Gujarat High Court Chief Justice: Delay in filing appeals by state hampering interest, must develop mechanism

After Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal directed the state to frame guidelines for filing intra-court appeals, Justice Agarwal on Wednesday reemphasised streamlining the process and pointed at possible loopholes which can be plugged so that officers concerned can be held accountable.

CJ Agarwal pointed out that at present notices or summons issued to district collectors, deputy collectors, talatis etc are sent directly to them through the bailiffs, instead of through the government pleader (GP)’s office. She said the government pleader’s office, in turn, gives these officials a free hand to delay matters, leaving “the affairs of the state in the hands of those few officers.”

Addressing Gujarat’s Advocate General Kamal Trivedi, CJ Agarwal reiterated, “In many of the matters we come across, we find appeals filed beyond 2,000 days. And in many of the matters, we are also of the view, the state interest is also hampered because of this delay. I’ve talked to the law secretary also, I told him my concern that this has to be streamlined”.

Trivedi assured the court that “there should not be a problem to evolve this mechanism and simultaneously notices may go to the authority as well.

He also assured that the state will come up with suitable amendments in this regard.