p. 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK W.P.(C) No.31865 of 2025 Prasanta Kumar Sahoo …. Petitioner(s) (None) -versus- Bharati Sahoo and another …. Opp. Party(s) CORAM: JUSTICE SIBO SANKAR MISHRA Order No. ORDER 16.04.2026 01. 1. None appears for the petitioner at the time of call. 2. The petitioner has initiated Civil Proceeding No.432 of 2024 before the learned Judge, Family Court, Cuttack against the opposite parties seeking custody of his minor son, i.e. opposite party No.2, which appears to be pending since 21.05.2024. In the present petition, the petitioner is seeking a direction from this Court to the learned Judge, Family Court, Cuttack for expeditious disposal of the said case. 3. The reasoning for urgent hearing has been assigned in paragraph-7 of the petition. Prima facie, this Court is of the view that the writ petition is not maintainable. Besides that since the petition is pending from 2024, no specific direction can be issued at this stage for early disposal of C.P. No.432 of 2024 simply prioritizing this case over the other older pending p. 2 cases. But free, fair and speedy justice is not only a constitutional right but also a statutory right of every citizen. Therefore, the prayer made by the petitioner for early disposal of C.P. No.432 of 2024 deserves merit to be attended. It is also the bounden duty of the Court to dispose of the matter in a time bound manner so as to avoid undue prolongation. It is also true that the boards of the Court are full, alive to the said fact, this Court expects that the learned Judge, Family Court, Cuttack shall do well to see that the C.P. No.432 of 2024 is disposed of as expeditiously as possible without entertaining unnecessary request of adjournments by either parties. It is also expected that the petitioner and all other contesting parties shall extend all cooperation to the learned Judge, Family Court, Cuttack for early disposal of the case. 4. With this observation, the writ petition is disposed of. (S.S. Mishra) Judge Swarna