HC stalls trial in Patkar's defamation suit against L-G, citing pending plea

THE Delhi High Court has instructed a lower court to postpone proceedings in a long-standing defamation case filed by Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Medha Patkar against the city's Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi

Justice Shalinder Kaur directed that the trial court list the matter for a date beyond May 20, the day set by the HC to hear Patkar's plea challenging a prior order that rejected her bid to introduce and examine an additional witness. Back on March 27, the HC had issued notice on Patkar's petition and scheduled it for hearing on May 20. However, it came to light on Wednesday that the trial court had listed the case for final arguments on April 19. Patkar's legal team argued that proceeding with the case before the HC's hearing would render their plea ineffective.