WB judicial secy apologises to HC for providing confusing info

The West Bengal judicial secretary on Tuesday apologised to the Calcutta High Court for providing confusing information over appointment of judicial officers in lower courts.

On a summon by a division bench comprising justices Joymalya Bagchi and Suvra Ghosh, the officer appeared before the court and submitted an unconditional apology for the gaffe.

The court accepted the apology tendered by Judicial Secretary Siddhartha Roy Chowdhury.

The division bench observed that all stakeholders should work together to fill up vacancies in district courts.

It said the vacancies in the lower judiciary, mainly in POCSO courts, should be filled up to ensure speedy delivery of justice to people.

The high court administration and the West Bengal government had varying opinions over the appointment of additional judges in lower courts.

While the high court administration has recommended names of 16 lawyers or magistrates for the posts of additional judge in district courts, the state government has expressed its reservation over six of those names.

The division bench had directed the judicial secretary to file an affidavit stating the government's views and positions over the vacancies in district courts and steps being taken to fill these up.

Noticing mismatch in the information provided in the affidavit filed by the judicial secretary, the court had directed him to appear before it personally on Tuesday.