Haryana tells depts to comply with court orders

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has directed its officers that court matters and time-bound directions must be complied with in letter and spirit and within the prescribed period to minimise the scope for litigation and filing of contempt petitions against the state.

The instructions were given after the advocate general, Haryana, brought to the notice of the state authorities that government instructions and time-bound directions given by the high court were not being complied with by departments, boards and corporations within stipulated time, which was generating another round of litigation by way of contempt petitions, an official spokesman said.

“Resultantly, costs were being imposed on the state and counsels for the state were facing embarrassing situations in the court.

As soon as any representation or legal notice is served upon any department asking for relief, it should be decided expeditiously with relevant rules and instructions and by passing a detailed speaking order as mentioned in the Haryana State Litigation Policy 2010,” he said.

The government has instructed that the nodal officers would be personally responsible for ensuring that every legal notice or notice of demand for justice is promptly attended to, and an appropriate reply is given to the persons concerned.

Another decision is that the head of department would be held responsible for non-compliance or non-implementation of court orders, and directions for disposal of representations and notices of the employees and persons within stipulated time.