LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has reduced the amount of fine imposed on the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) from rupees five lac to one lac for repeatedly filing applications against stay on the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project and changing its counsel also.

The court in its verbal orders on August 31 had imposed rupees five lac in the presence of Chief Executive Officer of RUDA Imran Amin. However, in its written order the court dismissed the petitions as withdrawn with a cost of rupees one lac be paid to the Lahore High Court Bar dispensary.

The court also stayed the process of land acquisition for riverfront project on the petitions filed by farmers and landowners.

The court in its written order observed that various anomalies have crept in the filing of these applications. Firstly, they seek the same relief and this cannot be permitted, secondly these have been filed by a new counsel who has done so without permission of this court and without compliance of the requirements of Order III CPC, thirdly, these applications could not in the ordinary course be fixed during summer vacations and it is not known as to how they were fixed.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021