‘Courts, With Dockets Already Over-Flowing”‘: P & H HC Restricts Filing of Multiple Writ Petitions on Similar Cause of Action

The Punjab and Haryana High Court restricted the practice of filing multiple writ petitions with regard to the same or similar cause of action. Noting that “the dockets of the Courts are already over-flowing”, Justice Anil Kshterpal opined that the filing of the multiple petitions is “neither in the interest of justice nor in the interest of the Judicial Institution”. The Single Bench expressed the view that “it results in wastage of valuable time of the Institution” to which “the Bar and the Bench are equal participants”. The court made this remark upon hearing a petition filed by a workers’ union against the State of Punjab and other respondents.