Original Application Dismissed for Want of Prosecution Following Persistent Non-Appearance of Applicants

The applicants, comprising 23 Group-C employees (Trackmen/Gatemen) working under the Senior Section Engineer (P.Way) West, North Central Railway, filed an Original Application (O.A.) before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Principal Bench, New Delhi.

The matter was listed for orders on May 8, 2026. However, it was noted by the Tribunal that there had been no representation on behalf of the applicants during the previous consecutive hearings on December 10, 2025, and February 11, 2026.

1. Whether the Original Application is liable to be dismissed due to the continuous non-appearance of the applicants and apparent lack of interest in prosecution.

The court applied the procedural principle of "Dismissal for Want of Prosecution" as fundamentally recognized in administrative law and civil procedure, which allows a court or tribunal to dismiss a case if the party initiating the proceedings fails to appear or pursue the matter diligently.

This principle ensures the efficient management of the judicial docket and prevents the wastage of the court's time on abandoned litigations.

The Tribunal observed that the applicants failed to appear before the Bench on three successive occasions: December 10, 2025, February 11, 2026, and the final hearing on May 8, 2026.

Despite the matter being placed on the board under the "For Orders" caption, no representative was present to argue the case or provide justification for the absence. Drawing an inference from this repeated absence, the Tribunal concluded that the applicants had lost interest in pursuing the legal remedy sought in the O.A.

Consequently, applying the rules of procedure regarding default, the Tribunal determined that the application could no longer be kept pending.

No costs were imposed. Additionally, the Tribunal ordered that all pending Miscellaneous Applications (M.A.s) related to this case stand disposed of.