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Delay in filing replies due to lack of staff, says Ajoy Mehta

However, Mehta also assured that the drawback would soon be done away with

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Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta on Friday informed Bombay High Court that shortage in of law officers in its office is delaying in filing of replies and affidavits, even in cases pertaining to dilapidated buildings.

However, Mehta also assured that the drawback would soon be done away with. A division bench, comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice MS Karnik, has asked the corporation to come out with a policy to assign senior and junior law officers to attend to cases pending in court within one month.

As per statistics, around 90,000 cases are pending of which civic body is a party respondent and daily 1,500 cases are listed in various courts. The corporation has 89 law officers and 70 are assigned to different courts.

Counsel Anil Sakhare, appearing for the corporation, said, "The annual budget of the civic body is almost equal to any state and it performs a number of duties." To this, the bench noted, "That does not mean you should not provide good facilities to the citizens."

The court also pulled up the civic body on the issue of two structural audit reports: one prepared by the corporation and other by residents, in cases of dilapidated buildings having completely contradictory views. It said "We are sure that one of the reports is tailored. The civic body should be serious on this aspect and ensure that proper compliance is done.

Mehta was summoned to the court last week after it was found that in many cases the officers appearing for the corporation were not ready to argue cases and different advocates appeared in the same case on two different dates. The official was also asked to explain the delay caused in deciding the matters pertaining to dilapidated buildings protected by interim orders.

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