The Uttarakhand High Court on Tuesday has issued a contempt notice to Dr. Vivek Joshi, Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training, for allegedly failing to comply with a court order regarding the empanelment of Indian Forest Service officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi.
Justice Alok Kumar Verma issued the notice on October 23, responding to Chaturvedi’s plea that accused the DoPT of willful defiance.
In September, a division bench of the high court directed the Central government to provide Chaturvedi with the necessary documents for his empanelment as a joint secretary (JS).
Chaturvedi approached the high court after the Central government announced that the “appointment committee of cabinet had not approved” his empanelment for the JS position or any equivalent role.
To support his claim for empanelment, Chaturvedi highlighted his “consistent outstanding grading” and noted that his performance as the chief vigilance officer at AIIMS, Delhi, was praised as “exemplary” by the central health ministry. He also referenced four Presidential orders in his favor during his tenure in Haryana and cited favorable observations made about his performance and integrity by various courts, including the Uttarakhand High Court, Delhi High Court, and the Supreme Court.
Chaturvedi expressed feelings of being “relentlessly persecuted” by those in power for fulfilling his official duties “honestly and fearlessly.” He stated that his contempt plea, filed on October 21, stemmed from a “never-ending series of such events.”
Despite informing the DoPT secretary about the division bench’s order on September 11, 2024, and sending a reminder, he alleged that the directives were “willfully defied.”
The case underscores ongoing concerns about compliance with court orders and the treatment of officials within the civil service who advocate for integrity in their duties. As the situation develops, the high court’s response and the implications for Chaturvedi’s career will be closely monitored.
