UNION TERRITORY OF J&K Vs. RAJA RAM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The respondent-writ petitioner had filed the writ petition being WP(C) No.1290/2022 thereby seeking the following reliefs:

(2.) On 14/6/2022, the very first day when the matter was listed before the Court, the learned Writ Court without issuing any notice to the applicants-respondents therein passed the following order. "Heard. The case set up by the petitioner precisely is that pursuant to allotment of works to him by the respondents-Department, he executed the same and has submitted his bills. Grievance of the petitioner is that in spite of the timely completion of the works by him, his admitted liabilities have not been cleared by the respondents. Reference is made to Communication No. JID/II/963-964 dtd. 9/5/2022 (Annexure-1) of the Superintending Engineer, Hydraulic Circle, Jammu-respondent No. 3 herein. Having regard to the grievance of the petitioner and the relief sought, this petition is admitted to hearing and disposed of by issuing direction to the respondent s that admitted liabilities towards the petitioner shall be cleared without any undue delay, preferably within a period of eight weeks from the date, the petitioner produces a copy of this order in the office of Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control, Jammu-respondent no. 2 herein."

(3.) This application has been filed seeking condonation of delay of 835 days in filing the appeal against the order dtd. 14/6/2022 (supra) on the ground that the impugned order involved complex issues relating to public money and required detailed examination by various departments including Finance Department, Technical Wing, Audit Sec. and Legal Cell. Besides, investigation was also required in respect of financial irregularities. Precisely, it is the contention of the applicants-respondents that as the matter pertained to huge public money, therefore, the matter was scrutinized at various levels.