Chennai: The Madras High Court has ordered issue of contempt notices to authorities, including the Tamilnadu Home Secretary, for failure to implement its 2017 order related to continuity of service of 168 police constables.
Justice T Raja refused to accept the government’s plea for adjournment of the constables’ contempt petition on the ground that it has filed an appeal against the order and issued the statutory notices to Home Secretary Niranjan Mardi and then Director General of Police T K Rajendran.
In his recent order, the judge said there was no justification for making such a prayer aimed at deferring implementation of the court order passed long time ago. According to R Rajakumar of Nagapattinam and 167 others, all of them joined as Grade-II constables in 2011 in Category- 3, Tamilnadu Spl. Police and they received yearly increments in 2012 and 2013. They were given earned leave, gratuity and other benefits from 2011.
A Government Order, by which they were appointed, had then stated those who complete ten years in the post will be transferred to Catergory-2, Armed Reserve, with continuity of service and pay protection together with seniority.
Later the petitioners got selected to the category through an examination. But after selection, they were informed their seniority could be counted only from 2013 and their basic pay would also start from that year while all other benefits would be granted from 2011.
Aggrieved, they filed a petition in the high court which on 10 January 2017 allowed their plea and directed the authorities to grant continuity of service with all attendant benefits. But till date, the order had not been implemented. Contending that it tantamount to wilful disobedience and obstruction of the course of administration of justice, the petitioners filed the present contempt petition.