Delhi High Court penalises a serial litigant for filing multiple pleas against illegal constructions in the national capital. The Court emphasised, “No one should misuse the court’s process for oblique motives,” warning against frivolous petitions that burden the judicial system.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on a serial litigant who had submitted several petitions concerning the illegal construction of properties in the national capital but failed to pursue them afterward.
This decision was made by Justice Mini Pushkarna while examining the fifth writ petition from the same individual regarding illegal construction in the RK Puram area.
The judge noted that the petitioner repeatedly filed pleas but did not follow through.
In an order dated December 2, the court stated,
“It is clear that the petitioner is a serial litigant and has been filing various writ petitions against a number of properties situated in the area in question. The writ petitions, as filed by the petitioner, are not pressed by the petitioner after filing.”
Pointing to previous rulings, the court emphasized that it had previously made clear that “no one should misuse the court’s process for oblique motives.”
The judge remarked,
“The conduct of the petitioner in filing petitions and not pursuing the same, also, does not inspire confidence and is a clear pointer to the fact that the petitions have been filed by the petitioner for self-serving and disagreeable motives,”
The court highlighted the importance of filing petitions in good faith and not for personal gain,
“This Court shall not entertain any petition, which is filed for extraneous or self-serving ends. Apparently, the motive of the petitioner does not seem to be bona fide and the petitions seem to have been filed with oblique motives. This Court has already held in a number of judgments that no party can seek to misuse the process of the Court, by filing petitions for oblique motives.”
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The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) counsel informed the court that the petitioner had submitted four writ petitions between April and May of this year.
When the petitioner’s counsel requested to withdraw the latest petition, the court imposed a punitive cost of Rs 50,000, mandating payment within four weeks.
Additionally, the court instructed the MCD to address the unauthorized construction allegations, to which MCD counsel responded that they were already investigating the matter.