The Uttarakhand High Court has come down heavily on senior state officials for their failure to comply with a judicial order that directed them to stop recovering substantial sums of money from the salaries of more than 1,500 employees. The court expressed its displeasure during a hearing on multiple contempt petitions.
Court Issues Stern Rebuke to Forest Department
A single bench presided over by Justice Ravindra Maithani was hearing the contempt petitions filed against the state authorities. The bench pointedly questioned RK Sudhanshu, the Secretary of the State Forest Department, and the Managing Director of the Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation for their inaction.
The court noted that it had already issued show-cause notices to the concerned officials, yet compliance with its earlier order was not forthcoming. This lack of action prompted the court to demand answers during the recent hearing.
The Core of the Dispute: Recovery from Employees
The case originates from petitions filed by Ram Ujagir and other serving and retired employees of the Forest Development Corporation. The bone of contention is an order to recover amounts ranging between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 12 lakh from the salaries and dues of these employees.
The petitioners informed the court that during a previous hearing in October last year, which took place ahead of a special audit, the High Court had given specific directions. The court had instructed the state forest department and the Uttarakhand government to ensure all rightful benefits were provided to the employees within a three-month period.
Critically, the court had also explicitly ordered the authorities not to recover two specific payments that had been made to the employees for their past services. This directive was meant to protect the financial interests of the workforce.
Government's Non-Compliance Sparks Legal Action
Despite the clear judicial order and the passage of the stipulated three-month deadline, the state government and the forest department failed to act. Instead of halting the recovery process and providing the benefits, the authorities upheld the recovery order, leading to the deduction of large sums from employee salaries.
This defiance of the court's mandate compelled the aggrieved employees to file contempt petitions, arguing that the officials were in willful violation of the High Court's instructions. The petitions highlighted the financial hardship caused by the continued recovery process, which affected a significant number of both current and former corporation staff.
The court's recent intervention underscores the seriousness with which it views the non-implementation of its orders. By directly questioning the top officials involved, Justice Maithani's bench has signaled that bureaucratic delay or indifference is not acceptable. The matter remains under judicial scrutiny, with the officials now required to provide satisfactory explanations for their failure to comply.
