Contempt petition closed upon assurance of compliance within Division Bench-granted time extension.

ORDER

When the present Contempt Petition is taken up for hearing, the learned Counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners submits that the Writ Appeal preferred by the respondent State against the order of this Court, dated 25.03.2025 in W.P.No.33654 of 2023, had been dismissed by the Hon’ble Division Bench of this Court on 18.03.2026 and thus, the respondents are required to comply with the order of this Court.

2. Learned Government Advocate for the respondents, on the other hand, submits that the Hon’ble Division Bench, while dismissing the Writ Appeal, had granted respondents further two months time to comply with the order.

3. The learned Government Advocate further submits that the respondents have already initiated action to comply with the order of this Court as affirmed in the Writ Appeal by addressing the communication, dated 25.03.2026 to the Additional Chief Secretary to the Government, Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department, Secretariat, Chennai to include the name of the petitioners in appropriate place above their respective juniors in the panel for the year 2016-2017 issued under proceedings, dated 19.06.2017. The learned Government Advocate thus submits that since the respondents have already initiated action, the petitioners should not have any apprehension of the respondents not complying with the order of this Court as affirmed by the Hon’ble Division Bench within the time enlarged by the Hon’ble Division Bench.

4. Since the order of this Court, dated 25.03.2025 in W.P.No.33654 of 2023 has been affirmed by the Hon’ble Division Bench of this Court, the respondents are required to comply with the aforesaid order in its letter and spirit. However, the Hon’ble Division Bench, having enlarged the time for complying with the order of this Court by a period of two months, it is earnestly hoped that the respondents will comply with the order as affirmed by the Hon’ble Division Bench before expiry of the enlarged time.

5. As the learned Government Advocate appearing on behalf of the respondents has assured this Court of the respondents having already initiated steps to comply with the order of this Court on 25.03.2026, this Court is of the view that the respondents will comply with the order of this Court before expiry of the two months period granted by the Hon’ble Divsion Bench of this Court.

6. Further, as it is stated that the respondents will be complying with the order of this Court within the time granted by the Hon’ble Division Bench, this Court is of the view that no useful purpose will be served in keeping the present Contempt Petition pending till expiry of the said time.

7. Accordingly, this Contempt Petition is closed. However, in the event of respondents failing to comply with the order of this Court within the time as granted by the Hon’ble Division Bench, liberty is granted to the petitioners to seek revival of the present Contempt Petition. There shall be no order as to costs.