On Thursday, the Hich Court of Punjab & Haryana warned Punjab Higher Education Secretary Rahul Bhandari & another senior Govt functionary that they would be “obligated to appear personally before the court to explain” non-filing of reply in a contempt matter.
The HC is currently hearing pleas through video-conferencing following the COVID-19 outbreak. The Court order directing personal appearance, under the circumstances, indicates physical presence before the Bench.
The order came on a contempt petition filed against Rahul Bhandari & another respondent by Manju Middha through lawyer Harpal Singh Sirohi. The case revolves around the counting of the petitioner’s ad hoc service for the purpose of seniority & other consequential benefits.
As her plea came up for hearing before Justice Sudip Ahluwalia, the state counsel sought an adjournment. Fixing the case for July last week, Justice Ahluwalia made it clear that the opportunity for filing reply being granted was the last.
Middha had moved the HC last year seeking the quashing of an order dated Sept 21, 2018, passed by Punjab Secretary, Department of Higher Education, whereby she was denied the benefit of counting of ad hoc service for the purpose of seniority & other consequential benefits.
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Allowing her writ petition in Nov 2019, Justice Arun Monga ordered the setting aside of the impugned order, while directing the respondents to count the period of ad hoc service rendered by the petitioner & accord her all consequential benefits arising there from”.
Acting on another petition filed by Middha, the High Court earlier this month directed the Punjab Government to finalise the tentative seniority list of government college teachers. Justice Deepak Sibal also directed that promotion to the posts of principal, if any, would not be declared.
Issuing notice of motion for July 22, Justice Sibal asserted: “In the meanwhile, the final decision taken in pursuance of the departmental promotion committee, if any, for promotion to the posts of principal shall be kept in a sealed cover. The respondent-state shall also finalise the tentative seniority list of the government college teachers circulated on May 15.”
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