The courtroom was relatively quiet on Monday when the Supreme Court took up a criminal writ petition linked to a land dispute from Gujarat. After a brief hearing, the matter ended not with arguments on merits, but with a procedural reset.
Background
The petition was filed by Pradhyumansinh Pravinsinh Rathod against the State of Gujarat, combining two separate prayers. One questioned the constitutional validity of the Gujarat Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act, 2020. The other sought quashing of an FIR along with pre-arrest protection.
As the hearing progressed, the bench indicated discomfort with both issues being mixed in a single petition.
Court’s Observations
Recording this, the vacation bench of the Supreme Court of India noted that “two reliefs cannot be intermingled in one writ petition.” On instructions, the petitioner’s counsel sought permission to withdraw the plea.
At the same time, the court acknowledged the immediate concern of arrest. To allow the petitioner to approach the appropriate lower court, interim protection was considered necessary. The bench was careful to add that it was not expressing any view on the FIR or bail.
Decision
The writ petition was dismissed as withdrawn, with liberty to file a fresh petition limited to challenging the validity of the Gujarat Land Grabbing Act.
The petitioner was granted protection from arrest for two weeks to approach the jurisdictional court, which will decide the FIR and bail issues independently.
Case Title: Pradhyumansinh Pravinsinh Rathod v. State of Gujarat & Others
Case Number: WP (Crl) No. 531 of 2025
Date of Order: 22 December 2025
