NIRMALA & ORS. vs PARAMJIT CHAHAL & ORS.

223. IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH 2028 PHHC ooo as FAO-2762-2005 (O&M) sii Date of Decision: 05.05.2026 NIRMALA & OTHERS .. Appellants Vs, PARAMJIT CHAHAL & OTHERS ...Respondent CORAM:- HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIRINDER AGGARWAL Present: Mr. Vishal Garg Narwana, Advocate with Mr. Shubham Aggarwal, Advocate for the appellants. VIRINDER AGGARWAL, J. (Oral) 1. This is a burnt matter pertaining to the year 2005. The record of the case is not available and appears to have been destroyed over time, thereby making reconstruction of the complete file difficult. Learned counsel for the appellants submits that, despite due diligence, they are unable to assist the Court in reconstruction of the record, and in the absence of necessary pleadings and documents, the appeal cannot be effectively argued or adjudicated on merits. In these circumstances, when the basic record is not available and no meaningful progress can be made in the matter, keeping the appeal pending on the docket indefinitely would serve no useful purpose. Judicial time cannot be consumed in a matter where adjudication on merits is presently not possible due to non-availability of record. Accordingly, the pr