Sudip Kumar Singha And ORS v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

16th April, (AK) W.P.A 3576 of 2024 Sudipa Kumar Singha and others Vs.

The State of West Bengal and others Mr. Atarup Banerjee Mr. Rajdeep Pramanik ...for the petitioners.

Mr. Avishek Prasad ...for the State.

1.

A report is filed today on behalf of the respondent no.9.

2.

The stand taken by the respondent no.9 is fair. The said respondent admits all the dues of the petitioners in terms of the bills raised by the petitioners as indicated at page-8 of the said report. 3.

However, the respondent no.9 has cited nonavailability of funds from the end of the North Bengal Development Department for not being able to disburse the amount to the petitioners.

4.

In such view of the matter, WPA 3576 of 2024 is disposed of by directing respondent no.4, the Secretary, North Bengal Development Department to immediately disburse the entire funds for the purpose of paying the petitioners their dues in terms of the bills raised by each of the petitioners,

as admitted in the report filed in court today, which be kept as a part of the record.

5.

Such disbursal shall be made by the respondent no.4 in favour of respondent no.9 for the purpose of payment to the petitioners, positively within six weeks from date.

6.

Immediately upon receipt of the said amounts, the respondent no.9 shall, within a week thereafter, make the payments in favour of the petitioners. 7.

It is, however, made clear that the above directions are peremptory and shall not be stalled merely by citing the upcoming elections in several States including the State of West Bengal, since there cannot be any impediment under the Model Code of Conduct in respect of specific directions of Court. 8.

There will be no order as to costs.

9.

Urgent photostat copies of this order, if applied for, be given to the parties upon compliance of all requisite formalities.

(Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, J.)