Gujarat high court initiates contempt proceedings against Vadodara collectors
Gujarat high court
on Tuesday suo motu ordered the initiation of contempt of court proceedings against a former and incumbent Vadodara district collectors for ignoring
court orders
while rejecting applications for granting non-agricultural (NA) status for land parcels.
Justice Nikhil Kariel also imposed a Rs 50,000 fine on former Vadodara district collector, Bijal Shah, for each of the three petitions filed in the HC against the collector's decision. The HC has slapped a Rs 25,000 fine on the current district collector, Anil Dhamiliya, in each of the petitions. They were ordered to pay this amount to the litigants within four weeks. In case of failure to pay the amount on the part of the bureaucrats, the HC has kept it open for the petitioners to take appropriate steps for recovery of the amount.
The HC has ordered criminal contempt of court proceedings against Shah "for having attempted to interfere and obstruct the administration of justice", and civil
contempt proceedings
against Dhameliya.
The district collectors rejected different applications for a change of land status to NA on the grounds of aspects that were relevant half a century ago. In earlier orders in previous litigations, the HC asked the authority to ignore those aspects and make decisions. For this, the HC cited orders passed by a coordinate bench, which ordered revenue authorities to ignore the issue that arose 30 years ago while making decisions on applications for NA status of land parcels.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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However, when the collectors rejected the applications for NA permission once again, the HC stated that the authorities wilfully breached the court order passed on Dec 24, 2024. It further stated, "This court is of the opinion that the adamant stand by the authorities has resulted in the petitioners requiring to undergo three rounds of litigation for an aspect which ought to have been concluded by the court's direction issued on Jan 31, 2025."
The HC has posted further hearings on these matters on May 5.
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