A lawyers' body has moved the Supreme Court seeking to restore the relaxation on the limitation period for filing court cases in view of the alarming surge in COVID-19 cases across the country.
"There has been a sudden and drastic change in the situation with regard to the pandemic, as a new variant more particularly Omicron has seen a drastic surge…considering the alarming rate at which there is a rise in the mortality rate due to Covid and also the rise in the new cases, it becomes necessary to restore the relaxation with regard to the period of limitation," the plea said.
The apex court had said in September that the relaxation granted on the limitation period for filing court cases in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic would come to an end on October 2. It had ordered that the period from March 15 last year till October 2, 2021 shall stand excluded from computing the period of limitation.
The apex court had on March 23, 2020 invoked its plenary power under Article 142 of the Constitution to extend the limitation period indefinitely for appeals from courts or tribunals on account of the pandemic with effect from March 15, 2020. On March 8, 2021, the top court had noted that the country is "returning to normalcy'' and had decided to end the extension of the limitation period which was granted in March 2020 to the litigants due to the pandemic.
However, the court on April 27, 2021 took note of the onset of the second COVID-19 wave and again relaxed the statutory period for filing petitions, including election petitions, under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. On March 8, 2021, the order dated March 23, 2020 was brought to an end, permitting relaxation of the period of limitation between March 15, 2020 and March 14, 2021. While doing so, it was made clear that the period of limitation would start from March 15, 2021, it said.
The bench said as the March 8 this year order was only a one-time measure, in view of the pandemic, it is not inclined to modify the conditions contained in that order. It said the period from March 15 last year till October 2, 2021 shall also stand excluded in computing the periods prescribed under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, the Commercial Courts Act, the Negotiable Instruments Act and any other laws which prescribe period of limitation.
"The Government of India shall amend the guidelines for containment zones, to state. Regulated movement will be allowed for medical emergencies, provision of essential goods and services, and other necessary functions, such as, time-bound applications, including for legal purposes, and educational and job-related requirements," the bench said in its order.
While hearing the matter on September 23, 2021, the bench had taken note of the improved pandemic situation and observed that it will recall its April 27 order by which it had extended the operation of an earlier direction on limitation period. It had observed that the suo motu extension of the limitation period will be withdrawn and after that, the usual limitation period of 90 days for filing cases in courts will come into effect once again.
With inputs from PTI.
