Division bench stays contempt proceedings

Kerala High Court today stayed contempt proceedings against state Higher Secondary Education Director Kesevendra Kumar for non-compliance of a court directive.

Passing interim order on an appeal filed by the official, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice K Vindod Chandra stayed the order of a single judge.

Last week, Justice P N Ravindran had criticised the official for non-compliance of a direction to approve appointments of higher secondary school teachers granted in 2011-12.

Hearing a batch of contempt petitions by the teachers, the Judge had directed the official to issue an order in this regard by today, following which he filed the appeal.