Majji Sannemma @ Sanyasirao Vs Reddy Sridevi & Ors. (Supreme Court of India)
Supreme Court of India set aside an Andhra Pradesh High Court order that condoned a 1011-day delay in filing a second appeal. The case originated from a civil suit filed by the appellant for a permanent injunction, which was dismissed by the trial court but later allowed by the first appellate court. The respondents, original defendants, filed a second appeal after a significant delay, which the High Court condoned. The Supreme Court, however, found no valid justification for this delay and ruled in favor of the appellant.
The appellant argued that the High Court erred in condoning the delay without sufficient cause. Citing precedents such as Ramlal, Motilal and Chhotelal vs. Rewa Coalfields Ltd. (1962) and P.K. Ramachandran vs. State of Kerala (1997), the appellant contended that the law of limitation should be applied strictly and that negligence or inaction does not warrant condonation. The Supreme Court found that the respondents failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the period between March 2017 and June 2021, demonstrating gross negligence and lack of due diligence.
On the other hand, the respondents defended the High Court’s decision, arguing that the delay was unintentional and that dismissing the appeal on technical grounds would be unfair. They contended that condoning the delay would allow for a fair hearing on merits, rather than denying justice due to procedural lapses. The High Court had emphasized that procedural delays should not hinder substantive justice and imposed a nominal cost on the respondents. However, the Supreme Court found that the High Court had not exercised its discretion judiciously.
