Dy Commissioner in contempt loop

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 6

Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner Ajit Balaji Joshi has landed himself in contempt loop for his failure to decide a 99-year-old retired Army officer’s plea under the Senior Citizens Act.

As the case came up for hearing this morning, Justice Rajan Gupta of the High Court issued a notice to Joshi to show cause why further proceedings should not be initiated against him in view of the provisions of Contempt of Courts Act. Justice Gupta also made it clear that the Bench would, on the next date of hearing, consider whether his presence was required to assist the court. The development took place on the contempt of court petition filed by Lt Col Pyara Singh Sarang (retd) against Joshi.

Appearing before the Bench, his counsel alleged violation of the order dated November 6 passed by the writ court. In its order, the court had taken note of the submissions made by the counsel for the petitioner that the retired Army officer was more than 99 years of age. He had filed an application under Section 22 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, for eviction of unauthorised occupants.

The application was with the respondent, who had fixed it for hearing on November 9. His grievance was that his case was not making any headway as the respondent was not deciding his application, despite the fact that he was more than 99 years of age.

The writ court had disposed of the petition with a direction to the respondent to try and decide the application on the date already fixed before him or by the month-end. Seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against Joshi, his counsel told Justice Gupta’s Bench that the petitioner’s application was still pending even though the period for deciding the plea had been prescribed by the High Court. He added that the respondent had “disobeyed the orders passed by this court”.

  Taking a stern view of the matter, Justice Gupta fixed the case for further hearing soon after the court reopens in the second week of January following the winter break.