Punjab and Haryana High Court warns of heavy costs, calls plea ‘totally frivolous’; petition withdrawn mid-hearing

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday refused to disengage brake on a plying of modified vehicles, while warning the petitioner of “heavy costs”. The Bench headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu also described the matter as “a totally frivolous case”, prompting an abrupt withdrawal mid-arguments.

As the matter was taken up in the court, counsel sought to justify the challenge by invoking livelihood concerns, repeatedly submitting that nearly “two lakh people” were dependent on such vehicles for survival. “They are earning their livelihoods.… overnight, it is very difficult for them, as they are very poor people,” the counsel argued, even suggesting that time or compensation should be considered despite conceding illegality. “That is maybe illegal, but my number of decades, they are doing… now, overnight, they are saying it is banned,” he pleaded.

The Bench, however, remained unimpressed and issued a sharp caution, making it clear that sympathy could not sanitise illegality. Cutting short the line of argument, the court observed: “The longer you argue this matter, which is a totally frivolous case, the larger you risk imposition of cost, heavy cost.”

Faced with the prospect of exemplary costs, counsel backtracked, bringing the hearing to an abrupt end.

Recording the development, the court observed that the counsel, after arguing for some time, pressed for withdrawal. The petition was accordingly “dismissed as withdrawn.”