Chief secretary and two others to face contempt proceedings in Himachal Pradesh High Court
Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday issued notice for contempt of court to state’s Chief secretary P Mitra, Principal Secretary Srikant Baldi and Law Secretary D K Sharma on failure of the state government to comply recommendations of 1st National Judicial Pay Commission, also known as Shetty Commission.
The court gave two weeks to the government to implement recommendations of the commission relating to revision of pay, allowances and other benefits to employees of the Subordinate Courts. All three officials were also asked to appear before the court on April 1.
The orders were passed by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan on a petition filed by the HP Non-gazetted Judicial Employees Welfare Association seeking proceedings for contempt of the court.
It was son Januray 3, 2014, High Court had quashed the HP Subordinate Courts Employees (Pay, Allowances & other conditions of service) Act, 2005 calling it a colourable exercise of legislation, which overrules the directions of the Supreme Court of India to implement the Shetty Commission recommendations uniformly.
The court had asked the state government to implement the recommendations of Shetty Commission from April 1, 2003.
The petitioners’ association had moved an execution petition in the High Court seeking implementation of the orders. Last year on September 15, the High Court had directed the government to comply with the directions within 12 weeks. The petitioners alleged a willful disobedience of the Court orders.
Source:: Indian Express
