Odisha HC warns govt of Rs 1 lakh for failure in filing response to plea for over seven years
CUTTACK: Expressing serious displeasure over the state government for not complying with its order to file its response to a petition even after seven years, the Orissa High Court has warned of imposing Rs 1 lakh penalty on it.
Issuing the ultimatum on Wednesday, Justice Sk Panigrahi granted one week time to the state counsel to file the counter affidavit, failing which cost of Rs 1 lakh will be imposed on the state. The matter has been fixed for order on January 17.
On August 28, 2017, one Bibhudendu Patnaik filed the petition regarding a dispute over selection of office-bearers of Binod Bhawan Club in Dhenkanal, the ex-officio president of which is the collector. The petition sought intervention alleging illegal selection of office-bearers on March 27, 2016 without following due procedure of by-law. Advocate Lalitendu Mishra appeared on behalf of the petitioner.
Justice SK Panigrahi concluded hearing and reserved judgment on the petition on December 12 last year. According to the case records, the petition was first taken for hearing on admission on October 9, 2017 and the high court on that day directed the state counsel to take instructions from the collector Dhenkanal regarding the present status of the management of the club. But the state counsel has neither complied with the order nor filed any counter affidavit in the case in all these years.
Binod Bhawan Club in Dhenkanal was established in 1961 for the promotion of science, literature and maintenance of the library and reading roms for the general public.