Allahabad High Court has ordered issuance of non-bailable warrant against a senior Uttar Pradesh government officer and asked him to be present "in custody before this court" on December 12 for not filing a personal affidavit in compliance with an earlier order.
In the order of November 27, Justice Sudhir Agarwal remarked, "It is really painful that officers holding such a high office of Principal Secretary in the Government can defy the court's direction at their sweet will with such audacity."
The court was livid over the submission of the standing counsel for the state that though its earlier order dated 08. 11.2013 was communicated to the officer "on that very date", he did not file his affidavit despite directions to do so "within two weeks positively" since he had "gone abroad under the instructions of Government of India from 25.11.2013 to 27. 11.2013".
The court noted with dismay that the Principal Secretary, Agriculture, "was in office till 24.11.2013, yet he has chosen not to comply with the aforesaid order" and that his conduct was "apparently contemptuous as he has deliberately and intentionally defied court's order dated 08.11.2013".
The order was passed in course of hearing on the writ petition of Ram Vilas Singh, a technical assistant in the Agriculture Department posted at Varanasi, who had alleged that officials have been posted there "in excess of sanctioned strength", which was causing problems in withdrawal of salary.
The court had, on November 8, asked the Principal Secretary and other respondent parties to "file their personal affidavit before this court to explain the situation as to how posting and transfer in excess of sanctioned strength at a particular place has occurred and why it has not been immediately rectified by concerned officers in an appropriate manner".
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