Full Judgment Text
Reportable
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 8390-8391 OF 2015
(@ S.L.P.(C) NOS.11203-11204 OF 2014)
State of Jammu & Kashmir ... Appellant
Versus
R.K. Zalpuri and others ... Respondent
J U D G M E N T
Dipak Misra, J.
The first respondent was served with a Memorandum
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of Charges on 16 September, 1996, which was
unequivocally refuted by him. The Disciplinary Authority
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considering the denial of charges, on 12 November, 1996,
appointed an Inquiry Officer, who after conducting the
enquiry, submitted a report to the Disciplinary Authority
which contained a finding that the employee had
misappropriated a sum of Rs.2,68,317.00. After the report
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was submitted, the Disciplinary Authority issued a show
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cause notice on 4 June, 1999, whereby it had proposed to
terminate the services of the employee.
2. The first respondent submitted the reply and the
Disciplinary Authority considering the explanation passed
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an order of dismissal on 6 September, 1999 and he stood
dismissed from that day. The order passed by the State
Government dismissing the employee read as follows:-
“Whereas the commissioner of Inquiries has
submitted his report to the Government and has
found him guilty of having embezzled
Government money to the tune of Rs.2,68,317.00
(Rupees two lacs, sixty eight thousand, three
hundred and seventeen only) besides being
responsible for financial mis-conduct and
complete lack of devotion to duties.
Whereas, after considering the report of the
inquiry officer the involvement of Shri R.K.
Zalpur, Senior Assistant, has been established in
the embezzlement of Government money as
indicated above in the office of Resident
Commissioner, J&K, New Delhi.
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Whereas after accepting the report of the inquiry
officer and after establishing his involvement, the
Government has decided to take action against
Shri R.K. Zalpuri, Sr. Assistant in terms of clause
(viii) of rule 30 of the J&K (Classification Control
and Appeal) Rules, 1956 which provides dismissal
from service.
Whereas, Shri R.K. Zalpuri was informed about
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the decision of the Government vide
communication No. GAD (Admn.) TA 3391-IV
dated 04.06.1999 and was called upon under
rules to show cause as to why the proposed
action is not taken against him.
Whereas Shri R.K. Zalpuri has furnished his reply
to the notice served upon him, which has been
considered by the Government and no merit was
found in he same;
Now, therefore, Shri R.K. Zalpur, Senior
Assistant, in the office of the Resident
Commissioner, J&K, New Delhi is hereby
dismissed from Government service with
immediate effect in terms of clause VIII of Rule 30
of J&K Civil Service (CCA) Rules, 1956.”
3. After the said order was passed, the first respondent
did not prefer any departmental appeal nor did he approach
any superior authority for redressal of his grievance.
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However, on 18 February, 2006, he filed a writ petition
(S.W.P. No.352 of 2006) before the High Court challenging
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his dismissal from service. Various assertions were made in
the writ petition with regard to the defects in conducting of
the inquiry including the one that there had been violation
of Rule 34 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services
(Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1956, for he had
not been afforded an opportunity of hearing in the manner
provided in the said Rules. In the writ petition nothing was
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stated what he had done from 1999 to 2006.
4. The State Government filed a counter affidavit wherein
it had raised a preliminary objection relating to delay and
laches. The stand taken by the State Government in the
counter affidavit as regards the delay and laches is as
follows:-
“That, the writ petition instituted by the
petitioner is liable to be dismissed at its
threshold, inasmuch as the same is suffering
from inordinate and unexplainable delay and
latches. By virtue of the writ petition instituted
in the year 2006, the petitioner has come to the
court to challenge an order passed by the
answering respondents way back on 06.09.1999.
It is submitted that pursuant to the issuance of
order impugned, the petitioner chose to sleep
over the matter and acquiesced whatever rights
assumed to be available to him.”
5. After putting forth the submission with regard to the
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delay and laches, the State Government defended its action
by asseverating many an aspect, which need not be
adverted to.
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6. The learned Single Judge vide order dated 14 May,
2010, opined that the show cause notice issued to the
employee was not accompanied with the copies of the
proceedings as envisaged under Rule 34 of the Jammu and
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Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal)
Rules, 1956 and that did tantamount to denial of
reasonable opportunity to the delinquent official, as has
been held by the Constitution Bench in E.C.I.L. vs. B.
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Karunakar . On that singular ground, he allowed the writ
petition and quashed the order of dismissal.
7. Being grieved by the aforesaid decision, the State
Government preferred Letters Patent Appeal No.102 of 2012.
In the grounds of the Letters Patent Appeal, the State had
clearly asserted:-
“That the learned Single Judge, with great
respects, has not appreciated the specific and
important averment made by the appellants that
the respondent had slept over the matter for
quite seven years and has knocked the door of
the Hon’ble Court after a gap of seven years, thus
there was clear unexplained huge delay and
laches in filing the writ petition, the same was
liable to be dismissed, however, the learned
Single Judge without returning any finding on
this vital issue has allowed the writ petition,
therefore, the same is liable to be set aside on
this ground along.”
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8. The Division Bench that heard the Letters Patent
Appeal recorded a singular submission on behalf of the
learned counsel for the State which was to the effect that it
1
AIR 1994 SC 1074
Page 5
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had been left without any remedy to proceed against the
delinquent government servant and, therefore, the order
passed by the Learned Single Judge needed modification.
The Division Bench dealing with the said submission opined
thus:-
“Learned Single Judge has quashed Respondent’s
dismissal from Government service on the ground
that copy of the proceedings prepared under Rule
33 was not supplied to the Respondent before
passing final orders on the provisional conclusion
reached at on the basis of the inquiry to show
cause as to why the proposed penalty be not
imposed on him.
Although the Appellants’ dismissal was set aside
by the Court finding non-compliance of the
provisions of the Rule 34 of the Jammu and
Kashmir Civil Service (Classification, Control and
Appeal) Rules, 1956, yet it cannot be said that the
Appellants have been left without any remedy to
proceed against the delinquent employee on
complying with the requirement of Rule 34.
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The Learned State counsel’s contention that the
Appellants have been left without any remedy to
proceed against the respondent may not,
therefore, be a correct proposition of law.
However, to set the records straight and allay, the
State Government’s apprehension that they were
without any remedy, we dispose of this appeal by
providing that quashing of Respondent’s
dismissal will not operate as impediment for the
Appellants to proceed against the Respondent for
his misconduct after complying with the
requirement of Rule 34 of the Jammu and
Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control
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and Appeal) Rules, 1956.”
9. It is apt to note here that an application for review
being Review (LPA) No.03 of 2012 was filed wherein a stand
was taken pertaining to delay which we think should be
reproduced. It reads as under:-
“The appellants filed detailed reply to the
maintainability of the said writ petition. In the
objection, it was specifically pleaded before the
writ court that the Respondent had slept over the
matter and the writ petition is suffering from
inordinate and unexplained delay and laches,
therefore, the writ petition filed in the year 2006
against the order passed way back in 1999 is
liable to be dismissed.”
10. The Division Bench considered the application for
review and ultimately dismissed the same on the ground
that there was no palpable error warranting review of the
order. The principal order and the order passed in the
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review are the subject matters of assail in the present
appeals.
11. We have heard Mr. Sunil Fernandes, learned counsel
for the appellant-State and Mr. Gagan Gupta, learned
counsel for the first respondent.
12. On a perusal of the factual exposition, it is quite vivid
that the first respondent was dismissed from service on
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6 September, 1999, and he preferred the writ petition on
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18 February, 2006, after a lapse of almost five and a half
years. The plea relating to delay was specifically taken in
the counter affidavit as a preliminary objection, but the
learned Single Judge chose not to address the same. The
appellate-Bench has noted the submission and modified the
order and an application for review was filed with the stand
that the plea pertaining to delay and laches had not been
considered, but the review application, as we find from the
record, was dismissed on the ground that the review could
not be treated like an appeal in disguise.
13. Learned counsel for the appellant-State would contend
that when a categorical stand was taken in the counter
affidavit and a specific stance had been put forth in the
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intra-Court appeal as is manifest from the record, the High
Court should have taken into consideration the same and
not recorded a finding on a ground which was not taken in
the grounds of appeal.
14. Learned counsel for the respondent-employee, per
contra , would contend that the delay and laches cannot
alone defeat the cause of justice and in any case, when
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substantial justice has been done this Court should not
interfere in exercise of jurisdiction under Article 136 of the
Constitution of India.
15. We have noted that the High Court has rejected the
application for review on the ground that it cannot sit in
appeal and the parameters of review are not attracted. In
this context, we may refer to the Constitution Bench
judgment in Shivdeo Singh and Others vs. State of
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Punjab and Others , wherein it has been observed that
nothing in Article 226 of the Constitution precludes a High
Court from exercising the power of review which inheres in
every court of plenary jurisdiction to prevent miscarriage of
justice or to correct grave palpable errors committed by it.
16. In this regard, reference to Aribam Tuleshwar
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Sharma vs. Aribam Pishak Sharma and Others , would
also be apt. In the said case, it has been held thus:-
“It is true as observed by this Court in Shivdeo
Singh v. State of Punjab , there is nothing in
Article 226 of the Constitution to preclude a High
Court from exercising the power of review which
inheres in every court of plenary jurisdiction to
prevent miscarriage of justice or to correct grave
and palpable errors committed by it. But, there
are definitive limits to the exercise of the power of
2
AIR 1963 SC 1909,
3
(1979) 4 SCC 389,
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review. The power of review may be exercised to
the discovery of new and important matter or
evidence which, after the exercise of due diligence
was not within the knowledge of the person
seeking the review or could not be produced by
him at the time when the order was made; it may
be exercised where some mistake or error
apparent on the face of the record is found; it
may also be exercised on any analogous ground.
But, it may not be exercised on the ground that
the decision was erroneous on merits. That
would be the province of a court of appeal. A
power of review is not to be confused with
appellate powers which may enable an appellate
Court to correct all manner or errors committed
by the subordinate Court.”
17. In M/s. Thungabhadra Industries Ltd. vs. The
Government of Andhra Pradesh represented by the
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Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes , this Court
while discussing about the concept of review, has ruled
that:-
“a review is by no means an appeal in disguise
whereby an erroneous decision is reheard and
corrected, but lies only for patent error. We do
not consider that this furnishes a suitable
occasion for dealing with this difference
exhaustively or in any great detail, but it would
suffice for us to say that where without any
elaborate argument one could point to the error
and say here is a substantial point of law which
stares one in the face, and there could
reasonably be no two opinions, entertained about
it, a clear case of error apparent on the face of
the record would be made out”.
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4
AIR 1964 SC 1372
Page 10
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18. Almost fifty-five years back, in Satyanarayan
Laxminarayan Hegde vs. Mallikarjun Bhavanappa
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Tirumale , it was laid down that:-
“an error which has to be established by a long-
drawn process of reasoning on points where
there may conceivably be two opinions can
hardly be said to be an error apparent on the
face of the record. Where an alleged error is far
from self-evident and if it can be established, it
has to be established by lengthy and complicated
arguments and such an error cannot be cured by
a writ of certiorari according to the rule
governing the powers of the superior court to
issue such a writ”.
19. We have referred to the aforesaid authorities as we are
of the convinced opinion that in the present case, there was
a manifest error by the High Court, for it had really not
taken note of the stand and stance that was eloquently put
by the State as regards the delay and laches. The
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averments in the writ petition were absolutely silent and
nothing had been spelt out why the delay had occurred.
The Single Judge, as stated earlier had chosen not to
address the said issue. The Division Bench in appeal
addressed the submission, totally being oblivious of the
ground pertaining to delay and laches clearly stated in the
memorandum of appeal, and modified the order passed by
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AIR 1960 SC 137
Page 11
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the Learned Single Judge as if that was the sole submission.
It needs no special emphasis to state that in the obtaining
factual matrix, the application for review did not require
delving deep into the factual matrix to find out the error. It
was not an exercise of an appellate jurisdiction as is
understood in law. It can be stated with certitude that it
was a palpable error, for the principal stand of the State was
not addressed to and definitely it had immense significance
and hence, the same deserved to be addressed to.
Therefore, we are compelled to think that the order required
review for the purpose of consideration of the impact of
delay and laches in preferring the writ petition. Be that as it
may, we shall proceed to deal with the repercussions of
delay and laches, as we are of the considered opinion that
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the same deserves to be addressed to in the present case.
20. Having stated thus, it is useful to refer to a passage
from City and Industrial Development Corporation vs.
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Dosu Aardeshir Bhiwandiwala and Others , wherein this
Court while dwelling upon jurisdiction under Article 226 of
the Constitution, has expressed thus:-
“The Court while exercising its jurisdiction under
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(2009) 1 SCC 168
Page 12
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Article 226 is duty-bound to consider whether:
(a) adjudication of writ petition involves any
complex and disputed questions of facts and
whether they can be satisfactorily resolved;
(b) the petition reveals all material facts;
(c) the petitioner has any alternative or effective
remedy for the resolution of the dispute;
(d) person invoking the jurisdiction is guilty of
unexplained delay and laches;
(e) ex facie barred by any laws of limitation;
(f) grant of relief is against public policy or
barred by any valid law; and host of other
factors.”
21. In this regard reference to a passage from Karnataka
Power Corpn. Ltd Through its Chairman & Managing
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Director & Anr Vs. K. Thangappan and Anr would be
apposite:-
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“Delay or laches is one of the factors which is to
be borne in mind by the High Court when they
exercise their discretionary powers under Article
226 of the Constitution. In an appropriate case
the High Court may refuse to invoke its extraordi-
nary powers if there is such negligence or omis-
sion on the part of the applicant to assert his
right as taken in conjunction with the lapse of
time and other circumstances, causes prejudice
to the opposite party”.
After so stating the Court after referring to the
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(2006) 4 SCC 322
Page 13
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authority in State of M.P. v. Nandalal Jaiswal restated
the principle articulated in earlier pronouncements, which
is to the following effect:-
“the High Court in exercise of its discretion does
not ordinarily assist the tardy and the indolent or
the acquiescent and the lethargic. If there is inor-
dinate delay on the part of the petitioner and
such delay is not satisfactorily explained, the
High Court may decline to intervene and grant
relief in exercise of its writ jurisdiction. It was
stated that this rule is premised on a number of
factors. The High Court does not ordinarily per-
mit a belated resort to the extraordinary remedy
because it is likely to cause confusion and public
inconvenience and bring, in its train new injus-
tices, and if writ jurisdiction is exercised after un-
reasonable delay, it may have the effect of inflict-
ing not only hardship and inconvenience but also
injustice on third parties. It was pointed out that
when writ jurisdiction is invoked, unexplained
delay coupled with the creation of third-party
rights in the meantime is an important factor
which also weighs with the High Court in decid-
ing whether or not to exercise such jurisdiction”.
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22. In State of Maharashtra V Digambar a three-judge
bench laid down that:-
“ 19 . Power of the High Court to be exercised un-
der Article 226 of the Constitution, if is discre-
tionary, its exercise must be judicious and rea-
sonable, admits of no controversy. It is for that
reason, a person’s entitlement for relief from a
High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution,
be it against the State or anybody else, even if is
founded on the allegation of infringement of his
8
(1986) 4 SCC 566
9
(1995) 4 SCC 683
Page 14
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legal right, has to necessarily depend upon un-
blameworthy conduct of the person seeking relief,
and the court refuses to grant the discretionary
relief to such person in exercise of such power,
when he approaches it with unclean hands or
blameworthy conduct.”
23. Recently in Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply
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and Sewerage Board & Ors. Vs. T.T. Murali Babu , it
has been ruled thus:
“Thus, the doctrine of delay and laches should
not be lightly brushed aside. A writ court is re-
quired to weigh the explanation offered and the
acceptability of the same. The court should bear
in mind that it is exercising an extraordinary and
equitable jurisdiction. As a constitutional court it
has a duty to protect the rights of the citizens but
simultaneously it is to keep itself alive to the pri-
mary principle that when an aggrieved person,
without adequate reason, approaches the court
at his own leisure or pleasure, the court would be
under legal obligation to scrutinise whether the
lis at a belated stage should be entertained or
not. Be it noted, delay comes in the way of equity.
In certain circumstances delay and laches may
not be fatal but in most circumstances inordinate
delay would only invite disaster for the litigant
who knocks at the doors of the court. Delay re-
flects inactivity and inaction on the part of a liti-
gant — a litigant who has forgotten the basic
norms, namely, “procrastination is the greatest
thief of time” and second, law does not permit
one to sleep and rise like a phoenix. Delay does
bring in hazard and causes injury to the lis”.
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24. At this juncture, we are obliged to state that the
question of delay and laches in all kinds of cases would not
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(2014) 4 SCC 108
Page 15
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curb or curtail the power of writ court to exercise the
discretion. In Tukaram Kana Joshi And Ors. Vs.
Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation &
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Ors it has been ruled that:-
“Delay and laches is adopted as a mode of discre-
tion to decline exercise of jurisdiction to grant re-
lief. There is another facet. The Court is required
to exercise judicial discretion. The said discretion
is dependent on facts and circumstances of the
cases. Delay and laches is one of the facets to
deny exercise of discretion. It is not an absolute
impediment. There can be mitigating factors, con-
tinuity of cause action, etc. That apart, if the
whole thing shocks the judicial conscience, then
the Court should exercise the discretion more so,
when no third-party interest is involved. Thus an-
alysed, the petition is not hit by the doctrine of
delay and laches as the same is not a constitu-
tional limitation, the cause of action is continu-
ous and further the situation certainly shocks ju-
dicial conscience”.
And again:-
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“No hard-and-fast rule can be laid down as to
when the High Court should refuse to exercise its
jurisdiction in favour of a party who moves it af-
ter considerable delay and is otherwise guilty of
laches. Discretion must be exercised judiciously
and reasonably. In the event that the claim made
by the applicant is legally sustainable, delay
should be condoned. In other words, where cir-
cumstances justifying the conduct exist, the ille-
gality which is manifest, cannot be sustained on
the sole ground of laches. When substantial jus-
tice and technical considerations are pitted
against each other, the cause of substantial jus-
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(2013) 1 SCC 353
Page 16
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tice deserves to be preferred, for the other side
cannot claim to have a vested right in the injus-
tice being done, because of a non-deliberate de-
lay. The court should not harm innocent parties
if their rights have in fact emerged by delay on
the part of the petitioners. (Vide Durga Prashad v.
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Chief Controller of Imports and Exports , Collector
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(LA) v. Katiji , Dehri Rohtas Light Railway Co.
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Ltd. v. District Board, Bhojpur , Dayal Singh v.
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Union of India and Shankara Coop. Housing So-
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ciety Ltd. v. M. Prabhakar .)”
25. Be it stated, in the said case the appellants were
deprived of the legitimate dues for decades and the
Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation had
handed over the possession of the property belonging to the
appellant to the City Industrial Development Corporation of
Maharashtra without any kind of acquisition and grant of
compensation. This court granted relief reversing the
decision of the High Court which had dismissed the writ
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petition on the ground of delay and non-availability of
certain documents. Therefore, it is clear that the principle of
delay and laches would not affect the grant of relief in all
types of cases.
26. In the case at hand, the employee was dismissed from
12
(1969) 1 SCC 185
13
(1987) 2 SCC 107
14
(1992) 2 SCC 598
15
(2003) 2 SCC 593
16
(2011) 5 SCC 607
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service in the year 1999, but he chose not to avail any
departmental remedy. He woke up from his slumber to
knock at the doors of the High Court after a lapse of five
years. The staleness of the claim remained stale and it
could not have been allowed to rise like a phoenix by the
writ court.
27. The grievance agitated by the respondent did not
deserve to be addressed on merits, for doctrine of delay and
laches had already visited his claim like the chill of death
which does not spare anyone even the one who fosters the
idea and nurtures the attitude that he can sleep to avoid
death and eventually proclaim “Deo gratias” – ‘thanks to
God’.
28. Another aspect needs to be stated. A writ court while
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deciding a writ petition is required to remain alive to the
nature of the claim and the unexplained delay on the part of
the writ petitioner. Stale claims are not to be adjudicated
unless non-interference would cause grave injustice. The
present case, need less to emphasise, did not justify
adjudication. It deserved to be thrown overboard at the very
threshold, for the writ petitioner had accepted the order of
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dismissal for half a decade and cultivated the feeling that he
could freeze time and forever remain in the realm of
constant present.
29. In view of our aforesaid analysis the appeals are
allowed and the judgment and orders passed by the High
Court are set aside. There shall be no order as to costs.
...............................J.
[Dipak Misra]
...............................J.
[Prafulla C. Pant]
New Delhi
October 08, 2015.
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