R. Rajaselvan v. Mr.Harmandhar Singh

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 11.07.2025

CORAM:

THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE S.M.SUBRAMANIAM AND THE HONOURABLE DR.JUSTICE A.D.MARIA CLETE Cont.P.(MD).No.2167 of 2017 in W.P.(MD)No.3787 of 2017 R.Rajaselvan ... Petitioner -vs1. Mr. Harmandhar Singh.IAS, The Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, State of Tamil Nadu, Fort St. George, Chennai.

2. Mr. Hans Raj Varma IAS, The Principal Secretary, Rural and Panchayat Raj Department, State of Tamil Nadu,

3. Mr. Aneesh Sekhar. IAS, The Commissioner, Madurai Corporation, Alagar coil road, Madurai. 625020.

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4. Mr. Pradeep Yadav. IAS, The State of Tamil Nadu, Rep by the Principal Secretary, Department of School Education,

5. Mr. Kannapan, The Director, Directorate of public libraries, L.L.A. Building, 737/1, Anna Salai, Chennai, 600002.

6. Dr.Dharma Rajendran, The Joint Director, Directorate of Public Libraries, L.L.A. Building, 737/1, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.

... Respondents Prayer: Contempt Petition filed under Section 11 of Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 to initiate appropriate contempt proceedings against the contemnors for their willful disobedience of the order of this Hon'ble Court dated 03.03.2017 made in W.P.(MD)No.3787 of 2017 and punish the respondents in accordance with law.

For Petitioner : Mr.R.Alagumani For R1, R2, R4 & R5 : Mr.P.Thilak Kumar Government Pleader For R3 : Mr.S.Vinayak 2/6

ORDER

(Order of the Court was made by S.M.SUBRAMANIAM, J.) The contempt petition has been instituted to punish the respondents for disobedience of the order of this Court dated dated 03.03.2017 in W.P.(MD)No.3787 of 2017. This Court passed the following order:- "4. Considering the nature of the relief sought in the writ petition and also considering the fact that as per Section 12 of the said Act, the Corporations, Municipalities and local bodies are bound to remit the library cess to the District Library Authorities throughout the State of Tamil Nadu, this Court is inclined to pass the following order.

5. In fine, this writ petition is allowed without costs and the respondents 1 and 2 are directed to take effective steps to remit library cess to all District Library Authorities within a period of six months."

2. The direction issued by this Court is clear that the respondents 1 and 2 in the writ petition are directed to take effective steps to remit library cess to all District Library Authorities within a period of six months.

3. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that payments are made, however, still arrears are there. Therefore, further direction is required to settle the entire amount collected towards library cess by the local body in this regard.

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4. The learned Government Pleader appearing for the official respondents would submit that the Government has taken a policy decision to maintain the entire public library from and out of the state exchequer. In this regard, G.O.(Ms)No.113, School Education (PL1) Department dated 04.06.2024 has been issued.

5. In view of the fact that the Government has to took over the appropriation of funds, there is no willful disobedience. Consequently, the contempt petition stands closed.

(S.M.S., J.) (A.D.M.C., J.) 11.07.2025 NCC :yes/No Index :yes/No Internet:yes/No rgm 4/6

To

1. Mr. Harmandhar Singh.IAS, The Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, State of Tamil Nadu, Fort St. George, Chennai.

2. Mr. Hans Raj Varma IAS, The Principal Secretary, Rural and Panchayat Raj Department, State of Tamil Nadu,

3. Mr. Aneesh Sekhar. IAS, The Commissioner, Madurai Corporation, Alagar coil road, Madurai. 625020.

4. Mr. Pradeep Yadav. IAS, The State of Tamil Nadu, Rep by the Principal Secretary, Department of School Education,

5. Mr. Kannapan, The Director, Directorate of public libraries, L.L.A. Building, 737/1, Anna Salai, Chennai, 600002.

6. Dr.Dharma Rajendran, The Joint Director, Directorate of Public Libraries, L.L.A. Building, 737/1, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.

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S.M.SUBRAMANIAM, J.

and A.D.MARIA CLETE, J.

rgm Cont.P.(MD).No.2167 of 2017 in W.P.(MD)No.3787 of 2017 11.07.2025 6/6