WP(C) No. 546 of 2025 Contd.../- IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR AT IMPHAL WP(C) No. 546 of 2025 Smt. Oinam Chitra Devi, aged about 35 years, W/o Loitongbam Premchand @ Thoi Thoi, a resident of Wangoo Tera Awang Leikai, P.O. Kakching, P.S. Wangoo, District Kakching, Manipur – 795103. … Petitioner -Versus- 1. The State of Manipur represented by the Principal Secretary (Works), Government of Manipur, having its office at Secretariat Block, Babupara, P.O. & P.S. Imphal, District Imphal West, Manipur – 795001. 2. The Addl. Chief Secretary/ Commissioner/ Secretary (Finance), Government of Manipur, having its office at Secretariat Block, Babupara, P.O. & P.S. Imphal, District Imphal West, Manipur – 795001. 3. The Chief Engineer, Public Works Department, Government of Manipur, having its office at Khoyathong, P.O. & P.S. Imphal, District Imphal West, Manipur – 795001. 4. The Executive Engineer, Kakching Division, Public Works Department, Government of Manipur, Khoyathong, P.O. & P.S. Imphal, District Imphal West, Manipur – 795001. ... Respondents B E F O R E HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE AHANTHEM BIMOL SINGH For the petitioner :: Mr. P. Tamphamani, Advocate For the respondents :: Mr. Shyam Sharma, GA Date of hearing & order :: 30-07-2026 IN. 44 SHOUGRAKPAM DEVANANDA SINGH Digitally signed by SHOUGRAKPAM DEVANANDA SINGH Date: 2026.07.30 18:03:59 +05'30' WP(C) No. 546 of 2025 Contd.../- O R D E R [1] Mr. P. Tamphamani, learned counsel appeared on behalf of the petitioner and Mr. Shyam Sharma, learned GA appeared on behalf of the respondents through VC platform. [2] The case of the petitioner is that the Executive Engineer, Kakching Division, Public Works Department, Government of Manipur, issued a Work Order dated 06-01-2021 in favour of a Contractor namely, L. Manimohan Singh of Game Village for executing the work namely, “M/O of road from Wangoo Naranching to Warukok Ithai Dam via Terapur” with an administrative approval amount of Rs. 22,00,000/- (rupees twenty-two lakh). The said contract work was successfully executed by the said Contractor to the satisfaction of the authorities and on completion of executing the said contract work, the Government released only a sum of Rs. 12,00,000/- (twelve lakh) in favour of the said Contractor. However, the remaining bill amount of Rs. 10,00,000/- (ten lakh) is yet to be released. [3] The petitioner, who is representing the said Contractor through a Special Power of Attorney, filed the present writ petition with a prayer for directing the respondents to release the balance outstanding bill amount of Rs. 10,00,000/- within a stipulated period. [4] Both the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner as well as the Government Advocate jointly submitted that the present writ -2- WP(C) No. 546 of 2025 Contd.../- petition can be disposed of in terms of the earlier order passed by this court on 20-10-2022 in WP(C) No. 900 of 2022. [5] Having considered the submission advanced by the counsel appearing for the parties and on perusal of the record, this court is of the considered view that it will meet the ends of justice by issuing the following directions:- (i) The claim of the petitioner for payment of the undisputed outstanding bill be examined and verified by the Chief Engineer, PWD or by an Executive Engineer duly authorized by the Chief Engineer of PWD; (ii) The process for verification should be completed within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order; and (iii) After verification of the claim of the petitioner and if found to be correct, the respondents shall immediately take steps for releasing the outstanding bill in respect of the petitioner in accordance with the seniority based on completion of execution of contract work. With the aforesaid directions, the present writ petition is disposed of. JUDGE Devananda -3-