From the courts8230;

The division bench of Chief Justice Yogesh K Sabharwal and Justice Ajit Shah directed the respondents to file affidavits within two weeks from now.

According to the petition, the contract for the converting the Thane-Bhiwandi bypass into four lanes at a cost of Rs 17 crore was awarded to Ideal Road Builders IRB on December 9, 1997 without inviting any tenders. Bhujbal stated this will cost the public exchequer Rs 754.89 crore.

Later, because of increased traffic the state government decided to widen the roads and awarded the contract for widening the bypass to IRB at a cost of Rs 69.30 crore. According to the terms of the contract, the contractor would tollfor a period of 15 years till 2017. Bhujbal sought the court8217;s order directing the union and state governments to cancel the contract if any and to invite tenders and allot work to the lowest bidder. While Additional Solicitor General Dr Dhananjay Chandrachud appeared for the Union of India, Rajshekhar Govilkar for the state, M P Vashi for Chhagan Bhujbal and Sharad Bobde represented IRB.

Govt to table Finance report

The state government recently assured a division bench of the Bombay High Court that the report of the first state Finance Commission will be placed before both the houses of the state legislature during the budgetary session likely to be held in March.

Advocate General C J Sawant also assured the division bench of Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice Ajit Shah that the district planning commission as contemplated by the 73rd Constitutional amendment will be formed in all districts of the state before March 15, 1999. The assurances were given during the hearing of petitionsfiled by Navnitrai Shah and P B Samant, who had alleged that a four-year delay in placing the report before the houses has deprived funds to local bodies like talukas, zilla parishads and village panchayats. The commission whose term expires this April studies the revenue of the state and recommends allocation of funds for these bodies.

The petitioners further stated that the state government had set up a sub-committee to study the 325 page report with 130 recommendations of which 130 have already been accepted.

The petition has prayed that the state be directed to implement the provisions of the new articles and declare that the affairs of the state are not being carried out. The petitioners has also prayed that the Union of India be directed to take necessary steps against the state for its failure to implement the articles of the Constitution. The matter has been adjourned to April 4, 1999.