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6 months on, Punjab govt yet to act on report against Mansa consumer panel chief
Six months after an internal inquiry by the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission found president of Mansa district consumer commission RL Mittal “unbecoming of a judicial officer” on account of various conducts, the Punjab government is yet to take action on the report
BATHINDA : Six months after an internal inquiry by the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission found president of Mansa district consumer commission (DCC) RL Mittal “unbecoming of a judicial officer” on account of various conducts, the Punjab government is yet to take action on the report.
The inquiry was conducted by the state commission’s judicial member HPS Mahal and a report was submitted to the president of the state commission Justice Daya Chaudhary (retd) on March 16.
The report was subsequently forwarded by the state panel to the Punjab food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department for further action.
The probe was initiated on the basis of multiple complaints filed by members of the Mansa district bar association and other individuals against Mittal.
Mahal, a retired sessions judge, declined to comment on his report.
According to the 13-page report, which has been accessed by HT, inquiry officer Mahal concluded with Mittal’s “incapacity to hold judicial courts” and he attached a bunch of statements and other documents with it.
Mittal was recently given an additional charge of the Bathinda DCC.
On being contacted, Mittal said he has nothing to say on the findings against him by Mahal.
The internal report stated that Mittal “lacks the capacity to dictate judgements on his own”.
To buttress the charge, Mahal relied upon the statement of Mittal’s stenographer Krishan Singh that “no dictation was ever given to him by Mittal and his steno copy is totally blank”.
Mahal also took statements from Mansa DCC employees on record to conclude Mittal’s alleged misbehaviour with his subordinate staff. The inquiry officer accessed CCTV footage to conclude Mittal’s “objectionable behaviour with member colleagues”. Mahal stated that the CCTV cameras were installed in Mittal’s court room and Mansa DCC premises without permission from the state commission.
The report mentioned that Mittal used to take files to Chandigarh and never dictated judgments in the DCC complex in Mansa.
In his report, Mahal said he asked Mittal to dictate a zimni (interim) order but the latter failed to do so properly.
The internal report says the president lacks coordination with the Mansa bar association and the lawyers expressed strong resentment toward the working of Mittal.
Secretary, food, civil supplies and consumer affairs Gurkirat Kirpal Singh denied any delay in the case and said due procedure is being followed.
“Mittal was called for a personal hearing into the allegations. Chief minister is the appointing authority of the DCC presidents and a final call in the matter will be taken by him,” he said.
