Officials warned of jail for not adhering to court orders

“We are going to pass an order to punish the officers. They shall go to the Supreme Court and get relief,” said Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari. Criticising that the officials did not know how to deal with court orders, Justice Bhandari, who was heading the first bench also comprising Justice PD Audikesvalu, said they were inclined to pass an order to imprison the officials.

The bench was hearing a contempt plea moved by P Ayyamperumal, who sought action against officials who failed to implement a court order dated July 15, 2019, directing the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department and Greater Chennai Corporation to complete underground drainage work in Madippakkam.

When the AAG said the detailed project report (DPR) was redone after some more areas have been added to the work proposed for Madipakkam, the Acting CJ asked the counsel what the officials have been doing for the last two years since the order was passed. “Whenever a good proposal is being made by the court, the officers are not taking it seriously,” he noted.

Though the AAG asked for two weeks to file the final DPR, the bench rejected it. Questioning if any fund was allocated for the project, Justice Bhandari asked the government to produce evidence for fund allocation. The government advocate sought time till Tuesday to submit all the details that the court demanded.

The Acting CJ then noted that it would be the last opportunity for the officials, and warned that they would be imprisoned for contempt if they fail to comply with court orders. The matter was then posted to February 1.

When the petitioner approached the court in 2019 seeking direction to the government to complete the DPR on underground sewerage scheme for Madipakkam as informed by the government through a notification dated May 17, 2019, the government had filed a status report before a division bench explaining that the drainage works were on and would be completed by 2020.