Supreme Court directs Finance Ministry to furnish data on staff strength of DRTs in India
The Supreme Court on Friday came down heavily on the Central government for hampering the primary role of Debts Recovery Tribunals to solve cases, by asking them to collate large amounts of data on various aspects.
Expressing concern over the directive, the Bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih directed the Ministry of Finance to furnish data on the staff strength at DRTs across the country by January 2.
It was further directed to adopt a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the purpose of ensuring that the work of DRTs was not hampered while engaging in such data collection.
Perusing the affidavit filed by the Finance Ministry, the Bench observed that the Ministry was expected to come out with proper SOPs of securing data from DRTs
It said the impression from the Ministry’s affidavit was that they were trying to suggest that each DRT has adequate strength of around 30 members and therefore, there was adequate staff for them to take data.
The Apex Court passed the order on an appeal challenging the adjournment of a securitisation application pending before a DRT due to strike observed by lawyers of the Visakhapatnam Bar Association.
The Bench was apprised that the proceedings before the DRT Visakhapatnam were getting adjourned since all the staff members were occupied with preparing large data statements for the Finance Ministry.
The top court of the country had earlier expressed concerns over the Ministry of Finance treating the DRTs as its subordinate department. It had previously sought an explanation from the Section Officer of Ministry on the same.
When the matter came up for hearing on Friday, the Apex Court expressed its displeasure at the affidavit filed by the Section Officer justifying the stance of the Ministry asking DRT staff to collate data.
Expressing its dissatisfaction with the affidavit filed by the Finance Ministry, the Bench observed that the Ministry required huge data from DRT and gave them least amount of days. All staff members of DRTs remained in busy with the work of collection of data in the second session.
The top court of the country further rebuked the Section Officer for claiming that all DRTs across the country had adequate staff to perform the work.
A Section Officer could not be allowed to hamper the working of DRT, it added.
The Court directed the Ministry to put in place an SOP so that the main work of DRTs was not hampered. It further sought a detailed affidavit from the Ministry highlighting the strength of staff at DRTs across the country and listed the matter for further hearing on January 3.