Accepting the unconditional apology tendered by State School and Mass Education Secretary Ranjana Chopra, the Orissa HC on Tuesday dropped the contempt of court proceedings initiated against her over appointment of contract teachers.
Despite a stay slapped by the HC on the appointments in June this year, the Government had gone ahead in engaging about 3,800 contract
teachers, for which a contempt petition was filed against the Education Secretary. One Seemanchal Patra had filed the contempt petition.
However, following an affidavit stating disengagement of the teachers and tendering the unconditional apology for violating the court orders, a Division Bench of Justices Kumari Sanju Panda and Dr DP Choudhury dropped the contempt proceedings against the senior IAS officer. Meanwhile, the Government also on the day suo motu withdrew the miscellaneous petition it had filed last Friday seeking the court’s permission for continuation of service of the disengaged teachers. The Higher Secondary Education Joint Director had filed the misc case, which was vehemently opposed by the counsel of Patra.
But soon after the contempt petition was dropped, the Government withdrew the misc case without citing any reason thereof.