Chandigarh, Feb. 7 -- The high court on Friday directed the Punjab chief secretary to file an affidavit explaining whether officers, particularly in the revenue department, were actually imparted training. The direction came after justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri took note of a 15-year-old dispute where the appellate authority dismissed the appeal without discussing issues or material on record. The matter pertains to 2010, when the sale deed was impounded by the sub-registrar and thereafter, in the first round of litigation, the matter was remanded back by the Commissioner because spot inspection was not done. After the matter reached the high court, it set aside the order and sent the matter back to the collector to decide the matter afresh. The collector again dismissed the appeal without even discussing the issue involved and the material available on record. The HC on Friday noted that a perusal of the appellate order dated August 18, 2025, passed by the commissioner, Jalandhar division and the fact that litigation had been going on for about 15 years would show that the appellate authority without discussing any issue or referring to the order passed by this court, passed an order which prima facie is totally 'cryptic and non-speaking'. "This court in a large number of cases pertaining to stamp duty, has come across various orders whereby the collectors and the commissioners, who act as appellate authority, often pass unreasoned orders without even discussing the procedure prescribed under the provisions of Section 47-A of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899," the court observed. "Therefore, this court takes a serious view with regard to the same and directs the Chief Secretary of the State of Punjab to file his own affidavit stating as to whether after the petition was disposed of, training was imparted to all the officers of the State of Punjab, especially to the officers of the Revenue Department. The Chief Secretary of the Government of Punjab will also apprise this Court whether the particular officer, who acted as the appellate authority in the present case, was imparted any training, and if yes, then which faculty had imparted him training." Justice Puri observed the court had earlier taken judicial cognisance of how administrative and quasi-judicial powers were being exercised by state officers. Pursuant to the court's directions, an affidavit dated April 20, 2023, was filed by the chief secretary, assuring training of officers....