Mofaccel Kha v. The State of Assam and 10 Ors

ORDER Date : 07.08.2024

Heard Mr. M. Hussain, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the Petitioners and Mr. A. Bhattacharjee, the learned Standing counsel appearing on behalf of the Respondent No.1. I have also heard Mr. B. Page No.# 4/5 Gogoi, the learned Standing counsel appearing on behalf of the Respondent No.2; Mr. I. Borthakur, the learned Standing counsel appearing on behalf of the Respondent Nos. 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9; Ms. S. Sharma, the learned Government Advocate, appearing on behalf of the Respondent Nos. 4; Mr. A. A. R. Karim, the learned counsel for the Respondent No.10 and Mr. D. C. Nath, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the Respondent No.11.

¶2The Petitioner herein is the father of one Late Soleman Kha @ Rakibul Islam. On 03.03.2023, a revised formal work order for Implementation of Fakiranijhar Piped Water Supply Scheme under the Dhubri Division for retrofitting under the programme Jal Jeevan Mission Assam was issued by the Executive Engineer (PHE) in favour of the Respondent No.10. In the course of the execution of the work by the Respondent No.10, three numbers of labourers including Late Soleman Kha @ Rakibul Islam who were allegedly engaged by the Respondent No.10 who died inside the underground water reservoir due to suffocation. An FIR was filed which was registered and numbered as Bilasipara P.S. Case No.266/2023 under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code. The post mortem of the victims were conducted at Dhubri Medical College and Hospital on 25.07.2023 and thereupon, the Death Certificate of Late Soleman Kha @ Rakibul Islam was issued. The Petitioner No.1 thereupon submitted a representation on 11.09.2023 to the Respondent Authorities with a prayer to pay compensation to the tune of Rs.1,00,00,000/- against Late Soleman Kha @ Rakibul Islam under the public law remedy. As no action has been taken, the instant writ petition was filed claiming compensation against all the Respondent Authorities. Page No.# 5/5

¶3This Court has duly perused the writ petition including the enclosures therewith. It is nowhere mentioned that the Respondent Authorities had engaged Late Soleman Kha @ Rakibul Islam. It is the question of evidence as to whether Late Soleman Kha @ Rakibul Islam was at all engaged by the Respondent No.10.

¶4From a perusal of the dispute, it therefore transpires that the dispute between the Petitioner and the private Respondents is a civil dispute claiming compensation on account of the negligence of the Respondent No.10. Under such circumstances, the public law remedy under Article 226 of the Constitution cannot be invoked seeking compensation. Accordingly, this Court is not inclined to entertain the instant writ petition for which the instant writ petition stands dismissed.

¶5This Court however observes that if the Petitioner is aggrieved, they are at liberty to approach the appropriate Civil Court seeking compensation against the Respondents herein. This Court taking into account that the instant writ petition is not entertained, observes that the period from the date of filing of the writ petition i.e. from 15.11.2023 till date be excluded while computing the period of limitation, in the circumstance any suit is filed.

JUDGE Comparing Assistant

PageoNo.#o1/5 GAHC010259492023 ooooooo ooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooTHEoGAUHATIoHIGHoCOURTo (HIGHoCOURToOFoASSAM,oNAGALAND,oMIZORAMoANDoARUNACHALoPRADESH)o CaseoNo.o:oWP(C)/6669/2023o MOFACCELoKHA S/O-oHAKIMoKHA o VILL-oKATHALDIoPART-III o P.O.oANDoP.S.-oBILASIPARA o DIST.-oDHUBRI oASSAM o PIN-o783348. oVERSUS THEoSTATEoOFoASSAMoANDo10oORS REPRESENTEDoBYoTHEoCOMMISSIONERoANDoSECRETARYoTOoTHEoGOVT.o OFoASSAM o REVENUEo(RELIEFoANDoREHABILITATION)oANDoDISASTERoMANAGEMENTo DEPARTMENT o DISPUR oGUWAHATI-6. 2:THEoCOMMISSIONERoANDoSECRETARYoTOoTHEoGOVT.oOFoASSAM oFINANCEoDEPARTMENT DISPUR oGUWAHATI-06. o3:THEoCOMMISSIONERoANDoSECRETARYoTOoTHEoGOVT.oOFoASSAM oPUBLICoHEALTHoDEPARTMENT DISPUR oGUWAHATI-06. PageoNo.#o2/5 o4:THEoDISTRICToCOMMISSIONER oDHUBRI P.O.oANDoP.S.-oDHUBRI oDIST.-oDHUBRI o ASSAM oPIN-o783301. o5:THEoMISSIONoDIRECTOR oJALoJEEVANoMISSIONo(JJM) oASSAM HENGRABARI oGUWAHATI-36. o6:THEoCHIEFoENGINEERo(PHE) oWATER oASSAM HENGRABARI oGUWAHATI-36. o7:THEoEXECUTIVEoENGINEERo(PHE) oDHUBRIoDIVISION P.O.oANDoP.S.-oDHUBRI oDISTRICT-oDHUBRI o ASSAM oPIN-o783301. o8:THEoASSISTANToEXECUTIVEoENGINEERo(PHE) oBILASIPARAoSUB-DIVISION P.O.oANDoP.S.-oBILASIPARA o DIST.-oDHUBRI oASSAM o PIN-o783348. o9:THEoS.O.o(PHE)oBARKANDAoSECTION P.O.-oBARKANDA oP.S.-oBILASIPARA o DIST.-oDHUBRI oASSAM oPIN-o783348. o10:AMINULoISLAMo(CONDUCTOR) S/O-oLT.oKHAIRAToHUSSAIN Page No.# 3/5 VILL- CHOTOBASHJANI P.O. AND P.S.- DHUBRI DIST.- DHUBRI ASSAM PIN- 783301. 11:SOFIOR RAHMAN (MASON) S/O- SOBDER ALI VILL- HATIPOTA PART-I P.O. AND P.S.- BILASIPARA DIST.- DHUBRI ASSAM PIN- 783348. ------------ For the Petitioner(s) : Mr. M. Hussain, Advocate For the Respondent(s) : Mr. A. Bhattacharjee, SC, Revenue : Mr. B. Gogoi, Standing Counsel : Mr. I. Borthakur, Standing Counsel : Ms. S. Sharma, Government Advocate : Mr. A. A. R. Karim, Advocate : Mr. D. C. Nath, Advocate BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE DEVASHIS BARUAH