Hearing the contempt case on Monday, Justice Kumar took I R Perumal, Principal Secretary, Department of Youth Services and Sports (DYSS), to task and gave a final chance to get a stay on the single judge order directing the government to implement the rules.
Justice V Jagannath, on November 11, 2010, had ordered that the government implement the C&R rules in six months, while hearing a writ petition filed by a number of employees.
The petitioners moved the court again, after the government failed to implement the order. The court sent a contempt notice on August 8, 2011. The matter was then listed for hearing on October 12, 2011.
The government then sought six months time to implement the same. But the court ruled that government should comply with the original order in five weeks.
Review sought
However, on November 29, 2011, the government submitted before the court that it cannot implement the order and the judge asked them to file a counter the same day. The government, while filing the counter, also sought a review of the original order.
During the hearing of the review petition on December 12, 2011, Justice Sabhahith is said to have observed that there was no strength in the counter filed by the defendants and therefore, charges must be framed. The matter was posted to December 19 (Monday).
The demise of Sabhahith on December 12, even before he could sign the order copy, resulted in the matter coming up before Justice Kumar.
However, even as he warned the government of contempt charges, he has given it a chance to obtain a stay on the original order after the government sought time till the vacation ended, as it has filed another application.