Show cause issued to IAS officer again

CUTTACK:  The Orissa High Court has set April 20 deadline for Principal Secretary of Higher Education department Saswat Mishra to show cause as to why he should not be punished for contempt of court.

The case related to non-compliance of the Court’s order on service matters of teachers of grant-in-aid colleges - Indravati Project College, Nabarangpur and Indravati College, Bhawanipatna. The order was issued six years ago.

On April 6, Mishra had appeared in person and filed an affidavit stating that he will have an inter-departmental discussion with the Secretary of School and Mass Education department for compliance of the order and sought time for the purpose. Accordingly, time was granted till April 15. But when the contempt case came up on Thursday, he was found to have not complied with the order.

The single judge bench of Justice BR Sarangi said, “It is seen that an officer like the Principal Secretary of Higher Education department holding such a higher rank is showing scant regard to the orders of this Court.”