HC summons UP Principal Secy-Home, DGP for contempt

The Allahabad High Court has summoned the Principal Secretary (Home) of Uttar Pradesh and the Director General of Police for their failure to give out of turn promotion to a constable despite a court order to this effect.
Justice Devendra Pratap Singh, in an order passed yesterday, asked the officials to appear in person on March 21 and "show cause why they should not be punished for violation" of a judgement for granting out of promotion to the constable Ravindra Kumar Saini.
Saini was part of a police party which took part in an encounter with terrorists in February, 2004 and although three other policemen involved in the operation were given out of turn promotions, he was denied the same.

Saini thereafter moved the High Court which, on December 20, 2011 held that "the role of the applicant was the same as that of the three other persons" and directed grant of out of turn promotion "within a period of two months".
After lapse of eight months, the petitioner filed a contempt petition and the court on August 23, 2012 asked the Principal Secretary (Home) and the DGP to comply with the order "within a month".
A counter-affidavit was filed on behalf of the officials who argued that a special appeal challenging the court was pending before the court.
However, the court issued show cause notice to the officials observing "there is no interim order operating and this (a pending special appeal) can not be sufficient defence in contempt proceedings where there is a specific direction".