HC lambasts bureaucrats for not honouring court orders

Coming down heavily on bureaucrats for their attitude in not complying with judicial orders, the Madras High Court today said the time has come to amend the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, for enhancing punishment for erring officials.
Referring to Section 12 of Contempt of Courts Act 1971, Justice N Kirubakaran said, "provision gives only minimum punishment and very nominal amount as fine, which is one of the reasons for non compliance of the orders promptly."
"Therefore, this court is prima facie of the opinion that time has come to amend the Section 12 to enhance punishment...," Kirubakaran said.
Passing orders on a contempt application filed by 92-year-old freedom fighter A P Abbu Gounder of Dharmapuri for failure to implement a high court order directing payment of pension to him, the Judge ordered issue of notice returnable by March 20 to the Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Freedom Fighter Division) for his appearance.

The Judge dwelt at length on various instances of non-compliance of court orders by officials and referred to the recent gangrape of physiotherapy student in Delhi which evoked national outrage.
He said the compliance of Supreme Court's order to remove black films in the windows of four wheelers would have curtailed/averted the Delhi rape incident.
He also noted that the number of contempt petitions in the Madras High Court has risen from 107 in 1981 to 2,434 in 2012.
"This only proves remarkable unwillingness, apathy on the part of the authorities/officials/persons for the last 10 years to comply with court orders...," he said.