Mumbai: The slow pace of the judicial system and the inconvenience it causes to lakhs of people has once again come to light in a unique case involving a 108-year-old man from Maharashtra who passed away just days before the Supreme Court admitted his appeal in a land dispute case he had been pursuing since 1968. The case had remained pending for 27 years before the High Court before being dismissed in 2015.
Sopan Narsinga Gaikwad's legal battle began in 1968 after he found that the land he had purchased had been mortgaged to a bank in lieu of the loan taken by the previous owner. Gaikwad went to a local trial court to demand that the loan money be recovered from the previous owner and that he should be declared the sole owner of the property.
Court ruled in Gaikwad's favour, but decree reversed in 1987
After 14 years of hearings, the court ruled in Gaikwad's favour on September 10, 1982, however the decree was reversed in 1987 after the opposite party appealed the decision in the High Court. Gaikwad filed a second appeal in 1988, which remained pending for nearly 27 years and was later dismissed by default in 2015.
Gaikwad passed away
Gaikwad reportedly had not heard about the court’s judgement due to his rural residence and the onset of Covid-19 pandemic, causing a delay in filing an appeal. His lawyer filed an appeal in the SC on his behalf, who agreed to set a hearing on July 12, however, Gaikwad passed away before the hearing.
“He had expired before the court took up the matter on July 12, but the information about his demise from the rural area came just after the hearing. He will be now represented through legal heirs,” said the petitioner’s lawyer. The opposite party has been given eight weeks by the judges to submit a response.
