The Supreme Court has strongly criticised a growing practice of delaying appeals after failing to comply with court orders, and then rushing to file petitions only when contempt proceedings begin. The court said such conduct undermines the authority of courts and the rule of law.
The remarks came in a matter linked to the Chhattisgarh State Forest Produce Cooperative Federation. Officials had sought three months’ time to implement a Supreme Court direction, but the order was not carried out even after the deadline.
When contempt proceedings were initiated, the officials filed a review petition in haste. The matter was heard by a bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan.
The bench observed that delayed appeals have become a routine practice rather than an exception. It said government officials must set an example by respecting court orders and protecting public confidence in the judiciary.
Rejecting the claim that implementation could wait for the outcome of the review petition, the court said the earlier order must be complied with immediately. It directed that a copy of its order be sent to the Centre and the state government, granted a final opportunity to comply, and posted the next hearing for March 24.
