The contempt petition stemmed from non-compliance with the HC’s final order dated Sept 12, 2018 when the court directed RSRTC to consider the petitioners’ cases for regularisation under the scheme dated March 31, 1995, treating them as deemed to be in service in terms of a labour court award dated Feb 20, 1996.“The single judge bench order of the HC of 2018 attained finality, having been affirmed by the division bench of the HC on Jan 31, 2020, and later sustained by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court too disposed of RSRTC’s Special Leave Petition on April 7, 2021 and ordered compliance by regularisation of the petitioners. Despite this, RSRTC issued an order on Jan 19, 2024, declining regularisation of the petitioners,” the court noted. A close examination of the 2024 order revealed that regularisation was rejected merely on the ground that the petitioners did not join service pursuant to a reinstatement order dated March 14, 2001. The bench pointed out that the reinstatement order of 2001 was already held illegal and quashed, and therefore could not be relied upon to deny regularisation. The court also referred to the Supreme Court’s clarification that consideration for regularisation under the 1995 scheme had to be strictly in line with the HC’s earlier directions. Holding that RSRTC “deliberately flouted” the binding directions, the court said the officers concerned were apparently guilty of contempt. On a request by senior counsel RN Mathur, appearing for RSRTC, seeking time, the court directed the officers to remain present in person before the HC on Feb 3.
