When only part of a judgment states the reasoning behind a conclusion, which part of that judgment binds later courts as precedent?

Only the ratio decidendi — the principle upon which the case was actually decided — binds as precedent; observations that do not form part of that reasoning are obiter dicta, and a later court examining whether a case is binding must isolate the ratio from surrounding discussion rather than treat every line as authoritative.

Andhra Pradesh Civil Courts Act, 1972 — Scheduled Areas — Civil Court jurisdiction — Constitution of India — Article 14 — Reasonable classification — Binding precedent — Precedent — Binding precedent distinguished from judicial deference to the executive — Held: An order that merely defers to an executive committee's view, without independently discussing the provision's intent and objective, is not binding precedent on that point. (¶9) Andhra Pradesh Civil Courts Act, 1972 — Scheduled Areas notification — Civil Court jurisdiction over non-tribal disputes — Held further: The Scheduled Areas jurisdictional bar protects tribal interests; where every party to a civil dispute is non-tribal, no tribal interest is engaged and the Civil Court retains jurisdiction under Section 9 CPC. (¶13) Constitution of India — Article 14 — Reasonable classification — Intelligible differentia — Held further: Confining the bar to disputes engaging tribal interest, rather than the entire notified area regardless of the parties, rests on an intelligible differentia with a rational nexus to protecting Scheduled Tribes. (¶12, 13) Andhra Pradesh Civil Courts Act, 1972 — Scope of Agency Court jurisdiction — Held further: This applies only to pending and future cases, and restores Civil Court jurisdiction solely where every party is non-tribal; Agency Courts retain jurisdiction wherever even one party is a tribal. Appeal allowed. (¶14, 15, 16)

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