Most Union SLPs Come With 100 Days Of Delay, Says Supreme Court

While hearing a matter today, the Supreme Court orally remarked that the Union Government continues to file belated special leave petitions. It said that there is a minimum delay of at least 100 days in SLPs preferred by the Union without any explanation.

A bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma was hearing a matter in which Additional Solicitor General of India appeared for the Union. Although the Court dismissed the matter, Justice Datta noticed 251 days of delay after the first initial 90-day period for filing the special leave petition.

The SLP is filed against the February 12, 2025, order passed by the Karnataka High Court.

"No explanation at all. Another three months, no explanation at all. Please come read with your condonation application. After 1994 Supp (2) SCC 603 has come to our notice, Justice Venkatachaliah's judgment, we are not going to give any further latitude. What is this? Every Union of India matter we find more than 100 days delay," Justice Datta remarked.

ASG submitted that instruction to file the SLP came within the limitation, but it took 7 months to draft the SLP.

It may be recalled that in the Shivamma judgment, a bench Justice JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan warned High Courts not to condone inordinate delays by State agencies on grounds of administrative lethargy and laxity. In this case, it had to set aside the order of the Karnataka High Court, which condoned a delay of 11 years by the Karnataka Housing Board in filing a second appeal against a decree.

Case Details: THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX CIRCLE 3(A)(2) Vs HEWLETT PACKARD FINANCIAL SERVICES (INDIA) PVT LTD|Diary No. 4194 / 2026