New Delhi, Feb. 5 -- The Supreme Court has summoned the law secretary of Madhya Pradesh, expressing concern over the persistent delays and questionable merit of appeals filed by the state government before the top court.

A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, while hearing a special leave petition (SLP) filed by the state, noted that it was not merely the delay in filing appeals but the decision-making process behind these petitions that was troubling the court.

"We admire the courage with which the State of Madhya Pradesh has been filing special leave petitions in this Court over a period of time with delay of 300/400 days," the bench underscored in its January 31 order, taking a critical view of the state's litigation pract...