From The Hindu · The Hindu Bureau · · 1m 50s
High court orders Tamil Nadu to meet representation deadlines
The Madurai Bench directs state departments to follow prescribed timelines for handling citizen grievances, with disciplinary action for delays.
In brief
The Madurai Bench directs state departments to follow prescribed timelines for handling citizen grievances, with disciplinary action for delays. Madurai High Court ordered Tamil Nadu to enforce timelines for processing citizen representations and threatened disciplinary action against officials who delay. Originally…
Court orders state to enforce timelines
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary and Secretary to Human Resources Management Department to issue instructions to all departments to scrupulously adhere to prescribed timelines for receipt, consideration…
Justice Pugalendhi sets enforcement rules
Justice B. Pugalendhi directed that the existing mechanism for monitoring disposal of representations should be effectively implemented. Failure without sufficient cause to dispose within prescribed time should be viewed seriously.
Disciplinary action for delays ordered
Appropriate disciplinary action should be taken against officers responsible for failing to dispose of representations within prescribed time. Such persistent inaction cannot become an accepted feature of public administration.
Constitutional right to submit grievances
Article three hundred fifty of the Constitution provides that every person shall be entitled to submit a representation for redressal of any grievance to any officer or authority of the Union or a State in…
Timelines ensure meaningful exercise of rights
Government instructions prescribing time limits for disposal of representations were intended to ensure that the right was meaningfully exercised and grievances brought before authorities were dealt with within reasonable time.
Failure amounts to dereliction of duty
The instructions constitute an essential aspect of duties of government employees entrusted with receipt and disposal of representations.Failure to discharge such obligation within prescribed time would amount to dereliction of duty and may constitute misconduct.
Court directs three month deadline for cases
The court was hearing batch petitions filed by retired government employees and legal heirs of deceased government employees seeking family pension, revision of retirement benefits and payment of arrears.
What matters most
Madurai High Court ordered Tamil Nadu to enforce timelines for processing citizen representations and threatened disciplinary action against officials who delay.
