2025:HHC:43939 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA CWP No. 7572 of 2024 Decided on: 16.12.2025 M/s The Shivam Enterprises … Petitioner Versus Union of India and others … Respondents Coram Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, Judge. Whether approved for reporting?1 _____________________________________________________ For the petitioner : Ms. Amanpreet Kaur, Advocate through VC and Ms. Anchal Sharma, Advocate. For the respondents : Mr. Rajinder Thakur, CGC for respondents No. 1 and 3. : Mr. Rajpal Thakur, Addl. AG for respondents No. 2, 4 and 6. Ajay Mohan Goel, Judge (Oral) By way of this writ petition, the petitioner has inter alia prayed for the following reliefs:- “(i) To issue writ, in the nature of ‘Mandamus’ directing respondents No. 1, 3, 5 and 6 to release the pending balance payment of Rs. 1,74,69,664/- of EPC-42, Kalka-Shimla agreement, in the interest of justice.” 2. When this case was lastly listed before the Court on 11.12.2025, the following order was passed:- “As per report of the Registry, the report of the Committee has not been furnished. Learned Counsel appearing 1 Whether reporters of the local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2 2025:HHC:43939 for the petitioner submits that the petitioner has not been invited by the Committee for any negotiations. This Court is of the considered view that if that is so, then the same amounts to contempt of Court because as far back as on 31.10.2025, the Court was intimated by learned Deputy Advocate General that the Committee stood constituted and the date was being collected by the Committee and that petitioner shall be associated by the Committee before any final decision is arrived at. The case is ordered to be listed on 16.12.2025, on which date learned Deputy Advocate General shall apprise the Court as to what all the Committee has done as from the date of passing of the above mentioned orders, i.e. order dated 31.10.2025.” 3. Today, learned Additional Advocate General has handed over instructions received from the Executive Engineer, NH Division, HPPWD, Theog, which are reproduced herein below:- “In this regard it is submitted that as per the directions issued vide the matter was pursued with the office of Ld. District Attorney at the office of the worthy Engineer-in-chief Shimla and data of the constituted committee is attached for your kind perusal and also refer to the matter in this regard, attention is invited to the communication issued from the office of the no PW-LC-worthy Engineer-in-Chief. HPPWD vide letter CWPNo.7572/2023/Shivam Enterprises/-2610 dated 3 2025:HHC:43939 08/12/2025, endorsed by the District Attorney (PW), wherein it has been categorically clarified that, the issue involved in the matter is not with respect to any admitted liability, but relates to a claim raised by the petitioner to which he is not entitled, as per the respondents. The entire admissible payment in respect of the executed work already stands released to the petitioner and no bill or amount is pending. The Committee for deciding claims in respeet of pending bills of contractors has been constituted by the Government vide notification dated 07.07.2025, and in the present case, no such pending bill exists. The information as desired by the Government for placing the matter before the Committee had already been submitted vide e-mail dated 16.07.2025. The matter is being contested by the Department on merits, and instructions have been sought for apprising the Office of the Learned Advocate General accordingly. It is, therefore, respectfully submitted that the factual position, as clarified above, may kindly be taken on record for the purpose of compliance of the directions issued by the Hon'ble High Court please.” 4. Reply filed by the respondents-State has also been perused by the Court and relevant portion thereof reads as under:- “That the respondent in response of plea to the petitioner submits that, the agreement in question was entered between the parties with respect to improvement of Road Safety from km 4 2025:HHC:43939 200/00 to 219/350 of NH-22 (New NH-05) Kalka-Shimla- Wangtoo Road in selected stretches between in the State of Himachal Pradesh on EPC mode, for Rs, 9.1 Crores with stipulated period 9 months from the date of appointment i.e. 10.06.2022. It is mater of record that the petitioner had completed the work within stipulated period and the entire payments due to him stand already released and accepted by the petitioner without any protest and resistance. It is pertinent to mention here that the petitioner his accepted the measurement of the work done by him and petitioner never raised any dispute qua that, as such, entire payment has already been released to petitioner as per work done on the spot. Copy of MB (Measurement Book along with Final Bill duly admitted and signed by the petitioner) is annexed herewith as Annexure R-2). In addition to this the petitioner has also furnished one undertaking, wherein he categorically undertook that nothing is due from respondent department on account of execution of work in question, which is Superintending Engineer, NH Circle, HPPWD , annexed herewith as Annexure R- 3, hence present writ petition is not maintainable in the present form.” 5. This Court is of the considered view that in the peculiar facts of this case as there are disputed facts between the parties as to whether the entire emoluments to which the petitioner is entitled, 5 2025:HHC:43939 stands released in favour of the petitioner or not, these issues cannot be decided by this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India and the better course for the petitioner shall be to have recourse to the other legal remedies which are available to it. 6. Accordingly, this writ petition is closed, with liberty to the petitioner to have recourse to such remedies, as are available to it, in accordance with law. Pending miscellaneous applications, if any, also stand disposed of accordingly. (Ajay Mohan Goel) Judge December 16, 2025 (narender)