The Law Cell of the Home & Hill Affairs Department deals with legal matters of the Department, including court cases, legal opinions, statutory compliance, and co-ordination with the Law Department, Ld. Legal Remembrancer, Office of the Learned Advocate General, and office of the Ld. Government Pleader of Hon’ble Calcutta High Court. It functions as the nodal unit for handling litigations and legal advisory works of the Department.
The Law Cell handles all matters relating to litigations involving the Home & Hill Affairs Department before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, the Hon’ble Calcutta High Court, and other courts and tribunals, including the State Administrative Tribunal and the Central Administrative Tribunal. It examines court notices, writ petitions, appeals, contempt matters, and legal representations received against the Department and its subordinate offices.
The Cell co-ordinates with administrative sections within the Department, the district authorities, the police authorities, and statutory bodies for collection of records, preparation of factual reports, affidavits, and parawise comments. It liaises with the Law Department, Ld. Standing Counsel for the State of West Bengal at Delhi and other empanelled Advocate on Records (AOR) at Hon’ble Supreme Court for the State of West Bengal, the Learned Advocate General, West Bengal, Ld. Government Pleaders, and panel advocates at High Court, WBAT, CAT, NGT etc., for filing Appeal Petitions before higher courts, filing of affidavit-in-opposition, affidavit-in-reply, rejoinder and compliance reports, as and when required and directed by different Courts/ Tribunals.
The Law Cell uses e-Office for file processing and the Court Case Management System (CCMS) portal for monitoring and management of court cases and compliance with court directions.
The Law Cell also examines legal proposals, draft notifications, orders, rules, and amendments from a legal perspective, wherever required. It maintains records of pending and disposed court cases and tracks timelines for submission of affidavits and compliance reports.
The cell is headed by an officer of the rank of Special Commissioner/Special Secretary, followed by the Joint Secretary (Law), Special Law Officer, and Registrar (who maintains liaison with State Advocates), and is supported by the Section Officer, Head Assistant, and staff comprising Upper Division Assistants and Lower Division Assistants.
