In a stern rebuke, the Supreme Court has penalized the State of Odisha with a ₹50,000 fine for persistently filing appeals well past deadlines, despite prior dismissals. The judiciary, represented by Justices Abhay Oka and Rajesh Bindal, expressed frustration at the state’s repeated delays in legal filings, questioning whether this was a systemic practice.
The latest incident involved an appeal filed 512 days late against a 2022 Orissa High Court decision. Justice Bindal criticized the state government, emphasizing that such delays unnecessarily burden the court system. The court highlighted that this was part of a larger pattern, noting they had encountered 36 similar cases in recent days alone.
During proceedings, Justice Oka queried the state’s attorney about the apparent strategy of filing appeals only after deadlines had passed. The attorney cited bureaucratic processes as the cause for delays, seeking to justify the state’s actions.
Despite eventually condoning one appeal due to a significant legal question, the Supreme Court’s actions underscore a growing impatience with procedural lapses, signaling a call for more responsible legal practices from state authorities.
