1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION ESTATE DUTY REFERENCE (L) NO.285 OF 1977 Shri Baliram B. Choudhari ..Applicant. V/s. The Controller of Estate Duty ..Respondent. AND ESTATE DUTY REFERENCE (L) NO.672 OF 1981 Tulsabai Sadashiv Tirmare ..Applicant. V/s. The Controller of Estate Duty ..Respondent. None for applicant. None for respondent. CORAM : V.C.DAGA AND J.P.DEVADHAR, JJ. DATED : 7TH DECEMBER, 2009. P.C. :- 1. None present for the parties. Perused the reference. 2. These matters were called out since the matters were pending in this Court right from the year 1977 and 1981. Almost more than 20 years have passed in the matters. No step have been taken by the assessees at whose instance the statement of case in the case has been forwarded by the Tribunal. 2 3. This Court had issued notice to the parties to the reference. They were called upon to take steps by approaching the office of the Prothonotary and Senior Master of this Court and to take steps as required under section 683 of the Bombay High Court (Original Side) Rules, 1980 (“Rules for short) so as to place the references on board for final disposal since the provision of rule 683 required the person at whose instance reference has been made to take necessary steps to supply paper book. In the event of non compliance of rule 685, the matter was required to be placed on Board for orders. Order was required to be passed in exercise of powers under rule 686 of the Rules. That is how this matters are placed on board for orders. 4. Since no step has been taken by the assessees in the matter as required under rules 683 and 684 of the Rules, we have no option but to return these reference unanswered in exercise of powers under rule 685 of the Rules. 5. In the result, the references are returned unanswered and disposed of accordingly. No order as to costs. (J.P.DEVADHAR, J.) (V.C.DAGA, J.)