ANDHRA PRADESH HIGH COURT ISSUES ORDER ON SRI S.K.D.V.S. HIGH SCHOOL V/S PRAVEEN PRAKASH I A S AND OTHERS

AMARAVATI, India, May 15 -- Andhra Pradesh High Court issued the following order on April 10:

1. This Contempt Case is filed against the respondents complaining wilful disobedience of the order, dated 14.03.2022 passed W.P.No.5697 of 2022. While allowing the said Writ Petition this Court directed the respondents therein to pay the maintenance grant within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of the order in accordance with the order, dated 30.09.2016 passed in W.P.No.3449 of 2003.

2. During the course of hearing of this Contempt Case, on the earlier occasion this Court specifically noticed that there is huge delay in implementing the order of this Court and issued notice in Form-1 to Respondent Nos.1 to 4. Accordingly, Respondent Nos.1 to 4 present before this Court today and would submit that after receipt of the order of this Court dated 14.03.2022, the 4th respondent issued a letter, dated 12.04.2022 instructing the Mandal Educational Officer, Tenali to get annual administration reports from the petitioner along with audited statements duly certified by a Chartered Accountant for the purpose of processing an amount of Rs.10,05,298/-. Thereafter, only on 29.03.2023, the petitioner submitted the annual administration reports with audit statements certified by a Chartered Accountant. Subsequently, the file was processed and after clearance from the finance Department, the amount as directed by this Court is disbursed to the petitioner on 27.11.2023. As such to follow this process there is some delay occurred in implementing the order of this Court. The respondents would submit that as the petitioner himself did not furnish the audit report inspite of the letter, dated 12.04.2022 the delay has been occurred in implementing the order of this Court. Further, till 27.11.2023 the delay has been occurred due to non circulation of file to different departments but not due to administrative reasons The respondents would submit that the delay caused in implementing the order of this Court is neither willful nor wanton. However, the respondents tendered their unconditional apology for the delay occurred in implementing the order of this Court.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner accepted that the order of this Court was complied with by the respondents on 27.11.2023.

4. Having considered the facts and circumstances of the case and taking into consideration the unconditional apology tendered by the respondents for the delay occurred in implementing the order of this Court, this Court intends to take lenient view by accepting their apology.

5. For the aforesaid reasons, this Court finds that no further adjudication is required in this Contempt Case.

6. Accordingly, this Contempt Case is closed.

7. There shall be no order as to costs.

Consequently, Miscellaneous Petitions, if any, pending in the Contempt Case shall stand closed.

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