The Bombay High Court on 26 March, imposed a penalty of Rs 25,000 on a petitioner who sought hearing of his petition, despite being warned by the HC to mention only matters that are extremely urgent in nature.

The bench headed by Justice KK Tated was hearing a petition filed by one M/s. Keshavlal and Company through its partner Najib Sadulla Khamker, who challenged a September 2019 order passed by the then FDA minister of Maharashtra. Observing that the order was passed in September 2019 and the petitioner is seeking urgent hearing now in March 2020, the court held that “I do not find any urgency in the present matter” and went on to impose a penalty of 25,000.

The bench further stated that the amount shall be deposited to the High Court Registry within two months.

Citing the danger of the COVID-19 outbreak, the High Court had earlier this week issued a circular, requesting all the litigants and lawyers to bring up only the matters which are of extreme urgent in nature. However, the litigants have been raising non-urgent matters, although warned by the court of imposing an exemplary cost on those persons who move such matters that require no urgent hearing.

Meanwhile, the number of positive cases of the Coronavirus pandemic in India has raised to 716, while the death toll touches 18, as on 27 March.