Ashish Kumar Dash Vs Satyabrata Sahu, IAS — Orissa HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Ashish Kumar Dash Vs Satyabrata Sahu, IAS — Orissa HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Contempt proceeding dropped; Opposite Party-Contemnor directed to implement the order and extend the financial benefits pursuant to order dated 31.03.2026 within four weeks; liberty reserved to the Petitioner to revive the proceeding by filing a memo if the office order dated 31.03.2026 is not implemented fully.

Issue for consideration

Whether the order passed by this Court in the writ application (judgment dated 02.04.2025) has been complied with by the Contemnor, so that the contempt proceeding may be dropped. +1 more

Court's answer

On perusal of the compliance affidavit, the Court found that the order passed by this Court has already been complied with vide order dated 31.03.2026.

Ratio / Principle

The Opposite Party-Contemnor is directed to implement the order and to extend the financial benefits pursuant to order dated 31.03.2026 within a period of four weeks.

Key takeaways

The Contempt Proceeding is dropped with liberty to the Petitioner to revive the same by filing a memo in the event the office order dated 31.03.2026 is not implemented fully.ratio¶25

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Orissa at Cuttack, CONTC No.21 of 2026 (order dated 17.04.2026, Justice Aditya Kumar Mohapatra): contempt proceeding against Satyabrata Sahu, IAS, dropped. The underlying writ judgment dated 02.04.2025 had quashed the impugned rejection order dated 26.07.2023 (Annexure-8) and directed promotion of petitioner Ashish Kumar Dash to the post of Administrative Officer by convening a review DPC immediately, from the date such promotion was given to the private-Opposite Party No.4 (admittedly junior to the petitioner), together with release of all consequential and service benefits. Perusal of the compliance affidavit and office order dated 31.03.2026 showed implementation: promotion pursuant to Home Department notification dated 04.07.2025; petitioner already joined as Administrative Officer in the office of the Director of Health Service, Odisha, Bhubaneswar; and all financial benefits allowed with effect from 11.07.2022 per Office Memorandum dated 01.11.1997 of the G.A. Department. As counsel for the petitioner contended the financial benefits had not actually been received, the contemnor was directed to implement the order and extend the financial benefits pursuant to order dated 31.03.2026 within four weeks; the contempt proceeding was dropped with liberty to the petitioner to revive it by filing a memo if the office order dated 31.03.2026 is not implemented fully.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK

CONTC No.21 of 2026

Ashish Kumar Dash

.....

Petitioner

Represented by Adv. -

Prasanta Kumar Mishra

-versus-

Satyabrata Sahu, IAS ..... Opposite Party/ Contemnor Represented by Adv. – Sasmita Nayak, A.S.C.

CORAM:

THE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE ADITYA KUMAR MOHAPATRA

ORDER

17.04.2026

Order No.

1. This matter is taken up through Hybrid Arrangement (Virtual /Physical Mode).

It is stated by learned counsel for the Contemnor that a compliance affidavit has already been filed.

On perusal of the compliance affidavit, it appears that the order passed by this Court has already been complied with vide order dated 31.03.2026. On perusal of the judgment dated 02.04.2025 judgment, it appears that this Court while disposing of the writ application quashed the impugned rejection order dated 26.07.2023 at Annexure-8 and the Opposite Party No.1 was

Page 1 of 3.

directed to give promotion to the Petitioner by convening a review DPC immediately to the post of Administrative Officer from the date such promotion was given to the private-Opposite Party No.4, who is admittedly junior to the present Petitioner. It was also directed to release all consequential and service benefits in favour of the Petitioner.

On perusal of office order dated 31.03.2026, it appears that the Opposite Parties while implementing the judgment of this Court have given promotion to the Petitioner to the post of Administrative Officer pursuant to the notification of the Home Department dated 04.07.2025 and that the Petitioner has already joined as Administrative Officer in the office of the Director of Health Service, Odisha, Bhubaneswar in the meantime. Office order dated 31.03.2026 further reveals that the Opposite Parties have also taken a decision and have allowed all financial benefits from the date of his promotion to the post of Administrative Officer, i.e., with effect from 11.07.2022 as per the provisions of the Office Memorandum dated 01.11.1997 of the G.A department.

Learned counsel for the Petitioner at this juncture contended that although the Petitioner has been given promotion and order passed by this Court to that effect has been implemented, however, the Petitioner has not received the financial benefits as has been extended vide order dated 31.03.2026.

In view of the aforesaid development, the Opposite PartyContemnor is directed to implement the order and to extend the financial benefits pursuant to order dated 31.03.2026 within a period of four weeks.

Page 2 of 3.

Anil

In view of the aforesaid development, the Contempt Proceeding is dropped with liberty to the Petitioner to revive the same by filing a memo in the event the office order dated 31.03.2026 is not implemented fully.

( A.K. Mohapatra)

Judge

Signature Not Verified Page 3 of 3.

Digitally Signed Signed by: ANIL KUMAR SAHOO Designation: Junior Stenographer Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa Date: 20-Apr-2026 13:50:39