Judge dismisses case brought by man against condo MC for not issuing him carpark label

SINGAPORE – A man who took the management corporation (MC) of his condominium to court because he was not issued a carpark label has lost the civil dispute, in a case the judge described as an abuse of the judicial process.

Mr Manohar K.D. Nanwani, who moved into the Fort Gardens condo in September 2022, had insisted on a carpark label, although he provided the MC with a document bearing his old address.

In his court action, he challenged a by-law of the condo that allows only residents with vehicle log cards showing the registered owner’s address within the Fort Road estate to be issued with a carpark label.

He claimed the by-law was invalid because it contravened the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act, and also argued that it was discriminatory.

But District Judge Jonathan Ng rejected his argument. In a written judgment published on Saturday, he also noted that Mr Nanwani subsequently updated his address on his identity card, which would automatically result in the change on his vehicle log card.

This meant he could have simply printed or downloaded a copy of his vehicle log card from the Land Transport Authority’s OneMotoring website to apply for a carpark label.

“Had he done so, this entire dispute would have fallen away. However, instead of taking this eminently sensible course, he conjured up a factual basis to keep this dispute alive,” said the judge.

Judge Ng concluded that Mr Nanwani was never interested in the legal merits of his case.

“His only interest has been in using the judicial process to vex and oppress the respondent.

“Indeed, this originating application, with its highly emotive, but ultimately baseless, claims of unreasonableness and discrimination, has been a quintessential abuse of process from start to finish,” he said.

Mr Nanwani had applied for a carpark label on Sept 30, 2022, but was never issued one.

In late October, he was told by a security guard that he would have to produce an updated vehicle log card bearing his Fort Gardens address.

A series of confrontations between Mr Nanwani and the MC followed.

On Nov 30, a notice was placed on his car, giving a “final warning” that unauthorised parking would result in the vehicle being wheel-clamped.