Respondents granted two months to verify and disburse arrears, with liberty to revive contempt proceedings upon default.

The 90 petitioners instituted a contempt petition alleging non-compliance with the directions issued in OA No. 1277/2018.

During the proceedings, the respondents produced an order dated 17.08.2026 permitting all Principals/Heads of Institutions to disburse arrears payable to the petitioners.

The respondents, however, sought additional time for the concerned Drawing and Disbursing Officers to authenticate the calculations of the payments.

The Tribunal considered the steps taken by the respondents towards compliance and heard counsel for both sides.

Whether the steps taken by the respondents, including permission for disbursement of arrears and verification of payment calculations, constituted sufficient progress towards compliance with the Tribunal’s earlier directions.

Whether the respondents should be granted further time to verify and disburse the arrears, subject to filing a compliance report.

The Tribunal applied the principles governing contempt and execution of judicial directions, particularly that alleged non-compliance must be assessed in light of the actual steps taken by the alleged contemnors and that reasonable time may be granted where compliance is underway but administrative verification remains pending.

It further applied the principle that contempt proceedings may be closed when the respondents demonstrate bona fide steps towards compliance, while preserving the aggrieved parties’ liberty to seek revival in the event of default.

No specific statute or precedent was cited in the order.

The Tribunal found that the respondents had taken a substantive step towards implementing the earlier directions by authorising the disbursement of arrears through the Principals/Heads of Institutions.

Since verification and authentication of the payment calculations by the concerned DDOs were still required, the Tribunal considered the request for additional time reasonable.

Being satisfied that the respondents were proceeding towards compliance, it granted two months to complete verification and disbursement, while requiring a compliance report to be filed thereafter.

The contempt petition was accordingly closed, and the respondents were discharged from the notices of contempt.

The petitioners were granted liberty to seek revival of the contempt petition if the respondents failed to comply within the stipulated period.