High court notice to Chandigarh adviser on contempt plea of school bus operators

The Panjab and Haryana high court bench of justice BS Walia has sought response by July 18 on the plea filed by school bus operators association president Manjit Singh Saini, alleging non-compliance of the court’s order and seeking action under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) has issued a notice to UT adviser Dharam Pal, asking why contempt proceedings should not initiated against him on a plea from Chandigarh School Bus Operators’ Welfare Association.

It was contended that more than three months have lapsed but the UT advisor has not taken a final decision on the concessions claimed within the time frame as stipulated by the HC which compelled the association to initiate contempt proceedings. (HT File)

The HC bench of justice BS Walia has sought response by July 18 on the plea filed by association president Manjit Singh Saini, alleging non-compliance of the court’s order and seeking action under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

The association’s counsel, Ranjivan Singh, had told the court that on February 10, 2022, the HC disposed of a plea from the association, seeking various concessions for Covid-19 period. It was disposed of as UT had told the court that the claims of the association are under active consideration of the administration.

The court directed the advisor to decide the memoranda, submitted by the association on September 24, 2021 on this issue, within a period of two months.

It was contended that more than three months have lapsed but the UT advisor has not taken a final decision on the concessions claimed within the time frame as stipulated by the HC which compelled the association to initiate contempt proceedings.

As per Singh, school buses operating for private schools in Chandigarh were completely off-road since March, 2020 due to Covid-19 outbreak and the schools reopened in physical mode only two years later from April 2022.

The administration exempted motor vehicle tax for the year 2020 but no decision was taken regarding exemption of the same from January, 2021 till March 2022 and further no call was taken for granting extension in life span to all buses, Singh submitted. On September 24, 2021, the association approached the administration, seeking concession for the Covid period by way of exemption in the motor vehicle tax and extension of life span of buses for the period when their buses were off-road. However, decision on the same has not yet been taken.