In a recent ruling, the Bombay High Court emphasized that “laws come to the assistance of the vigilant and not to that of the sleepy,” as it dismissed an application for the condonation of a significant delay in filing a review petition. The petition, filed by Maniben Chandrakant Dalal, sought to challenge a 2001 order but was submitted 5,193 days late.
Justice Abhay Ahuja, presiding over the case, described the delay as “colossal” and beyond the scope of a liberal approach. The court further imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on Dalal for the undue delay.
The original order, dated October 3, 2001, recorded consent terms between two parties regarding eviction suits for a plot in Dadar, initially filed in a small causes court and later transferred to the Bombay High Court. It was not until 2018, after consulting a new lawyer, that Dalal decided to challenge the order.
The respondents, represented by advocates Mohan Tekavde and Swati Tekavde, argued effectively that the explanation for the delay was unsatisfactory, leading the court to uphold their argument.
