Uttarakhand HC Issues Contempt Notice To DoPT Secy Over Non-Compliance With Orders To Supply IFS Sanjeev Chaturvedi's Empanelment Records

Recently, the Uttarakhand High Court issued a contempt notice to the Secretary of Centre's Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) for failing to comply with the Court's order to supply records relating to the process and decision-making of IFS Sanjeev Chaturvedi's empanelment to the position of Joint Secretary at the Centre.

The bench comprising Justice Alok Kumar Verma heard the contempt petition filed by Indian Forest Service Officer (IFS) Sanjiv Chaturvedi who appeared in person.

“Mr. Sanjiv Chaturvedi has contended that he had intimated the respondent about the said Order dated 03.09.2024 vide letter dated 11.09.2024, followed by reminder. The respondent has willfully defied the order of the Court, passed in WPSB No.295 of 2024, despite being intimated about the same in writing by him.”, the court recorded.

Chaturvedi had sought records under the RTI Act about the Centre's decision to not approve his appointment to the post of Joint Secretary or equivalent position at the Centre despite fulfilling the mandatory criteria for the position.

Initially, Chaturvedi approached the Central Administrative Tribunal to seek the record but was denied to him. Following this, he approached the High Court.

On Sep. 3, 2024, the Court directed the Centre to provide him with the records related to his empanelment.

However, after noting that the respondent authority had failed to comply by the Court's order despite reminder by Chaturvedi, the Court was inclined to issue the contempt of Court notice to the erring official to defied the Court's order.

Case Title: SANJIV CHATURVEDI vs. VIVEK JOSHI

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