Gauhati High Court
Rita Das Mozumdar vs The Union Of India & Anr on 6 March, 2017
Author: Manojit Bhuyan
Bench: Manojit Bhuyan
PIL 111 of 2015
BEFORE
HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. AJIT SINGH
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MANOJIT BHUYAN
06.03.2017
(Ajit Singh, C.J.)
Ms. RD Mazumdar, petitioner-in-person.
Mr.DC Borah, learned counsel for Respondent No.1
and Mr. RKD Choudhury, learned counsel for Respondent No.2.
In the present Public Interest Litigation, prayer is made for a direction against the Union of India to have a separate Time Zone for the North East India, including Assam.
It is to be noted that this issue was considered by a High Level Committee constituted by the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, under the Chairmanship of Secretary, DST, whereafter Office Memorandum dated 13.6.2003 (Annexure-I) was prepared. The Office Memorandum reads as under:-
"GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Department of Science & Technology, Technology Bhavan, New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi-110 016 Adv(ET)DST/ST/94 Dated the 13th June, 2003 Office Memorandum A high level committee was constituted by Ministry of Science & Technology, GOI, under the Chairmanship of Secretary, DST, to examine the suitability or otherwise of having two time zones for the country with relevance to saving of day light in the eastern parts of the country, and to provide necessary recommendations.Page 1 of 2
The committee noted that many countries have adopted daylight saving time during the summer months, say from April to September, by advancing the clock by one hour. The eastern states in the country do face certain disadvantages by following standard time due to early sunrise/sunset in the region. Keeping this and the overall perspective in view, the Committee recommended that the present system of a single and uniform standard time may be continued throughout the country. However, in order to gainfully utilize the morning hours and to provide better recreational avenues during evening hours, the work timings may be advanced by one hour in the Eastern States, which may include Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. These recommendations of the committee have been accepted by the Government.
The recommendations of high level committee to advance the working time by 1 hour (one hour only) in the Eastern States are communicated, as above, to the respective Governments for action as appropriate.
Sd/- Illegible (Amitabha Pande) Joint Secretary (Admn)"
Apparently, the High Level Committee constituted has already considered the matter and its recommendations have also been accepted by the Government of India. Having regard to the fact that matter has been dealt with at the highest level by the Government of India, we find no good ground to take a contrary view. Otherwise also, it is within the domain of Government of India to decide whether present system of a single and uniform standard time throughout the country should continue or not.
The petition has no merit and is accordingly dismissed.
JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE
skd
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