1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CIVIL APPLICATION NO.5438 OF 2007 IN FIRST APPEAL (ST) NO.16266 of 2006 --------------------------------------------------- Office notes, office memoranda of Coram, appearances, Court's Court's or Judge's orders or directions orders and Registrar's orders --------------------------------------------------- Mr.B.H.Mehta, AGP, for the State Mr.S.D.Dharmadhikari, advocate, for respondent CORAM : A.S.OKA, J. DATE : 27TH MARCH,2008 P.C. . Heard the learned AGP for the applicant. The prayer is for condonation of delay of four years and 85 days in preferring an appeal against the Judgment and Award dated 4th January, 2002 passed by the Trial Court in a reference U/s.18 of the Land Acquisition 2 Act, 1894. 2. Perusal of the application shows that a decision was taken on 22nd February, 2002 to prefer an appeal. Certified copies of the Judgment and Award were ready on 8th April, 2002. However, said certified copies were forwarded on 13th June, 2006 i.e.after lapse of more than four years. The appeal has been filed in July, 2006. As there was no explanation whatsoever for the long delay from 8th April, 2002 to 3rd June, 2006, on 7th March, 2008 time was granted to the applicant to file additional affidavit. 3. I have perused 3 additional affidavit of Dinesh Parshuram Bhalekar, Special Land Acquisition Officer No.3 at Solapur. Except a bald statement that the office of the Special Land Acquisition was vacant, there is no other explanation for the said delay. There are no particulars mentioned in the affidavit. The affidavit does not disclose the date on which the office of the Special Land Acquisition Officer became vacant and the date on which the office was occupied by the next incumbent. There is absolutely no explanation for the said gross delay of more than four years. No sufficient cause is made out for condonation of delay. Civil Application is rejected. 4 (A.S.OKA, J.)