SC: High Courts Cannot Reassess Trial Court Evidence Under Article 227

The Supreme Court of India has reiterated the limits of the supervisory jurisdiction of High Courts under Article 227 of the Constitution, ruling that High Courts cannot act as appellate courts to reassess or re-appreciate the evidence and materials considered by trial courts.

​A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra clarified that the power of superintendence is intended to ensure that subordinate courts act within the bounds of their authority and follow the law, not to correct mere errors of fact or to substitute the High Court’s own opinion for that of the lower court.

​Key Principles Established in the Ruling:

1. ​Limited Supervision: The Court emphasized that Article 227 is a "reserved" power to be used sparingly. It should be invoked only in cases of grave injustice, a clear breach of jurisdiction, or a patent illegality that "shocks the conscience" of the court.
2. ​No Re-Appreciation of Evidence: The apex court noted that if a trial court has considered the materials on record and reached a plausible conclusion, the High Court should not interfere simply because a different view is possible. Re-evaluating the "correctness" of evidence is a function of an appellate court, not a supervisory one.
3. ​Correcting Jurisdictional Errors: The primary role of the High Court under this article is to keep subordinate courts within their "legal tracks" and to ensure that proceedings are conducted according to the prescribed procedure.
4. ​Distinction from Article 226: While Article 226 provides broad writ jurisdiction, Article 227 is specifically focused on administrative and judicial superintendence over subordinate courts and tribunals.

​The judgment came in response to a case where a High Court had overturned a trial court’s interlocutory order by re-examining the factual merits of the dispute. The Supreme Court set aside the High Court’s order, restoring the trial court's decision and reminding the higher judiciary that the finality of trial court findings on facts must be respected unless they are found to be completely perverse.

​This ruling serves as a vital reminder to litigants that the supervisory path cannot be used as a "second appeal" to bypass the factual findings of lower courts.