2 Haryana top officers guilty of contempt of court

CHANDIGARH: A Punjab and Haryana high court bench on Wednesday found two Haryana top officers guilty of contempt of court in a matter pertaining to regular recruitment of assistant professors in state colleges.

While posting the matter for April 11 for award of sentence, the high court bench of justice Rajesh Bindal has summoned both the officials Vijai Vardhan, an additional chief secretary, and former Haryana Public Service Commission secretary Bhupinder Singh before the court.

The high court was dissatisfied over the state dilly-dallying on recruitment of regular teachers in place of guest faculty despite the high court directions in this regard. Both the officials have been held guilty of contempt of court and summoned before the high court on April 11, said petitioner’s advocate Jagbir Malik.

A petition was filed in 2011, seeking appointment of regular teachers in place of guest faculty. In 2014, the high court had disposed of the matter with directions to the government to make regular recruitment and by the same order, HPSC was also directed to complete the process by November 15, 2014. As the government failed to make regular recruitment, a contempt petition was filed in April, 2015. It was during the hearing of this petition that the high court held these two officials guilty of contempt of court. HTC