JUDGMENT :

M.S. Ramachandra Rao, C.J.

1. This application is filed under Section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1963 by the applicants to condone the delay of 306 days in filing the Letters Patent Appeal challenging the judgment dt. 04.01.2023 of the learned Single Judge in W.P. (S) No. 6043 of 2019.

2. In the application seeking condonation of delay, it is stated that after coming to know about the said judgment, the file was put up before the applicants in the Department of Election Office (Cabinet), Election Department for taking further steps; the file was then forwarded to the concerned District of the Election Department; and on 24.05.2023, a letter was received from the office of the Home, Jail and Disaster Management Department regarding filing of LPA against the impugned judgment.

3. Opinion of the Advocate was thereafter sought and he gave his opinion for filing a Letters Patent Appeal against the impugned judgment. On 14.06.2023, the Section Officer forwarded the file to the Deputy Election Officer; the latter forwarded it to the District Election Officer with a noting that LPA may be filed through the concerned Law Officer; on 01.08.2023, the Section Officer forwarded the file to