Inderjit Singh And Others v. Ajoy Kumar Sinha And Others

-1IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH 102 (2 case) Date of Decision: August 25th, 2025 Inderjit Singh and others ......Petitioners Vs.

Ajoy Kumar Sinha, IAS, Secretary, Dept of Finance, Govt. of Pb. and others .....Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE SUDEEPTI SHARMA

Present:

Mr. R.K. Arora, Advocate with Mr. Jugam Arora, Advocate for the petitioners.

Mr. Animesh Sharma, Addl.A.G. Punjab **** SUDEEPTI SHARMA J. (Oral) 1.

Present contempt petition is filed for punishing the respondent for intentional and willful disobedience of the order dated 10.01.2023 passed by this Court in CWP-29-2023.

2.

The relevant portion of the order dated 10.01.2023 is reproduced as under:- "2. Mr. R.K.Kapoor, Additional Advocate General, Punjab, representing the State of Punjab admits that the State Government employees are entitled to the grant of benefit of Dearness Allowance @ 119% w.c.f. 01.07.2015. He undertakes that not only the petitioners, but all the other similarly situated employees shall be granted the benefit within a period of three months, from today positively, as there cannot be discrimination between the various identically situated employees.

3. In view of the aforesaid facts, no further order is required to be passed in the writ petition. Hence, the present writ petition is disposed of."

-23.

Learned State counsel contends that in compliance of order dated 10.01.2023, short reply by way of an affidavit of Ms. Gurpreet Kaur Sapra, IAS, Secretary, Department of Finance, Punjab, Chandigarh dated 14.03.2024 has been filed.

4.

Para 3 to 5 of the affidavit dated 14.03.2024, are reproduced as under:- "3. That, it is submitted that in due compliance to the judgment dated 10.01.2023 passed in CWP No.29 of 2023 titled as Kuljeet Singh and others Vs State of Punjab and others, the benefit of Dearness Relief at the rate 6% from 01.07.2015 to 31.12.2015 (113% to 119%) has been duly released to the pensioners of State of Punjab. To this effect instructions dated 24.05.2023, were issued. Copy of the instruction dated 24.05.2023 are annexed herewith as Annexure R-1.

4. That, thus there arises no cause of contempt as the judgment dated 10.01.2023 stands duly complied with.

5. That the deponent holds this Hon'ble Court in high esteem and cannot even think of disobeying any order or direction of this Hon'ble Court. However, if the Hon'ble High Court comes to the conclusion that the deponent has disobeyed the order dated 10.01.2023 in any manner, the deponent tenders unconditional and unqualified apology for the same and shall always be ready to comply with the directions of the Hon'ble Court.

It is, therefore, respectfully prayed that this Contempt Petition may kindly be dismissed and the rule qua the deponent be discharged in the interest of justice."

-35.

A perusal of above shows that order dated 10.01.2023 passed by this Court in CWP-29-2023, has been complied with. This fact is not disputed by learned counsel for the petitioners. 6.

In view of the same contempt is purged and rule is discharged. 7.

Liberty is however granted to the petitioners to avail the remedy as is available to the petitioners in accordance with law for the remaining relief which the petitioner is now raising. August 25th, 2025 (SUDEEPTI SHARMA) Sahil JUDGE Whether speaking/reasoned : Yes/No Whether reportable : Yes/No