Punjab and Haryana HC restrains DRT presiding officer Dhonchak from passing adverse orders

The Punjab and Haryana high court has restrained presiding officer (Debt Recovery Tribunal-2) MM Dhonchak from passing adverse orders in cases pending before benches presided over by him till November 30

The Punjab and Haryana high court has restrained presiding officer (Debt Recovery Tribunal-2) MM Dhonchak from passing adverse orders in cases pending before benches presided over by him till November 30.

The high court bench of justices MS Ramachandra Rao and HS Madaan acted on the plea from the DRT Bar Association seeking high court intervention. It was on Wednesday the Bar body had decided to boycott the court of the presiding officer citing “long adjournments”. (HT File)

The high court bench of justices MS Ramachandra Rao and HS Madaan acted on the plea from the DRT Bar Association seeking high court intervention. It was on Wednesday the Bar body had decided to boycott the court of the presiding officer citing “long adjournments”.

In HC, the Bar body alleged “rude behaviour and harassment” of lawyers appearing before the presiding officer. It was also submitted that matters are being adjourned by the presiding officer to 2026 and beyond. In the plea, some such orders were appended.

It was also claimed that nodal officers of banks were appearing in cases before the presiding officer, but he took a stand that they had no authority to appear in the cases of category of original applications (OAs) and several OAs, and they are not authorised officers of the respective banks who have instituted the OAs.

The court observed that though it did not appreciate lawyers having gone on strike, but some steps need to be taken to ensure that there is no injustice to the parties concerned or “wholesale” dismissal of cases. The court, while restraining the presiding officer from passing any adverse orders, has sought responses from DRT, central government, and Dhonchak by November 30.