Supreme Court Slams High Courts for Granting Interim Relief Without Considering Alternate Remedies

The Supreme Court of India criticised several High Courts for regularly granting interim relief in writ petitions while declining to explore alternate legal remedies.

The Court observed that this approach undermines statutory grievance mechanisms and disrupts the balance of judicial review.

It emphasised that where alternative remedies exist, High Courts should enforce their use rather than routinely acceding to interim measures.

The apex court said interim relief should not be a substitute for substantive adjudication and urged lower courts to insist on exhaustion of available legal remedies before granting temporary orders.

[Mangal Rajendra Kamthe v. Tahsildar, Purandhar & Ors.]