Orissa High Court
WP(C)/4536/2026 of M/S SREEMAA SUPPLIER, JAJPUR Vs STATE OF ODISHA on 19 August 2026
of 3 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK W.P.(C) No.4536 of 2026 CNR No. ODHC010082522026 M/s. Sreemaa Supplier …. Petitioner Represented by Adv.– Mr. Srinivas Mohanty, Advocate -Versus- State of Odisha and others …. Opposite Parties Represented by Adv.– Mr. Saswat
IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK
W.P.(C) No.4536 of 2026
CNR No. ODHC010082522026
M/s. Sreemaa Supplier
….
Petitioner
Represented by Adv.–
Mr. Srinivas Mohanty, Advocate
-Versus-
State of Odisha and others
….
Opposite Parties
Represented by Adv.–
Mr. Saswat Das, Additional Government Advocate
CORAM:
HON’ BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE
AND
HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE CHITTARANJAN DASH
Order No.
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ORDER
19.08.2026
04.
1. The instant writ petition is at the behest of the empanelled supplier who was awarded the contract for supply of IEC (Information, Education and Communication) materials at the approved rate within the time stipulated therein.
2. However, because of the outbreak of the diarrhea in the Jajpur District in the month of June, 2025, the authorities extended the empanelment and issued a specific work order which according to the petitioner was duly supplied. After the supply of the said material, the authorities have verified and countersigned therein including the bill submitted by the petitioner. It further appears that the bills were also forwarded by the Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer, Jajpur for remittance of the said amount, but despite the aforesaid steps having taken, there is no step taken for release of the amount.
3. On the last occasion, learned Additional Government Advocate submitted that the bills were forwarded to the Collector for approval, but certain doubts were raised in relation to a transaction and a direction was passed to conduct an extensive inquiry in this regard. Since the outcome of the said inquiry could not be divulged to the Court on the last occasion, the matter was adjourned enabling learned Additional Government Advocate to reveal the same.
4. Today, learned Additional Government Advocate submits that a team of officials has already been constituted by the Director of Health Services, Odisha and they would be shortly visiting the District Offices for on-field verification as well as crosschecking of the bills and the vouchers with regard to the departmental records.
5. It is no gainsaying that once the bills are to be approved by the higher authority and any certain doubts have been raised, such doubts have to be eliminated by taking appropriate steps promptly and should not unnecessarily delay the said process as it would tantamount to an undue enrichment over the legal rights accrued to the persons.
6. We thus expect that said team of officials would complete the entire process as indicated in the letter dated 19th August, 2026 issued by the Director of Health Services, Odisha within six weeks from date and in the event, the report is suggestive of the release of the amount shown in the bill submitted by the petitioner, the same would be done within two weeks therefrom. The timeline given hereinabove is peremptory and mandatory.
7. The writ petition is, thus, disposed of.
(Harish Tandon) Chief Justice
(Chittaranjan Dash) Judge
S.K. Guin/PA Digitally Signed Signed by: SUBASH KUMAR GUIN Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa, Cuttack Date: 22-Aug-2026 10:35:01 Signature Not Verified