Deadlines seem to be the latest buzz in NDA Government. The latest to follow suit are the law officers in the Supreme Court who have been handed down a three-day deadline to clear files sent for opinion by the law Ministry.
The directive has been made applicable from top to bottom starting from Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to Solicitor General Ranjeet Kumar down to all the Additional Solicitor Generals (ASG).
Speaking about the unwritten work code sought to be made the norm for working of all Central Government law offices in Supreme Court, one of the ASGs on condition of anonymity said, “It is a welcome step, considering the enormity of files received from Ministries and departments of the Central government.” On an average, 60 to 70 files come every day for opinion whether to file an appeal or seek review of an apex court order. “All that one needs is a good team of juniors to read the file, make an assessment and prepare a note for opinion. This should hardly require more than a day,” the ASG said.
When asked about the deadline, AG Mukul Rohatgi said, “On this I have addressed my ASGs that no files must remain beyond three days in your chambers. It is sad that in petty cases and for failure of application of mind by the executive, litigants are made to wait for years together. Such cases do not merit appeal and by a humanist approach deserve to be wound up.”
He cited a case of a freedom fighter from Midnapore, West Bengal who was denied freedom fighter pension by the Centre since 1984. It was a heart-rending case where the octogenarian Gokul Chandra Panja was made to run several rounds of the High Court and Central Government for a petty amount. Despite the Calcutta High Court granting him his wish, the file was kept pending with the Centre which sought to appeal the HC order passed in September 1998.
The freedom fighter even dragged the Centre in contempt before the HC, which criticized the Centre’s insensitivity to handle the issue. Bringing the matter to a close, the case was given a silent burial with the AG recommending Centre not to file appeal as it would only accentuate the agony of the poor litigant fighting for his rightful due.