New Delhi, Sep 12: The Supreme Court ruled that state government officials cannot be allowed to initiate baseless lawsuits just because they are exempt from having to pay out of pocket for legal fees.
In a recent ruling, a bench made up of Justices B.R. Gavai and Prashant Kumar Mishra made the aforementioned statement.
The Karnataka State High Court’s ruling requiring the payment of compensation to landowners in land acquisition proceedings was the subject of a special leave petition brought by the state’s Special Land Acquisition Officer.
Prior to the Supreme Court’s decision, the Executing Court issued an order ordering the payment in favour of the landowners after the Reference Court’s decision had already become final.
The highest court ruled that employees of the State Government were not allowed to harass landowners who had already lost their valued property just because they did not have to pay for the case out of their own pockets.
It rejected the state government’s plea with a cost estimate of Rs. 5 lakh, which was due in four weeks.
“The cost of Rs 2,50,000/- (Rupees Two Lakhs Fifty Thousand Only) shall be deposited in the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association to be used for the purpose of Library and the cost of Rs 2,50,000/- (Rupees Two Lakhs Fifty Thousand Only) shall be deposited with the Supreme Court Bar Association Advocates Welfare Fund,” the statement read.
