The Punjab and Haryana High Court has reaffirmed that senior citizens have the right to have their cases heard first. (Vipan Kumar vs. Gurmeet Singh).
Justice HS Madaan was hearing a petition from a 67-year-old man seeking to evict a renter due to non-payment of rent arrears and personal necessity. The petition had been pending before the Ludhiana Rent Controller, according to the High Court.
The petitioner had sought relief from the High Court because the rent petition proceedings were moving too slowly. As a result, he sought the High Court to issue orders directing the Rent Controller to expedite the procedures.
The High Court, in turn, stated that every litigant, including older individuals, has the right to a speedy trial. “Senior persons, without a doubt, have the right to have their claims heard first. In fact, every litigant has the right to a speedy trial “In this regard, the order stated. It was accepted that the outbreak of COVID-19 has had a negative impact on judicial proceedings in recent months. Nonetheless, the judge noted that the situation has significantly improved in recent months.
In light of this, the Court directed the Haryana Rent Controller to make all reasonable measures to complete the procedures in the petitioner’s rent case and dispose of it as quickly as practicable, preferably within a year.
The petitioner was represented by Naveen Bawa, an attorney. In a related development, the Centre issued a National Litigation Policy in 2010 in order to reduce the number of lawsuits pending in various courts. Prioritizing issues involving welfare legislation, social reform, weaker sections, older persons, and other categories in need of aid were part of this 2010 program.
