The Madhya Pradesh High Court has transferred a long-pending civil suit after a trial judge in Sidhi district failed to comply with a previous high court direction regarding the case timeline.

High Court Observes Lapses in Judicial Discipline

A single-judge bench, led by Justice Vivek Jain, noted that a 13-year-old civil suit was scheduled for final hearing seven weeks after the high court’s six-week directive, highlighting concerns over judicial discipline and administration.

The court remarked:

“The trial court made no attempt to take up the matter and fixed the date beyond six weeks. Such instances may give litigants the impression of disintegration of judicial hierarchy when a civil judge refuses to list the case within the high court-mandated timeline.”

Administrative Steps Ordered

The high court directed that a copy of its order be sent to:

• The Principal District Judge, Sidhi

• The District Judge (Inspection) in-charge of Sidhi

• The Portfolio Judge of the High Court for Sidhi

This is to ensure administrative action is taken to prevent similar lapses in future case management.

Principal District Judge Should Have Reassigned Case

Justice Jain emphasized that if the trial judge lacked time to hear the matter within the high court timeline, the Principal District Judge should have reassigned the case to another judge.

The court observed that the presiding officer’s reasoning – being in-charge of the Chief Judicial Magistrate and Juvenile Justice Board – did not justify the two-year delay in hearing final arguments of a suit already 13 years old.

Even on January 8, 2026, the next date for final arguments was set for February 3, 2026, demonstrating the trial court’s inability to decide the matter promptly.

Case Highlights Need for Effective Case Management

The high court’s intervention underscores the importance of:

• Timely disposal of long-pending cases

• Judicial accountability

• Efficient allocation of cases among judges

Justice Jain concluded that this case was a clear instance where the Principal District Judge should have assigned the matter to another judge capable of handling it within the required timeframe.