Bombay HC imposes fine of Rs 25,000 for unnecessarily bringing up matter for urgent hearing during Coronavirus Lockdown [Read Order]

The Bombay High Court on Thursday imposed Rs 25,000 as costs on a petitioner who insisted on an urgent hearing during the Coronavirus lockdown, after the Court found that the matter did not involve any .Justice KK Tatad observed,."Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and order dated 20.09.2019, I do not find any urgency in the present matter. Therefore, following order is passed: Petitioner to pay cost of Rs.25,000/-..."Bombay High Court.The Court added that the costs are to be deposited in the Registry within two months, failing which same would be recovered as land revenue from the petitioner..The petition in question involved a challenge to an order dated September 20, 2019 passed by the Minister, Food and Drugs Department of Maharashtra..The petitioner had argued that several Writ Petitions were pending before the court during this time, and that a stay had been granted by this Court in various matters. Advocate Rahul More was present for the Petitioner..[Read the order here].Recently, Justice GS Patel of the Bombay High Court had similarly imposed costs of Rs 15,000 costs on a litigant for trying to move a non-urgent matter, despite the Court's directive that only urgent matters would be taken up from this week to decongest the Court and minimise the risk of coronavirus transmission..The Kerala High Court imposed a hefty Rs 50,000 on a litigant in similar circumstances, for trying to move a plea seeking the online delivery of alcohol amidst the Coronavirus outbreak, while castigating the petitioner for his "the total insensitivity of a litigant to the interests and well being of his fellow citizens."