The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday came down heavily on a petitioner for misusing judicial time, imposing a hefty cost of ₹25 lakh for filing what it deemed a “frivolous” and “unwarranted” plea.
The petitioner, Lilavati Devi, had approached the court challenging the construction of a septic tank on a road in front of her residence. Instead of pursuing remedies available through administrative channels, she directly moved the high court seeking judicial intervention.
According to the case details, Devi had earlier lodged a complaint with the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC), which had taken cognizance of her grievance. Upon conducting a local survey, the RMC found merit in her complaint and issued an order for demolition of the septic tank.
However, before waiting for the municipal authority to act upon its own order or seeking further administrative redress, Devi approached the High Court. The bench observed that the matter had already been appropriately addressed by the local body and there was no justification for invoking the extraordinary writ jurisdiction of the court.
Terming the petition as an abuse of process and an unnecessary burden on the judicial system, the High Court imposed ₹25 lakh as cost on the petitioner.
The judgment underscores the court’s growing intolerance towards misuse of legal processes and highlights its intent to deter such litigants who attempt to bypass available administrative remedies for trivial issues.
