New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday
criticised the governemnt for resorting to prolonged
litigation on "trivial" issues, saying it was not only a
wastage of time of the judiciary but also a "collosal" loss to
the public exchequer.
"How much public money is spent on litigations by the
government and its agencies? It is a matter of grave concern,"
a bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and A k Ganguly said.
The court said the government prefers to fight a case
upto the Supreme Court in matters which could be resolved at
the secretariat.
"Several trivial matters which are required to be
settled at the secretariat travel to the courts," the bench
said adding "it is a collosal loss to the public exchequer."
The Bench gave the example of noted cardiac surgeon P
Venugopal who had to fight a lengthy legal battle in the Delhi
High Court and later on in the Supreme Court against the
decision of the government for removing him as a Director of
AIIMS a few years back.
"We have the best example of Venugopal who had to spend
his time in the corridors of courts instead of conducting
operations and heart surgery," the court said.
"We are fed up with these matters," the court said adding
the issues of casual labours and small matters were reaching
courts.
The remarks by the Bench came during the hearing of the
petition filed by a doctor against Delhi government.
PTI
First Published: Monday, February 14, 2011, 19:44