Chandigarh, March 18 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court has ordered withholding of salary of a top Haryana bureaucrat for three months in the case of alleged delay of compassionate financial assistance of a Kurukshetra resident.

"Being conscious of the fact that the burden occasioned by administrative delay does not ultimately fall upon the public exchequer, this court considers it necessary to ensure institutional accountability. Accordingly, it is directed that the salary of the finance secretary, department of education, Haryana shall remain withheld for a period of three months," the bench of justice Sandeep Moudgil said.

As per lawyer Sardawinder Goyal, the plea was from one Chhbeel Kumar, whose wife, a teacher, had died in Decem...