Orissa High Court seeks status on vacant posts in consumer bodies.

Source – newindianexpress.com

CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday sought a status report from the State Government on the posts of president, members and other supporting staff that are lying vacant in the State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (SCDRC) and Consumer Dispute Redressal Forums (CDRFs) in all the districts.

The Court also directed the Government to specify by January 29, the time by which the vacant posts would be filled up.

The Court was hearing a contempt case in which the Government had failed to comply with orders issued 20 years ago. While disposing of the Orissa Consumer Association (OCA)’s petition on March 22, 1999, the Court had issued a set of directions to Government to provide proper infrastructure and funds for the success of the SCDRC and CDRFs.

The Court had initiated contempt proceedings after OCA alleged non-compliance of the order in 2002. 
“The division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanju Panda and Justice SK Sahoo posted the matter to January 29 for hearing along with the status report on vacant posts,” OCA counsel Dillip Mohapatra said.

Without giving details on vacant posts, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Secretary Vir Vikram Yadav had earlier filed affidavits claiming that the proposal related to filling up the posts in SCDRC and CDRFs was pending with the Finance Department for concurrence.

In rejoinders to the affidavits, OCA assistant secretary Arun Kumar Sahu had accused Yadav of ‘making false statements and trying to mislead’ the Court over the compliance of the order issued 20 years ago. In the affidavits, Yadav had sought an unconditional apology and urged the Court to drop the contempt proceedings claiming there was no willful or deliberate violation or disobedience of the High Court. 

“Steps have been taken by the State authorities in a phase-wise manner subject to availability of funds in view of the substantial revenue to be incurred from the State exchequer for implementation of the Court order,” Yadav had claimed in the affidavits.