The Bombay High Court has directed that a defamation-related petition filed by a 90-year-old woman from Maharashtra be listed only in 2046, observing that the dispute had turned into an “ego clash” and was consuming court time.
The petition was filed in 2015 by Tariniben, 90, and her daughter Desai, 57, against their residential welfare association in South Mumbai. They sought Rs 20 crore as compensation, alleging mental distress caused by the actions of association member Gilgilraj Bansali and others.
The case has been pending for more than a decade, during which the court attempted several times to facilitate a settlement. While the respondents were willing to offer an apology, Tariniben did not accept it, leading to the continuation of proceedings.
Hearing the matter recently, Justice Jitendra Jain said the petitioners’ personal ego was wasting judicial time and affecting court functioning when many urgent cases were awaiting hearing. The court added that senior citizen status would not be a ground to prioritise the matter, and ordered that it be listed after 20 years, stating it would not be taken up earlier under any circumstances.
