Latest news with #SKPanigrahi
New Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Orissa HC rejects AIIMS Bhubaneswar faculty body's recognition plea
CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has declined to entertain a petition filed by the Faculty Association of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar (FAIIMS), seeking quashing of an order by the executive director treating it as unrecognised organisation, and restoration of its status under the Central Civil Services (Recognition of Service Associations) Rules, 1993. The single judge bench of Justice SK Panigrahi observed that FAIIMS was never formally recognised in accordance with the CCS (RSA) Rules, 1993 and has no legal or statutory right to claim the status. 'No enforceable right of the petitioner has been infringed so as to warrant the intervention of this court. The appropriate course for the petitioner, if it desires official recognition, is to comply with the requisite conditions and pursue recognition through the proper statutory procedure, not to seek short-circuit through judicial fiat,' Justice Panigrahi said. He directed FAIIMS to apply to the central government with all documents seeking formal recognition and the latter shall take steps to formally recognize the association within one month from the date of submission of the application.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
HC declares demolition of community centre in Cuttack dist ‘illegal'
Cuttack: Terming the act as an instance of 'bulldozer justice', Orissa high court has declared the demolition of a community centre in Balipur village under Athagarh tehsil in Cuttack district illegal and ordered to provide a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the youth association which was managing the facility. The structure stood on 0.05 acres of gochar (grazing) land and had served vital public functions, including holding health camps, awareness drives and govt outreach programmes. The demolition, carried out in an encroachment case by revenue authorities on Dec 14 last year was allegedly executed without giving the villagers or the youth association adequate time to seek legal redress. The community had even offered to exchange homestead land for the portion used, but their pleas were apparently not heard. The association filed a petition in HC seeking a direction to declare the demolition of the structure as illegal, order its reconstruction at govt expense, award compensation for loss and initiate proceedings against officials responsible for it. Justice S K Panigrahi, in his June 20 judgment, observed that it is not the bulldozer per se that offends constitutional sensibilities, but the ease with which it is deployed before the law has spoken its final word. The judgment criticised the haste shown by the tehsildar, who acted in violation of Supreme Court guidelines and subsisting judicial orders. Of the Rs 10 lakh compensation awarded, Rs 2 lakh will be recovered in instalments from the salary of the tehsildar, citing his direct role in the demolition. The remaining Rs 8 lakh is to be paid by the state govt within eight weeks, Justice Panigrahi specified in his order. He also directed the initiation of departmental proceedings against the tehsildar and mandated the chief secretary and revenue secretary to ensure compliance. Further, the chief secretary has been instructed to issue comprehensive guidelines for all revenue and municipal officials, aligning with the SC's directives to prevent future violations of this nature.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
HC directs ADM to dispose of 2016 case against company within 1 month
Cuttack: Orissa high court has pulled up the additional district magistrate-cum-adjudicating authority, Cuttack, for inordinate delay of over nine years in adjudicating a case against a company over alleged food safety violations. Justice S K Panigrahi, hearing the company's petition, termed the prolonged pendency of the 2016 case as an "abuse of process" and ordered its final disposal within one month. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the ADM for the delay, directing payment to the company within four weeks. The proceedings stemmed from a 2015 report by the food safety officer, following seizure of samples from the company's depot in Cuttack. The report raised concerns over the presence of monosodium glutamate (MSG), prompting initiation of adjudication proceedings. However, the petitioner argued that the continued proceedings were arbitrary and violated the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India ( FSSAI ) order dated March 31, 2016. FSSAI had clarified that glutamate occurs naturally in several food items, and current analytical methods cannot conclusively distinguish between naturally occurring and added MSG. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Move-In Ready Homes Available – Act Fast! Home Deals Near You Undo Enforcement, it added, should only proceed when a product explicitly claims 'no MSG' or 'no added MSG' and MSG is later detected. Despite the company filing representations in 2016 and again in 2018 seeking dismissal of the case, the ADM failed to pass any order. Justice Panigrahi, expressing concern, said, "This court is at a loss to understand how such an extraordinary delay has occurred, and more alarmingly, how it continued unchecked." He noted that the delay reflects "a disturbing disregard for procedural discipline" and that prescribed legal timelines are not mere formalities but essential for justice. The court further stated that such delays erode the credibility of regulatory frameworks and highlighted the importance of adhering to statutory timelines under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Justice S K Panigrahi directed the ADM to finally hear and dispose of the matter within one month stating, "Legal proceedings cannot be allowed to linger in perpetuity."
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
HC directs Khurda collector to dispose of trust plea against eviction within 1 month
Cuttack: Orissa high court on Tuesday directed the Khurda district collector to dispose of within a month a grievance petition filed by a temple trust regarding eviction proceedings from the Khandagiri caves located on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. Justice S K Panigrahi ordered that "no coercive action shall be taken against the petitioner till the disposal of the grievance petition", restraining eviction proceedings initiated by the authorities. The dispute arose after Maa Barabhuja Temple Managing Trust, which oversees worship and welfare activities in the area, submitted a grievance petition to the commissioner-cum-secretary of the general administration (GA) department on Oct 28, 2024, seeking alienation or lease of 0.156 acres of scheduled land across five plots in use by the trust. Despite its cultural and religious significance, eviction notices were served on the trust by the authorities on Nov 8 that year. The Khandagiri caves, protected by the Archaeological Survey of India since 1912, are a heritage site dating back to 2nd century BC and associated with Jainism. However, over the decades, the caves have also become the site of Hindu religious practices. Cave numbers 8 and 9 are used for the worship of Barabhuja Thakurani and Mahavir (Hanuman), while Jangleswar Mahadev is worshipped in another cave. The annual 'Magh Saptami Mela', organised every Feb by the state govt in collaboration with the trust and local organisations, draws thousands of devotees, including monks who stay in the caves. The trust, recognised by the commissioner of endowments, also manages free facilities such as toilets, kitchens and rest areas at the base of the hill. Despite the the Board of Revenue forwarding the trust's petition to the Khurda collector on Dec 6, 2024, no action has been taken, the trust stated in its petition. Taking note of the facts and submissions, Justice Panigrahi disposed of the petition with a directive to the collector to take appropriate action "within one month from the date of production/presentation of a certified copy of this order". The order comes as a temporary relief to the trust and the local religious community, allowing the continuation of their longstanding activities while their claim is under official consideration.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
HC judge links bail orders to planting saplings
1 2 Cuttack: In an innovative approach to justice, Justice S K Panigrahi of the Orissa high court has been making planting saplings a key condition for granting bail in criminal cases. Over 70 recent bail orders have included requirements for planting between 50 and 1,000 saplings. The bail conditions, imposed during the first fortnight of May, apply to various criminal cases, including murder, rape, assault, cheating, cyber crime, economic offences, theft and NDPS Act violations. Under the new conditions, bail applicants must plant local species such as mango, neem and tamarind on govt, community or private land. The revenue authority will assist in identifying suitable plantation sites if needed, while district nurseries and divisional forest officers will provide the saplings. "The petitioners must file an affidavit after plantation and maintain the trees for two years," Justice Panigrahi stated in his orders. Local police stations, in coordination with forest officers, will monitor compliance. In addition to planting saplings, some bail orders include sanitation service requirements. Several accused have been directed to clean police station premises for two months, with cleaning materials provided by the respective stations. Standard bail conditions remain in place, including weekly police station visits and restrictions against engaging in criminal activities or witness intimidation. While the accused maintain their innocence, claiming false implication in cases, the court has granted bail without detailed examination of the allegations, focusing instead on rehabilitation conditions.
