Headless Debt Recovery Tribunal: HC seeks reply

AURANGABAD: The

Aurangabad

bench of the Bombay High Court took the central government to task for not filling in the post of

Debt Recovery Tribunal

(

DRT

) presiding officer as well as other positions for years together.

The court has also asked the ministry of finance to explain as to what steps have been taken for filling of vacancies within two weeks from today (June 26).

While placing the next date of hearing on July 10, the bench also passed strictures against the Union government for not providing adequate facilities to the Pune-based tribunal presiding officer, handling the additional charge of Aurangabad.

The bench also asked whether the Under Secretary of the Union government expects presiding officer to travel by bus. Gajendra Ashoksingh Rajput, a practicing lawyer and a member of the DRT Bar Association, Aurangabad approached the high court through lawyer Shrikant Adwant seeking directions to the government for appointment of presiding officer and also to appoint necessary staff for smooth functioning of the tribunal.

The government of India, through ministry of finance, department of financial services, and the ministry's department of expenditure, have been made respondent in the PIL. The matter came up before the bench comprising justices R M Borde and A M Dhavale on June 26 who took serious note of the lapse on the part of the Centre.

Adwant pointed out to the court that post of presiding officer is vacant since May 8, 2016, the post of registrar is vacant since April 1, 2010, the assistant registrar is (working on) deputation, the post of recovery officer is vacant since 2016, the post of section officer is vacant since November 1, 2016 and the post of accountant is vacant from May 5, 2014 while the court master is also on deputation.

The bench observed: "Negligence on the part of the respondents has affected the judicial function of the tribunal. The respondents are regally bound to make arrangement for filling up the vacant posts, so also is the responsibility of the union government to provide all necessary amenities to the presiding officer as well as provide reasonably good infrastructure for smooth functioning of the tribunal."


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