In a major embarrassment to the Odisha Government, the Orissa High Court on Thursday imposed a cost of Rs 1,000 on the State’s Chief Secretary because the Government had failed to file an affidavit in the court as directed despite repeated reminders by the court since 2015.
A Division Bench of Justices Sanju Panda and Sujit Narayan Prasad expressing displeasure over the Government’s failure in complying with the High Court’s orders imposed the fine on the Chief Secretary while adjudicating a review petition filed by the Government itself.
Challenging an order of the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) pertaining to the Odisha Civil Service (OCS) examinations of 1987, the Government had approached the High Court way back in 2015. Adjudicating it, the HC had directed the Government to file an affidavit.