NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on November 12 brought an end to a long-running probate battle over the will of the late Raja Pratap Bhan Prakash Singh after nearly four decades, calling the prolonged dispute a symptom of the delays that corrode public faith in the justice system.
Delivering the order in Smt V Prabha v The State and Ors, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav drew attention to how the case’s pendency had worsened through time: many original parties died and counsel changed repeatedly, complicating record-keeping and hearings.
“The delay, upon perusal of the case record, can be attributed to various factors, including the conduct of the parties. Such delay not only clogs the justice delivery system, but also drags the parties into protracted litigation. It also gives scope for administrative lapses, ultimately, to the detriment of litigants themselves. Therefore, it is in the best interests of all stakeholders of the judicial system to make their best endeavour towards speedy disposal of their cases,” the court observed.
The petition was first filed in 1987 by V Prabha under Section 276 of the Indian Succession Act seeking probate of a will executed on November 4, 1985 by Raja Singh, a former taluqdaar and jagirdar with assets in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The plea was later converted into an application for letters of administration after the testator died three days after executing the document. The will purported to gift several self-acquired properties to five beneficiaries, including Prabha and members of her family who had cared for the late Raja following his separation from his own relations. The widow, Savita Kumari, and her sons challenged the testament.