Tribunal's Stern Stance on Late Reports: Pay the Price for Delays

The National Green Tribunal mandates costs for documents filed late, emphasizing punctuality in legal proceedings. In a Haryana environmental case, the tribunal criticized the delay in report submission. It warned parties to request extensions under exceptional circumstances and affirmed its directive to impose costs for any inconvenience or delays caused.

The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday emphasized the importance of timely submissions in legal processes, declaring that any document, including responses and reports, submitted after the due date would only be accepted with an accompanying fee.

In addressing an environmental violation case in Haryana, the tribunal expressed frustration over a joint committee's failure to present its final report by the November deadline of the previous year, as initially directed.

The tribunal bench, consisting of judicial member Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Afroz Ahmad, highlighted the unnecessary adjournments and time wastage caused by late submissions. It instructed that any delay should be justified under exceptional circumstances, accompanied by an application for an extension if necessary. The tribunal insisted that delinquent reports incur costs for the delays they cause.

(With inputs from agencies.)