HC imposes costs on two ministers, officials

Mumbai, Sep 5 (UNI) Taking a tough stand against the casual approach of government officials towards filing reply affidavits, the Bombay High Court today imposed costs of five thousand each on two ministers in the Maharashtra cabinet, Co-operation and Rehabilitation Minister Patangrao Kadam and Irrigation minister Ajit Pawar as well as four high level officials.

A division bench comprising Justice J N Patel and Justice Amjad Sayyad directed the ministers as well as Rehabilitation secretary and collector of Ratnagiri District to pay cost of rupees five thousand each for failing to file reply affidavits persuant to a public interest litigation, seeking rehabilitation of 400 affected families due to Poysar dam in Ratnagiri district.

The court was apparently angered as the respondents had failed to file reply affidavits over a period of one year despite repeated court directives. The ministers as well as the officials will have to pay the amount of cost out of their own pockets.

Before, the ministers it was turn of some of the MIDC officials.

The court also directed Chief Executive Officer, his deputy, the joint CEO and regional officer for Mahape area in Thane district too, to pay to the petitioners cost of five thousand each in some other matter, of course for the same reason--failing to file reply affidavits within time.

UNI