MADURAI: The Madras High Court bench here today ordered issue of notice to the Principal Secretary (Public Department) for not obeying the court order to provide details about criminal cases pending, if any, against 23 candidates selected for direct recruitment to the post of district judges (entry level) in 2013.
Justice V Ramasubramanian and Justice N Kirubakaran directed the Government Pleader to take notice of the order on behalf of Jatindranath Swain, Principal Secretary (Public Department) on a petition filed by one K Kathiresan.
Kathiresan submitted that the court had earlier impleaded the state Home Secretary in the case and asked him to produce facts regarding four issues relating to the selected candidates, including whether police verification report of the candidates were forwarded to the Registry of the High Court and if any criminal cases were pending, under what circumstances their cases were cleared and whether the candidates themselves had made any declaration about the pending of the cases in their application.
Though the court had directed the Home Secretary to file the report on June 11, 2015, the official did not do so.
Then the court had impleaded the Public Department Secretary and asked him to provide the details within July 9.
But so far, the official has not filed the report.
The petitioner submitted that the Public Department Secretary had "wilfully disobeyed" the court order. In order to maintain the rule of law and ensure proper administration of justice, it is just and necessary that the contemnor had to be punished, Kathiresan contended.
The court adjourned the case for further hearing.