Public servants cannot afford the "luxury" to refuse to appear in judicial proceedings on Saturdays just because it is a holiday, additional sessions judge Girish Kathpalia said.
Saturdays are holiday for government officials but when it comes to appearance in judicial proceedings, they can't say no, a Delhi court has said.
Public servants cannot afford the "luxury" to refuse to appear in judicial proceedings on Saturdays just because it is a holiday, additional sessions judge Girish Kathpalia said.
Taking a serious view of the non-appearance of forensic officials on Saturdays, the court issued a bailable warrant against an officer.
"Forensic Science Laboratory officials have been expressing reluctance to appear in court on Saturdays under the pretext that Saturdays are holidays. But that cannot be an excuse since in a large number of cases accused persons are in custody and in such a situation no public servant can afford the luxury of refusing to work on Saturdays," the court said.
The court issued the warrant against Madhulika Sharma, an FSL expert, and said the order should be personally executed by the deputy commissioner of police (crime branch).
"The bailable warrant shall be personally executed by the DCP and the report shall be filed by him either personally or through some officer of the rank of not below ACP," it said.
The court, however, did not take coercive action of issuing non-bailable warrant against the officer.
"Sharma being an FSL expert, prosecution witness and a lady, I do not feel inclined at this stage to issue non-bailable warrant against her," ASJ Kathpalia said.
The court had issued a warrant against Sharma on August seven for her appearance before it on August 21, a Saturday, but she failed to appear.
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