Supreme Court declares 2025 ruling the final blow to 1987 delay-condonation precedent

During a recent hearing, the Supreme Court described Justice JB Pardiwala’s 2025 Shivamma decision as the “last nail in the coffin” of the 1987 Katiji judgment, which had been repeatedly used to excuse procedural delays. Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu warned that an overly permissive stance on limitation has stalled justice for decades and referenced Justice Venkatachaliah’s earlier cautions against bureaucratic indifference.

The new ruling requires litigants to justify the entire period from the start of limitation to filing, rejecting the notion that only post-expiry explanations suffice. The bench dismissed appeals by Karvy Stock Broking Limited and former chairman C Parthasarathy seeking condonation of delays in challenging SEBI penalties, affirming that the court will apply its own standards. Prior cases, such as State of Odisha v. Managing Committee of Namatara Girls High School, illustrate the shift from a liberal to a stringent approach. The court emphasized that the same strict timelines will apply to government bodies, private parties, and regulators alike.