Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: In a PIL filed by one Ganesh Sharma seeking construction of District Court Complex in Samba, Division Bench of High Court comprising Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur today directed the Finance Secretary to appear in person on next date of hearing for his failure to ensure compliance of earlier directions.
When the PIL came up for hearing, the DB observed, “on the last date of hearing, we had passed a detailed order sketching the tossing of the file from one department to another. We had also expressed dismay on the attitude adopted with regard to construction of court complexes in the State and had asked the State Government to furnish the details whether the yardsticks adopted for construction of administrative complexes is also applied to the judicial complexes”.
“In respect of judicial complex at Samba, we had issued directions to expedite the release of funds and needful was required to be done before today’s hearing. We had also made it clear that if the needful was not done then Secretaries, Planning and Development Department and Finance Department shall remain present in the court to explain their conduct”, the DB said.
Division Bench further observed, “Senior AAG has stated that necessary sanction for release of funds in respect of judicial court complex, Samba has been accorded by the Planning and Development Department and the file is now with the Finance Department”, adding “no status report has been filed either by the Planning and Development Department or Finance Department and the matter is hanging and waiting”.
After hearing Senior Advocate Sunil Sethi appearing for the PIL whereas Senior AAG, the DB directed Mr Basotra to seek instructions from the Finance Department as well as from the Secretariat of the Chief Minister with regard to time utilized for sanctioning of funds for judicial court complex, Samba. The Secretary Finance Department shall remain present and explain as to why he was not present for today’s hearing as was directed in order dated December 26, 2013, the DB directed.
“The status report shall also disclose the development with regard to constitution of a committee to prepare and finalize the prototype design concerning the construction of court complexes in the State because in the last order we had noticed that the committee was yet to take a decision and the decision was to be prospective”, the DB said and directed the Registry to list the PIL on February 13, 2013.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel