HC gives TN one week time to respond to contempt plea

The Madras High Court today gave the state government one week time for filing its reply on a contempt petition filed against Shivadas Meena, Secretary, Food and Consumer Affairs, for not appointing the president for the Tamil Nadu State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission despite a court direction.
A division bench, comprising Justice S Manikumar and C T Selvam, which was hearing a petition filed by one M Piravi Perumal, wondered why the presidentship of the commission was vacant since May last year,when the government pleader sought time to get instructions and reply.
The petitioner submitted as per regulations, Food and Consumer Affairs Secretary should request the Chief Justice of Madras High Court to recommend the name of a retired High Court Judge for presiding over the commission as soon as the post fell vacant.

Once the Chief Justice recommended a name,he should be appointed as the president.The TSCDRC president post fell vacant on May 31 last year.As the state government did not take any step,he made a representation to the secretary, the petitioner submitted.
The court directed the government to consider the representation on September 8 last.But the secretary did not consider the court order, the petitioner said.
When the petitioner sought to know about the status after the High Court's order by applying under Right to Information Act, the principal information commissioner said the post was vacant and filling it was under consideration.

Though several months had elapsed, the secretary did not consider the court's order and did not deliberately comply with the order, the petitioner alleged.
The petitioner submitted he also issued a contempt notice to the secretary,even then it was not considered and prayed that action should be taken against him by issuing statutory notice to him.