In a significant ruling, the Jharkhand High Court on Thursday mandated the state government to expedite the appointment of law officers in the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC). This directive aims to address the delays in sanctioning plans pending before the civic body.
A division bench of Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Deepak Roshan issued the order while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) that was initiated suo motu. The case, which opened on December 1, 2023, centers around the chronic delays by the RMC and the Ranchi Regional Development Authority (RRDA) in approving plans.
During the proceedings, the court learned that the RMC currently uses a special software to sanction plans. However, these plans require a manual check by a legal officer following the software’s initial approval. In the absence of a legal officer, this critical review is conducted by the additional administrator, a practice the court criticized for lacking the necessary legal oversight.
Expressing its displeasure, the court emphasized the need for a dedicated team of competent law officers within the RMC, specifically trained and tasked with cross-checking plans.
