Summary:
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has imposed Rs 5,000 cost on deputy commissioner (DC) Amritsar for not complying the high court orders regarding release of retiral benefits to a former employee of district administration. Therefore, DC Amritsar is liable to pay cost of Rs 5000 from his own pocket and not from the Government to the appellant”, observed Justice Bajanthri in its orders released on Thursday. The DC had also failed to appear before the court despite specific directions.While imposing cost, Justice P B Bajanthri , however, made it clear that the amount of Rs 5000 shall be paid by the DC from his own pocket.“There is no compliance to February 22, 2018 orders. However, he did not get his retiral benefits from the district administration.According to his lawyer D D Singla, because of the non-payment of dues by the administration, the 72-year-old appellant was forced to work as a watchman in a private company in Amritsar for his survival. The case has now been fixed for April 16 for compliance of the order.Earlier on February 22, 2018, counsel for DC Amritsar had given an undertaking before the HC that if 10 days' time is granted, the dues of the appellant would be settled.On this, the HC had granted time to the DC till March 22 for settling the issue with the condition that he had to appear in person before the HC, in case of his failure to release the benefits.When the matter came up for hearing, the petitioner’s counsel advocate D D Singla argued that neither were the February 22 orders not complied with nor had the DC appeared before the HC.Appellant Joginder Singh worked with the Amritsar district administration for around 30 years before he had to resign in 2000 for certain reasons..