Delay in filing statutory appeals should not defeat merits review where assessed dues are deposited and appeals are filed on time.

Delay in approaching the appellate forum was not treated as a bar where the petitioner sought to pursue statutory appeals on merits and complied with the directions to deposit the assessed amount and file the appeals within the stipulated period. The Court emphasised that the State could recover only what was actually due, and that the dispute deserved examination rather than rejection on delay alone. The appellate authority was therefore directed to consider the appeals on merits and not dismiss them merely for delay.

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Issues: Whether the writ petitions should be entertained notwithstanding the delay in approaching the appellate authority and whether the petitioner should be permitted to pursue the statutory appeals on merits.

Analysis: The petitions had remained pending for a long period, and the State had been unable to recover the assessed amount because of interim orders. Even so, the Court held that the State could recover only what was actually due and that the dispute merited examination. It declined to reject relief merely on the ground of delay in approaching the appellate forum, particularly where the petitioner had approached the Court without avoidable lapse of time. The Court therefore directed that, on deposit of the assessed amount within the stipulated time and filing of appeals within the specified period, the appellate authority should consider the matter on merits and should not dismiss the appeals for delay.

Conclusion: The petitioner was permitted to pursue the statutory appeals on merits, and the objection of delay was directed not to defeat their consideration.

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