Gauhati HC raps govt over contractor non-payment amidst beneficiary schemes allocation

Guwahati, Oct 3: The Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam government to expedite payments to a contractor who has not received dues for work completed over the past two years.

The order came during the hearing of a writ petition filed by contractor Rishi Gupta, who sought redress for non-payment of his bills related to work completed for the Foreigners' Tribunal.

On Wednesday, a single-judge bench criticised the government for its failure to release the payments, highlighting a disparity in the government’s financial management.

The court pointed out that while money was allocated for various government beneficiary schemes without issue, payments owed to Gupta remained unpaid.

Gupta's predicament arose after he filed the writ petition, prompting the court to direct the state government to release his payment by September 30.

However, after the deadline passed without any funds being disbursed, Gupta returned to the court for further action.

During a recent hearing, the state government's counsel cited a letter from the joint secretary of the Home and Political departments, claiming inadequate budget availability as the reason for the delay. The counsel also noted that a necessary process must be followed to partially release the funds.

Senior advocate Ashok Saraf, representing Gupta, contested this claim, stating, "The money was not a problem when the government distributed other items, including scooters, but problems arose when they had to pay a contractor."

In light of the court’s earlier directive and the state’s failure to comply, the bench ordered the immediate release of Gupta's payment.

The court has scheduled a follow-up hearing for November 20 to assess the situation further and ensure compliance with its orders.