‘Unutilised Village Lands Vest with Proprietors’: Supreme Court overturns 2022 ruling in Haryana village land dispute
In civil appeals against Gurjant Singh, the State itself did not press the appeals with regard to the directions for redistribution of the bachat land amongst the proprietors according to their share. The only grievance of the State was with regard to the directions to do it within a specified period of time.
Court also pointed out that the full bench of the High Court in the impugned judgment in the alternative held that a consistent view had been taken in more than 100 judgments by the Punjab and Haryana High Court and applying the doctrine of stare decisis, such a view could not be upset.
“The doctrine of stare decisis lays importance on stability and predictability in the legal system and mandates that a view consistently upheld by courts over a long period must be followed, unless it is manifestly erroneous, unjust or mischievous,” the benco o said.
Dismissing the appeals, court found no error in the judgment of the full bench of the High Court in applying the doctrine of stare decisis to the facts of the present case inasmuch as it followed the law which was consistently applied in more than 100 judgments.
Case Title: The State of Haryana Vs Jai Singh And Others
Judgment Date: September 16, 2025
Bench: Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and K V Vishwanathan