NEW DELHI, June 9: A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against Union Home Secretary and Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir for their alleged “wilful disobedience” in complying with the apex court’s order for setting up a “special committee” to consider restoration of 4G internet services in the Union Territory.
On May 11, a bench headed by Justice N V Ramana had ordered setting up of a “special committee” headed by the Union Home Secretary to consider pleas for restoration of 4G internet services in Jammu and Kashmir, saying national security and human rights needed to be balanced in view of the fact the Union Territory has been “plagued with militancy”.
The contempt plea, filed by Foundation for Media Professionals, has alleged that the concerned authorities have not yet constituted the special committee in line with the top court’s order.
“It is respectfully submitted that such a lax attitude, especially during a health pandemic (COVID-19) and humanitarian crisis, violates both the letter and the spirit of this court’s judgment ….. And amounts to wilful disobedience of this court’s judgment and order, which had taken judicial notice of the concerns relating to the ongoing pandemic and the hardships that may be faced by the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” the plea, filed through advocate Shadan Farasat, said.
The plea said that the authorities were duty bound to implement the court’s direction but they have failed to notify and facilitate the functioning of the special committee.
“The directions of this court have been summarily ignored and the Respondents have wilfully disobeyed their duty to implement this court’s directions, which they were bound to and had undertaken to implement, and therefore must be held in contempt of this court,” the plea said. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
