“The respondent should be warned, however, by Madras court not to act in the future as he did in this case,” The judge wrote.
The Madras High Court has issued a warning to Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer C.N. Mahesvaran who is currently working as the managing director of the Tamil Nadu Salt Corporation that stern actions will be taken against him if he does not strictly comply with the orders of the Court within the stipulated time.
In closing 2019 contempt petition against him, Justice Mummineni Sudheer Kumar said that “the official need not be punished now for contempt since there had been a delay of seven long years though 2017 Court order has already complied with.”
“However, this court feels that the respondent should be warned not to act in future in the manner in which he acted in the instant case and to take all necessary steps to comply with the judicial orders passed by this court in future. In case, if any such negligence or lenience is noticed on the part of the respondent herein in future, same would be viewed seriously by this court,” The judge wrote.
Filed by one C. Murugan – an electrician employed at Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board – alleged that Mahesvaran, who was then Managing Director at TWAD Board failed to implement a court directive issued on 2017 instructing him to recompute his salary arrears and pension dues within four weeks.
Petitioner’s counsel M. Radhakrishnan complained that: “the court order was never obeyed.” Only when during final hearing last year on June 2024; when it was prodded by court through hearing 2019 contempt petition, then 2017 order was implemented on June 24, 2024.
The judge agreed with counsel’s above argument concerning undue delay and stated thus: “Such a delay on the part of the respondent cannot be said to be reasonable… The same only shows the negligence and carelessness of the respondent in complying with the orders passed by this court… In all fairness, the respondent ought to have issued the proceedings like the one dated June 14, 2024 within the time stipulated by this court in the year 2017 or at least immediately thereafter.”
