MP HC orders additional CS & DGP to be present in case of non-compliance of order

Bhopal/Jabalpur: Taking strong exception to the non-compliance of a court order, the Madhya Pradesh high court said that if the court decision in the case in question is not complied with in letter and spirit by the next date of hearing, then additional chief secretary Sanjay Dubey and DGP Sudhir Saxena should be present for the hearing on Oct 16 through video conferencing.Vijay Punj, a police officer posted in Bhopal, in his petition said that he was given an out-of-turn promotion to the post of TI in 2006. In 2018, a departmental promotion committee (DPC) was constituted. Since a criminal case was pending against him in UP, the committee put the recommendation for his promotion in a sealed envelope. Officials, who were junior to him, were promoted.He had filed a petition in the high court against the promotion which was denied to him due to a pending case in UP. In March 2024, HC in its order stated that the case against the petitioner had been pending for 28 years. The petitioner had received a promotion during this period. A decision on the recommendation of the DPC kept in the sealed envelope should be taken within 60 days.As the HC order was not complied with, a contempt petition was filed. During the hearing of the petition, the court was informed on behalf of the state govt that a delay in deciding the case had occurred because cabinet approval would be required for the purpose. The petitioner, however, stated that more than six months had passed since the order was issued, and his retirement is due on Oct 31.After hearing both sides, the bench of Justice D D Bansal asked the state govt to comply with the court order in letter and spirit. Failing this, the additional CS and DGP, who are respondents in the case, should be virtually present in the court for the hearing on the next date. The case will now come up for hearing on Oct 16.
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