Expressing its strong disapproval against a Deputy Collector for disobeying the High Court’s order and forcibly removing hutments in Guntur district in January 2014, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered the State of Andhra Pradesh to demote the government official to the post of tehsildar.
The Bench of Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih observed that every authority or person, howsoever high it or he/she may be, was bound to respect and comply with the orders passed by courts. Disobedience of the orders passed by a court attacked the very foundation of the rule of law on which the democracy was based.
While confirming the High Court verdict convicting the official for deliberate and utter disobedience of its order, the Apex Court modified the judgment and ordered the reduction of one level in the hierarchy of the petitioner’s service.
Noting that the officer was promoted to the post of Deputy Collector in 2023, the top court of the country directed the Andhra Pradesh government to demote the official to the post of tehsildar. It also directed the petitioner to pay a fine of Rs one lakh within four weeks.
The Bench said it wanted to give a clear message to the country that disobedience of the court orders would not be tolerated.
The top court of the country passed the verdict on a petition filed by the officer challenging the judgment passed by the Division Bench of the High Court, rejecting his appeals against contempt action. The Division Bench further refused to interfere with the single-judge Bench order sentencing the official to two months imprisonment.
The single-judge Bench of the High Court had passed the judgment on a batch of petitions alleging that the officer, who was then a tehsildar, forcibly removed hutments in Guntur district in January 2014 despite a December 11, 2013 direction restraining him from doing so.
Earlier, the Apex Court had asked the officer whether he was willing to accept demotion as a punishment for disobeying the High Court order.
During the hearing today, the Counsel representing the officer said that he would go down to any punishment.
Supreme Court orders demotion of Deputy Collector for disobeying AP High Court verdict, forcibly removing hutments in Guntur
Expressing its strong disapproval against a Deputy Collector for disobeying the High Court’s order and forcibly removing hutments in Guntur district in January 2014, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered the State of Andhra Pradesh to demote the government official to the post of tehsildar.
The Bench of Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih observed that every authority or person, howsoever high it or he/she may be, was bound to respect and comply with the orders passed by courts. Disobedience of the orders passed by a court attacked the very foundation of the rule of law on which the democracy was based.
While confirming the High Court verdict convicting the official for deliberate and utter disobedience of its order, the Apex Court modified the judgment and ordered the reduction of one level in the hierarchy of the petitioner’s service.
Noting that the officer was promoted to the post of Deputy Collector in 2023, the top court of the country directed the Andhra Pradesh government to demote the official to the post of tehsildar. It also directed the petitioner to pay a fine of Rs one lakh within four weeks.
The Bench said it wanted to give a clear message to the country that disobedience of the court orders would not be tolerated.
The top court of the country passed the verdict on a petition filed by the officer challenging the judgment passed by the Division Bench of the High Court, rejecting his appeals against contempt action. The Division Bench further refused to interfere with the single-judge Bench order sentencing the official to two months imprisonment.
The single-judge Bench of the High Court had passed the judgment on a batch of petitions alleging that the officer, who was then a tehsildar, forcibly removed hutments in Guntur district in January 2014 despite a December 11, 2013 direction restraining him from doing so.
Earlier, the Apex Court had asked the officer whether he was willing to accept demotion as a punishment for disobeying the High Court order.
During the hearing today, the Counsel representing the officer said that he would go down to any punishment.
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