Writ petition dismissed for want of prosecution following repeated non-appearance of the petitioners.

Seventy petitioners, including Assistant Veterinary Field Officers and other staff within the Veterinary Services Department, filed a writ petition against the State of Chhattisgarh’s Animal Husbandry and Finance Departments.

On March 27, 2026, the matter was listed for hearing before the High Court of Chhattisgarh.

When the case was called, no counsel or representative appeared on behalf of the petitioners.

Whether the writ petition is liable to be dismissed on account of the non-appearance of the petitioners or their legal counsel when the matter was called for hearing.

The Court applied the procedural principle of dismissal for "want of prosecution."

This principle, derived from the High Court Rules and the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (specifically Order IX, Rule 8), allows a court to dismiss a suit or petition if the defendant appears but the plaintiff/petitioner fails to appear when the case is called for hearing.

The Court observed that the matter was called up for hearing on two separate occasions during the proceedings.

Despite the matter being called twice, the petitioners remained unrepresented.

The Court noted that in the absence of the petitioners or their counsel to argue the case, there was no alternative but to dismiss the petition for want of prosecution rather than adjudicating the matter on its merits.

Consequently, the writ petition was dismissed for want of prosecution.