'STARE DECISIS' as a doctrine of legal reasoning means:

Question

Accepted Answer

C.

1. STARE DECISIS (Latin: 'let the decision stand') is the doctrine of BINDING PRECEDENT.
2. Vertically: lower courts must follow decisions of higher courts in the hierarchy.
3. Horizontally: courts generally follow their own coordinate-bench decisions for consistency (though not absolutely binding).
4. The doctrine of stare decisis ensures:
5. (i) PREDICTABILITY of law;
6. (ii) EQUALITY before the law;
7. (iii) JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY;
8. (iv) PUBLIC CONFIDENCE in the judiciary.
9. Indian constitutional position: Article 141 — 'The law declared by the Supreme Court shall be binding on all courts within the territory of India.'
10. Hence option B is correct.
_Source: Legal Research Methodology + Jurisprudence — Stare decisis doctrine_