INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF POLICE, PUNJAB, LAHORE and 2 others vs FAZAL
This matter concerns a petition for leave to appeal filed by the Inspector-General of Police, Punjab, and others against a judgment passed by the Punjab Service Tribunal. The primary legal question before the Supreme Court was whether administrative delays caused by internal departmental correspondence and the movement of files between government offices constitute sufficient grounds for the condonation of a significant delay in filing a petition for leave to appeal. The petition was filed 132 days beyond the prescribed limitation period. The Supreme Court dismissed the petition, holding that the reasons provided for the delay were insufficient to justify condonation. The Court affirmed the principle that administrative lethargy, bureaucratic correspondence, or the mere movement of files between government departments does not provide a valid or acceptable legal basis for condoning a delay in filing an appeal. Consequently, the Court refused to grant leave to appeal, strictly enforcing the limitation period against the state authorities, thereby emphasizing that government departments are subject to the same rules of limitation as private litigants.
- Does internal departmental correspondence and the movement of files between government offices constitute a valid ground for the condonation of delay in filing a petition for leave to appeal?
- Is the state exempt from the strict application of limitation laws when filing an appeal?
ORDER
' IRSHAD HASAN KHAN, J.---Leave to appeal is sought against the judgment dated 29-10-1996 passed by the Punjab Service Tribunal, Lahore in Appeal No,456 of 1994.
2. The petition is admittedly barred by 132 days. The delay is sought to be condoned on the ground that the matter was moved before the higher authorities and that took some time in correspondence between different departments of the Government.
3. We are afraid the plea raised by the petitioners cannot be accepted as a valid ground for condonation of delay. The petition for leave to appeal being barred by time is hereby dismissed and leave to appeal is refused.