Big babus are not above the law

Lately, some IAS officers in Telangana seem to be not showing even scant regard for High Court orders and directions. The Telangana High Court had to put its foot down and take action against the errant officers who either ignored its orders or found ways to circumvent their implementation. Recently, the HC sentenced Nalgonda Collector Prashant Jeevan Patil to do social service at an orphanage for two hours a week for six weeks.

This came after an appeal sought by the collector on a single judge order that he should pay a fine of Rs 2,000 or serve a jail term for six weeks. The single judge found him and his junior, a civil supplies corporation official, guilty of avoiding implementation of a verdict on restoration of rice supply to a miller who petitioned the court against both the officials for the imposition of severe punishment on him for minor discrepancies.

In March, Sircilla Collector Krishna Bhaskar (who was collector of Siddipet earlier) and Siddipet Collector R Venkataram Reddy were sentenced to a three-month jail term for ignoring a restraining order issued by the High Court and dispossessing petitioners of their land for construction of Mallanna Sagar Project in the district. Along with the IAS officers, their juniors too took the rap. The petitioners were from Vemulaghat and the surrounding villages in Siddipet district.

The officials are anxious to please their political bosses and under pressure to meet deadlines. But this cannot be an excuse for them to disregard directions from the courts. The High Court, while commuting punishment in contempt cases to social service, had said that being IAS officers, they should have known better and that non-implementation of the orders raised questions over their administrative capabilities. 

Courts are the last resort for justice for anyone who feels wronged by the government and if the officers cannot implement the orders of the judiciary, it calls for a serious review of the way they are working. If not the executive, who else will implement the orders of the judiciary?