In a strong signal to the bureaucracy, the Rajasthan High Court has issued contempt notices to 14 top government officers, including Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant, over their failure to comply with various judicial orders. The move comes as the court observes an increasing pattern of disregard toward its directives by administrative authorities.
Among those who have received notices are senior IAS and IPS officers including Subir Kumar, Dinesh Kumar, Jogaram, Jaipur Collector Jitendra Kumar Soni, and police officers Sagar and Amit Kumar. The list also includes judicial service officers like Ravi Sharma. Some officials, such as the Jaisalmer Collector and Finance Department’s Joint Secretary, have tendered unconditional apologies in response.
Court’s Observation: Bureaucracy Ignoring Orders
The court noted that despite clear directions issued months ago—some dating back to November 2023 and August 2023—the bureaucracy either failed to implement the orders or delayed action without justification.
One of the key issues includes failure to appoint a government advocate, a matter the court said had been “gathering dust” for over a year. The bench, led by Justices Indrajeet Singh and Pramil Kumar Mathur, demanded explanations from Sudhansh Pant and the Registrar General of the High Court, among others.
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In another matter, related to encroachment on pasture land in Hadota village, Jaipur, the court had ordered removal of vehicles and enforcement of grazing rights. Officials reportedly failed to comply.
Contempt Notices Span Departments
The notices span a wide list of officials:
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Revenue Secretary Dinesh Kumar
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Panchayati Raj Secretary Jogaram
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Transport police officers Sagar and Amit Kumar
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Former Jaipur District Council CEO Suman Chaudhary
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Local block and tehsil-level officials like BDOs, Tehsildars, and even a village sarpanch and contractor in Hadota
Courtroom Developments and Apologies
On Friday, senior Ayurveda Secretary Bhawani Singh Desha appeared in court for non-compliance in an unrelated education matter. He apologized unconditionally. The court accepted his apology but noted the public’s hardship caused by such negligence.
Justice Umashankar Vyas stated,
“I come from a middle-class family. I know how hard it is for the common man to get justice. If orders are ignored, people are forced to run after lawyers again.”
In a separate case, the court took note of non-compliance with an order to upload government tender documents under the Rajasthan Transparency in Public Procurement Act. Chief Secretary Pant and Food & Civil Supplies Secretary Subir Kumar have been asked to respond within four weeks.
Judiciary Demands Accountability
The High Court questioned the delay in appointing government advocates despite its approval, stating that failure to do so could be seen as contempt. Senior officials, including the state’s law secretary, have been asked to explain the delay.
The court also acknowledged the serious backlog in legal representation due to such administrative indifference.