Read Time: 05 minutes

"This is a sorry state of affairs in the State where the officers of the Education Department are performing their duties in a very casual manner," observed Allahabad High Court directing the Principal Secretary, Basic Education, Government of Uttar Pradesh to 'ensure' that Department's officers start performing their duties promptly.

 The bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal said, 

"The Principal Secretary, Basic Education, Government of Uttar Pradesh is directed to ensure that all the District Basic Education Officers working under them start performing their duties and take final call on all the matters which come before them for consideration at the earliest."

"Otherwise, the Court will be compelled to take stringent action against these defaulting officers," court further warned. 

Court was dealing with a writ petition seeking a direction upon the District Basic Education Officer, Auraiya to decide the representation filed by one Avaneesh Kumar, whose posting order had been withheld by the District Basic Education Officer for the last one year. 

To this, court noted that "(High) Court is flooded with writ petitions every day simply for a direction upon these officers to decide the grievances."

Therefore, taking a serious view, court stressed that earlier also it has been recorded that the matters relating to life and property could not be decided in view of the huge pendency being created due to filing of writ petitions seeking mandamus against the authorities.

Court said that "it is high time that now these officers of the State Government should start working and attend to the grievances which come before them through representations within a period of one month."

Regarding the instant matter, the court decided to grant one last opportunity to the officer concerned to make the decision on the representation of the petitioner within three days. 

Court also directed that the officer concerned shall make every endeavor and decide all the applications/representations pending before him over which he exercises his control within a period of three weeks from the date of the order.

Lastly, directing the counsel appearing for District Basic Education Officer, Auraiya to inform the Court about the decision taken on the representation on the next date of hearing, court adjourned the matter. 

Case Title: Avaneesh Kumar v. State Of U.P. And 2 Others