<p>The high court on Tuesday issued a bailable warrant against the BBMP’s engineer-in-chief for failing to appear before it in connection with a PIL petition on potholes. </p>.<p>On February 7, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi had asked the BBMP for an explanation on the status of automatic pothole-filling machines after being informed the existing contract to a private agency had expired on January 3, 2022. The bench also directed the engineer-in-chief to appear before the court in person. </p>.<p>But on Tuesday, the BBMP counsel told the court the engineer-in-chief was not present because he was ill. </p>.<p>The bench noted that if the officer was not in a position to appear before the court, he could have filed a request or application for exemption from appearance. </p>.<p>“However, neither any request for exemption of appearance was made nor an application filed. When the case was taken up and a query was put by the court as to who was to appear, it was informed by the counsel that the engineer-in-chief was required to be present. However, he is not present,” the court noted. </p>.<p>The bench issued a bailable warrant against the officer, directed the city police commissioner to execute the warrant and produce him before the court. The matter has been posted to February 17 for further hearing. </p>.<p>At the previous hearing, the court had orally observed that despite the PIL being heard for the last five years, the civic agency was not showing any efficiency. </p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>The high court on Tuesday issued a bailable warrant against the BBMP’s engineer-in-chief for failing to appear before it in connection with a PIL petition on potholes. </p>.<p>On February 7, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi had asked the BBMP for an explanation on the status of automatic pothole-filling machines after being informed the existing contract to a private agency had expired on January 3, 2022. The bench also directed the engineer-in-chief to appear before the court in person. </p>.<p>But on Tuesday, the BBMP counsel told the court the engineer-in-chief was not present because he was ill. </p>.<p>The bench noted that if the officer was not in a position to appear before the court, he could have filed a request or application for exemption from appearance. </p>.<p>“However, neither any request for exemption of appearance was made nor an application filed. When the case was taken up and a query was put by the court as to who was to appear, it was informed by the counsel that the engineer-in-chief was required to be present. However, he is not present,” the court noted. </p>.<p>The bench issued a bailable warrant against the officer, directed the city police commissioner to execute the warrant and produce him before the court. The matter has been posted to February 17 for further hearing. </p>.<p>At the previous hearing, the court had orally observed that despite the PIL being heard for the last five years, the civic agency was not showing any efficiency. </p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
