Shillong, Aug 7: The Meghalaya High Court has issued a notice to the state government for allegedly spending Rs 22 lakh for renting a building without utilizing the same.

The rented building was meant for using it as the Court of District & Session Judge, Khliehriat in East Jaiñtia Hills District.

A note prepared by the Joint Registrar (Judicial) was registered as Public Interest Litigation based on news report.

While hearing the matter on Wednesday, the division bench of Chief Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal and Justice HS Thangkhiew in an order said, “It is a matter of great concern as public finances are being squandered without any justification.”

The Court directed that notice be issued to the state government and the notice was accepted by the Advocate General who prayed for time to file response. In view of this, the bench has adjourned the hearing to August 27.

The alleged wastage of public money was revealed as per reply given by the office of the deputy commissioner of East Jaiñtia Hills to information sought under Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 by one Kynjaimon Amse, a youth from Umkiang village.

Amse, who is a lawyer by profession, had stated that the Secretary of the state’s law department has executed a rent agreement with one building owner for utilization of the building for the purpose of the office of the District & Session Judge, Khliehriat.

As per the rent agreement, the monthly rent is Rs 80, 000 and electricity bill is to be paid separately by the government. The rent agreement came into effect from the May 1, 2017 and the rent payable is also from May 1, 2017 onwards.

“To ascertain if the money was spent for the purpose, I filed an RTI application with the DC, EJH and it is shocking to see that the rent amount payable to the building owner till date has reached Rs 21, 60, 000. Out of the total payable amount, Rs 10, 40,000 has already been made by the government to the building owner. Apart from the above, the electricity bill payable till date to MeECL stands at Rs 62, 610. The total expenses for the building stand at Rs 22, 22, 610,” Amse said in a statement issued recently.

“The purpose of the rented building was to be used for the Court of the District & Session Judge, Khliehriat. However, till date the building was never used for any purpose by the Government nor have any District & Session Judge in Khliehriat,” he had alleged.

Amse also stated that the judiciary is yet to be separated in East Jaiñtia Hills District but an amount of Rs 22, 22, 610 was spent in the name of District & Session Judge, Khliehriat.