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Ku. Vakta Gedam Vs Ms. Niharika Barik — Contempt of Court | Chhattisgarh HC (2026)

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Chhattisgarh HC
2026
Ku. Vakta Gedam Vs Ms. Niharika BarikKu. Vakta Gedam v. Ms. Niharika Barik

Disposed¶¶26

Ku. Vakta Gedam v. Ms. Niharika Barik

Chhattisgarh HC15 Jun 2026CONT/353/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Chhattisgarh High Court contempt petition disposed; substantial compliance found with earlier direction in WPS No. 6193 of 2025 (order dated 03.07.2025); petitioner's appeal pending since 29.08.2022 disposed vide order dated 28.04.2026; Divisional Commissioner held competent appellate authority under Rule 3, Chhattisgarh Panchayat Raj Adhiniyam (Appeal and Review) Rules, 1995, for appeals against Chief Executive Officer, Zila Panchayat orders; three-month timeline fixed; no wilful disobedience; rule discharged; Justice Bibhu Datta Guru; decided 16/06/2026.

What did the court decide?

The direction issued by this Court in WPS No. 6193 of 2025 stands substantially complied with, the authority before whom the appeal was pending having taken a decision and directed the competent appellate authority to adjudicate the appeal within the stipulated period.

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Disposed

Issue for consideration

Whether the direction issued by this Court in WPS No. 6193 of 2025 (order dated 03.07.2025) has been complied with, and whether wilful or deliberate disobedience exists warranting continuation of the contempt proceedings.

Court's answer

The direction issued by this Court in WPS No. 6193 of 2025 stands substantially complied with, the authority before whom the appeal was pending having taken a decision and directed the competent appellate authority to adjudicate the appeal within the stipulated period.

Ratio / Principle

On the Court's finding, the competent appellate authority to adjudicate the petitioner's appeal is the Divisional Commissioner, who has been directed to decide the appeal within the stipulated period.

Key takeaways

No case of wilful or deliberate disobedience of the order dated 03.07.2025 is made out so as to warrant continuation of the contempt proceedings.ratio¶¶23

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Contempt petition (CONT No. 353 of 2026) under Article 215 of the Constitution of India read with Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, alleging non-compliance of the High Court's order dated 03.07.2025 in WPS No. 6193 of 2025, pursuant to which the petitioner's appeal pending since 29.08.2022 was to be decided. Respondents filed a covering memo dated 11.06.2026 showing that the appeal was considered and disposed of vide order dated 28.04.2026, whereby, in terms of Rule 3 of the Chhattisgarh Panchayat Raj Adhiniyam (Appeal and Review) Rules, 1995, the Divisional Commissioner — the competent appellate authority for appeals against orders of the Chief Executive Officer, Zila Panchayat — was directed to decide the appeal within three months. Finding the direction substantially complied with and no wilful or deliberate disobedience warranting continuation of contempt proceedings, the Court disposed of the petition and discharged the rule.

A

1

2026:CGHC:24005

NAFR

HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR

RAHUL JHA Digitally signed by RAHUL JHA Date: 2026.06.16 16:32:55 +0530

CONT No. 353 of 2026

Ku. Vakta Gedam D/o Late Jeevan Lal Gedam Aged About 39 Years R/o Village And Post Shahvada, Distt. Kanker, Chhattisgarh.

Petitioner(s)

Versus

1 - Ms. Niharika Barik Chief Secretary Panchayat And Rural Development Department. At Present In Mahanadi Bhawan Mantralaya New Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

2 - Shri Virendra Kumar Jaiswal Addl. Secretary, Panchayat And Rural Development Department. At Present In Mahanadi Bhawan Mantralaya New Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

Respondent(s)

(Cause-title taken from Case Information System)

For Petitioner(s) : Mr. K.N. Nande, Advocate For Respondent(s) : Mr Yogendra Pandey, Advocate

Hon'ble Shri Justice Bibhu Datta Guru

Order on Board

16/06/2026

The present contempt petition has been filed under Article 215 of the Constitution of India read with Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, alleging non-compliance of the order dated 03.07.2025 passed by this Court in WPS No. 6193 of 2025. The grievance of the

2

petitioner is that despite the direction issued by this Court, the appeal preferred by him, which had been pending since 29.08.2022, was not decided.

Learned counsel appearing for the respondents has filed a covering memo dated 11.06.2026 and submits that in compliance with the order dated 03.07.2025 passed in WPS No. 6193 of 2025, the appeal preferred by the petitioner has been considered and disposed of vide order dated 28.04.2026. It is further submitted that in terms of Rule 3 of the Chhattisgarh Panchayat Raj Adhiniyam (Appeal and Review) Rules, 1995, the Divisional Commissioner is the competent appellate authority to consider an appeal against an order passed by the Chief Executive Officer, Zila Panchayat. Accordingly, while disposing of the appeal, a direction has been issued to the Divisional Commissioner to decide the same within a period of three months.

Having considered the submissions advanced and upon perusal of the order dated 28.04.2026, this Court finds that the authority before whom the appeal was pending has taken a decision in the matter and has directed the competent appellate authority, namely the Divisional Commissioner, to adjudicate the appeal within the stipulated period. Thus, the direction issued by this Court in WPS No. 6193 of 2025 stands substantially complied with.

In view of the aforesaid compliance, this Court is of the considered opinion that no case of wilful or deliberate disobedience of the order dated 03.07.2025 is made out so as to warrant continuation of the present

3

contempt proceedings.

Consequently, the contempt petition stands disposed of. The rule is discharged.

Sd/- (Bibhu Datta Guru) Judge

Rahul

Issues for consideration

1 issue framed by the court

AI extract

1.
Whether the direction issued by this Court in WPS No. 6193 of 2025 (order dated 03.07.2025) has been complied with, and whether wilful or deliberate disobedience exists warranting continuation of the contempt proceedings.¶¶18
The court held
The direction issued by this Court in WPS No. 6193 of 2025 stands substantially complied with, the authority before whom the appeal was pending having taken a decision and directed the competent appellate authority to adjudicate the appeal within the stipulated period.ratio¶¶22

Statutes considered

3 provisions across 3 enactments

AI extract

Constitution of IndiaArticle 215¶¶18
Contempt of Courts Act, 1971Section 12¶¶18
Chhattisgarh Panchayat Raj Adhiniyam (Appeal and Review) Rules, 1995Rule 3¶¶21

Procedural history

How this case reached the court

AI extract

Order under challenge
Order dated 03.07.2025 passed in WPS No. 6193 of 2025 by this Court, non-compliance whereof (non-decision of the petitioner's appeal pending since 29.08.2022) was alleged in the contempt petition.¶¶18
High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur · 03.07.2025
Prior proceeding
Despite the direction issued by this Court in WPS No. 6193 of 2025, the appeal preferred by the petitioner, pending since 29.08.2022, had not been decided.¶¶20
Prior proceeding
Respondents filed a covering memo dated 11.06.2026 submitting that, in compliance with the order dated 03.07.2025, the petitioner's appeal was considered and disposed of vide order dated 28.04.2026, directing the Divisional Commissioner to decide it within three months.¶¶21

Parties & counsel

AI extract

petitioner
Ku. Vakta Gedam D/o Late Jeevan Lal Gedam Aged About 39 Years R/o Village And Post Shahvada, Distt. Kanker, Chhattisgarh.¶¶7
Mr. K.N. Nande
respondent
Ms. Niharika Barik Chief Secretary Panchayat And Rural Development Department. At Present In Mahanadi Bhawan Mantralaya New Raipur, Chhattisgarh.¶¶10
Mr Yogendra Pandey
respondent
Shri Virendra Kumar Jaiswal Addl. Secretary, Panchayat And Rural Development Department. At Present In Mahanadi Bhawan Mantralaya New Raipur, Chhattisgarh.¶¶11

Coram

AI extract

Hon'ble Shri Justice Bibhu Datta Guruauthor¶¶15

Case details

As recorded by the court registry

Court: Chhattisgarh HC
Decided on: 15 Jun 2026 · June
Registered: 16 Mar 2026
Case no.: CONT/353/2026
CNR: CGHC010087452026
Topic: Contempt of Court
Bench: Bibhu Datta Guru
Disposal: DISPOSED OFF
Case type: CONT

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Cite this judgement

Ku. Vakta Gedam v. Ms. Niharika Barik, CONT/353/2026 (CG), decided on 15 June 2026.

The High Court of Chhattisgarh publishes no neutral citation for this judgement — cite it by case number and date of decision.

Statutes3

Constitution of IndiaArticle 215
Contempt of Courts Act, 1971Section 12
Chhattisgarh Panchayat Raj Adhiniyam (Appeal and Review) Rules, 1995Rule 3

View all statutes

Procedural history3

Order dated 03.07.2025 passed in WPS No. 6193 of 2025 by this Court, non-compliance whereof (non-decision of the petitioner's appeal pending since 29.08.2022) was alleged in the contempt petition.High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur · 03.07.2025
Despite the direction issued by this Court in WPS No. 6193 of 2025, the appeal preferred by the petitioner, pending since 29.08.2022, had not been decided.
Respondents filed a covering memo dated 11.06.2026 submitting that, in compliance with the order dated 03.07.2025, the petitioner's appeal was considered and disposed of vide order dated 28.04.2026, directing the Divisional Commissioner to decide it within three months.

View full history

Bench / Coram

Hon'ble Shri Justice Bibhu Datta Guru

Parties & counsel