CAT seeks Registrar, Special Tribunal's presence in contempt case
10/04/2026
JAMMU, Apr 9: The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Srinagar Bench, has sought the presence of the Registrar of the J&K Special Tribunal in a contempt petition arising from the alleged non-compliance of its earlier judgment.
The direction was issued by a Division Bench comprising Member (Judicial) M.S. Latif and Member (Administrative) Prasant Kumar while hearing a contempt petition filed by Ghulam Mustafa Mantoor against the General Administration Department.
The tribunal observed that its judgment dated November 20, 2023, had attained finality after the Jammu and Kashmir High Court dismissed the respondents' writ petition, WP(C) No. 2041/2025, on August 29, 2025. Despite this, the order had not been implemented in its "letter and spirit".
"Court orders are to be complied with in their letter and spirit, whosoever it is, high or low, as we are all subservient to the law," the tribunal remarked, emphasising that delay in compliance itself amounts to contempt of court.
Appearing for the applicant, advocate Tasaduk Husain Reshi submitted that the petitioner had been deprived of the benefits of the judgment for over two years. He also referred to an order dated November 7, 2025, passed by the Special Mobile Magistrate, Srinagar (Railway Magistrate, Kashmir), directing further investigation in a related criminal matter.
On behalf of the respondents, Deputy Advocate General Rais-ud-Din Ganaie assured the tribunal that compliance with the judgment would be filed within ten days. The tribunal, however, made it clear that in case of failure, it would require the personal presence of the Registrar, Special Tribunal, J&K, to facilitate implementation of its directions.
The bench also allowed the request of the respondents' counsel for deletion of the Commissioner/Secretary, Law Department from the array of alleged contemnors, observing that there appeared to be no role of the official in the compliance of the judgment.
Highlighting its authority, the tribunal noted that under Section 17 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, it possesses the same powers as a High Court to punish for contempt, along with the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on April 21, 2026.
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