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Himachal Pradesh High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the state government for failing to respond to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that questioned the delay in appointing the Chairman and Members of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), and the extension of Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena’s tenure despite a pending CBI chargesheet against him.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Ranjan Sharma directed that the penalty amount be deposited with the High Court Bar Association by June 25. The court also pulled up the government for its persistent delay in notifying appointments to the RERA, calling it a “deliberate attempt to stall justice.”
The Court observed that the state government is playing hide and seek, first citing the shifting of RERA headquarters to Dharamshala, and now delaying appointments under the pretext of procedural issues.
It also expressed displeasure that despite being questioned on May 9 about the appointments, the government had failed to take concrete action.
During the hearing on Friday, the government submitted that while one RERA member had been appointed, the posts of Chairman and another member were still under process.
Unsatisfied by the explanation, the court termed it a reflection of administrative apathy.
The bench ordered that the notification for the appointment of RERA Chairman and Member must be issued by June 25, failing which appropriate action would follow.
The court hearing another PIL filed by petitioner Atul Sharma, seeking the cancellation of the state government’s order dated March 28, 2025, which granted a six-month extension to Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena.
The petitioner informed the court that a CBI chargesheet against Saxena was pending and that the Special Judge of the Anti-Corruption Court, Rouse Avenue (New Delhi) had taken cognizance of the charges on October 21, 2019. A CBI letter dated January 23, 2025, also confirmed the pendency of the case.
The petitioner alleged that the state government withheld this crucial information from the Centre while seeking the extension, and failed to include Saxena’s name in the list of officers with doubtful integrity thus potentially violating service rules and Article 123 of the Constitution.
Now the matter regarding interim relief against Saxena’s extension will be heard on June 25 by the Court.
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