The court held that while a writ petition may not be maintainable when alternative remedies exist, the competent authority (Collector) should be directed to resolve grievances regarding the issuance of certified copies of official records, provided there is no legal impediment.

ORDER

Order No. 15.04.2026

1. Heard.

2. The petitioner has filed the present petition, inter alia, making the following prayer:-

“a. Issue a writ of Mandamus directing Opposite Party No.4 (Additional Tahasildar-cum-Record Room Officer, Naugaon Tahasil) to forthwith provide the certified copies of all case records in OLR 8A Case No. 27/2007, Mutation Case No. 1319/1995 ROR of Khata No. 727/51, Mouza - Naugaon as applied by the petitioner both by hand and by speed post.

b. Direct Opposite Party No.4 to dispose of the petitioner’s representation dated 06.11.2025 by passing a reasoned and speaking order within a time-bound period.

c. Issue direction to Opposite Party No.1 (Principal Secretary, Revenue Dept.) to introduce and implement an online certified copy application & delivery system for, Mutation case records, OLR case records, Tahasil case files to ensure transparency, accountability, and elimination of harassment of citizens.

d. Direct the District Collector and Sub-Collector to conduct an inquiry into the arbitrary and negligent conduct of the Record Room staff (opposite party no.5) at Naugaon Tahasil.

e. Pass any order(s) deemed fit and proper in the interest of justice.”

3. The grievance of the petitioner is that the opposite party No.4-Additional Tahasildar-cum-Record Room Officer, Nuagaon Tahasil is not providing the certified copies of the documents pertaining to OLR 8A Case No. 27/2007, Mutation Case No. 1319/1995 ROR of Khata No. 727/51, Mouza – Naugaon. It is submitted by the learned counsel for the petitioner that the petitioner on 25.10.2025 had applied for obtaining the aforementioned the certified copies of the documents which is evident from Annexure-1 series. However, the same have not yet been made available to him, although he has a right to be furnished with those documents on request.

4. Mr. Bal, learned Additional Government Advocate for the State, at the outset, questions the maintainability of the writ petition and submits that the petitioner has other alternative remedy to approach the higher authority instead of directly invoking the writ jurisdiction of this Court for redressal of such issues.

5. I am totally in agreement with the contention of Mr. Bal, learned Additional Government Advocate for the State. However, the innocent prayer of the petitioner could be looked into by the opposite party No.2- the Collector, Jagatsinghpur and redress the grievance of the petitioner as raised in the present petition by issuing a necessary instructions in accordance with law to the opposite party No.4 for issuance of the certified copies of the documents as prayed for by the petitioner, if there is no legal impediment.

6. With this observation, the writ petition is disposed of.