Muthuramalingam & Ors vs State Rep.By Insp.Of Police

The Supreme Court addressed the question of whether consecutive life sentences can be imposed for multiple murders tried in a single trial, referencing Section 302 IPC and Section 31 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973. The Court noted conflicting precedents on the issue, including O.M. Cherian and Duryodhan Rout supporting concurrent sentences, while Kamalanantha and Sanaullah Khan allowed consecutive sentences. The matter was referred to a larger bench for a definitive ruling on the permissibility of consecutive life sentences in such cases.