HC condones state's delay of 31 years in filing appeal, imposes ₹5 lakh cost

THE Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has condoned a delay of 11,629 days (over 31 years) by the state government in filing a second appeal against a civil court judgment passed in favor of private individuals with respect to 291 acres of land in Karaikudi in 1988.

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The respondents MAMM Annamalai Chettiar, Meenakshi Aachi, Visalakshi Achi, Valli Meyyappan, MAC Muthaiah Chettiar, MA MR Muthaiah @ Ayyappan, R Ramanathan Chettiar (died), MA Chidambaram Chettiar (died), and MAM Ramasamy Chettiar (died) - belong to a prominent family in the state.

Justice KK Ramakrishnan condoned the delay observing that the criterion for it "is the acceptable reason and not the extent of the delay". The court imposed a cost of Rs 5 lakh on the Sivaganga collector, payable to the above individuals (legal heirs) who had filed the original suit in 1983.