Govt body withdraws petition against another post HC rap

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 17

Less than two months after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the Chief Secretary to intervene after holding that state’s one hand was at war with the other, the government has taken the easy way out. It has withdrawn the petition filed in 2014.

The developments took place on the petition filed by the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation against the state government and other respondents. As the matter came up for resumed hearing, counsel for the petitioner-corporation prayed for withdrawal of the petition. “In view of the same, the writ petition is dismissed as withdrawn…,” Justice Arun Monga asserted.

Describing the matter as a classic case where the left hand was fighting with the right, Justice Monga, on the previous date of hearing, had observed that the petition was filed by one government undertaking against another and also the state government.

Justice Monga had asserted that the succinct issue involved in the matter was quashing of Rs 2,14,217 penalty imposed by Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board on Punjab State Warehousing Corporation due to late deposit of market fee/rural development fund. Justice Monga had also asserted that the court found the frivolousness involving complete lack of coordination between one government department and another rather intriguing.

Justice Monga had also asked the Chief Secretary to apprise the court why needless proceedings were being initiated betweenthe two state public sector undertakings, instead of creating an administrative mechanism for resolution of dispute akin to theone introduced by the Union government.