The Delhi High Court verdict in the National Herald Case has provided a big relief to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi. The court set aside trial court's order summoning documents from the ministries of finance and corporate Affairs and other agencies and balance sheet of the party for 2010-2011.

Justice PS Teji set aside the trial court's January 11 and March 11orders saying they were "passed in a casual manner", "without application of mind" and were "non-speaking" which makes the two decisions "ineffective, redundant and not sustainable in the eye of law and liable to be set aside".

"The facts and circumstances mentioned above, non- issuance of notice to opposite side and impugned orders being non-speaking and without due application of mind as per the law laid down by the apex court, culminates into the impugned orders as ineffective, redundant and not sustainable in eye of law and liable to be set aside,"the court said.

It further said, "In view of the above discussion and law laid down, as referred above, this court is of the considered opinion that while the passing order under section 91 of CrPC for summoning the documents, if the other party has already joined the proceedings, it is entitled to be heard.

"Consequently, the orders dated January 11, 2016, and March 11, 2016, are hereby set aside along with proceedings consequent thereto."

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Nandini