The Gauhati High Court disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed seeking direction to the state government to consider and dispose of the representation submitted by the petitioners ordering appropriate enquiry and taking action regarding misappropriation of public funds allocated to Asimganj Gaon Panchayat in Karimganj District.
The petitioners have alleged that before approaching the High Court, they submitted a detailed representation to the Principal Secretary to the Government of Assam, Panchayat & Rural Development Department on 20.03.2023 but till date, no response has been forthcoming to the said representation.
In view of the submissions advanced at bar and considering the nature of allegations set out in the petition, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Devashis Baruah directed that the petitioners may submit a copy of the petition and the annexures appended thereto along with a certified copy of this order to the Principal Secretary to the Government of Assam, Panchayat & Rural Development Department within next three weeks. Thereupon, the Principal Secretary will treat the petition of the petitioners to be a representation and shall objectively examine and dispose of the same by a reasoned order within a period of four months from the date of submission thereof.
The petitioners may also, if so desired, submit a representation to the Special Vigilance Cell constituted under the Office of the Chief Minister, Assam. Such representation shall objectively be considered and disposed of by a speaking order , the Court further directed.
“Needless to say that in case, the allegations made by the petitioners are found substantiated, appropriate action shall be taken. If the petitioners are dissatisfied with the outcome of the consideration so made, they shall be at liberty to approach the appropriate forum for ventilating their grievances”, the order read.