AIR 1987 SUPREME COURT 1353 ::1987 SCFBRC 147 ::(1987) 1 LS 28 ::1987 (12) ECC 346 ::1987 Rev LR 169 ::(1987) 13 ECC 27 ::(1987) 28 ELT 185 ::1987 UJ(SC) 2 29 ::1987 (1) Civ LJ 552 ::1987 (1) All Rent Cas 288 (2) ::(1987) 1 All RentCas 288(2) ::1987 (2) SCC 107 ::(1987) 1 LabLJ 500 ::1987 (100) MadLW 676 ::1988 All CJ 114 ::(1987) 13 All LR 306 ::(1987) 1 APLJ 41 ::(1987) 1 All WC 675 ::1987 BLJR 465 ::(1987) 62 ComCas 370 ::1987 62 Com Cas 370 ::1987 HRR 213 ::(1987) 71 FJR 143 ::(1987) 167 ITR 471 ::(1987) IJR 287 (SC) ::(1987) Raj LR 132 ::1987 21 STL 82 ::(1987) 66 STC 228 ::1987 66 STC 228 ::(1987) 1 LandLR 437 ::1987 (1) Supreme 253 ::(1987) 1 JT 537 ::(1987) 1 JT 537 (SC) ::ILR 1987 Kant 2844

Supreme Court Of India

(From : Jammu and Kashmir)*

Hon'ble Judge(s): M. P. Thakkar, B. C. Ray , JJ

(A) Limitation Act (36 of 1963) , S.5— Condonation of delay - Application for, made by State Govt. - Treatment similar to any other litigant ought to be accorded - Stepmotherly treatment to State Govt. in such matter is not warranted. Civil First Appeal No. 54 of 1985, D/- 14-4-1986 ( J and K), Reversed. Constitution of India , Art.14— The doctrine of equality before law demands that all litigants including the State as litigant, are accorded the same treatment and the law is administered in an even-handed manner. There is no warrant for according a stepmotherly treatment when the State is the applicant praying for condonation of delay. In fact on account of an impersonal machinery and the inherited bureaucratic methodology imbued with the note-making, file pushing, and passing on the buck ethos, delay on part of the State is less difficult to understand though more difficult to approve. In any event, the State which represents the collective cause of the community, does not deserve a litigant non grata status. So also the approach of the Courts must be to do even- handed justice on merits in preference to the approach which scuttles a decision on merits.(Para 3) The dismissal of the appeal filed by the State Govt. against the decision substantially enhancing compensation for the land acquired and which als....