Delhi High Court fined the IP authority Rs 20,000 for repeatedly seeking adjournments in an IPR case. The amount must be paid to the Army Central Welfare Fund within four weeks.
New Delhi: Today On May 11, The Delhi High Court has told the Intellectual Property authority to pay Rs 20,000 to the Army Central Welfare Fund.
This order came after the lawyer for the IP authority again asked for more time in a case related to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
ALSO READ: LEGAL EXPLAINER | Can Traffic Police Take Your Vehicle Keys? Know Your Rights Now!
Justice Saurabh Banerjee gave this order on May 8. He noted that the same kind of request to delay the hearing had been made not just once, but for the past three hearings as well.
The Court was not happy with the repeated requests for adjournments.
While passing the order, Justice Banerjee stated,
“This Court notes that even on the past three dates of hearing, similar requests for adjournments were made”.
He further added that such repeated delays waste the time of the Court and disturb the flow of justice. Therefore, to ensure that parties take the legal process seriously, a cost was imposed.
The Court said that the Rs 20,000 should be paid to the Army Central Welfare Fund as a form of penalty for wasting the Court’s time. The amount must be deposited within four weeks.
Justice Banerjee said in his order,
“Accordingly, this Court is constrained to impose costs of Rs. 20,000/- upon the petitioner, to be deposited with the Army Central Welfare Fund within four weeks from today”.
The Court hopes this step will discourage unnecessary delays in legal proceedings in the future.
This order is a reminder that all parties involved in legal matters must come prepared and avoid asking for repeated extensions.
The Delhi High Court has made it clear that delaying justice without proper reason is not acceptable.
