Health Secy summoned by HC in contempt case

Patna, Jun 26 (UNI) Patna High Court today directed the secretary of the health department and director-in-chief of the state health services to appear in person before it and explain the reason for failure of the compliance of its earlier order.

The order was on regularisation of services of the employees of the department as one time measure after re-verification of records of those removed from services on the ground of irregular appointment.

A division bench of Justice Shiv Kirti Singh and Justice Abhijit Sinha passed the order while hearing a contempt petition filed by Arbind Kumar Singh.

Counsel of the petitioner Prashant Pratap submitted before court that a division bench of Patna High Court, while hearing 820 petitions, had directed the state government on June 26,2006 to regularise the services after re-verification of the records of those within six-months, who were removed from service on the ground of irregular appointments, as one time measure.

He further submitted before court that the state government had not complied with the order as yet and instead of disposing of the matter as one time measure in unison, the government had only regularised the services of 91 such employees after verification of 575 cases while for scrutiny of others it sought 10 weeks more.

''It is ironical the state government had informed the court on November 2,2007 that all actions had already been taken and no further time was required to dispose of the matter,'' he added.

On request of the state government today for granting 10 more weeks to dispose of the matter, the court took exception to the dilly-dally approach of the government in compliance of its order and directed the health secretary and director-in-chief to appear tomorrow to hear them before passing the order for commitment of contempt.

Earlier, services of more than 1000 employees of the state health department were terminated on the ground of irregular, illegal and forged appointments.

UNI XC-KKS PL SV BD1720