Nancy Gaikwad v. Shri Deepak Akade, Tehsildar And ANR

JPP

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CONTEMPT PETITION NO. 271 OF 2015 IN PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION NO. 50 OF 2012 Nancy Gaikwad ... Petitioner.

V/s.

Deepak Akade and Another ... Respondents.

Ms. Dipika Sahani I/b. Gayatri Singh for the Petitioner. Mr. M.M. Pabale, AGP for Respondents 1 and 2. CORAM : NARESH H. PATIL,C.J. & N.M. JAMDAR, J.

DATE : 01 FEBRUARY, 2019.

P.C. :- This Contempt Petition is filed alleging that the Respondents have committed contempt of order passed by this Court in PIL No. 50 of 2012.

2.

The Public Interest Litigations were filed in this Court in respect of Antyodaya Anna Yojna, a scheme for providing subsidized food. PIL No. 50 of 2012 was for the purpose of

ensuring access to food at subsidized rates. The Petitions were disposed of by an order dated 21 June 2013 issuing certain directions to the State in respect of finalization of the list and issuance of cards. The directions of this Court had given certain time limits. The Petitioner has made a grievance that the State has not adhered to this time limit and therefore has committed contempt of this Court. 3.

Reply has been filed on behalf of the State by Mr. Deepak Akade, Tahsildar, Panvel, District - Raigad, who was the then Tahsildar of Khalapur, District - Raigad. He has tendered unconditional apology to this Court which is reiterated on his behalf by the learned Additional Government Pleader. He has placed on record that the order has been complied with however there was a delay and he has sought to give certain reasons for the delay. 4.

We have perused the reply. From the reply it appears to us that though there was a delay in complying with the directions, the action of the Respondents does not appear to be contemptuous in nature. Furthermore, an unconditional apology has been tendered. Accepting this unconditional apology, we dispose of this Contempt Petition. We however caution the deponent to be more careful in future while complying with time bound directions issued by this Court.

N.M. JAMDAR, J.

CHIEF JUSTICE