Case Law Details
Union of India and Ors. Vs Sudipta Lahiri (Supreme Court of India)
The recent judgment by the Supreme Court in the case of Union of India and Ors. Vs Sudipta Lahiri has significant implications. It involves the dismissal of Special Leave Petitions filed by the Union Government and the imposition of a substantial cost of Rs 5 lakhs. This decision serves as a warning against the filing of frivolous petitions and highlights the importance of judicial prudence.
The Supreme Court, after hearing arguments from Mr. Vikramjeet Banerjee, learned ASG, declined to interfere with the judgments and orders of the High Court. The Court noted that the matter had already been disposed of in a previous case, indicating that there was no justification for the Union of India to challenge it through Special Leave Petitions. The Court emphasized that such petitions amounted to an abuse of the legal process.
Furthermore, the Court imposed a fine of Rs. 5,00,000/- on the petitioners, to be deposited within eight weeks in the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund. This decision underscores the Court’s disapproval of frivolous litigation and aims to deter similar actions in the future.
FULL TEXT OF THE SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT/ORDER
We have heard Mr. Vikramjeet Banerjee, learned ASG at great length.
We are not inclined to interfere with the impugned judgment(s) and order(s) of the High Court.
Accordingly, the Special Leave Petitions are dismissed with costs for the reason that before the High Court counsel for the petitioner-Union of India submitted that the matter was squarely covered by a previous decision and, accordingly, the High Court had disposed of the matter on the statement of the counsel for Union of India. The said order is reproduced below:
“It is fairly submitted on behalf of the Union that the principle involved in this matter is the same as in WP (C) No.566 of 2019 which has being disposed of by a recent order of March 14, 2022.
In view of such fair submission, since the previous writ petition was disposed of without interfering with the relevant order passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal, the same order is passed herein. It is also made clear that in keeping with the order dated March 14, 2022, the relief that the respondent herein will be entitled to will be confirmed to what is covered by the legal position indicated in the Karnataka judgment and not beyond. WP(C) No.209 of 2021 is disposed of. There will be no order as to costs.”
We have further perused the order dated 14th March, 2022 and we find that the present matter was disposed of in the same terms as in the order dated 14th March, 2022. There was no occasion or justification for the Union of India to have challenged the said order by way of this Special Leave Petition.
The present petitions are sheer abuse of the process of law. The petitioners are cautioned not to file such frivolous petitions in future.
We, accordingly, impose a fine of Rs.5,00,000/- (Rupees Five Lakhs) to be paid by the petitioners which shall be deposited in Account No. 90552010165915 of the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund, Canara Bank, Branch South Block, Defence Headquarters, within eight weeks from today. After depositing the said amount in the aforesaid fund, the petitioners to file proof of such deposit
with the Registry of this Court within a week thereafter.
Pending application(s), if any, shall stand disposed of.
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