of the detention in the following classes of cases or in any of the following circumstances, namely, where such a pers~n has been detained with a view to preventint? him from acting prejudicially to (a) the defence of India, relations with foreign powers, the security of India, and _(I>)_ the security of the State or the maintenance of public order. S. 12(2), however, provided for a review bv the approoriate Government in consultation with a person who is or has been or is qualified to be appointed a judge of a High Court. Such a provision for a review and the intercession of an independent and impartial person reduced to a certain extent the _riaour_ of s. 12(1). No such review which would be of a quasi judicial nature, [(see _Lakhanpal_ v. _Unio,;_ _of lndia(_ _[2]_ _)]_ is provided for in the impugned section 17A. The majority Court. consisting of Kania. C.J.. and Pataniali Sastri, Mukherjea and Das, JJ., (as they all then were) rejected both the contentions, holding, firstly th~t the word 'and' me1nt in the context 'or', which meant that it was t!nou@i if Parliament, under Art. (I) ~~(1950]~~ ~~S.~~ ~~C.~~ ~~R.~~ 88. (2) [1967] l S. c. R. 433. ##### 12 S!Jl'REMB COURT REPORTS l 1!>74] l S.C.R. 22(7) (a). prescribed either the circumstances or the classes of cases in which a person might be detained for a period longer tfian three months without reference to an advisory board, and secondly, that matters referred to in s. 12 constituted sufficient description of circumstances or classes of cases so as to comply with the requirements of Art. 22(7)(a), and that therefore, the secuon was not open to any eonstitutional challenge. The minority Court consisting of Faz! Ali and Mahajan, JJ., (as the latter then was) accepted the petitioner's contention in both its aspects and held that the word 'and' meant the conjunctive and not the disjunctive, and that therefore, the impugned provision had to specify both the classes of cases and the circumstances in which detention for a longer period could be directed without a. board's opinion. They also held that the expressions "chss or classes. of cases" and "the circumstances" would not mean merely the heads or the subjects on which a detention law was permissible under cl. (7)(a). Kania, C.J., held that the word 'and' in cl. (7)(al meant that tho power of preventive detention beyond three months may be exercised, either for the circumstances in which or the class or classes of cases in which a person was suspected to be doing the objectional things mentioned in s. 12. According to him, "the use of the word 'which' twice in the first part of the sub-clause read with a comma put after each shows that the legislature wanted these to be read as disjunctive and nm conjunctive". (126-127) Patanjali Sastri, J., (as he then was) also construed the word 'and' as meaning that Parliament may prescribe either the circumstances or the classes of cases or both and held th1t s. 12 provided both. for, to say that persons likely to act prejudichlly to the defence of India may be detained beyond three months was at once to prescribe a class of persons who and the circumstances under which persons could be detained for the longer period. (216) Mukherjea, J., (as he then was) thought that d. (7)(a) laid down an enabling provision and Parliament, if it so chose, could pass a law in terms of the same. "where an optional power is conferred on certain authority to perform two separate acts, ordinarily it would not be obligatory to perform both; it may do either if it so likes". (282) Das, J., (as he then was) also felt that Parliament "was not obliged under cl. (7) to prescribe both circums•ances 1nd cla<ses. and in any case has in fact and substance prescribed both, particularly as in some cases **circumstances** **and** **cl1sses** **of cases** **may** **conceiveabiy** **coalesce."** (330-331) The approach, on the other hand, of the minority judges was that cl. ( 4) of Art. 22 laid down a general rule and cl. (7) W1S an exception thereto. Read in that light, cl. (7) meant that Parliament could dispense with an advisorv board. but •hat if it did. it ·"ad to prescribe the circumstances and the classes of cases, and therefore, the word 'and' in that sub-clause could not be read as 'or'. (175-176; and 235) As regards the expression "the circumstances under which and the class or classes of cases in which" a person could be detained for a longer period than three months, Kania. C.J ., observed that circumstances ordinarily meant events or situations extraneous to the actions of the individual concerned, while a class of cases meant determinabl~ groups based on the actions of the individuals with a common aim or A B ### c **D** E F G **H** s. N. SARKAR _v._ WEST BENGAL _(She/at, Acg._ CJ.) 13 A idea. He however held that the assumption that entry 9 in List I and entry '3 in List iu were incapable of being considered as circumstances or classes of cases was untenable, and therefore, there was no reason why the words of those entries could not be used in s. 12. so as to comply with the requirement of cl. (7)(a). (127-128) Patanjalt Sastri J., thought that els. (4) and (7) were independent clauses and Jt could' not be correlated so as to characterise cl. (7), as a proviso or exception to cl. (4), and that to read them as a rule and an exception was against their language and structure. He also thought that cl. (7} dealt with preventive detention, a purely protectional measure, which must necessarily proceed in all c1ses on suspicion or anticipation as distinct from proof, _[Rex_ v. _Halliday(I)]_ and that in such laws it would be impossible to mention the various circumstances or to enumerate ### c tained for more than three months except in broad outline. (214) various classes of cases exhaustively for which a person should be de According to him, sufficient J!Uidance could be given by broadly indicating the general nature of the prejudicial activities which a person is likely to indulge in. He observed that he failed to see why enumeration of five out of the six subjects on· which a detention law was permissible under the two entries could not be said to comply with the ### c D E F G H requirements of cl. (7)(a). "! fail to see", he said, "why this could not be regarded as a broad classification of cases or a broad discription of circumstances where Parliament considers longer detertti0n to he justifoble". (215) 'While Kania, C.J., and Patanjali Sastri, J., were thus satisfied that the requirement of cl. (7)(a) would be complied with by the mere enumeration of the subjects in the entries or some of them, D1s, J., and Mukherjea, J, do not appear to express their satisfaction in so forthright a language. This is clear from the following passages : "I ~ extremely doubtful", said Mukherjea, J., "whether the classification of cases made by Parliament in section 12 of the Act really fulfils the object which the Constitution had in view. The basis of classification has been the apprehended acts of the persons detained described with reference to the lists as said above. Five out of the six heads have been taken out and labelled as classes of cases to which the protection of clause ( 4) (a) of the article would not be available. It is against common sense that all forms of "It is true that circumstances ordinarily relate to extraneous things, like riots, commotion, political or communal or some sort of abnormal situation and it· is said that the framers of the Constitution had in mind some such situation when the advisory board might be done away with. It is also urged that they had in mind that the more dangerous types of detenus should be denied the privilege of the advisory board. I am free to confess that prescription of specific circumstances or a more rigid and definite specification of classes would have !'een better and n_ior~ desirable .. But that is crying for the ideal. The Constttuhon has not m terms pu, any such funitation---." (per Das, J., at 331-332) (I) [1917] A.C. 2,60, at 275. S\.'PREMB COURT RBPORtS ( 1!i74 ] 1 s.c.lt. activities connected with these five items are equally dan- A gerous aud merit the same drastic treaLment. The descriptions are very general aud there may be acts of various degrees of intensity and danger under each one of these heads." (281) _/_ Although he thought that s.12 was not framed with due regard tothe object which the Constitution had in view, he held that he '\\las unable to say that the section was invalid as~ing-ultra _vires_ the Constitution. B F azl Ali J., on the other hand, held ( 1) that cl. ( 4) laid down a general rule and cl. (7) engrafted an exception to it, and that it was never intended that Parliament, could treat the normal as the abnormal,, or the rule as an exception; (2) that the circumstances to be prescribed · must be special and extraordinary and the class or classes of cases must be of the same nature. The Constitution never contemplated C that Parliament should mechanically reproduce all or most oi the categories in the legislative entries almost _verbatim_ and not to apply its mind to decide in what circumstances and in what class or classes of cases the advisory board should be dispensed with; (3) that even if els. ( 4) and (7) were treated as alternatives and not as a rule and an exception, a law under cl. (7) (a) would be an exceptionally drastic _ law and such a law must be intended for an exceptional situation and not 0 for all the situations which would fall under the heads in the entries, under which a detention law is permissible. It followed, therefore, that class or chsses of cases and the circumstances must be of a special nature to require legislation which dispenses with the safeguard of an advisory hoard. (173-176) Mahajan, J., (as he then was) held that if clause (?)·were regarded as an independent clause or an alternative to cl. (4), cl. ( 4) would be rendered nugatory and such a construction would E amount to the Constitution saying in one breath that a detention law cannot provide for detention for a period longer than three months without reference to an advisory board and in the same breath saying that Parliament, if it so chose, can do so in respect of or any of the subjects mentioned in the lists. If that was so, it would have been wholly unnecessary to provide such a safeguard in the Constitution on a matter which seriously affected personal liberty. On the construe- F tion of cl. (7), he held that the Constitution recognised varying scales of duration of detention with the idea that this would vary with the . nature of the apprehended act, detention for a period of three months in ordinary cases, detention for a longer period with intervention of a board in more serious cases, and detention for a longer period than three month without the intercession of a board for still more dangerous class or classes and for acts committed in grave situations-" G (238-239) About a month before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in _Gopalan(I)_ the High Court of Calcutta in _Sitendra Narain_ _Ray_ _Choudhury_ v. _The Chief Secretary_ _to_ _the Government_ _of_ _West_ _Bengal_ (2) (F. B.; Ref. 1 of 1950) had decided by a majority that setting out five out of the six heads in the entries 1n s. 12 of the 1950 Act was sufficient compliance of the requirements under cl. (4) (b) H read with cl. (7) (a) of Art. 22. (!) (19501 S. C. R. 88. (2) I. L. R, [1954] l Cal, l. s; N. SARKAR _v._ WEST BENGAL _(She/at, Acg._ C./.) 15 A B #### c D E F G H The learned Attorney General argued that what cl. (7)(l) provides is that Parliament may prescribe the circumstances or prescribe class or classes of cases for which a person can be detained for more than three months without reference to an advisory board. In other words, the clause is an enabling clause authorising Parlialfient ( 1) to prescrib' the circumstances under which a person may be detained for a period longer than three months _de hors_ the advisoI1Y board; and ( 2) to prescribe the class or classes of cases etc. In this sense Parliament can do either of the two, and therefore, though cl. (7)(a) uses the word 'and', that word is used in the disjunctive and not in conjunctive sense. 'Circumstances', according to him, mean the heads or subjects 'set out in the two legislative entries, and the expression "class or classeS' of cases" mean incidents or activiti~s but is not related to individuals or group or groups of individuals. ' _,, The learned Attorney-General finally urged the fact, which all of us are too well conscious of, that the majority decision _htGopalan(1)-_ has stood for such a long time that it should not be disturbed unless t!iere are strong and manifest reasons to do so. Counsel for the petiUoner, on the other hand, argued that the majority decision was contrary to the scheme and the terms of Art. 22. Since the matter involves the right of personal liberty, tht: fact that the decision has held the field should not by itself be a deterrent against its reconsideration. The principles upon which i:U.ch reconsideration would be resorted to have been exnbinecl bv this Court in a number of decisions of which we need remind ourselves of two only. _The_ _Bengal_ lmm~nity _Co_ _Ltd._ v. _Bihar(_ _[2 ]_ _)_ and _the_ _Legal_ _Remembrancer,_ _State_ _of West_ _Bengat_ (I) [19SO] S. C.R. 88. (2) [19551 2 S.C.R. 603. Counsel for the petitioner canvassed for the reasoning given by Fazl Ali and Mahajan, JJ., while the learned Atto~ey. G~neral contended that the reasoning in the judgments of the maionty 1udges was in consonance with clauses (4) and (7) of Art. 22. He commended the following propositions for our acceptance : (I) The Constitution authorises preventive detention and makes specific provisions for it in Art. 22( 4) to (7); (2) The heads in respect of which preventive detention Cln be ordered are carefully and deliberately made in entries 9 and 3 of List• I and Ill; (3) The Constitution provides two separate and independent situations where preventive detention can be directed, namely, the substantive part of cl. (4)(a) and cl. (4)(b) rea4 with cl. (7)(a) and (b); (4) Except for the enabling power in cl. (7)(a) both "Parliament and State legislatures are competent to make preventive de trntion laws under entry 3 of List III; (5) So far as cl. (7) of Art. 22 is concerned, it is an enabling clause and provides for two situations in which a law under that clause can be made by Parliament alone. In other and State legislatures are competent to make preventive de wo~ds, these two situations are independent of each other and are not conditions-precedent. 16 SUPREME COURT ABPOR1rs [ 1974] 1 S.C.R. -v. _**The**_ _Corporation_ _of Calcutta.(')_ These~decisions have laid down that this Court would review its earlier decisions if it is satisfied of its error or of the baneful effect such a decision would have on the general interest of the public or if it "is inconsistent with the legal philosophy of our Constitution," and that in constitutional matters this Court -would do so more readily than in other branches of law as prepetua tion of an error would be harmful to public interests. Indeed, the inhibition of the doctrine of _Stare_ _decisis_ is in this case partly reduced by the fact that dtspite the majority decision in _Gopalan_ (supra) upholding the validity of the impugned s. 12 of the Act of 1950, and - presumably in deference to the minority views, that s,ection was removed from the Act the very next year by the Preventive Detention (Amend ment) Act, 1951. Further, the major premise in the majority decision that Art. 22 was a self-contained code and that therefore the provisions of a law permitted by that Article would not have to be considered in the light of the provisions of Art. 19 was disapproved in _R._ C. _Cooper_ _v._ _The_ _Union of India.(_ _[2 ]_ _)_ Nevertheless, we have to bear in. mind the accepted rule th1t earlier decisions are not to be upset except upon a clear compulsion especially when the legislature has acted upon, as perhaps Parliament did, while enacting the impugned s. 17 A. Art. 19(1) in the first instance, guarantees the several freedoms, well accepted in all democratic systems, subject of course to the power of the State to impose reasonable restrictions in public interest and public good. Art. 21 then guarantees the equally well accepted safeguard against arbitrary deprivation of life and personal liberty save in accordance with procedure established by law. thereby ensuring government by law and not by men. Cls. (1) and (2) of Art. 22 again lay down the well-accepted rule that a person detained in custody shall be expeditiously informed of the grounds of his arrest and guarantee his right to the assistance of a legal practitioner of his choice and the necessity of his having to be produced before a magistrate thus securing a judicial as against a legislative or an executive sanction for his **arrest.** The non-applicability of els. (I) and (2) provided by cl. (3) of Art. 22 in the case of an enemy-alien and a person detained under a preventive detention law was provided for, as is notorious, as a sequel to the tragic incidents and the danger to both the internal and external security of the country following the partition. CI. (3) consequently was inserted as an exception to the rule laid down in els. (!) and (2) of Art. 22. There can be no doubt whatsoever that the Constitutionmakers accepted preventive detention as a necessary evil, to be tolerated in a constitutional scheme which, otherwise, guaranteed personal liberty in its well-accepted form. Having thus recognised the necessity of preventive detention laws, the constitution-makers first delineated in clear and precise terms certain heads or subjects in respect of which only Parliament by itself and concurrently with State legislatures was empowered to enact detention laws under entries 9 a'hd 3 of Lists I and III respectively. Secondly, they provided in cl. (4) that no such law shall authorise detention of a person for a period 'longer than three months unless (a) an advisory board with persons **A** **B** ##### c **D** E F G **H** (I) [1967] 2 S.C.R. 176. (2) [1970] 3 S.C.R. 530. A **B** ## c **D** E s. N. SARKAR _V,_ WEST BENGAL _(S/ielat,_ _Acg._ C.J.) 17 of judicial training has reported that there is sufficient cause for detention; or (b) a person is detained in accordance with a Parliamentary ,statute passed under cl. (4)(b) read with cl. (7)(a) Jnd (bl., These provisions clearly indicate that ordinarily preventive detention can only be for a period of three months only. If a law, however" provides for detention for longer period, it can only do so wi~h the mtercession of an impartial, independent body, _viz.,_ an advisory board. Sllb-cl. (b) of cl. ( 4 ), however, provides that a detention for a longer period than three months can be had, if a person is detained under a Jaw made by Parliament under cl. (7)(a) and (b). CI. (4) thus lays **down** two situations in which the rule of three months detention can **be** **relaxed;** ( 1) where the intercession of an advisory board is provid**ed,** **Biid** (2) where Parliament has enacted a law under cl. (7) (a) and (b), The proviso to sub-cl. (a) of cl. ( 4) lays down tha~ eve.n where there is intercession of the board, detention c1nnot be m any event for mere than the maximum period prescribed in the law in question UDdercl. (7). Reading cl. (4) thus in its entirety, the plain meaning of thebmguage used there is clear. It first lays down the ordinary rule of detention being only for three months and then provides .two ellCeptions to it, _viz.,_ (a) detention for longer period of intercession of an advisory board is provided for, and (b) where Parliament acts under cl. (7)(a) and (b); subject in both the cases to the maximum period provided in the bw under consideration. It will be seen that sub-cl. (a) of cl. (4) is not restricted to Parliamentary Statutes, while sub-cl. (b) is and applies to an Act passed by Parliament alone. We next go tocl. (7). That clause by its sub-cl. (a) provides: "Padiament may by law prescribe- (a) the circumstances under which, and the class or classes of cases in which, a person may be detoined for a period longer than three months without the opinion of an Advisory Board in accordance with the provisions of sub-cl. (b) of cl. (4 )." Two alternative constructions of cl. (7)(a) were suggested before us. The learned Attorney-General submitted that els. ( 4) and (7) should **F** be read together, and if so read, they mean two independent powers; ( 1) to make a law providing for longer detention with the provision for an advisory board, and (2) to make a law providing for a lon•er detention without an advisory board. He argued that, therefore, the powers were. independent or alternative and there was no question of cl. (7)(a) being an exception to cl. (4)(a). Secondly, he argued that the words "may·by law prescribe" in cl. (7)(a) meant that that sub-cl. G was an en a filing provision which authorised Parliament (i) to prescribe the circumstances under which, and (ii) the class or classes of cases in which a person can be detained for a longer period without the intervention of ar.. advisory board. Since the Constitution enables Parliament to perform two things, it has the power to do either of them and therefore the word 'and' there used has to be read in the context as having been used in the disjunctive sense. (Maxwell on Interpretation **H** of Statutes (11th ed.) 229) On the other hand, the contention on be~ half of the petitioner was th~t cl. (4)(a) laid down a safeguard that there has to be the intervention of a board in all cases where the law provides for detention for a period longer than three months except 3-944 Su)lCl/73 18 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [ 1S74] l s.C.R. in the case when Parliament choose to exercise its power under cl. _A_ (7)(a). In determining which of these constructions is correct, it is necessary to consider first the nature and scope of cl. (4)(a). Under that .. clause, no law, whether passed by Parhament under entry 9 of List I and or by Parliament and the State Legislature under entry 3 of Lis'. III can authorise longer detention than three months unless it provid~s B for the intercession of an advisory board. Cl. (4)(a) thus lays down a limitation on the legisla!ive power conferred on bot.h the CeQ!ral and State legislatures while exercising their power under_ the . said entries. The position then is that although Parliament and the State Legislatures have the power to make detention laws under. any of the · six topioo or subjects enumerated in the two entries, cl. (4)(a) first provides that a law passed by either of them cannot provide detention · C for a period longer than three months. In1ext lays down that if ~uch a law provides detention for a period longer than three months, it can do so only if it includes the safeguard of the intercession of an advlsory board, which the Constitution was anxious enough to see that it contained persons who were or would be qualified to hold the position of a High Court judge. Whereas sub-cl. (a) of cl. (4) applies to legislation er.acted by both Parliament and the State Legislatures, sub-cl. (b) applies to laws made by Parliament. Sub-cl. ( b) provides that the limitation placed on the power of Parliament under sub-cl. (a) is not to apply to a law made by Parliament under cl. (7)(a) and (b). If the theory of alternative power of Parliament either to enable a law providing for a longer period but with the intercession of a Board or to enact a law under cl. (4)(b) read with cl. (7)(b) providing also for a longer detention but without the intercession of a board, were accepted cl. (4) (a) would be totally nullified by cl. (4)(b) read with cl. (1)(a). In other words, such a construction would mean that though the eonst.itution-makers laid down a safeguard against a law providing for a longer duration, they, in the very same breath, nullified that safeguard by generally empowering Parliament under els. ( 4)(b) read with cl. (7)( a) to enact laws with longer period of detention without the inter>cession of an advisory board. Surely, such an interpretation which nullifies one part of the same clause while interpreting its another part has to be avoided. Further, if cl. (4)(b) read wJth cl. (7)(a:) was intended to override cl. ( 4) (a} and the safeguard required in a law providing for detention for a longer period, the constitution-makers would have confined cl. (4)(a) only to laws made by the State Legislatures and would not have applied it to Parliament as well. The' constitution-makers in that case would have simply used in cl. ( 4 )(b) and cl. (7) (a) language such as "Nothing contained in cl. (4) (a) shall apply to a law of preventive detention made by Parliament". The aceeptance of the theory of alternative power of Parliament means that whereas State laws providing longer detention would require the intercession of an advisory board, laws passed by Parliament, though p~ viding for longer detention, would not. It is impossible to conceive that such a result could have been intended by the constitution-makers, who were careful enough to provide for the intervention of an impar D E F G s. N. ·sARKAR _v._ WEST BENGAL _(Shelat, Acg._ C.J.) lg A I ### c D E F G ### li ~ervices, but in the absence of any restrictive langu~ge in that respect m cl. (?)(a), they need not have done so. That means that Parliament can pass a law dispensing with the advisory board by merely stating therein all the heads or subjects in the two entries. If that were done, the safeguard provided in cl. (4)(a) can be rendered totally infructuous. If that was the intention, cl. (7)(a) need not have been framed in an elaborate language as has been done and it would tial and an independent body in laws whether made by Parliament or State Legislatures providing for detention for longer period than three ·months. On an analysis of the two clauses (4) and (7), the conclusion is inescapable that what they provide is (a) that ordinarily, detention provided by a preventive detention law s!loulcl not be for a period longer than three months; (b) that if, however, such a law does provide for a lon.ger period than three months, it must provide for the intercessi811 of an advisory body; and ( c) that situations m~y arise when in certain classes of cases Parliament alone should be empowered to enact a law which provides for a longer detention even without the intercession of an advisory board. On a careful consideration of the language of els. (4) and (7), the theory of independent or alternative power of Parliament breaks down and cannot be accepted, firstly, because the language of the two clauses does not bear out such a construction, and secondly, because the construction under which cl. (4) (b) read with cl. (?)(a) lays down an exception to cl. ( 4 )(a) harmonises both the clauses and brings out the true intention in enacting the two clauses. The next question is what kind of a law which can provide for a longer duration of detention and at the same time can dispense with the advisory board is permissible under cl. (7) (a). Such a law bas to be one passed by Parliament and has to be one which prescribes "the circilmstances under -which, and the class or classes of cases in which", a person may be detained for a longer period than the one contemplated by cl. ( 4), _i.e.,,_ three months and without the requirement of an advisory board. The expression "the circumstances under which and the class or classes of cases" evoked a controversy in _GopaJan(_ _[1]_ _)_ which resulted in difference of opinion between the majority and the minority judges. That controversy rractically in the same terms was repeated before us, one side contending that enumeration of the heads or subjects in the two entries on which a lmV-ohletention can be made would sufficiently comply with the requirement of cl. (7)(a), and the other side contending. against such a meaning being given to the aforesaid expression. In deciding that controversy. one broad consideration at once arises and that is that the circumstances and the classes of cases mentioned in cl. (7)(a) are not limited to any one or more of the subjects set out in the two entries in respect of which a detention law can be made. If the contention that enumeration of these subjects would satisfy the requirement of cl. (7)(a) were to be right, a Parliamentary law can enumerate all the six subjects in the two entries nod provide detention for a longer period for reasons connected with all of them. Both the Preventive Detention Act, 1950 and the impugned Act excepted the subject of maintenance of essential supplies and (!) [!950]SCR 88 ### ' 20 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1974] 1 s.C.R. have been sufficient to provide that nothing in cl. ( 4 )(a) shall api:ly A to a law passed by Parliament which sets out the subjects in the entnes or any one or more of them. Why did the constitution-makers consider it necessary to provide in cl. (7)(a) that the Jaw must prescribe the circumstances and the classes of cases ? The insertion of such an expression coupled with Parliament being -the only body which can ##### enact such a law seems to suggyst that cl. ( 7) (a) is an exception to cl. ( 4)(a) and it being such an exception, Parliament alone is em- 8 powered to pass a law dealing with exceptional circumstances and exceptioqal classes of cases. If enumeration of the heads in the entnes were to mean compliance of prescribing circumstances and classes of cases, Parliament would in such a law be dealing with all situations and all classes of cases from the lowest to the most extraordinary or abnormal and not with some only requiring a treatment different ### from that envisaged by cl. (4)" (a). In such a case, cl. (4) (a) would c again be renedered nugatory, for Parliament can, by enumerating _ver-_ _batim_ the heads or subjects set out in the entries, do away .with the requirement of cl. (4) (a). Could that have been the intention in enacting cl.(7) (a)? It clearly GOUid not have been so intended for the simple reason that deprivation of personal liberty even for a period Jonge"'r than three months, ordinarily considered to be sufficient, required, according to cl. (4) (a), at least the safeguard of an impartial D body against executive action of a drastic 'kind. The difficulty in equating enumeration in _verbatim_ of the head& of legislation permissible under the two entries ip Lists I and III with both the circumstances and the classes of cases is that though the acti.· vities of persons thought necessary for detention may vary in degrees of their impact depending upon the situations existing at the time, all of them, irrespective of their degree of intensity _E_ and impact, would be clubbed together so as to treat them equally in a law under cl. (7) (a). In such a case even activities, which would not justify the dispensation of the safeguard of an adYisory board as against those which need such dispensation, would be treated equally, with the result that in respect of all activities and all situations Parliament would be enabled to dispense with the safeguard of the intervention of an advisory board. What use would then be F of having cl, ( 4) (a) if its requirement can be avoided by a l\iw which simply sets out the subjects or some of them from the two entries? As Mahajan, J., pointed out in _Gopalan,(I)_ the language of els. (-+) and (7) show that they deal with three distinct situations; t ll where the activities and the persons likely to perpetrate them; though connected with the subjects in the entries, a re of such a nature and consequence that three months' detention would meet th'! situation; G (2) WhP,re the activities and the persons likely to perpetrate· them ar~ of such nature and consequence that they need a longer period of detention but with the intercession ·of an advisory board. and (3) where the activities and the persons likely to resort to them are of such a nature and consequence that the situations they create are such as require not only a longer period of detention, but afso the disf>ensation of intercession by an advisory body. In times of severe H emergency when the securi~ of the country or a part of it is- threatened· (I) [1950! SCR 88 **A** **B** ### **c** **D** **E** **F** **G** **H** s. '.". SARKAR _v._ WEST BENGAL _(She/at, Acg._ C.J.) 21 for instance, not only detention for a longer period mi~ht . b_ecome necess1ry but the intervention of an advisory body to which mfcrmation of _a_ vital nature would have to be disclosed nught be regc,rded both as inconsistent with the safety of the country or the community as well as cumbersome. Such situations may arise not merely in .oases involving the securi'Y of the nation or part or parts of it but may arise in connection with the rest of the subjects in the entries. Sabotqge of essential supplies and services would in given circumstances be as dangerous as activities involving danger to the security of !)le Sta•e and/ or public order. Circumstances would ordinarily mean situations or events extraneous to the activities of a concerned person or a group of persons, **such** **as** **riots,** **disorders,** **tensions,** **religious,** **racial,** **regional** **or** **lingui-** stic or other such commotions, which might by their pre-existence accentuate the impact of such activities affecting the security ot the country or a part of it or the public order. Class or classes of cases, on the other hand. relate to group or groups of individuals, who by the nature of their activities fall under one particular group or groups by their common or similar objective or objectives. The subjects or heads set out in the legislative entries were intended t'' deline1te the bounds within which the legislatures can pass detention laws. The purposes of these entries and of cl. ( 7) (a) are distinct; that of the entries to lay down the topics in respect of which legislation can be made and that of cl. (7) (a) to distinguish the ordinary from the exceptional to which only the salutary safeguard provided by d. ( 4) (a) would not apply. Mere repetition of the subjects or topics of legislation from the entries would. not mean prescribing either the cir**cun1stances or the classes of cases to \Vhich only, as against the rest** of the individuals and their activities, the safeguard of intercession of an independent body would not apply. The Jaw under cl. (7)(3) would, as compared to the one to which ci.(4)(a) would apply, be a drastic law and the presumption would be that such a drastic Jaw \mold apply to exceptional circumstances and exceptional activities expressly and in precise terms prescribed. If cl. (7) (a) were construed to permit mere enumeration of the subjects in respect of which there is power to enact preventive detention Jaws, all those subjects can be set out _verbatim,_ in which event cl. (4)(a) would be rendered _otiose._ An act prejudicial to the maintenance of essential supplies and services, _e.g._ possession of control!ed or rational food articles in excess of statutory limits, would be equated for treatment with an act prejudicial to the security of India or of .1 State. On the other hand, an act sabotaging, for instance, lines _oi_ supplies and communication in times of an emergency, prejudicial to the maintenance of ess.ential supplies and services would he equated with an act prejudici1l to maintenance of public order in one locality or affecting a section of the community. CI. (7)(a), thus, envisages Parliament to apply its mind and prescribe specific situations and types of cases which require a drastic law dispensing with the intervention of an advisory board on the ground that such intervention would in such exceptional circumstances and in cases of dangerous individuals would he cumbersome or unsafe. Reading els. ( 4 )(a) and (7) (a I together, it is quite clear th1t intercession of an independent body like _22_ SUPRE~ COURT REPORTS [ 1974 j 1 S.C.R. the advisory board was regarded by the constitution-makers as an essential safeguard against a jurisdktion primarily based en suspicion a'.1d apprehension, w?ich could be dispensed with in extraordinary circumstances and with regard to dangerous persons and their apprehended activities specifically prescribed in the law made under cl. (7) (a). In this view, the meaning of the word 'and' in that clause must be held to have its ordinary conjunctive sense, the conlcxt in that clause also requiring not the opposite but its commonly understood sense, requiring Parliament to prescribe both the circumstances and. · the classcis of cases in which only consideration by the board can be - dispensed with. In _Gopalan_ (I) Patanjali Sastri, J ., (as he then was) expressed the view that in such a matter as preventive detention which by its nature depended on the likelihood of certain apprehended acts, it would be impossible for Parliament to exhaustively set out the circumstances or the classes of cases which a law under cl. (7)(a) would be made. The difficulty felt by Patanjali Sastri, J., was sought to be answered by Faz! Ali, J. (p. 178) by referring to Regulation 18B of the B(itish Defence of the Realm Regulations, 1939 as and,by way of a concre"te illustration where activities and circumstances of a more dangerous type could be classified from the rest. Regulation 18B laid down the following classes of cases where the Secretary of State could direct preventive detention : ( l ) If the Secretary of State has reasonable cause to believe an)< person to be of hostile origin or associations; (2) If the Secretary of State has reasonable cause to believe any person to have been recently concerned in acts prejudicial to the public safety or the defence of the realm or in :he preparation or instigation of such acts; (3) If he has reasonable cause to believe any person to have been or to be a member of, or to have been or to be actjve in the furtherance of the objects of any such or_ganisation mentioned; and A B ## c D E F (4) If he has reasonable cause to believe that the recent conduct of any person for the time being in an area or any words recently written or spoken by such a person expre,sing sympathy with the enemy, indicJtes or indicate that that ##### person is likely to assist the enemy. c Mahajan, J., (as he then was), likewise, referred to the classification of the prejudicial activities set out in R. 34(6) of the Defence of India Rules, 1939. Such a classific~tion of acts is also to be found in R. 36(6) of the Defence of India Rules, 1971. S. 3(2) of the West Bengal (Prevention of Violent Activities) Act, 19 of 1970, similarly, classifies certain activities as falling within the expression ''acting i11 H any manner prejudicial to the security of the State. or the maintenance (I) [1950] SCR 88. A B ## c D E F G Ji ###### s. N. SAllAll v. WEST BENGAL (Shelat, Acg. CJ.) 23 of public order." That provision runs as follows : "(2) For the purposes of sub-section ( 1), the expression 'acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of the State or the maintenance of public order' means( a) using. or instigating any person by words, ~itlier spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise, to use, any lethal weapon(i) to promote or propagate any cause or ideology, the promotion or propagation of which affects, or is likely to affect, adversely the security of the State or the maintenance of public order; or (ii) to overthrow or to overawe the Government established by law in India. x x x x x x (b) committing mischief, within the meaning of section 425 of the Indian Penal Code, by fire or any explosive substance on any property of Government or any local authority or any corporation owned or controlled by Government or any University or other educational institution or on any public bui!Cling, where the commission of such mischief disturbs, or is likely to disturb, public order; or ( c) causing insult to the Indian National Flag or to any other object of public veneration, whether by mutilating, damaging, burning, defiling, destroying or otherwise, or instigating any person to do so. ##### x x ·x x x (d) committing, or instigating any person to commit, any offence punishable with de11.th or imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term extending to seven years or more or any offence under the Arms Act, 1959 or the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, where the commission of such offence disturbs, or is likely to disturb, public order; or (e) in the case of a person referred to in clauses (a) to (f) of Section 110 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, committing any offence punishable with imprisonment where the commission of such offence disturbs, or is likely to disturb, public order." These examples are sufficient to dispel fear of any practical . difliculty in prescribing specific circumstances tinder which and the classes of cases which need dispensing with the intercession of an advisory board. In our opinion, cl. ( 4 )(a) of Art. 22 lays down a rule to which cl. ( 4)(b) read with cl. (7)(a) is an exception. Upon that view cl. (7)(a) must be construed as a restriction on Parliament's power of making preventive detention laws in the sense that it can depart from the rule laid down in cl. ( 4 )(a) and dispense with reference of cases ##, ' SUPREME COURT REPORTS [ **J** 974] **1** S.C.R. to an advisory baaed only by a law w)lich prescribes both the circumstances under which, and the class or ciasses of cases in which, a porso~ may be detained for a period longer than three months without obtaining the opinion of an advisory board in accordance with the provisions ###### of sub-cl. (a) of cl. ( 4). With great respect to the distinguished judges who formed the majority jn _Gopalan,(l)_ we are not able to con:ur in their views on the construction of cl. (4) (h) and cl. (7)(a) of Art. 22. Sec. 17 A of the Act, in our opinion, has failed to comp! y with the requirement of cl. (7)(a), and has therefore, to be declared had as being inconsistent with that clause. In _Gopalan(_ _[1]_ _)_ the majority court bad held that Art. 22 was a self-contained Code and therefore a law of preventive detention did not have to satisfy the requirements of Arts. 19, 14 and 21. The view of Faz! Ali, J., on the other hand, was that preventive detention was a direct breach of the right under Art. 19(a) to (d) and that law providing for preventive detention had to be subject to such judicial review as is obtainable under cl. (5) of that Article. In _R._ C. _Cooper_ v. _Union_ _of India(')_ the aforesaid premise of the majority in _Gopalan(_ _[1 ]_ _)_ was disapproved and therefore it no longer holds the field. Though _Coo,Jer's_ case( [2] ) dealt with the inter-relationship of Art. 19 and Art. 31. the basic approach to construing the fundamental rights guaranteed in' the different provisions of the Constitution adopted in this case held the major premise of the majority in _Gopalan(_ _[1]_ _)_ to be incorrect. In view of this constructional position, counsel for the petitioner ar:d for the intervener made submissions on s. 13 of the Act as amended by s. 6(6)(d) of the Defence of India Act as being in violation of Art. 14 and also on ss. 3. 8, 9. IO. 11 and 12 of the Act even as they stood before the enactment of s. 6(6) (d) of the Defence of India Act on the ground that those provisions were not reasonable restrictions and were therefore void ana the sub,equent declaration of emergency and the enactment of s. 6(6)(d) could not breathe life into those provisions which were already void. Counsel also contended that the maximum period of detention prescribed by the amended s. 13 and bys. liA(2) (d) did not satisfy Art. 22(7)(b) since the period fixed by Parliament therein is three years or until the expiry of the Defence of India Act, whichever is later, an event uncertain as no one can anticipate when the emergency would be terminated. However, in the view we have taken of s. 17 A of the Act we need not go into them as in accordance with the practice followed by this Court we need not decide more than what is necessary. We, there.fore, do not express any views .on the aforesaid contentions raised by counsel. It is, therefore, enough for us to declare s. 17 A as not having satisfied the requirements laid down in cl. (7) (a) of Art. 22 and therefore bad. The consequence is that the petition succeeds and we :'irect that the petitioner he released forthwith from his detention. **V.P.S.** Petition allowed. (I) [1950) 3 S. C.R. 88. (2) [1970]3 S. C. R 530 A B #### c **D** E F G **H**