The High Court said, to avoid delay in filing appeals, the UP government should form dedicated legal teams

Prayagraj, 02 July (HS). In an order passed today, the Allahabad High Court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to take necessary steps to avoid filing appeals beyond the statutory time limit. The High Court said that looking at the state's delay differently would set a dangerous precedent. To avoid delay in filing appeals, the court has asked the government to form a dedicated legal team. This team should be such that it has updated knowledge of the relevant legal matters.

Justice Shekhar B Saraf said that it is the responsibility of the government to create a special process to expedite the filing of appeals within the prescribed time period. The High Court has passed this order on the appeal of Uttar Pradesh Government vs M/s Harishchandra India Limited.

Dismissing the appeal filed by the state in an arbitration case after a delay of 224 days, the court said that it is taxpayers' money that the government deals with and such a casual and indifferent approach cannot be allowed in filing the appeal. The court said that though the government may face some administrative and procedural challenges, it has to take adequate measures to ensure that the appeal is filed within the prescribed time limit.

The court emphasised, “Efficient disposal of legal cases, including timely filing of appeals, is an important aspect of governance, which directly impacts public confidence and proper utilisation of public resources. Given the significant volume of legal cases being filed by government departments and agencies, it is essential that the government puts in place robust mechanisms to ensure compliance with statutory timelines, particularly under the Act”.

The court said that although bureaucratic and procedural delays are a common issue in government bodies due to various factors and may indeed slow down the process of filing appeals, they cannot be accepted as valid reasons for extending the statutory time limit. The court said that the law specifically related to arbitration is designed to ensure that arbitration remains a speedy and efficient method of dispute resolution.