The Delhi High Court recently expressed strong disapproval towards the Delhi Government, citing a significant delay in completing the construction of chambers designated for members of the Sales Tax Bar Association. In an admonishing tone, the court observed that over the course of the last 12 years, the government had failed to make any substantial progress in this regard.
Justice Subramonium Prasad, presiding over the matter, directed the Chief Secretary of the Delhi Government to furnish a detailed roadmap outlining the timeline for completing the construction work. The court underscored the gravity of the situation, stating that the orders issued by the court could not be allowed to be disregarded without consequences. The lack of tangible advancements over the prolonged period of 12 years was a matter of serious concern for the court.
The legal proceedings stemmed from a plea filed by the Sales Tax Bar Association, highlighting the non-completion of the construction work as originally mandated by the court in 2011. At that time, the court had laid out a comprehensive roadmap for the construction of a building intended to house lawyers' chambers and the offices of the association's members. The directives included awarding the construction work to a designated Construction Agency following necessary approvals. Furthermore, the court had specified that the construction should be completed within the stipulated timeframe and sanctioned cost, adhering to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) Manual.
However, as of January 4, Justice Prasad expressed frustration with the lack of progress. The court had previously voiced its concerns on multiple occasions about the "complete inaction" exhibited by the Delhi Government in implementing the judicial orders related to the issue. The court emphasized that its earlier expressions of discontent had not spurred the desired response from the government.
Notably, in May of the previous year, the court had directed the relevant authorities to conduct a meeting aimed at ensuring the implementation of its 2011 order. During this directive, the court explicitly conveyed that no further delays would be tolerated. Subsequently, in September of the same year, the court had requested the Chief Secretary of the Delhi Government to provide a detailed roadmap outlining the steps for implementing the earlier order.
Despite these directives and requests, a status report submitted by the authorities on January 2 indicated a lack of compliance with the court's orders. The report stated that the construction of chambers would require a "fair amount of time" and suggested planning for accommodation in the interim while construction was ongoing. However, the court expressed dissatisfaction with the status report, noting that it failed to indicate whether the directions from the court's order dated May 29, 2023, had been adhered to. The court underscored that the status report actually suggested non-compliance with the said order.
In summary, the court's rebuke of the Delhi Government centered on the prolonged delay in executing the construction of chambers for the Sales Tax Bar Association. The court's directives from 2011 onwards had not been adequately implemented, leading to expressed frustration and dissatisfaction. The ongoing lack of compliance despite repeated warnings and requests for a roadmap further fueled the court's criticism of the government's inaction in this matter.
TAGS: Delhi High Court Sales Tax Bar Association Construction delay Judicial orders Justice Subramonium Prasad
