Ranchi, Dec 8 (IANS) The Jharkhand High Court has pulled up the state government for failing to pay pension and gratuity benefits to retired madrasa teachers, despite clear judicial directions issued nearly a decade ago.

Taking a stern view of what it termed a “serious lapse”, the court has summoned two senior officers to appear in person at the next hearing.

A bench of Justice Ananda Sen, while hearing a contempt petition, noted that the state had not complied with its earlier order dated June 13, 2024.

The bench directed the Principal Secretary, School Education and Literacy Department, Rahul Purwar, and the Director of Secondary Education and Literacy to be physically present in court at the next hearing.

The court further asked the officers to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for “wilful and deliberate” violation of judicial orders.

Justice Sen observed that ignoring court directives amounts to undermining the judicial process itself.

The matter will be heard again after eight weeks.

During the proceedings, the petitioners argued that the state government had issued a resolution in 2014 denying pension and gratuity to madrasa teachers who retired after that year. When this resolution was challenged, the High Court, on October 24, 2014, struck down the decision and directed the government to release post-retirement benefits to all eligible teachers.

However, the petitioners alleged that the government never implemented the ruling. So they were compelled to file a contempt petition, following which the state submitted an affidavit claiming that the payments had been made.

The petitioners countered this claim, stating that no such payments had been received. Subsequently, Mohammad Aijabul Haque and several other affected teachers again moved the High Court, accusing the authorities of misleading the court and delaying justice.

Taking cognisance of the conflicting statements, the court has asked the summoned officials to submit a clear status report at the next hearing.

–IANS

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