The recent ransacking of the Cuttack Muncipal Corporation (CMC) council hall and offices by irate corporators has drawn judicial scrutiny with the Orissa High Court on Thursday issuing notice to Housing and Urban Development Department, Commissioner CMC and all Corporators including Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
The directions of division bench of Chief Justice V Gopalagowda and Justice BK Mishra came in response to a PIL filed by an advocate Dayanidhi Lenka seeking an investigation into the incident and realising the damage from the perpetrators.
Lenka drew notice of the court to the violence during the special council meeting of CMC on September 21. As the meeting started some corporators, expressing anger over non-initiation of developmental works before the Puja, had resorted to violence, damaging property in the process.
While seeking an investigation, the petitioner appealed to award exemplary compensation on the principles of absolute liability which would be borne by the actual perpetrator of the damage.