Cuttack, June 18: The absence of a deputy commissioner-rank officer for a municipal corporation-constituted special certificate court over the past two months has become a thorn in its functioning.

The civic administration had constituted the court for the first time to deal with defaulters who neglected its notices and reminders for tax clearances, rents and licence fees, designating Radhakrushna Rout as special certificate officer with the power of a magistrate to preside over the court.

He was expected to register certificate cases for recovery of municipal dues under the Odisha Public Demand Recovery Act.

The court began functioning on January 17. Official sources said that in April, the court issued showcause notices to 300 defaulters who had not cleared taxes, rents and licence fees for years and sought a reply as to why certificate cases would not be registered against them for the recovery of pending dues.

Since then, there has been no progress because of Rout's absence.

Municipal commissioner Bikash Mohapatra today told The Telegraph: "The court will start functioning shortly after the special certificate officer rejoins duty."

He said Rout has been absent on account of illness and was expected to resume his duties shortly.

The court's functioning assumes significance as the civic body's tax and rent arrears has mounted to over Rs 2 crore. "The court is expected to initiate legal proceedings by filing certificate cases against dodgers of municipal dues, including holding tax, rents of shoprooms rented out by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation and hoarding tax," said Khirod Rout, an advocate.

"When a certificate case is filed, the person or organisation runs the risk of seizure of bank accounts and payment of interest till dues are cleared," he said.

The civic body had been filing certificate cases involving arrears of more than Rs 25 lakh before the collector, while cases for arrears less than that were filed before his designated officer, the sub-collector.

Municipal corporation officials said such cases remained pending before the collector and sub-collector, who have to deal with cases from the entire district, for years. The special certificate court was meant to remove that bureaucratic red tape.