Sun Nov 30 16:22:22 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the provided text and a news article rewrite:
Summary:
Supreme Court Justice B.V. Nagarathna voiced strong concerns about the increasing trend of overturning established judgments by subsequent benches after the original judges have retired. Speaking at a conference, she emphasized that judgments should be respected and challenged only through established legal processes, not discarded simply because the composition of the court changes. Her remarks align with similar observations made by Justice Dipankar Datta, who noted a disturbing pattern of overturning verdicts based on the retirement of the authoring judges. Nagarathna stressed that judicial independence hinges on respecting precedent, and also on the personal conduct and political insularity of individual judges.
News Article:
Supreme Court Justice Decries Trend of Overturning Landmark Judgments Post-Retirement
NEW DELHI – December 1, 2025 – Supreme Court Justice B.V. Nagarathna has issued a strong warning against the growing practice of overturning established court judgments by subsequent benches after the original judges have left the bench. The comments come amid concerns within the legal community about the stability and consistency of legal precedent.
Speaking at an international convention on judicial independence at O.P. Jindal Global University in Sonipat, Justice Nagarathna argued that judgments should be treated with respect and challenged only through established legal avenues, rather than being disregarded simply due to changes in personnel. She specifically referenced the recent reversal of the Vanashakti judgment, which halted the granting of ex post facto environmental clearances.
“Judgments are not written in sand, but in ink,” Justice Nagarathna stated, emphasizing that they should not be “tossed out” based on shifts in the court’s composition.
Her remarks echo similar concerns raised recently by a Supreme Court bench led by Justice Dipankar Datta, who observed a “growing trend” of overturning verdicts after the retirement of their authors.
Justice Nagarathna further emphasized that judicial independence rests not only on respecting legal precedent but also on the personal conduct and political insularity of individual judges. She stressed that judges must maintain impartiality and avoid even the appearance of bias to safeguard the integrity of the judiciary.
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