Explaining Delays

For the benefit of your readers and the columnist I may state that this issue has already been settled by the Supreme Court, albeit in some other context. In Collector, Land Acquisition vs Katiji Air 1987 SC 1353, the SC, inter alia, held that, Everyday's delay must be explained does not mean that a pedantic approach should be adopted.

Why not every hours delay, or every second's delay? The doctrine must be applied in a rational, common sense, pragmatic manner. When substantial justice and technical considerations are pitted against each other, the cause of substantial justice deserves to be preferred, for the other side cannot claim to have vested right in injustice being done because of a non-deliberate delay.

 

Hence, one has to explain the delay for the whole period rather than for each day.