The Supreme Court on Monday took into consideration the rising COVID-19 cases to bring back its suo motu direction extending the limitation or the time period within which litigants ought to file appeals in the top court.
A Bench led by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana accepted the plea made by the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) to reinstate the order extending the window for filing the cases.
Last year, the court had invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 to extend the limitation period for filing appeals from courts or tribunals on account of the pandemic. The court had later on ended this arrangement, keeping in mind the improved situation and the fact that courts had started functioning.
“Though we have not seen the end of the pandemic, there is considerable improvement. The lockdown has been lifted and the country is returning to normalcy. Almost all the courts and tribunals are functioning either physically or by virtual mode. We are of the opinion that the order has served its purpose and in view of the changing scenario relating to the pandemic, the extension of limitation should come to an end,” the apex court had observed in its order ending the extension of limitation last year.
