Taking note of the continued absence of the counsel representing the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) during hearings, the High Court on Tuesday directed the jurisdictional police to produce the BBMP commissioner before it on Friday.
A Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice Ravi Malimath passed the interim order after noting that the BBMP’s counsel had been absent even during an earlier hearing on a PIL on illegal constructions on some civic amenity sites. The Bench said the BBMP’s counsel had not turned up on Tuesday though the petitioner’s counsel had served a notice to the BBMP commissioner's office.
Another advocate, a colleague of the BBMP’s advocate, appeared before the Bench in the afternoon session and tendered an apology. The advocate also sought recall of the order calling on the commissioner to appear in court.
ADVERTISEMENT
But the Bench said the order passed in the morning session had already been signed by both the judges. However, it said it would take up the petition again on Wednesday for considering the recall plea.