Supreme Court Summons Maharashtra Official Rajesh Kumar Over Contempt Concerns
The Supreme Court of India has called Rajesh Kumar, the Additional Chief Secretary of Maharashtra’s Revenue and Forest Department, to appear before it. The court wants him to explain why contempt proceedings should not be started against him. This decision came after the court found statements in his affidavit that suggested the court was not following the law.
Details of the Summons
A bench of Justices BR Gavai, Prashant Kumar Mishra, and KV Viswanathan has asked Kumar to appear on September 9. The bench found his statements in the affidavit to be potentially contemptuous. Justice Gavai questioned the professionalism of the IAS officer, saying, “What sort of IAS officer is he?”
Background of the Case
The court is dealing with a case about the State of Maharashtra’s compliance with an earlier order. The order directed the state to provide reasonable compensation to people affected by the denotification of forest land in Pashan, Pune. The bench accused the state government of using delaying tactics and warned that it might halt the ‘Ladki Behna Yojna’ if the compensation is not paid.
Earlier, the court had also threatened to stop state government freebies like the ‘Ladki Behna Yojna’ if the compensation was not provided.
Doubts Revealed
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions about laws and justice.
Summons -: A summons is an official order to appear in court. It means someone must go to court to explain something or answer questions.
Rajesh Kumar -: Rajesh Kumar is an official in Maharashtra. He works in the Revenue and Forest Department.
Contempt -: Contempt means not following the court’s orders or showing disrespect to the court. It is a serious issue.
Affidavit -: An affidavit is a written statement made under oath. It is used as evidence in court.
Non-compliance -: Non-compliance means not following rules or orders. In this case, it means not following the law.
Denotified forest land -: Denotified forest land is land that was once protected as forest but is no longer considered forest land. People may need compensation if they lose access to this land.
Pashan, Pune -: Pashan is an area in the city of Pune, which is in the state of Maharashtra, India.
Ladki Behna Yojna -: Ladki Behna Yojna is a government scheme in Maharashtra. It aims to help girls and women with various benefits.