The Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow Bench has framed a contempt charge against Uttar Pradesh Principal Secretary (Public Works Department) Ajay Chauhan over the alleged failure to implement a 2022 judgment directing the revision of government employees’ salaries and payment of consequential benefits.
Justice Saurabh Lavania passed the order on Tuesday, October 13, taking the number of senior state government officials facing contempt charges in the matter to five. The court had earlier framed similar charges against Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) Deepak Kumar and Principal Secretaries Anurag Srivastava, Anil Garg and Saurabh Babu on October 5.
All five officers have been given 15 days to respond to the charges. The court has also directed them to appear personally at the next hearing on November 4.
Court Notes Continued Non-Compliance With 2022 Judgment
The contempt proceedings concern the implementation of directions issued on July 19, 2022, in the case of Suresh Chandra Verma.
The judgment required the state authorities to recalculate the petitioners’ salaries, clear pending arrears and revise their pensionary benefits. It also provided for simple interest at 7 per cent if the authorities failed to release the benefits within four months.
The dispute subsequently led to 37 contempt petitions, with the petitioners alleging that the government had failed to implement the directions despite the passage of four years.
While considering the matter, the High Court observed that the original directions remained unimplemented. It also recorded a prima facie view that the officials appeared unwilling to comply with the writ court’s order.
Judgment Upheld By Supreme Court
The High Court noted that the July 2022 judgment had already survived further judicial scrutiny.
The order was upheld in a special appeal and was subsequently affirmed by the Supreme Court on January 13, 2026. The state government’s review petitions were also dismissed.
Despite these developments, the petitioners maintained that the financial benefits granted under the judgment had not been released.
The High Court had previously rejected the state government’s request for additional time to comply with the directions.
With contempt charges now framed against five senior officials, the matter will be taken up again on November 4, when the officers are required to remain present before the court.
