Sri Krishna Murthy Vs Sri Pankaj Kumar Pandey — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2025)

Sri Krishna Murthy Vs Sri Pankaj Kumar Pandey — Contempt of Court | Karnataka HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Complaints closed upon finding that the disobedience complained of stands complied with by order dated 01.12.2025; complainants at liberty to revive the complaints if actual disbursement does not take place in terms of that order within a reasonable period

Issue for consideration

Whether the accused committed contempt by willfully disobeying the orders passed in the complainants' writ petitions (including the order dated 13.09.2023) directing grant of additional annual increments accrued after retirement and consequential benefits +1 more

Ratio / Principle

In view of the order dated 01.12.2025, the order the disobedience of which is complained of has been complied with

Key takeaways

The present contempt complaints are closedratio¶146
The complainants are at liberty to revive the complaints if actual disbursement does not take place in terms of the order dated 01.12.2025 within a reasonable periodratio¶150

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Contempt of Courts Act, Ss. 11 & 12 r/w Article 215, Constitution of India — civil contempt petitions (CCC Nos. 43, 92, 217, 218, 799 and 800 of 2025) by retired KPTCL/MESCOM/BESCOM employees alleging willful disobedience of writ court orders (dated 13.09.2023 and allied dates) granting additional annual increments accrued after retirement with consequential benefits. Compliance affidavits earlier filed (setting out order dated 21.10.2025) were not accepted as consequential benefits had not been extended; the Court had observed that the accused were required to refix salary by granting the additional annual increment and consequentially refix and pay pension with arrears, there being no direction in the order dated 13.09.2023 excluding consequential benefits. By subsequent order dated 01.12.2025, one annual increment was sanctioned on the basic pay drawn as on the date of retirement with corresponding revision of basic pension, family pension, retirement gratuity and commutation benefits, and Pay Drawing Officers were directed to initiate immediate release of the financial benefits. Held: the disobedience complained of stands complied with; complaints closed, with liberty to the complainants to revive if actual disbursement does not take place in terms of the order dated 01.12.2025 within a reasonable period. (DB: Vibhu Bakhru, CJ and C.M. Poonacha, J)

Procedural history

How this case reached the court

AI extract

Order under challenge
Willful disobedience alleged of orders passed by this Court in the complainants' writ petitions (principal order dated 13.09.2023) directing grant of additional annual increments accrued after retirement and consequential benefits¶132
High Court of Karnataka · 13.09.2023
Prior proceeding
The writ petitions were allowed and the complainants were held entitled to additional annual increments which accrued to them after retirement but were not given¶137
Prior proceeding
Accused earlier filed an affidavit of compliance and an additional affidavit of compliance; the additional affidavit set out the order dated 21.10.2025 and was taken note of by this Court in its order dated 21.11.2025¶138
Prior proceeding
This Court did not accept the earlier compliance because all consequential benefits arising from the grant of increment had not been extended to the complainants¶138
Prior proceeding
In its earlier order dated 21.11.2025 (quoted herein) the Court observed that the accused are required to refix the salary by granting the additional annual increment and consequentially refix and pay pension with arrears¶139
Prior proceeding
The Court observed that there is no direction in the order dated 13.09.2023 to exclude other consequential benefits arising from re-fixing of salary by including an increment¶140
Prior proceeding
Learned counsel for the accused filed an affidavit of compliance dated 08.12.2025 enclosing an order dated 01.12.2025¶144
Prior proceeding
Order dated 01.12.2025 directs that complainants be granted one annual increment in the basic pay they were drawing as on the date of retirement¶144
Prior proceeding
Order dated 01.12.2025 provides corresponding revision of basic pension, family pension, retirement gratuity and commutation benefits¶144
Prior proceeding
Concerned Pay Drawing Officers directed to initiate immediate action for release of the financial benefits in favour of the complainants on account of the sanction¶144
Prior proceeding
CCC No. 92/2025 alleges deliberate disobedience of the order dated 07.12.2023 passed in W.P.No.10232/2022 (S-RES)¶45
Prior proceeding
CCC No. 799/2025 alleges disobedience of the order dated 12.02.2024 made in W.P. No.29231/2023 (S-RES), in terms of W.A. No.4193/2017 and Civil Appeal No.2471/2023¶109