MOHAMED ALI B. Vs. SENTHILKUMARI SECRETARY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The order in the Writ Petition in W.P.No.21709 of 2022 came to be passed on 8/11/2023. The operative portions of the order read as follows:-

(2.) In the present Contempt Petition, it is stated that the contemnors herein have not issued an appointment order to the post of Data Entry Operator to accommodate the petitioner in the vacant post kept, as per the interim order passed in the Writ Petition. The contempt petition was initially listed on 12/7/2024, at which point of time, learned Additional Advocate General was given time to get instructions. Thereafter, in the next hearing, when the order was not complied with, statutory notice came to be issued. Subsequently, when the matter was listed on 20/9/2024 and on that day also, the order was neither complied with nor was any counter affidavit in the contempt petition filed. In this background, the contemnors were once again directed to be present in the next hearing on 25/10/2025, to render their explanation as to why the order could not be complied with. Though the contemnors had received this statutory notice, they once again failed to appear. Thus, a bailable warrant was issued to secure their presence. In this background, the contempt petition was listed on 25/4/2025, 4/7/2025, 29/8/2025 and 31/10/2025 and in all these hearing dates, the only explanation rendered by the learned Additional Advocate General was that they have preferred an appeal against the order passed in the Writ Petition in W.P.No.3166 of 2024. Admittedly, no interim orders were passed in the Writ Appeal, staying the order in the Writ Petition.

(3.) Finally, when the matter was listed on 21/11/2025, I had recorded all these adjournments and the non-compliance of the order passed in the Writ Petition as well as the failure on their part to file counter affidavit and accordingly, held that the contemnors have wilfully disobeyed the order passed in the Writ Petition in W.P.No.21709 of 2022, dtd. 8/11/2023. After holding so, the contemnors were called upon to be physically present before this Court today with their response as to why they should not be punished for wilful disobedience of the order of this Court. In response, the contemnors are present before this Court today.