01Facts
The 26 petitioners, residents of Village Kharipaghara, Tahsil Amlipadar, District Gariyaband, instituted a writ petition against the State of Chhattisgarh and concerned forest and district authorities.
pp. 1–3The matter was listed before the High Court on 31 August 2026. There was no appearance on behalf of the petitioners when the case was called twice.
¶ 1 · p. 4In the absence of representation, the Court proceeded to consider whether the petition should continue.
¶ 1 · p. 402Issues
i.Whether the writ petition should be dismissed for want of prosecution when no one appeared on behalf of the petitioners despite the matter being called twice.
¶ 1 · p. 4ii.What final order should be passed in the circumstances.
¶ 2 · p. 403Law Applied
The Court applied the established procedural principle that a proceeding may be dismissed for want of prosecution when the party instituting it fails to appear and pursue the matter despite due listing and calling.
¶ 1–2 · p. 4No specific statutory provision or judicial precedent was cited in the order; the dismissal was based on the Court’s procedural authority to control its docket and decline to entertain an unattended proceeding.
¶ 1–2 · p. 404Reasoning
The petitioners did not appear when the matter was called twice, and there was no representation on their behalf. Consequently, the Court was unable to receive submissions or assess the merits of the writ petition.
¶ 1 · p. 4Applying the procedural rule permitting dismissal of an unattended proceeding, the Court concluded that the petition could not be kept pending and should be dismissed for want of prosecution.
¶ 1 · p. 405Holding
The High Court dismissed WPC No. 2680 of 2024 for want of prosecution because there was no representation on behalf of the petitioners despite the matter being called twice.
¶ 1–2 · p. 4No adjudication was made on the merits of the underlying dispute, and no substantive relief was granted.
¶ 1–2 · p. 4Original Court PDF
NARSINGHvsSTATE OF CHHATTISGARH
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