New Delhi, April 2 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday criticised the Union government for continuing its pattern of relentless litigation and consequentially, burdening the top court with avoidable appeals.

A bench of justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan imposed a penalty of Rs.25,000 on the Centre for challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court judgment reinstating a CISF constable. Dismissing the special leave petition (SLP), it questioned why the Union had chosen to carry the matter to the apex court despite concurrent findings of the high court.

"We fail to understand why the Union of India and others have approached this court by assailing the order of the division bench of the high court. We dismiss this SLP with cost of Rs.25,000...