UNION OF INDIA vs RAM CHARAN & OTHERS

The Supreme Court held that the limitation for an application to set aside the abatement of an appeal begins from the date of the respondent's death, as per Order 22 Rule 4 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, and not from the date of the appellant's knowledge of the death. The Court ruled that the expression 'sufficient cause' must not be liberally construed, especially when the delay in applying to implead legal representatives indicates negligence. The High Court's dismissal of the application for lack of sufficient cause was upheld, affirming the importance of timely action in legal proceedings.