Topic
Bombay HC rules that a client cannot be penalized for delays caused by counsel's abandonment, holding it as a bona fide 'sufficient cause' under Section 5 of the Limitation Act. The court imposed costs on the errant counsel while condoning a 19-month delay, reinforcing the advocate's duty of diligence and the client's right to justice.
Punjab & Haryana High Court dismisses a revision petition challenging a Vakalatnama filed four years prior, ruling that delayed claims of forgery at the final trial stage constitute abuse of process. The court held that valid service of summons and prolonged silence without protest bar relief under principles of acquiescence and laches, reinforcing procedural finality in litigation.
The Punjab & Haryana High Court ruled that raising forgery allegations against a vakalatnama years into litigation-without prior action or evidence-amounts to abuse of process under CPC Section 151. The court emphasized that litigants cannot delay such challenges to derail proceedings, especially when the counsel has actively represented them for years without objection.