On Wednesday, the court directed the state government to withhold the salaries of three bureaucrats due to a delay of over three and a half years in complying with its orders.
Jodhpur, March 12 – The Rajasthan High Court has taken a strict stand in a contempt case involving delayed salary payments and arrears to public employees.
On Wednesday, the court directed the state government to withhold the salaries of three bureaucrats due to a delay of over three and a half years in complying with its orders.
The Jodhpur bench, under Justice Dinesh Mehta, has also summoned the Principal Secretary of the Personnel Department to appear in person on March 25.
This move came during the hearing of a contempt petition filed by Ramesh Audichya and eight other ministerial staff members from the Collector and Divisional Commissioner office in Udaipur.
Background of the Case
Advocate Yashpal Khileree, representing the petitioners, stated that his clients were made permanent from their initial appointments on August 13, 1987. They were granted the first and second selection grade scales but were denied the third selection grade scale. Due to this denial, they approached the Rajasthan High Court for justice.
In its judgment on September 23, 2021, the single bench of the court ruled in favor of the petitioners. It ordered that the third selection grade scale, which is payable after 27 years, should be calculated from August 12, 2014. The court also directed that all cash benefits and arrears be disbursed within three months of the order.
Additionally, the court mandated that the arrears related to the increased salary and other consequential benefits should be paid by March 31, 2022.
However, the petitioners later claimed that the government failed to comply with the court’s directions, prompting them to file a contempt petition. They demanded strict punishment for the contemnors, alleging deliberate non-compliance.
In defense, the government counsel argued that compliance had been delayed due to a pending special appeal.
But Advocate Khileree countered by stating that,
“the special appeal was dismissed on August 2, 2023, and there was neither a stay nor suspension of the order of the single judge in the appeal.”
He further argued, “Therefore, the contemnors were merely attempting to mislead the court, which constitutes clear contempt of court.”
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Considering the gravity of the situation and the conduct of the contemnors, the Rajasthan High Court directed the state government to withhold the salaries of three IAS officers involved in the case:
- Hemant Gera – Then Personnel Department Secretary
- Rajendra Kumar Bhatt – Then Divisional Commissioner of Udaipur
- Tarachand Meena – Then District Collector of Udaipur
The court specified that their salaries should not be disbursed without its explicit permission.
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