Andhra Pradesh HC asks Anantapur DEO to do social service

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday asked Anantapur district education officer K Samuel do social service for a week as a punishment for contempt of court. He was asked to bear the food expenditure of any orphanage or old-age home in the district for the period. 

Passing the judgement, Justice B Devanand observed that negligence in implementing directions of the court is nothing but insulting it. “People have lost confidence in several public institutions. Let it not be the case with judiciary,” he observed.

In 2019, senior grade teacher P Venkataramana from Anantapur district filed a petition in the High Court with regard to notional seniority. After hearing the case, the court directed the officials to provide the petitioner with notional seniority. However, the court orders were not implemented.

Venkataramana filed a contempt petition in the court last year. Dealing with the case, Justice Devanand directed principal secretary (School Education) B Rajasekhar, then commissioner Chinna Veerabhadruudu and the Anantapur DEO to appear before the court in person. 

On Monday, the three officials appeared before the judge for hearing on the petition. The principal secretary and the ex-commissioner were declared not guilty. When the judge sought an explanation, Samuel begged for forgiveness and accepted the punishment.