Compliance with the writ order warrants closure of contempt proceedings, without prejudice to interest claims.

In W.P. No. 203361/2024, the High Court directed the concerned respondents to consider the complainant’s representation dated 16 October 2023 and pass appropriate orders, having regard to the record and an earlier judgment, within six weeks of receiving the order.

The complainant alleged that the respondents had not complied and initiated contempt proceedings.

Respondent No. 2 filed a compliance affidavit describing earlier deposits and correspondence with the Assistant Commissioner/Land Acquisition Officer, and subsequent steps taken after learning of the contempt proceedings.

The complainant remained aggrieved regarding interest on the amount.

1. Whether the respondents’ conduct amounted to disobedience of the direction issued in W.P. No. 203361/2024 warranting further contempt proceedings

2. Whether the complainant’s grievance concerning payment of interest could be determined in the contempt proceedings

Section 11 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 was invoked as the basis for the contempt petition.

The Court did not set out a separate test for civil contempt or cite any precedent.

It treated compliance with the underlying court direction as the basis for closing the contempt proceedings, while leaving a distinct grievance concerning interest to be pursued before an appropriate forum.

Respondent No. 2’s compliance affidavit set out the history of payments and correspondence and described steps taken after the contempt proceedings came to its attention.

On that affidavit, the Court recorded that the Single Judge’s order had been complied with and that the respondents had tendered an unconditional apology; it therefore found nothing further requiring consideration in contempt.

Because the remaining complaint concerned interest, rather than the compliance issue addressed in the contempt petition, the Court reserved the complainant’s liberty to pursue that grievance before the appropriate forum.

It reserved liberty to the complainant to raise the interest grievance before the appropriate forum and recorded counsel for the respondents’ undertaking to deposit Rs. 18,438 within ten days.