Karnataka High Court laments over hundred adjournments in Zilla Panchayat proceedings; issues directions to administrative authorities

In a recently passed order, the Karnataka High Court issued several directions to the Department of Panchayat Raj Rural Development Principal Secretary for improved functioning of administrative authorities discharging quasi judicial functions [Manje Gowda v State of Karnataka]..Justice Suraj Govindraj was hearing a challenge to a Mandya District Zilla Panchayath order when he took a poor view of more than hundred adjournments in the proceedings reasoning that the presiding officer was occupied by other administrative functions."It is but required that the administrative authorities give equal, if not more prominence to quasi judicial functions where the rights of the citizens are affected like in this case when the order has been passed without jurisdiction, but also without information to citizen in the matter", the judge said. .While making this observation, the court recorded a need to issue directions for the Principal Secretary for the institution of a system and methodology to webhost all case proceedings."All details of the proceedings would be required to be uploaded on the relevant website", the order reads..Further, the single-judge ordered that in case of an adjournment, detailed reasoning must be given instead of a laconic statement that the presiding officer is busy in administrative functions. In this regard, the court also called for a suitable monitoring system to be established. .The Chief Secretary was directed to explore the possibility of appointing a separate set of people, not required to discharge administrative functions, to deal with quasi judicial functions. With the aim of enabling easy access to justice to the citizens of the country, the court also asked the Principal Secretary to explore whether video conferencing facilities can be made available to the authorities. .While challenging the order, the petitioner informed the High Court that a delay in filing the appeal was caused since next dates of hearing were not made available to them and even the final order was not communicated. .At the outset, it was observed that the court was coming across several revenue proceedings in various jurisdictions where quasi judicial authorities were not holding sittings in a proper manner. While the order of the Zilla Panchayath was set aside due to its lack of power to pass the order, a slew of directions were passed by the court for better functioning of administrative authorities carrying out quasi judicial functions..Advocate GS Venkat Subbarao appeared for the petitioners while the respondents were represented by Advocates BJ Somayaji and Narendra DV Gowda. [Read Order]