Latest news with #OrissaHighCourt
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Orissa HC takes stock of waterlogging measures by govt in Cuttack
CUTTACK: In a significant development concerning the persistent waterlogging issues in Cuttack city, the Orissa High Court's division bench comprising Justices SK Sahoo and V Narasingh, in a hearing held on July 25, reviewed the government's ongoing and proposed measures to address the problem. A major concern highlighted was the pending construction of a 1,300 metre-long drain from Matrubhaban to Khannagar and a box pushing culvert under railway tracks at Matrubhaban. Despite WATCO depositing over Rs 15 crore for the latter, the work remains pending due to delays by Railway authorities. The court directed a joint inspection by WATCO, East Coast Railways, TPCODL, and legal representatives at the Matrubhaban site to address relocation of an 11 KV underground cable which is blocking the project. The court has scheduled the next hearing for August 7, while directing submission of the joint inspection report by August 4. Principal secretary of Housing and Urban Development department Usha Padhee appeared in virtual mode and outlined both short-term and long-term strategies being taken by the state. She stated over 400 km of drainage works required in the city, but assured the court of the government's commitment to resolving technical issues and prioritising clogged drains. The court also took note of long-term plans, including a comprehensive drainage master plan being prepared by Visiontek Consultancy, with final submissions by December.
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Orissa High Court nullifies fraudulent land sale, protects SC heirs in Keonjhar case
CUTTACK: In a significant judgment, the Orissa High Court has nullified a series of disputed land transactions involving undivided joint property in Baniapat Khuntapada, Keonjhar district, citing serious irregularities, fraud, and violation of Scheduled Caste rights. Justice SK Panigrahi, in his order on July 18, held the sale deeds and all derivative rights arising from them as invalid, directing a freeze on compensation disbursement to the buyers of the land which was later acquired for a national highway project. He also directed the collector of Keonjhar to launch an inquiry into the lapses and initiate disciplinary action against erring officials, if necessary. The case revolves around 4.40 acre of ancestral not partitioned land jointly owned by three brothers and three sisters belonging to a Scheduled Caste family. The three sisters Srimati Sethi, Saraswati Sethy and Malati Behera approached the court after being excluded from a series of sales of portions of the land executed between 2011 and 2014 by their brothers without their consent. Advocate Dayananda Mohapatra represented the petitioners. The land was sold to Dillip Kumar Pati, a member of the general caste, via a dubious intermediary Balaram Patra, a daily wage labourer and BPL cardholder with no visible means to conduct transactions worth crores. The court noted that Patra's role raised serious concerns suggestive of a potentially orchestrated pattern of irregularity. The court found that original executants Tulasi and Maheswar Sethy were illiterate and likely unaware of the legal implications of the thumb impression-based sale deeds. The transactions, Justice Panigrahi stated, appeared to be part of a carefully engineered arrangement designed to exclude lawful coparceners (equal shareholders). The land was later acquired for a National Highway project in 2015, with Rs 6.96 crore initially disbursed as compensation which was later on appeal enhanced to Rs 21.08 crore. While disposing of the petition, the high court has now directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) not to release any compensation to Dillip or his nominees, and recover any funds already paid. NHAI has been asked to initiate an apportionment process with participation from all rightful heirs. Mutation entries in Dillip's name have also been suspended pending lawful partition.
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Prof Jagneshwar Dandapat reappointed interim VC of Utkal University under amended Ordinance
BHUBANESWAR: Prof Jagneshwar Dandapat has been reappointed as the in-charge vice-chancellor (VC) of Utkal University. The Chancellor's office on Friday issued a notification in this regard. He will continue till joining of the new vice-chancellor or until further orders. Dandapat was appointed as the in-charge V-C on May 27 this year after Sabita Acharya's extended tenure ended on May 23. However, this was challenged by a lawyer Prabir Kumar Das who filed a PIL in Orissa High Court, alleging that the appointment violated Section 6 (10) of the Odisha Universities Amendment Act, 2024. The Orissa High Court on Wednesday disposed of the PIL following the state government's decision to cancel the appointment. The re-appointment is according to the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. Section 6 (10) of the Ordinance has been amended to empower the Chancellor to appoint any person as V-C for the time being until a regular appointment is made. This also empowers the Chancellor to fix the tenure of the V-C.
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Orissa HC issues SOP for judicial officers on extension pleas in time-bound cases, bars direct SC communication
CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for judicial officers across the state to streamline the process of seeking extensions in time-bound judicial matters, following directions from the Supreme Court. The move is aimed to bring uniformity and transparency to the extension process in time-bound cases, ensuring judicial discipline and institutional oversight in compliance with the Supreme Court's directive. The SOP, notified by registrar general Asanta Kumar Das, is in response to observations made by the apex court in a case on May 23. The court expressed concern over direct communications from trial court judges to its registry, a practice deemed 'wholly unacceptable'. It clarified that such communications must be routed through the high court's registry. The newly issued SOP mandates that all judicial officers, including district judges and judges of family courts, must submit extension requests via official email and regular mode to the registrar (judicial) of the high court. These requests must include case details, current status, reasons for delay and the period of extension sought, formatted as per a prescribed annexure. For cases monitored by the Supreme Court, the high court registrar (judicial) will forward the request to the appropriate officer in the apex court's registry. Direct communication by any presiding officer with the Supreme Court registry is strictly prohibited. The SOP emphasises accountability, stating that repeated or unjustified delays may invite administrative scrutiny. Further, district judges and the registrar (judicial) are tasked with monthly monitoring of such cases and maintaining records for periodic reporting to the court.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- New Indian Express
Dy Director of ED Chintan Raghuvanshi granted bail
CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has granted bail to Chintan Raghuvanshi, a 2013-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer and deputy director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), who was arrested by CBI on May 30 in connection with a bribery case. Justice Gourishankar Satapathy granted bail to Raghuvanshi on furnishing bail bonds of Rs 1 lakh with two solvent sureties of the same amount to the satisfaction of the trial court. As part of the bail conditions, the court directed the surrender of Raghuvanshi's passport and restricted him from leaving the country without prior permission. Senior advocates Ashok Parija and Saura Chandra Mohapatra along with advocate Lalitendu Mishra represented the IRS officer. In a detailed order on July 23, Justice Satapathy noted that while the investigation had progressed significantly, there was no immediate prospect of trial. He observed that Raghuvanshi had been in custody for over 50 days and the offence, although serious, carries a maximum punishment of seven years. It was also noted that the CBI had not sought custodial interrogation and that Raghuvanshi had cooperated with investigators, including providing his mobile phone password and complying with interim bail conditions. The court also granted bail to Bhakti Binod Behera setting identical conditions.
