Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 27: Commiss-ioner Secretary to Government, General Administration Depar-tment Khurshid Ahmed Shah appeared before the Supreme Court and tendered unconditional apology for delay in compliance to the order regarding induction of an officer in Kashmir Administrative Service.
When the SLP titled State of J&K versus Mohammad Mehraj-ud-Din Khan came up for hearing, M Shoeb Alam, counsel appearing for the State submitted, “Commissioner Secretary to Government of J&K, Khurshid Ahmad Shah is present in person in compliance to the earlier directions and has also filed a detailed affidavit mentioning the reasons beyond his control which caused the delay in complying with the order dated July 31, 2017”.
Despite such explanation, the Commissioner Secretary also tendered unconditional apology for the inconvenience caused to the court, the counsel further submitted.
After hearing counsel for the J&K Government and Advocate Keshav Thakur for officer Mohammad Mehraj ud-Din Khan, Supreme Court Bench comprising Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice R Banumathi observed, “in view of the affidavit, the order dated August 17, 2017 which proposed action for contempt against the Commissioner Secretary GAD is recalled and the further proceedings against the officer are dropped”, adding “consequently he shall also be entitled to his travel expenses and other allowances for attending the court”.
“It has been submitted that the order dated July 31, 2017 passed inducting the respondent to KAS has actually not been received by the respondent. Khurshid Ahmad Shah has submitted that only because the officer is away in Leh, the orders could not be served”, the Apex Court further observed, adding “be that as it may, a copy of the order has now been handed over to the counsel appearing for the respondent and he seeks some time to get further instruction with regard to the order”.
While granting time, Supreme Court ordered listing of case on September 20, 2017.
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