Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Finance, and Principal Secretary to CM, Arun Gupta, has written to Haryana Advocate General Pravindra Singh Chauhan, asking law officers to request the courts not to direct him to pass speaking orders in service matters.
In a memo to Chauhan, dated June 16, the ACS said for the past few months, the courts have been directing him “to decide the legal notice/representation of the petitioners by way of passing a speaking order after giving personal hearing to the petitioners.” He said the Finance Department is only one of the respondents in most writ petitions filed against the state involving financial matters, including pay and pension, but service records pertaining to the petitioners are with the Administrative Department concerned, Directorate office, or field offices.
“In the vast majority of cases, the competent authority on the issue involved in the writ petition is the Administrative Secretary/ Director General/ Director, etc. of the department concerned. Therefore, the decision is required to be taken at their respective levels,” he said.
The ACS asked the Advocate General to advise law officers to request the courts not to direct him to pass speaking orders unless it is necessary in cases where only he is the competent authority.
