The court has the inherent power to extend deadlines concerning financial penalties to prevent undue hardship.

O R D E R

Dated this the 26^th day of February, 2026 The petitioner is the appellant in Crl.Appeal No.376/2025 on the file of the Court of Session, Thalassery, (‘Appellate Court’, in short), which has been filed against the conviction and the sentence imposed on him in S.T.C.No.2576/2017 on the file of the Court of the Judicial First Class Magistrate, Mattannur, (‘Trial Court’, in short).

2. The petitioner has stated in the criminal Miscellaneous Case that along with the appeal, he filed an application to suspend the execution of the substantive sentence and fine imposed on him. By the impugned Annexure A1 order, the Appellate Court has directed the petitioner to deposit 20% of the fine amount within two months. Due to the petitioner’s financial hardships, he is not in a position to deposit the above amount within the prescribed time period. Therefore, the petitioner prays the time period fixed in Annexure A1 order may be extended by a further period of one month. Hence, the Crl.M.C.

3. I have heard the learned Counsel for the petitioner and the learned Public Prosecutor.

4. On a consideration of the peculiar facts and the reasons stated in the Crl.M.C., I am satisfied that a lenient view can be taken in the matter. Hence, I am inclined to exercise the inherent powers of this Court under Section 528 of of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita , 2023.

In the aforesaid circumstance, I allow the Crl.M.C., by extending the time period fixed in Annexure A1 order, directing the petitioner to deposit 20% of the fine amount, by a further period of one month from today. It is made clear that no further enlargement will be granted.

Sd/