The court observed that the cost shall be recovered from the salary of the concerned officer who was accountable for the delay in filing the reply.

The Administration had taken four opportunities to file a reply against a PIL filed by Advocate H C Arora.

The petitioner had sought a high-level inquiry into the acts of the Police department of the UT in retaining certain police officials in service who have been held guilty of corruption in various departmental

enquiries.

The petitioner had also sought an inquiry into the conduct of authorities of the Engineering department of UT Chandigarh in reinstating 16 employees of the department when they were facing criminal proceedings on charges of