Audit report flags non-recovery of Rs 9-crore fine by Dist Courts in Chandigarh

The Principal Director of the Audit (Central) Chandigarh in its latest report has stated that fine totalling Rs 905.83 lakh is pending till December 31, 2023, in Chandigarh District Courts, Chandigarh.

The audit report of the office of the District and Session Judge, Chandigarh, for the period from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2024, has said that it was noticed that there was no timeline for collection of fine as these were of very old period. When asked if there was any monitoring mechanism for the collection of fine, no reply was furnished by the department to the Audit Department

The report says that as per Punjab and Haryana High Court rules and orders, when the fine is imposed, it should be entered in the fine register and recovery proceedings should be started by making reference to the revenue authority.

During checking of the records of the office of District and Sessions Judge, Chandigarh, for the period from 2018 to 2024, it was noticed that fine amounting to Rs 447.62 lakh was to be recovered as on December 31, 2017, thereafter fine amounting to Rs 543.18 lakh have been imposed by various courts under the same office during six years (from 2018 to 2023), of which an amount of Rs 84.97 lakh have been recovered during the same period. Thus, the total amount pending till December 31, 2023, was Rs 905.83 lakh.

The District Courts, Chandigarh, came into existence on November 1, 1966. Earlier, 20 courts were functioning in the District Court Complex, Sector 17, Chandigarh, and were shifted to the New District Courts Complex, Sector 43, Chandigarh, on January 25, 2013. On creation of 10 new courts, the number rose to 30.

The audit of the accounts of office of the District and Session Judge, Chandigarh, for the period April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2024, was conducted by an audit party from March 20, 2025, to March 28, 2025.