The Bombay High Court yesterday passed an order in a civil suit directing the registry to list the matter after 20 years in 2046.
Justice Jitendra Jain was hearing a civil defamation suit of 2017 wherein the two parties involved are senior citizens, and the plaintiff herself is 90 years old.
In Tarinibahen Desai & Anr vs. Kilkilraj Bhansali & Ors, Justice Jain observed –
“This is one of the matters where the ego fight between the parties at their fag end of their life clogs the system, which prevents the Court from taking up the matters which really requires more priority.
The Court on the earlier occasion had expressed that this suit can be worked out by tendering unconditional apology. However, plaintiff no.1 who is close to 90 years old, still insist to pursue the suit for defamation.
I do not wish to state anything further except that this matter should not be taken up for the next 20 years.
List this matter after 2046. At any cost, this matter should not be given priority on the ground that the petitioners are senior citizens or super senior citizens. It is expressly made clear that this matter will not be taken up for hearing before 2046.”
As per a TOI report, by the end of 2023, there were a total 7,00,000 pending cases across all benches of the Bombay High Court, 83% of these cases being civil.
