Officials not respecting court orders, says Andhra Pradesh HC

VIJAYAWADA: Unless officials are directed to appear in person, they are not implementing court orders, said AP high court.

Expressing displeasure over special chief secretary Poonam Malakondaiah and former director general of police (DGP) D Gautam Sawang in two different contempt cases, the court observed that the officials were not respecting the high court orders.

One T Sujatha, a contract employee working as junior assistant in Government Dental College, Vijayawada, filed a contempt petition for not been paid her salary even after the orders of the high court. The high court had earlier summoned Poonam Malakondaiah, the then principal secretary for health, K Babji, the then director of medical education, and T Murali Mohan, former principal of Government Dental College, to appear in person before the court to explain the reasons for not paying salary to the petitioner.

Poonam Malakondaiah and Babji did not attend the court on previous hearing of the case. The high court warned that they will issue non-bailable warrant against her if she did not appear for next hearing. On Friday, Poonam and Babji and Murali Mohan appeared before the high court. The government counsel told the high court that salary to the petitioner has been paid in full. The government pleader sought time to give reply to the claims of the petitioner. The bench posted the matter for further hearing on April 28 by dispensing with the appearance of the officials.

In the contempt case filed by a sub-inspector rank officer for not giving him promotion even after the orders of the high court, former DGP Gautam Sawang and home secretary Kumar Viswajit appeared before the high court. They submitted that the petitioner was not eligible for promotion and the same has been recorded in the proceedings file. The court said its orders were not implemented in true spirit by the police department. As the government counsel sought time for submitting additional details, Justice Ganga Rao posted the matter for further hearing on April 12.