Rajasthan bureaucrats asked to appear before court in person

New Delhi, Apr 27 (UNI) The Supreme Court today turned down the plea of Rajasthan Chief Secretary and Principal Finance Secretary, seeking exemption from appearance in person before the Rajasthan High Court on May 1, in a contempt of court case.

A bench, comprising Ms Justice Ruma Pal, Mr Justice B N Srikrishana and Mr Justice Dalveer Bhandari, declined to stay the order of personal appearance against the senior-most bureaucrats of Rajasthan, facing comntempt of court proceeding from not releasing the sum of Rs 88 lakh for the construction of lawyers' chambers in Bikaner District Court.

Solicitor General of India G E Vahanvati pleaded for exemption for the two top bureaucrats of Rajasthan on the plea that the state government had already constructed a district court building in Bikaner and the Chambers were to be constructed in the basement under self-financing scheme.

The SG also told the court that the District Bar Association had not come forward to pay the amount for the construction of the Chambers and the state government is being asked to cough up Rs 88 lakh.

The High Court in March 2006 had directed the top bureaucrats to appear personally in the court to answer the charges of contempt of court for willful and delibrate disobedience of the court's order.

UNI AKS-SC VJ PM1615