Kolkata, Sep 24 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday observed that funds for the infrastructure development of the high court and lower courts in West Bengal are the responsibility of the state government, and the latter should not consider it as a matter of charity.

Hearing a matter relating to unpaid dues from the state government for infrastructure development at Calcutta HC and its subordinate courts, the division bench of Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi observed that while only small portion of the state budget is being allocated for the development of the judicial infrastructure, there had been reluctance on part of the state administration in even in releasing that meagre amount in time.

The state should not consider this payment as a mark of charity since releasing funds for the infrastructure development of courts comes within the responsibility of the state government, the division bench observed.

The division bench, on Wednesday, had also set a deadline for the state government to submit a detailed report to the court by October 27 on how much funding has already been released by the state government for infrastructure development of the high court and its subordinate courts, and by when the pending funds would be released.

The division bench directed the Chief Secretary, Finance Secretary, and the Calcutta High Court Registrar General to hold a meeting on October 15 first, and if necessary, then again on October 22, and settle out the complications in the matter.

During the previous hearing in the same matter on September 19, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant informed the court that the state has allotted Rs 50 crore for the infrastructure development as well as betterment of different lower and district courts in the state.

However, on the same day, the same division bench pointed out that the state government was yet to make its position clear on funds for 53 other similar infrastructure development projects for lower and district courts.

The main charge against the state government was that several infrastructure-related works at different courts in the state, including some at Calcutta HC, were pending because of a lack of funds that were due from the state government.

–IANS

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