Satya Narain Sinha vs State Of Jharkhand & Ors on 17 February, 2011

          IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI
                                      W.P.C. No. 5496 of 2010
        Satya Narain Sinha...............                                        Petitioner
                                              Versus
        State of Jharkhand & Ors.............                                Respondents.
                                                      ......
        Coram: Hon'ble Mr. Justice R.K.Merathia
                                                     ......
        For the Petitioner                     : Mrs. Sweta Singh, Advocate
        For the Respondent                     : Mr. Saurav Arun, JC to AG
                                                     ......

3/17.02.2011

Mr. Saurav Arun, learned counsel appearing for 

the State submitted that in spite of the communication, he has not received 

any instructions for filing counter affidavit.

Mrs. Sweta Singh, learned counsel appearing 

for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner worked as Additional Public 

Prosecutor (APP) between April 1997 to March 2001. The bills of professional 

fees   against   the   said   work   amounting   to   Rs.   70,000/­   and   odd   was 

submitted in the year 2001 itself but the petitioner  has not received any 

communication   on   that   in   spite   of   repeated   representations   made   to   the 

concerned Secretary through the office of the Advocate General. She further 

submitted   that   the   petitioner   is   now   ailing   and   needs   money   for   his 

treatment.   She   also   relied   on   the   order   reported   in   “2005   (3)   JCR   148 

(Jhr.)­   Arvind   Kumar   Mehta­versus­State   of   Jharkhand   &   Ors.,   and 

submitted that a general direction was issued for evolving a system under 

which   action   is   taken   on   the   bills   within   three   months   at   the   most,   for 
paying   the   undisputed   bills   and   communicating   the   disputed   amount,   if 

any.

In the absence of counter affidavit, it has to 

be   accepted   that   the   petitioner   submitted   the   bills.   If   there   was   any 

disputed   regarding   them,   the   same   should   have   been   informed   to   the 

petitioner alongwith undisputed payment.

In the circumstances, the petitioner is permitted 

to furnish the bills a fresh through the Office of the Advocate General to 

respondent no. 2­ Secretary, Department of Law & Justice, Government of 

Jharkhand, Ranchi, within two weeks from today. The respondent no. 2 will 

look into the matter and do the needful. If the bills are not disputed, the 

same should be paid. If any part of the bills are disputed, reasons thereof, 

should   be   communicated   to   the   petitioner.   This   exercise   should   be 

completed within four weeks from the date of receipt of the bills.

It is made clear that this Court has not gone into 

the merits of the claim of the petitioner. 

With these observations and directions, this writ 

petition stands disposed of. 

            (R.K.Merathia, J)

Mukund/­