Supreme Court Reversals in 2025: From Aravalli to Bhushan Steel and Stray Dogs

In 2025, the Supreme Court of India overturned several high-profile judicial decisions, sending ripples across the legal and public spheres. Some of these reversals occurred within weeks of the original rulings, raising concerns about judicial consistency and the decision-making process.

Aravalli Case Reversal in Just 40 Days
The most recent example is the Aravalli dispute, where the apex court reversed its own order within 40 days. The court itself highlighted this rapid turnaround, noting that such trends could affect the credibility of judicial decisions.

Key Cases That Witnessed Reversals
The Supreme Court revisited rulings on several significant issues, including:

• Stray dog management and rabies prevention
• The Governor’s power to approve bills sent by state legislatures
• Ban on firecrackers
• Retrospective environmental clearances
• Bhushan Steel Limited’s insolvency
• The Aravalli land dispute

Bhushan Steel Case
On May 2, the Supreme Court had annulled the acquisition of the debt-ridden Bhushan Power & Steel Limited (BPSL) by JSW Steel under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and ordered the company’s liquidation. However, on July 31, the court withdrew this order. On September 26, it upheld the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal’s (NCLAT) decision, validating JSW Steel’s ₹19,700 crore resolution plan for acquiring BPSL.

Stray Dog Controversy
In the matter of stray dogs, the court initially directed their capture and placement in shelter homes on August 11, citing rising incidents of dog bites and rabies-related deaths. Within a week, the case was transferred to another bench, which on August 22 amended the order: dogs were to be sterilized and vaccinated, then released into their local areas under the Animal Birth Control rules, instead of being confined to shelters.

Environmental Clearance Case
Similarly, in the “Vanshakti” petition, the Supreme Court had initially declared ex-post facto environmental clearances illegal under the Environment (Protection) Act on May 16. However, a three-judge bench later overturned this order in November by a 2:1 majority.

Judicial Concerns
Highlighting these reversals, the Supreme Court on November 26 expressed concern over the growing trend of quick U-turns in judgments, cautioning that such practices could undermine the public’s trust in the judicial system.

These developments in 2025 reflect the apex court’s rigorous scrutiny of complex legal issues but also raise questions about judicial consistency and the methodology of decision-making in critical cases.