The Bombay High Court assured advocates that no adverse or dismissal orders would be passed if they were unable to attend court due to severe rainfall disrupting Mumbai, Thane and Raigad. The assurance follows the IMD’s red alert warning of extremely heavy rain and flooding.
The Bombay High Court on Monday assured members of the legal fraternity that no adverse or dismissal orders would be passed in cases where advocates are unable to appear before the court because of the severe rainfall that has disrupted normal life across Mumbai and adjoining districts.
The assurance came amid relentless monsoon showers that have caused widespread waterlogging, traffic congestion and disruption of public transport services in Mumbai, Thane and Raigad, making travel to court difficult for litigants and lawyers alike.
The development follows a ‘red’ alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for Mumbai, Thane and Raigad on Monday, warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, accompanied by strong winds and the possibility of flooding in several parts of the region.
The weather department advised residents to avoid non-essential travel, cautioning that intense rainfall could inundate low-lying areas, disrupt urban infrastructure and lead to flash floods in vulnerable locations.
In view of the prevailing weather conditions, concerns were raised by various lawyers’ associations regarding the difficulties advocates were facing in reaching the High Court and subordinate courts.
Responding to these concerns, Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge assured representatives of the Bar that the Court would take a considerate approach in matters listed for hearing during the day.
He clarified that if advocates were unable to attend proceedings because of the exceptional weather conditions, the Court would ensure that no adverse consequences followed merely on account of their absence.
Accordingly, the High Court assured that no adverse or dismissal orders would be passed against parties in such cases solely because their lawyers could not be physically present before the court owing to the heavy rains.
The assurance is expected to provide significant relief to advocates and litigants, many of whom faced severe commuting challenges due to flooded roads, disruptions in suburban railway services and traffic snarls caused by incessant rainfall.
Mumbai’s monsoon often leads to large-scale disruption of daily life, with court functioning also being affected when adverse weather conditions prevent legal practitioners and litigants from attending scheduled proceedings.
By assuring that matters would not be dismissed or decided adversely because of weather-related absences, the High Court sought to ensure that parties are not prejudiced by circumstances beyond their control.
The Court’s approach reflects the judiciary’s effort to balance the continuity of judicial proceedings with practical difficulties arising from extreme weather events, particularly during the peak monsoon season in Maharashtra.
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE