Curative Petition

noun (countable)

/ˈkjʊərətɪv pəˈtɪʃən/

A petition before the Supreme Court of India seeking review of a judgment even after a review petition has been dismissed, available in exceptional cases to prevent gross miscarriage of justice. Evolved by the Supreme Court in Rupa Ashok Hurra v. Ashok Hurra (2002), the petition lies on narrowly defined grounds: violation of natural justice (no hearing to affected party) or a judge's failure to disclose a conflict of interest. It is the last domestic judicial remedy.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

The convicts in the Nirbhaya case filed curative petitions before the Supreme Court as the last available judicial remedy, arguing violation of natural justice in the earlier review proceedings, though the court dismissed them in December 2019.

Synonyms

final reviewremedial petitionlast-resort judicial recourse

Antonyms

original petitionwrit petitionfirst-instance filing

🌱 Word Family

cure (verb/noun), curative (adjective), curation (noun), petition (noun/verb), petitioner (noun)

🔡 Root

Latin curare (to take care of, to cure) ← cura (care, concern) + Latin petitionem ← petere (to seek)

📜 Etymology

Curative derives from Medieval Latin curativus (having the power to cure), related to cura (care). The compound 'curative petition' is a judicial coinage from Rupa Ashok Hurra (2002), using curative in the sense of remedying a judicial error, not a medical cure.

🧠 Memory Hook

A CURATIVE petition cures an incurable judicial error — like a medical cure for a chronic disease. It comes after review (when even the doctor's second opinion failed) — the last prescription.

⚖️ Polity & Constitution 📖 Seen in: Preamble of the Indian Constitution 📋 Also in Key Terms

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