IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA LPA No.1470 of 2009 CHANDRA BHUSHAN SINHA, son of Ram Sahay Pd., Resident of village Alipur, P.S. Asthawan (Bind), District Nalanda, at present posted at Sub-divisional officer (Asst. Engineer) in the office drainage Division, Darbhanga, Chaliama at Darbhanga, District Darbhanga … (petitioner)-Appellant Versus 1. THE STATE OF BIHAR 2. The Secretary, Water Resources Department, Patna 3. Joint Secretary, Water Resources Department, Bihar, Patna 4. The Deputy Secretary, Water Resources Department, Bihar, Patna … Opp.Parties-Respondents ----------- 2. 16.4.2010 In this Letters Patent Appeal assail is to the order dated 8.10.2009 passed by the learned Single Judge in C.W.J.C.No. 12176/2009, whereby he has declined to interfere with the order of punishment on the ground of delay and laches. On a perusal of the material brought on record and on scrutiny of the order passed by the learned Single Judge it is vivid that the appellant had challenged the order of punishment dated 14.8.1999 whereby an order of recovery was passed against him. In our considered opinion, the doctrine of delay and laches gets squarely attracted, inasmuch as the appellant could not have woken up from slumber to challenge the punishment of recovery after expiry of 2 almost a decade. In the result, we do not perceive any merit in this appeal and accordingly, the same stands dismissed in limine. (Dipak Misra,C.J.) (Mihir Kumar Jha,J.) Surendra/