Bombay HC fumes over last-minute stay application on LOCs to travel abroad

The Bombay High Court has expressed displeasure over last-minute applications filed seeking temporary stay on Look Out Circulars (LOCs) to travel abroad, and observed that such practice was not acceptable.

A division bench of Justices Gautam Patel and Neela Gokhale in its order of June 23 said applications are filed after the applicants finalise their itineraries even before permission is sought from court.

This is not a question of whether there is a right that is violated. In all these applications, it seems that the courts are more or less being taken for granted, that permissions will follow and that matters and, more importantly, that applications will be taken up on a priority basis and even out of turn to permit the applicants to keep to their itineraries, the court said.

This is not acceptable, the bench said, noting that persons seeking stay on LOCs are required to approach the court in good time and not attempt to pressurise the courts.

The court said when last minute ...