The Delhi High Court has found the Delhi Government’s Chief Secretary, Secretary of Labour and Special Commissioner of Transport guilty of contempt of court for wilfully disobeying a judicial order passed in 2017 directing them to enhance the minimum wages of staff for the operation and maintenance of buses plying in the national capital.
Justice Rekha Palli said that the officials were “deliberately attempting to circumvent and undermine the unambiguous directions” issued by a division bench Bench on December 06, 2017, directing them to enhance the minimum wages by amending the formula envisaged in the Concessionaire Agreement entered into by the Delhi Government with various private stage carriage services providers.
“While exercising contempt jurisdiction this Court has to keep in mind that the very purpose of the law of contempt is meant to serve public interest and build confidence in the judicial process. In the present case, the respondents, despite having repeatedly failed in their challenge to the order passed by the Division Bench are deliberately attempting to circumvent and undermine the unambiguous directions issued by the Division Bench. It is therefore necessary to deal with the respondents with a heavy hand,” the court said.
The court was hearing three pleas moved by various concessionaires seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against the officials for wilful disobedience of the directions passed by the division bench.
As per the Concessionaire...
Kevin Sabet, CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, discusses a class-action lawsuit against Chicago cannabis companies for allegedly marketing products with false medical benefits on 'America's New...