State Of Bihar vs Pukhan Mahto

The Supreme Court held that the High Court erred in refusing to condone a delay of 21 days in filing the First Appeal under Section 5 of the Limitation Act. The Court emphasized that in matters of appeal, especially with minor delays, the merits of the case should be considered rather than strict adherence to procedural timelines. Consequently, the Supreme Court allowed the appeal, set aside the High Court's order, and directed the High Court to decide the First Appeal expeditiously on its merits.