Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has dropped contempt proceedings against Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao after confirming compliance with its earlier orders regarding payment of time-scale wages to two part-time sweepers.
The decision was taken on Wednesday after the court was satisfied that its directions had been implemented.
Case Linked to Non-Compliance of Wage Orders
The matter relates to a contempt petition filed in 2018 by two part-time sweepers working in the Irrigation Department in Suryapet district. The petitioners had sought payment of minimum time-scale wages along with applicable increments.
Earlier, the High Court had directed the authorities to consider and extend these benefits. However, alleging non-compliance, the petitioners initiated contempt proceedings against the Finance Department.
Chief Secretary Appears Before Court
Justice E. V. Venugopal heard the contempt petition on Wednesday. Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao personally appeared before the court in connection with the alleged non-implementation of judicial orders during his tenure as Principal Secretary of the Finance Department.
During the hearing, the court had earlier expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in implementing its directions and had directed his personal appearance.
Compliance Report Submitted
When the case came up for hearing, Ramakrishna Rao informed the court that the directions had since been complied with. He also placed material evidence on record to substantiate the implementation of the court’s order.
The compliance pertained to payment of minimum wages and applicable increments to the petitioners, as directed earlier by the court.
Court Closes Contempt Proceedings
Taking note of the compliance and the supporting documents submitted, Justice Venugopal decided to drop the contempt proceedings.
The court observed that since its earlier orders had been implemented, no further action was required in the matter.
Background of the Case
The dispute dates back to 2018, when the two sweepers approached the High Court seeking enforcement of their wage rights. In 2023, the court directed the government to ensure payment of minimum wages.
However, delays in implementation led the petitioners to file a contempt case, which remained pending until the recent compliance was reported.
Relief for Petitioners, Closure for Long-Pending Case
With the court acknowledging compliance, the long-pending issue has now been resolved, bringing relief to the petitioners while closing the contempt proceedings against the state’s top bureaucrat.
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