Authority: High Court (Justice Suvra Ghosh)
Order Date: 07 July 2026
Case Overview
- Petitioners: Homadighi Agricultural Rural Development Society & Anr., represented by Mr. Shuvro Prokash Lahiri, Md. Habibur Rahman, Mr. Rajesh Naskar, and Mr. Madhu Jana.
- Respondents: State of West Bengal, District Magistrate, Malda (3rd respondent), Block Development Officer, Gazole Block, and Executive Officer, Gazole Panchayat Samiti (9th respondent), represented by Ms. Puja Sonkar.
- Background: An order dated 19 December 2014 by the Executive Officer, Gazole Panchayat Samiti engaged the petitioners to construct Individual Household Latrines under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). The work was completed, and the petitioners submitted bills totaling Rs 62,00,000. Only Rs 5,00,000 was paid; the balance remained unpaid despite submission of a completion certificate, photographs, and multiple representations.
- Relief Sought: The petitioners sought a directive for the disbursement of the pending amount.
Final Outcome
- The Court directs the District Magistrate, Malda (3rd respondent) to provide the required funds to the Block Development Officer, Gazole Block and the Executive Officer, Gazole Panchayat Samiti (9th respondent) within eight weeks from the communication of this order.
- Upon receipt of the funds, the 9th respondent must disburse the amount to the petitioners within two weeks, subject to the petitioners complying with all requisite formalities.
- No order as to costs; the allegations in the writ petition are deemed not admitted as no affidavit was filed.
- An urgent certified website copy of the order may be supplied to the parties upon compliance with all requisite formalities.
Topics: Swachh Bharat Mission, Fund Disbursement, Rural Sanitation