Bombay High Court Defers Defamation Case to 2046, Calls It an “Ego Fight” Between Senior Citizens

In Tarinibahen Desai and Anr v. Kilkilraj Bhansali and Ors, the Bombay High Court has taken an unusual step by adjourning a defamation suit to the year 2046. The Court remarked that the dispute reflects an “ego fight” between the parties.

The order was passed by Justice Jitendra Jain on April 28, 2026. The case has been pending for a long time, and the Court noted that it could have been resolved earlier with a simple unconditional apology from the defendant.

However, the situation remained unresolved because the plaintiff, who is nearly 90 years old, chose to continue with the litigation. Despite the Court’s earlier suggestion for settlement, the plaintiff insisted on pursuing the defamation claim rather than accepting a resolution.

The Court strongly criticised the continuation of such disputes, especially at an advanced stage in the parties’ lives. It observed, “This is one of the matters where the ego fight between the parties at their fag end of their life clogs the system, which prevents the Court from taking up the matters which really requires more priority.”

Justice Jain expressed clear disapproval of the parties’ approach and stated that nothing further needed to be added. The Court emphasised that such prolonged personal disputes unnecessarily burden the judicial system and delay more urgent matters.

Taking a firm stand, the Court directed that the case should not be listed for hearing for the next 20 years. As a result, the matter has been adjourned until 2046, marking an extraordinary judicial response to what the Court viewed as avoidable litigation.

Importantly, the Court clarified that the matter would not be prioritised in the future, even though the parties are senior or super senior citizens. This indicates a strong message that age alone will not justify prioritising cases that lack urgency or broader significance.