IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision: 14.11.2025 Devinder Kaur and others ...Petitioner(s)

Vs.

Rishi Pal Singh (IAS), Academic Department, Thapar Hall Road, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and another ...Respondent(s)

CORAM: HON’BLE MS. JUSTICE NIDHI GUPTA Present:- Mr. Baltej Singh Sidhu, Senior Advocate with Mr. Himmat Singh Sidhu, Advocate for the petitioners.

NIDHI GUPTA, J.

Present Contempt Petition has been filed by the petitioners alleging violation of order dated 12.10.2021 (Annexure P-1) passed in CWP No. 20869 of 2021 titled as ‘Devinder Kaur and others vs. State of Punjab and others’; whereby it was directed that “....status quo ante qua services of the petitioners as on 30.09.2021 shall be maintained till the next date of hearing provided, of course, subject to their services being required, with further rider that in case regular appointments are to be made on the posts held by the petitioners, the respondents shall be at liberty to do so, in accordance with law.”

2. It is inter alia submitted by learned Senior Counsel for the petitioners that in violation of the said direction, respondents have issued advertisement dated 29.07.2025 (Annexure P-7) for filling up 3 posts of TGT Teachers on contract basis. Learned Senior Counsel contends that the said advertisement was published in wilful disobedience of the order dated 12.10.2021; and therefore, action be taken against the respondents.

3. Notice of motion.

4. Mr. Amtiaz Sandhu, Assistant Advocate General, Punjab accepts notice on behalf of the official respondents and submits that there is no violation of the Writ Court order dated 12.10.2021. It is pointed out that the said advertisement dated 29.07.2025 already stands withdrawn as noted in order dated 23.09.2025 (Annexure P-9). He, accordingly, prays that the present Contempt Petition be dismissed.

5. Heard.

6. I find merit in the submissions advanced on behalf of the respondents. Perusal of the record of the case shows that the petitioners were appointed as TGT Teachers by the respondents on contract basis. Vide order dated 28.06.2021 passed by respondent No.1, their claim for regularisation was rejected. Accordingly, petitioners had preferred CWP No. 20869 of 2021 laying challenging to the order dated 28.06.2021; and further seeking mandamus directing the respondents to regularize their services. In the said Writ Petition, vide order dated 12.10.2021, it was directed as noted above.

7. The record reveals that thereafter, respondents had first issued an Advertisement dated 15.02.2023 (Annexure P-3) inviting applications for 4 posts of TGT Teachers. Petitioners had filed CM-3398- CWP-2023 (Annexure P-5) before the Writ Court for placing on record the said Advertisement dated 15.02.2023; in which notice was issued by the Writ Court vide order dated 24.02.2023 (Annexure P-6). Subsequently, vide order dated 12.05.2025, the said CWP No. 20869-2021 stood admitted.

8. It has been submitted on behalf of the petitioners that now again a fresh Advertisement dated 29.07.2025 (Annexure P-7) has been issued by the respondents for filling up 3 posts of TGT Teachers on contract basis. The petitioners had again filed CM-12393-CWP-2025 (Annexure P-8) before the Writ Court seeking directions to the respondents not to appoint any Teacher on contract basis. Admittedly, the said application was dismissed vide order dated 23.09.2025 (Annexure P- 9) in view of the statement made by learned counsel for the respondents that the said Advertisement dated 29.07.2025 has been withdrawn by the respondent-University.

9. Joint reading of the above said facts shows that there has been no wilful disobedience or intentional violation of the order dated

12.10.2021 passed by Writ Court.

10. Further, as per Section 20 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, it is stipulated that “No Court shall initiate any proceedings of contempt, either on its own motion or otherwise, after the expiry of a period of one year from the dat