It also said that such officials, who "brazenly chose to evade" timely response in the court, were also responsible for lengthy litigations pending in the courts relating to such construction and encroachments.
Additional District Judge Kamini Lau made the observations in a property dispute suit in which Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), one of the defendants, which even after over two years of being served summons, moved an application seeking permission to file its statement.
"I am dismissing the present application of the defendant (MCD) but not without ensuring that the official/officials who were responsible for non filing of the written statement on time are duly brought before the Commissioner MCD for necessary departmental action at his level under intimation to this court," the judge said.
Observing that timely response MCD officials could always prevent lengthy litigations, she said "I have no hesitation in holding that the officials of the MCD are the ones who are responsible not only for the most of the unauthorized constructions and encroachments in the city but also for the chunk of the lengthy litigations pending in the courts relating to such constructions and encroachments which could have been cut-short."
The court, however, said the ground raised by the MCD was "totally vague, non specific and unsatisfactory".
The court while dismissing the corporation's plea said MCD has failed to place any justifiable exceptional circumstances warranting its interference.