Interim orders under the Code of Civil Procedure continue until revoked, emphasizing the necessity for timely extensions to maintain protective measures against potential harm.

ORDER :

1. Heard learned senior counsel - Sri Sreevatsa on behalf of learned counsel - Sri Mahesh R.D. for petitioner.

2. The reliefs that were sought in the present petition are as under:

(i) Direct the Learned XI Addl. City Civil & Sessions Judge, Bengaluru, to forthwith consider and dispose of I.A. No.6 filed under Section 151 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, seeking continuation of the Interim Order dated 24.11.2023 in OS 7598/23 vide Annexure-A,, within a time frame to be fixed by this Hon'ble Court.

(ii) Issue such other writ, order or direction as deem fit in the circumstances of the case in the interest of justice and equity.

3. This Court does not find any need to issue notice to the respondents as the only relief that is sought in the present writ petition is to direct the trial Court to dispose of I.A. No.6 in a time bound manner.

4. Parties are referred to as per their ranking before the trial Court.

5. It is the case of petitioner that he filed a suit for permanent prohibitory injunction in O.S. No.7598/2023 against the respondents. Alongwith the suit, an application came to be filed under Order XXXIX Rules 1 & 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure for an ad interim exparte order of Temporary Injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, servants or anybody claiming through them from telecasting/broadcasting/publishing/ disseminating/distributing anything in negative form referring to the plaintiff, which is defamatory in nature.

6. The trial Court being satisfied with the submissions made by learned counsel for petitioner/plaintiff, granted an exparte ad-interim order of Temporary Injunction against defendant Nos.1 to 58. The said order reads as under:

"The defendants No.1 to 58 are hereby restrained from telecasting or broadcasting or publishing any defamatory articles/statements, damaging the reputation of the plaintiff, till next date of hearing.

However, this order would not come in the way of the defendants in publishing any true and authenticated news, without making any defamatory remarks against the plaintiff.

Issue order of temporary injunction, emergent notice on I.A.No.1 and suit summons to the defendants No.1 to 58, after compliance of Order XXXIX Rule 3(a) of CPC, returnable by 17.01.2024."

7. It is the contention of learned senior counsel appearing for petitioner that from the date of granting the interim order on 24.11.2023, the trial Court extended the said interim order from time to time till 27.1.2025, on the basis of the application for extension of the interim order filed by the plaintiff on every date of hearing. It is contended that on 27.1.2025 due to inadvertence, an application for extension of interim order dated 24.11.2023 was not filed and as such, the interim order dated 24.11.2023 was not extended since 27.1.2025 till date. Pursuant to which, the respondents have again started to telecast, broadcast and publish defamatory statements against the petitioner in the social media, copies of which are produced before the Court.

8. It is contended that on 22.9.2025, the petitioner filed I.A. No.6 under section 151 of CPC seeking to continue the interim order dated 24.11.2023. The trial Court posted the said case for objections to I.A. No.6. Aggrieved by not extending the interim order till disposal of I.A. No.6, the petitioner/plaintiff is before this Court.

9. It is the contention of learned senior counsel for petitioner that due to inadvertence, an application for extension of the interim order dated 24.11.2023 was not filed on 27.1.2025, due to which the interim order was not extended. He contends that the trial Court neither discontinued the interim order nor vacated the interim order. Under such