Officials summoned on Nov 26
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 24: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has sharply criticized the administration for failing to complete the Mini Secretariat building in Mendhar, Poonch, even nine years after commencement of work and expenditure of Rs 7 crore spent on the project.
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Calling the continuing delay “unacceptable,” the High Court has ordered the concerned officials to join the proceedings online on November 26, placing the matter higher up in the cause list to ensure accountability.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal passed the order while hearing contempt proceedings, which were filed over non-compliance of the court’s 2016 directive that required the Mini Secretariat to be completed and made functional before the end of 2017.
The 2016 judgment had stressed that failure to finish the building would waste Rs 7 crore already spent, since the public need for a Mini Secretariat at Mendhar was never in dispute. It had also directed the Government to consider a public park and parking space along with the complex.
However, the High Court was informed in the status report dated August 19, 2025 that “no tangible progress” had been made toward completing the structure. With no explanation for the prolonged delay, the Bench said it was left “choice-less” and demanded that senior officials personally join the next hearing through video conferencing.
The respondents were represented by Senior AAG Monika Kohli. The High Court made clear that further delay would not be tolerated.
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