Per incuriam, are those decisions given in ignorance or forgetfulness of some inconsistent (sic) statutory provision or of some authority binding on the court concerned, so that in such case some part of the decision or some step in the reasoning on which it is based, is found, on that account to be demonstr-ably wrong, A.R. Antulay v. R.S. Nayak, (1998) 2 SCC 602: 1988 SCC (Cri) 372.
Per incuriam, through want of care. An order of the Court obviously made through some mistake or under some misapprehension is said to be made per incuriam.
Incuria literally means 'carelessness'. In practice per incuriam appears to mean per ignoratium. English courts have developed this principle in relaxation of the rule of stare decisis. The 'quotable in law' is avoided and ignored if it rendered, 'in ignoratium of a statute or other binding authority', Young v. Bristol Aeroplance Co. Ltd., foll.; State of Uttar Pradesh v. Synthtics and Chemicals Ltd., (1991) 4 SCC 139 (162).