Andhra officials face HC wrath in contempt case again

A contempt petition was filed with High Court, after the government officials failed to follow the court's orders to let the petitioners apply for a government post.
Andhra Pradesh High Court. (File Photo| Express)
Andhra Pradesh High Court. (File Photo| Express)

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court Tuesday initiated contempt of court proceedings against two senior bureaucrats and sentenced them to undergo nine days of imprisonment. The court, which asked them to pay a fine of Rs 1,000 each, later amended its orders and made the two officials stand in the court till the end of the closing hours.

Panchayati Raj commissioner M Girija Shankar and former commissioner of horticulture department Chiranjeev Chowdary appeared before the court. The case related to the issuance of a notification for filling the posts of Village Horticulture Assistant on January 10, 2020 by the horticulture department. Later, the department amended the notification and removed some of the eligibility criteria for the aspirants. Aggrieved by this, S Krishna and 35 other aspirants approached the court.

The High Court, in its interim orders, struck down the amended notification and asked the government to allow the petitioners to apply for the post. The government filed a petition challenging the interim orders but it was struck down by the court. As the government did not follow the court orders to allow them to apply for the posts, the petitioners filed a contempt petition. 

Two weeks ago, the court issued orders sentencing the two officials to one-month imprisonment but recalled its orders after the government sought two weeks time to implement the court orders. The orders, however, were not implemented. Justice B Devanand observed that the court’s directions were not implemented for nine months and that the court need not take a lenient stand on officials who follow the orders only when they were asked to appear in person. Justice Devanand sentenced Girija Shankar and Chiranjeev Chowdary to nine days imprisonment. With the two officials tendering an apology, the court amended its orders. 

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