Pre-deposit waiver for expeditious appellate hearing allowed where justice required merits-based disposal of the appeal.

Where immediate appellate adjudication is warranted, the writ court may direct the Tribunal to hear and decide the appeal on merits without insisting on pre-deposit. The court considered the petitioner's long-standing interim protection and the need for expeditious disposal within a fixed time, and held that these circumstances justified bypassing the pre-deposit requirement so the substantive challenge could be effectively heard.

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Issues: Whether the Tribunal should be directed to dispose of the appeal on merits without insisting on pre-deposit of the disputed amount.

Analysis: The writ court considered that the petitioner had been under an interim stay for a long period and that the appeal before the Tribunal required adjudication on merits within a fixed time. In these circumstances, the court found it appropriate to secure an expeditious disposal of the appeal without requiring pre-deposit, so that the substantive challenge could be heard effectively.

Conclusion: The petitioner succeeded on this issue, and the Tribunal was directed to decide the appeal on merits without insisting on pre-deposit.

Ratio Decidendi: Where the circumstances of the case justify immediate appellate adjudication and the interests of justice so require, the writ court may direct disposal of the appeal on merits without insisting on pre-deposit.

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