Dehradun: The Uttarakhand High Court on Monday issued a fresh contempt notice to the secretary of the minority welfare department for failing to comply with judicial orders regarding the non-payment of regular salaries to madrassa teachers since 2016.
Court Proceedings
Hearing a batch of contempt petitions, a bench of Justice Pankaj Purohit directed the official to submit a response by August 11. The contempt petition, filed by Sanjay of Haridwar and others, highlights the government's failure to pay regular salaries since 2016 to teachers appointed under a special scheme between 2006 and 2008 to promote primary education in madrassas.
Non-Compliance with Orders
The petitioners' counsel stated that neither has the court's original order been complied with nor has the mandated three-member committee been constituted. In 2023, the court had ordered the secretary to form a three-member committee to verify teachers' documents and process dues within four months. That deadline has long passed, yet the salaries from 2016 have not been released to date. Previous contempt notices to the secretary on related matters also remain unaddressed.
Impact on Teachers
The petition underscores persistent non-compliance by the state welfare department despite repeated judicial intervention. The affected teachers are facing severe hardship and finding it difficult to sustain their livelihood.
