The Chief Educational Officer v. a.Punitha Ruby
Case brief
What is this about?
Madras High Court, Madurai Bench, order dated 11.07.2025 by M.S.RAMESH, J. (coram also A.D.MARIA CLETE, J.), dismissing C.M.P.(MD).No.10346 of 2025 in Rev.Aplc(MD).SR.No.51174 of 2025 filed under Section 5 of the Limitation Act by the Chief Educational Officer and District Educational Officer (Primary Education), Ramanathapuram, seeking condonation of 179 days delay in filing a review application against the order dated 26.11.2024 in W.A.(MD).No.2428 of 2024 (respondents A.Punitha Ruby and CSI Primary School). Delay attributed to pending Government Pleader's opinion rejected as vague; day-wise delay not explained. Petitioner-side counsel: Mr.J.Ashok, Additional Government Pleader.
What did the court decide?
The reason assigned in the affidavit - that the delay arose because the review applicants waited for the Government Pleader's opinion after receiving the order copy on 28.12.2024 - was not accepted; the Court found it inexplicable that the Government Pleader's office took six months to give an opinion, and observed that each day's delay had not been explained beyond a vague statement that the papers were pending before the Government Pleader's office.