JUDGE MOHAN DUGGAL Vs. DISCOVERY COMMUNICATION INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Its an application for condonation of delay of 76 days in filing the appeal against the order dated 23.8.2002 of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Amritsar (hereinafter called the District Forum ).

(2.) Its admitted in Para No.3 of the application that the copy of the impugned order dated 23.8.2002 was supplied to the applicant-appellant on 4.9.2002 and the appeal was filed on 20.12.2002. The only ground taken in the application for condonation of delay is that the applicant-appellant was under the belief that since the time for filing of the appeals in other Courts was 90 days, thus, the limitation for filing the appeal in this case also must be 90 days. It has been stated in Para No.5 of the application that the applicant-appellant had approached the Counsel at Chandigarh on 3.12.2002 and he came to know that in fact the limitation for filing the present appeal was 30 days and the appeal could be filed upto 5.10.2002. It is pertinent to note here that when the applicant-appellant came to know that in fact the limitation for filing the appeal was 30 days on 3.12.2002 itself, even then the appeal was filed on 20.12.2002. The story that the applicant-appellant was under the belief that the limitation for filing the appeal was of 90 days seems to be a made-up one. In any case, when the applicant-appellant came to know about the fact that the limitation for filing the appeal was 30 days on 3.12.2002 itself even then no proper steps were taken to file the appeal immediately thereafter. In these circumstances, we do not find any sufficient ground to condone the delay of 76 days in filing the appeal. This application for condonation of delay is, thus, dismissed. Consequently, this appeal is also dismissed as belated. Misc.