VIJAYAWADA: A division bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday expressed strong displeasure over officials’ repeated disregard for judicial directives, observing that they appear to believe they are “more powerful than the courts” due to working under a “powerful person.”
Justices Battu Devanand and Avadhanam Hariharanath Sharma, while hearing an appeal against a single judge’s order on the continuation of PG Teachers in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV), remarked that officials in the government seem intent on confronting judiciary.
“Officials think no one can touch them because they work under a powerful individual. They consider themselves very important and powerful,” the bench observed. The bench noted that nothing in the Education Department is proceeding properly. It highlighted a complete lack of respect for courts or court orders among officials, who behave as if they are above the law.
The sharp comments came during the hearing of an appeal filed by the government challenging a 2023 single-judge order by Justice Nimmagadda Venkateswarlu. The single judge had directed that contract PGTs in KGBVs be continued in their existing posts as per their agreements and paid accordingly.
Petitioners’ counsel Jaibheem Rao told the court that despite a clear order and an undertaking to comply, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan officials transferred teachers, changed their pay to an hourly basis and violated the directive. When queried, the government pleader identified SSA Project Director B Srinivas Rao as responsible. On a serious note, the bench suo motu initiated contempt proceedings, directed issuance of Form-1 notice and ordered his personal appearance. The matter was posted to February 4.