Patna High Court
Hemant KumarversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
Holding
The Court held that the grievance had been redressed and therefore the contempt application was dismissed.
Summary
Hemant Kumar filed a contempt application alleging that the State of Bihar and its officials had not complied with the directions issued on 04.01.2022 in CWJC No.6882 of 2021, which required the petitioner to file a representation and the authority to dispose of it within specified timeframes while observing natural justice. The State contended that it had complied, producing a letter dated 21.01.2026 from the Executive Engineer indicating that payment would be made within a week. The Court examined the submissions and the letter and concluded that the petitioner’s grievance had already been redressed. Consequently, the Court found no basis for contempt and ordered the contempt application to be disposed of. All pending applications, if any, were also ordered to stand disposed.
Issues considered
- Whether the State of Bihar complied with the directions issued by the Writ Court dated 04.01.2022.
- Whether the alleged non‑compliance amounts to contempt of court.
Subjects
- contempt
- civil writ jurisdiction
- non‑compliance of court order
- natural justice
- COVID‑19 digital proceedings
- grievance redressal
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
Miscellaneous Jurisdiction Case No.2000 of 2025
In
Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.6882 of 2021
======================================================
Hemant Kumar, S/o Gauri Shankar Prasad R/o Village - Mauraha Bridge
Bhisa, P.S. - Dumra, Dist. - Sitamarhi.
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
1. The State of Bihar through through the District Magistrate Sitamarhi, Dist. -
Sitamarhi, Bihar. Namely Sri Richie Pandey.
2. Sri Richie Pandey, The District Magistsrate Sitamarhi, Dist. - Sitamarhi,
Bihar.
3. Sri Jamil Ahmad, the Executive Engineer Local Area Engineering
Organization work Division-1, Sitamarhi, Dist. - Sitamarhi.
4. Sri Deepak Kumar, the Assistant Engineer, Local Area Engineering
Organization Work Division- 1, Sitamarhi, Dist. - Sitamarhi.
5. Sri Jitendra Kumar, the Junior Engineer, Local Area Engineering
Organization Work Division- 1, Dist. - Sitamarhi.
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr.Santosh Kumar, Advocate
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr. Vinay Kirti Singh, GA 2
Mr. Sumant Kumar Singh, AC to GA 2
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SUDHIR SINGH
and
HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RITESH KUMAR
ORAL ORDER
(Per: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SUDHIR SINGH)
6 22-01-2026 Heard learned counsel for the parties.
2. The present contempt application has been filed for
non-compliance of the order dated 04.01.2022 passed in CWJC
No. 6882 of 2021.
3. The Writ Court, while disposing of the writ
application, had issued the following directions:-
Patna High Court MJC No.2000 of 2025(6) dt.22-01-2026
2/3
“(a) Petitioner shall approach the authority concerned
within a period of four weeks from today by filing a
representation for redressal of the grievance(s);
(b) The said authority shall consider and dispose it of
expeditiously by a reasoned and speaking order
preferably within a period of three months from the date
of its filing along with a copy of this order;
(c) Needless to add, while considering such
representation, principles of natural justice shall be
followed and due opportunity of hearing afforded to the
parties;
(d) Equally, liberty is reserved to the petitioner to take
recourse to such alternative remedies as are otherwise
available in accordance with law;
(e) We are hopeful that as and when petitioner takes
recourse to such remedies, as are otherwise available in
law, before the appropriate forum, the same shall be
dealt with, in accordance with law and with reasonable
dispatch;
(f) Liberty reserved to the petitioner to approach the
appropriate forum, if the need so arises subsequently on
the same and subsequent cause of action;
(g) We have not expressed any opinion on merits. All
issues are left open;
(h) The proceedings, during the time of current
Pandemic- Covid-19 shall be conducted through digital
mode, unless the parties otherwise mutually agree to
meet in person i.e. physical mode;”
4. Mr. Vinay Kirti Singh, learned counsel for the
State, submits that directions issued by this Court have been
duly complied with. In support of his submission, he has
produced Letter No. 129 dated 21.01.2026 issued by the
Patna High Court MJC No.2000 of 2025(6) dt.22-01-2026
3/3
Executive Engineer, Work Division-1, Sitamarhi, indicating that
payment shall be made within a period of one week. The said
letter dated 21.01.2026 is taken on record and marked as ‘X’ for
identification.
5. Upon consideration of the submissions made and
the materials available on record, we find that the grievance of
the petitioner has already been redressed, and as such, no further
order is required to be passed in the present contempt
application.
6. Accordingly, the present contempt application
stands disposed of.
7. Pending application(s), if any, shall also stand
disposed of.
(Sudhir Singh, J)
(Ritesh Kumar, J)
Sujit/-
U
Checking your session…