Contempt petition against three officers dropped

The Karnataka High Court on Monday dropped the contempt petition filed against three government officials.

Contempt proceedings were dropped against Gangaram Baderiya, secretary, Muzrai Department; S P Shadakshari Swami, commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department and Ningaiah, executive officer, Sri Kukke Subramanya Temple.

The petitioners, employees of the Sri Kukke Subramanya temple, had approached the court seeking the Endowments department to pay them fifth and sixth pay commission’s benefits.

A single judge had directed the department to make the payment in January 2016. However, the commissioner of the department failed to make any payment. The employees approached the court with a contempt petition for not following the order.

A division bench comprising Justice B S Patil and Justice B V Nagarathna dropped the contempt proceedings after it was submitted that the employees were on contract and they were not eligible for pay commission benefits.