SMT. SANTAR vs UNION OF INDIA

Judgment text excerpt

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Date of Decision:15.05.2026 + FAO 246/2020 SMT. SANTAR .....Appellant Through: Mr. Yogesh Swaroop, Mr. Avani Kumar, Ms. Shahnoor Fatima, Mr. Alok Kumar and Ms. Shivangi Singh, Advocates versus UNION OF INDIA .....Respondent Through: Mr. Piyush Beriwal and Ms. Ruchita Srivastav, Advocates CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MANOJ KUMAR OHRI JUDGMENT (ORAL) CM APPL. 33496/2020 (seeking condonation of delay of 832 days in filing the present appeal) 1. By way of the present application, the appellant/applicant seeks condonation of delay of 832 days in filing the present appeal. 2. Learned counsel for the appellant submits that after the passing of the impugned judgment dated 24.05.2018, the appellant was unable to file the appeal within the prescribed time. The appellant, who is an illiterate woman, is a resident of Village Farmana Khas, Rohtak (Haryana), and was not aware of the technicalities of the limitation period to file an appeal, and once it came to her notice, there was a lockdown and she went to her native village. Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:NIJAMUDDEEN ANSARI FAO 246/2020 Page 1 of 7 Signing Date:22.05.2026 12:45:13 3. It is further submitted that the appellant belongs to an economically weaker section and, due to paucity of funds, was unable to get in contact with a counsel and obtain timely legal advice, as she had been in a traumatized condition due to the sudden death of her only son and subsequent death of her husband. 4. It is noteworthy that in Mohsina vs. Union of India1, a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court condoned a delay of 804 days in filing the appeal, taking into account the weak economic condition of the appellant/ claimant. 5. Considering the facts and circumstances of the present case, and guided b