The Karnataka High Court has sharply criticised the state government for delaying a status report on infrastructure provision and welfare measures for poor residents across taluks in Tumakuru district, warning that continued non-compliance with its directions could invite a heavy penalty.
A division bench led by Justice Anu Sivaraman heard on Wednesday a public interest litigation filed by advocate Sudha Katwa, which alleged that the government and district administration had taken two years to implement decisions recorded at meetings of a committee chaired by the Tumakuru deputy commissioner.
The petition concerns the implementation status of decisions relating to basic infrastructure in different taluks of the district and measures connected to the welfare of economically vulnerable residents. The High Court had sought a status report setting out what action had been taken on those decisions.
During the hearing, the government’s counsel told the bench that the report had been delayed because certain records could not be collected. The counsel also informed the court that the concerned sub-divisional officer had appeared before it.
The bench questioned why the officer directed to attend the hearing had not appeared. “If the court has directed the deputy commissioner to appear, has the sub-divisional officer appeared?” the bench asked, according to the report of the proceedings. It added that the officer specifically directed by the court, rather than another official, was expected to be present.
The court expressed strong dissatisfaction over the delay in filing the status report and questioned why compliance had taken so long. It observed that the matter could warrant the imposition of a substantial fine and asked why the government was finding it difficult to comply with the court’s order.
The bench stressed that the case involved public interest and cautioned the state against treating judicial directions lightly. It warned that failure to take the court’s order seriously could result in stricter directions.
The proceedings highlight the administrative chain involved in converting district-level decisions into implemented infrastructure and welfare measures. Decisions recorded by a committee headed by the deputy commissioner require coordinated action by the state government, district administration and subordinate officials. The court’s criticism focused not only on the absence of the report but also on the failure to ensure the appearance of the officer it had directed to attend.
The government’s explanation, as recorded during the hearing, was that some documents needed for the report were still unavailable. The supplied report does not specify which records were missing, the precise infrastructure works involved, the taluks covered, or the number of residents affected.
The High Court has not, according to the supplied report, imposed a fine at this stage. Its warning indicates that the next stage of the proceedings will depend on the government’s compliance with the direction to submit the status report and ensure the appearance of the required official. The matter remains before the court.
