Vidushi Vats
In a recent development, the Supreme Court of India has levied a substantial cost of Rs. 25,000 on a litigant who had sought permission to submit an extensive synopsis exceeding a staggering 60 pages, in response to a concise five-page order issued by the Allahabad High Court. This decision was handed down by a bench comprising of eminent Justices Abhay S. Oka and Pankaj Mithal.
The apex court directed the petitioner to remit the aforementioned sum of Rs. 25,000, stipulating that it should be directed towards a charitable institution engaged in commendable philanthropic endeavors.
“There is an application filed by the petitioner for seeking permission to file a lengthy synopsis and list of dates. The impugned order runs into 5 pages. However, the synopsis is of more than 60 pages which was uncalled for in the facts of the case. Therefore, we reject the application and while we do so, we direct the petitioner to pay costs of Rs.25,000/- by way of a donation to any institution carrying out charitable work. “
This unique approach reflects the court’s commitment to advancing the cause of charity and social welfare, even in the context of legal proceedings.
The petitioner, dissatisfied with the Allahabad High Court’s ruling which had dismissed the plea for anticipatory bail, had sought approval to furnish an extensive synopsis along with a comprehensive chronology of events. However, the Supreme Court, in a discerning assessment of the case, deemed the submission of a 60-page plus synopsis as excessive and unwarranted given the concise nature of the impugned High Court order.