A DIVISION bench of the High Court has expressed its displeasure over the shabby treatment meted out by the State Government in allotting official accommodation to sitting judges of the High Court.
The bench, comprising Justice Devi Prasad Singh and Justice Jagmohan Paliwal, passed the orders on a petition filed by city lawyer RP Mishra. It directed the administration to ensure that residential accommodation, or bungalows of retired judges, should be allotted only to sitting judges of the HC. The bench further ordered that retired judges should vacate the premises occupied by them within the time provided by the rules.
The petitioner had submitted before the court that Justice Alok Kumar Singh and Justice Allah Raham of the HC had not been provided with official residences in consonance with their status as HC judges till date. He further submitted that the bungalows occupied by three judges, Justice NK Mehrotra, Justice GK Gupta and Justice MA Khan, who retired recently, had not been spared for the sitting judges.
The bench, before passing the orders, observed, “It is the duty of the State to ensure that after occupying the office of this court, the judges should be provided with accommodation (that is) up to the mark, keeping in view not only their status, but also to lead a secluded life. The judges of this court neither raise grievances in public, nor they are expected to meet the authorities in person.”
{{/usCountry}}The bench, before passing the orders, observed, “It is the duty of the State to ensure that after occupying the office of this court, the judges should be provided with accommodation (that is) up to the mark, keeping in view not only their status, but also to lead a secluded life. The judges of this court neither raise grievances in public, nor they are expected to meet the authorities in person.”
{{/usCountry}}The bench directed the state administration to comply with the orders within one month. The case will then be heard on August 2.