Srinagar, July 7 (JKNS): The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh on Tuesday granted the Jammu and Kashmir Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) and the Industries and Commerce Department one day to comply with its order directing reinstatement of employees, warning that failure to do so would lead to contempt proceedings against senior officials.
According to details available with news agency JKNS, a Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Mohammad Yousuf Wani observed that its judgment dated December 17, 2024, had attained finality after the Supreme Court dismissed the Special Leave Petition (SLP) challenging it.
The court said the respondents now had “no option except to implement the same in its letter and spirit.”
The Bench was hearing a contempt petition filed by Nisha Musharaf and others alleging non-compliance of the High Court judgment.
Senior Advocate Z.A. Shah, appearing for the petitioners, submitted that despite the judgment attaining finality, the respondents had failed to reinstate the employees, arguing that reinstatement was a prerequisite for conducting any fresh inquiry in accordance with law.
During the hearing, KVIB Secretary Basharat Ahmad, who appeared in person, informed the court that he had already taken up the matter with the government seeking necessary instructions but had received no response, leaving him unable to implement the reinstatement order.
Taking serious note of the delay, the High Court directed the Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, to appear personally before the court on Thursday.
The Bench further made it clear that if the December 17, 2024 judgment was not implemented by the next date of hearing, it would frame a Robkar and initiate contempt proceedings against both the KVIB Secretary and the Commissioner Secretary.
“We make it clear that in case the judgment dated 17th December, 2024 has not been complied with by tomorrow, this Court shall be constrained to frame Robkar and initiate contempt proceedings against both the Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB), and the Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Industries & Commerce Department,” the court observed.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on July 8 at 2:00 PM. (JKNS)
