Srinagar, Aug 5: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh on Wednesday stayed contempt proceedings initiated by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Srinagar Bench, against the Vice Chancellor and Registrar of the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), a day after the tribunal issued non-bailable arrest warrants against the two officials.
The High Court passed the interim order while hearing a petition filed by IUST Vice Chancellor Prof. Shakil Ahmad Romshoo and Registrar Shamim Ahmad Shah challenging the CAT’s proceedings.
The court directed that all further contempt proceedings before the CAT shall remain stayed until the next date of hearing, granting temporary relief to the university officials.
The development comes a day after the CAT took a stern view of what it described as “continuous disobedience” and “deliberate foot-dragging” by the university authorities in complying with its earlier directions in a contempt case.
On Tuesday, the CAT had ordered the issuance of non-bailable warrants against the Vice Chancellor and Registrar and directed the Senior Superintendent of Police, Awantipora, to secure their presence before the tribunal. The tribunal observed that the officials had repeatedly failed to comply with its orders and had not appeared despite previous directions.
The CAT had remarked that contempt of court strikes at the very foundation of the rule of law and emphasized that compliance with judicial orders is essential to maintaining public confidence in the justice delivery system.
However, with the High Court’s intervention, the execution of the tribunal’s contempt proceedings has now been put on hold pending further adjudication of the petition filed by the IUST authorities.
