The Delhi High Court dismissed an appeal by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) against M/S Manmohan Singh Wadhwa Constructions Pvt Ltd because it was filed 99 days late. Judges C. Hari Shankar and Om Prakash Shukla pointed out that the MCD did not provide a good enough reason for being late.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi wanted to challenge a decision from December 24, 2024, made by the District Judge, Commercial Court. However, they submitted their challenge late and asked the court to forgive the delay.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi gave several reasons for being late:
The MCD said these reasons, along with needing to discuss the matter between departments, led to the delay.
Justice C. Hari Shankar said the reasons given were not good enough. The court emphasized:
"The reasons given in the modified application for condonation of delay do not satisfactorily explain the delay of as much as 99 days."
The court stressed the importance of resolving business-related issues quickly, mentioning the Supreme Court's decision in the Borse Brothers case.
The court used rules from the Borse Brothers case, which require:
The request to forgive the delay was rejected, which meant the appeal was dismissed too. The court highlighted the need to use modern, digital methods to prevent such delays in the future. This case shows how important it is to act quickly in legal matters, especially in business disputes, where delays are less likely to be forgiven.
