The Haryana Right to Service (RTS) Commission has come down heavily on the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) for causing "unjustified" and excessive delays in implementing a court decree, leading to the harassment of a complainant. The commission has directed the urban development authority to pay a compensation of Rs 5,000 to the affected individual and investigate the negligent officers involved.
A Five-Year Ordeal of Official Apathy
According to a spokesperson for the commission, the case has been pending since 2018. For nearly five years, the complainant was forced to make repeated visits to the HSVP office to get a court decree implemented. This ordeal was compounded by faulty document updates, unnecessary formalities around biometric attendance, and sheer official apathy. The commission flatly rejected HSVP's defence that it was not a party to the original court decree, stating that the authority is inherently responsible for executing court orders related to its domain.
Commission's Stern Observations and Directives
The RTS Commission noted that even after the court's decree was formally registered in 2023, the required system updates were not carried out promptly. It observed that the court's order was clearly in the complainant's favour, and despite a public notice being issued with no objections from any legal heirs, HSVP officers failed to act with necessary urgency.
Terming the prolonged delay as "without cause," the commission has issued a clear set of directives:
- HSVP must investigate the faulty and negligent behaviour of the officers connected to the case.
- The amount of the compensation is to be recovered from the salaries of the responsible officials.
- The complainant has been asked to provide bank details for the timely transfer of the Rs 5,000 compensation.
- The Chief Administrator of HSVP has been ordered to submit a compliance report to the commission by December 22.
Accountability and Timely Service Delivery Emphasised
This order reinforces the core mandate of the Haryana Right to Service Act, which is to ensure time-bound delivery of public services and hold officials accountable for lapses. By ordering the recovery of the penalty from the erring officers, the commission has sent a strong message against bureaucratic indifference. The case highlights the critical role of the RTS Commission as a redressal body for citizens facing unnecessary hurdles in government offices.
