SDO in absentia, revenue and land dispute cases delay

DUMKA: With the post of the sub-divisional officer (SDO, civil) lying vacant for the last 10 days, hearings of land dispute cases and other revenue matters are getting postponed other than the day to day administrative affairs.
As revenue cases, particularly land dispute matters are initiated in the SDO court, a large number of litigants, including those from faraway places are returning empty handed as their cases have failed to see any progress.
"My case pertaining to land dispute was scheduled to be heard today (Wednesday) but I was allotted another date although I had to incur expenses in filing my attendance fee and other affairs, including transportation cost," said a litigant who arrived from Ramgarh block.
Lawyers too have started expressing their reservations against the delay in the posting of the SDO (civil). "The state government's abnormal delay in the posting of the SDO (Civil) is surprising as it is not only causing inconvenience to the litigants but also proving detrimental to the administrative affairs," Ramchandra Manjhi, a bar practitioner of Dumka civil court said.
The SDO (Civil) also happens to be the ex-officio secretary of the Hizla mela committee which is scheduled to start from February 10.
"Since only ten days are left for the Hizla mela which is celebrated as a state fair, the prolonged delay in the posting of the SDO (civil) is likely to have an adverse effect on its administrative preparations," Kamla Kant Sinha, former MLA pointed out.
The previous SDO (Civil) Jishan Qumar was transferred from here on January 21 after being promoted to the rank of DDC by the state government.