High Court Proposes Litigation Policy to Address Government-Induced Case Delays
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has recently criticized both Central and State governments for their role in the growing backlog of cases, particularly at the High Court level. A Division Bench, consisting of Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Sanjay Vashisth, observed that governments are among the largest litigants and their frequent non-cooperation and requests for adjournments significantly contribute to case delays.
The Court highlighted that delays often stem from the government’s tendency to request extensions for filing replies due to changes in legal representation or the unavailability of key officers. This non-compliance impedes the Court’s ability to resolve cases, particularly those related to revenue matters.
Addressing a batch of 37 writ petitions, the Court noted that despite previous extensions granted to the State, replies were still pending, causing prolonged interim stay orders and affecting state revenue. The Court remarked on the persistence of delays and failures to file replies, which often span years.
To combat this issue, the Court proposed that the Punjab government develop a “litigation policy” to streamline the process. This policy would include establishing a Permanent Cell with responsible officers to assess the necessity of pursuing litigation, especially in cases already adjudicated by the Court or Supreme Court.
The Court has adjourned the matter to November 25 and directed the Chief Secretary of Punjab to report on the progress of the proposed litigation policy. It warned that failure to complete pleadings by the next hearing could result in a ₹10 lakh cost imposed on the officers responsible, recoverable from their salaries.
Senior Advocate Radhika Suri and several other advocates represented the petitioners, while AAG Saurabh Kapoor appeared for the State.
(With inputs from agency)
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