The Supreme Court on Thursday came to the rescue of Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha (IAS:1992:PB) by staying further proceedings in a criminal contempt matter initiated against him.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court had initiated the proceedings against him and others in the employees’ DA arrears case.
A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan passed the order while hearing a plea challenging the HC’s decision to initiate the criminal contempt proceedings against CS Sinha and others.
The top court bench noted that the Chief Secretary was directed to be present in person in the High Court in the matter on Thursday.
The High Court had initiated contempt proceedings against the CS following the state govt‘s failure to comply with its directions to pay all pending DA arrears to govt employees and pensioners.
The High Court, in its order on October 12, had issued a contempt notice to the CS asking as to why criminal contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him in the matter.
The Punjab govt’s Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) then filed a petition challenging the HC order, arguing that the CS is made to attend to the HC on an almost regular basis.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana took note of his submissions, saying the plea will be listed on Thursday before another bench.
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