: The Delhi High Court has imposed a cost of ₹1 lakh on the Delhi government for repeatedly failing to comply with its earlier directions in a long-pending industrial plot allotment case. The court has also ordered that the amount be recovered from the salaries of the officials responsible for the delay.
Justice Amit Mahajan directed the government to deposit the amount with the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee within six weeks. The court observed that the conduct and inaction of the authorities had forced the petitioner to approach the judiciary repeatedly over several years.
Dispute Over Alternative Industrial Plot The case concerns Central Footwear Company, which has been seeking an alternative industrial plot under the Relocation Scheme, 1996, in exchange for its industrial unit located at Swarn Park in Mundka.
The company first approached the High Court in 2007 after its claim was rejected. On March 5, 2009, the court quashed the rejection order and directed the authorities to process the application within two months. However, the directions remained unimplemented, leading to further legal proceedings in 2015 and again in 2024.
The court noted that its 2009 order had never been challenged and had attained finality. Despite subsequent directions to examine the company's documents and reconsider its claim, the authorities rejected the application again in August 2024.
Court Criticises Officials' Inaction The High Court observed that the authorities had failed to produce original records or contemporaneous evidence to support their later claim that incorrect information had been placed before the court. It said the prolonged inaction reflected disregard for judicial directions and resulted in an avoidable waste of valuable court time. The matter has been listed for further hearing on February 9, 2027.
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