The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to extend the limitation period of filing cases across judicial and quasi-judicial fora in the country.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana will issue a detailed order later in the day. The bench, also comprising Justices L. Nageswara Rao and Surya Kant said, "we are accepting the prayer.".
The Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) had moved the top court seeking restoration of a March 2020 order through which the court had directed the suspension of the limitation period in the backdrop of difficulties faced by the litigants amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Advocate Shivaji Jadhav, President SCAORA, submitted that Covid cases have been increasing across the country over the past few days and urged the court to restore the limitation extension orders. Attorney General K.K. Venugopal supported the SCAORA plea.
The SCAORA filed the application in the suo motu case "In Re Cognizance for Extension of Limitation", seeking restoration of the order dated March 23, 2020 and April 27, 2021, through which limitation period for filing of cases was extended.
The SCAORA's application contended that there has been a drastic change in the Covid pandemic situation, in the view of a new variant, more particularly Omicron.
The plea added that considering the alarming rise in the Covid cases, it becomes necessary to restore the relaxation with regard to the period of limitation.