IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT
CHANDIGARH
Civil Writ Petition No.12461 of 2009
Date of Decision: 18.08.2009
Vijay Kumar Goyal
Petitioner
Versus
The State of Punjab and others
Respondents
CORAM:- HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JASBIR SINGH
Present: Mr.Rajesh Kumar Girdhar, Advocate for the petitioner
.....
Jasbir Singh, J.(Oral)
Notice of motion.
On asking of the Court, Mr.A.K.Sharma, Additional Advocate
General, Punjab accepts notice.
Heard.
By filing this writ petition, the petitioner has prayed that
directions be issued to the respondents, to release admitted payment, due to
him towards execution of works, detail of which has been given in
paragraph No.2 of this writ petition.
It is case of the petitioner that he has successfully executed the
work, as mentioned above. Entries were made in the measurement book and
amount due to him was approved by the authorities, however, the payment
has not been released on account of paucity of funds. Thereafter, the
Civil Writ Petition No.12461 of 2009 2
petitioner has served legal notice dated 13.7.2009 (P2) for releasing the
payment, which is still pending undecided.
This Court feels that if there is no defect in the work executed
by the petitioner, the authorities are not justified to detain amount due to
him. Paucity of funds is no ground to deny the admitted payment.
In view of facts mentioned above, this writ petition is disposed
of by issuing directions to respondent No.3 to decide legal notice served by
the petitioner and if there is no legal hitch, release admitted payment to him,
within three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, failing
which, the petitioner shall be entitled to get interest @ 8% per annum from
the date the amount had become due to him till its realisation. To the
contrary, if the officer concerned wishes to reject claim of the petitioner, on
valid grounds, a speaking order be passed and a copy thereof be supplied to
the petitioner.
Copy of the order be supplied to the State counsel under
signatures of the Court Reader for compliance.
18.08.2009 (Jasbir Singh) gk Judge