The Jharkhand High Court has imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on the Director of Department of Higher, Technical Education and Skill Development, Government of Jharkhand, Ranchi for not complying with the orders of the High Court, to release the admitted dues of petitioner.
Justice Dr SN Pathak strongly condemned the respondents, stating that in spite of specific orders and directions, the respondents – Director, Department of Higher, Technical Education and Skill Development, Government of Jharkhand, Ranchi failed to pass orders to release the admitted dues of the petitioner.
“It appears that the orders of this Court fell on deaf ears. The lackadaisical and lethargic approach of the respondents clearly shows that they have no care or respect for the orders of this court,” the Bench noted.
The High Court on June 9 issued a specific direction to the respondents to release admitted dues of the petitioner, Balkishore Sahu, in following words:
“The orders of the court are flouted by the respondent – State without assigning any reasons. It appears that the State is in habit of sitting over the orders of the court, acting as an appellate authority. However, in order to give one more chance, two weeks’ time is allowed to learned counsel for the respondent State for releasing the admitted dues of the petitioner.”
The Bench further said that the petitioner is on the verge of starvation. The pay fixation is done by the university and recommended to the respondents – State was duly accepted, even then admitted dues have not been released on the ground that other persons are also claiming the same benefits.
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The services of the petitioner were accepted all along till date of his retirement. “Now after the retirement when petitioner is claiming retiral benefits, the same is being disputed on the ground of sanction”, held the Judge.
“It appears that respondents – State is acting as an appellate authority of the High Court and instead of complying orders of this Court, the same are being flouted, which cannot be tolerated by this Court.
The same amounts to gross contempt and as such, this Court is inclined to saddle the respondents with a cost of Rs 50,000 to be paid to the petitioner in addition to his admitted dues, within a period of three weeks from today”, the order reads.
Source: ILNS