Supreme Court of India
New Delhi: In a rare decision, the apex court has imposed a fine of Rs. 1 lakh on the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting holding it guilty of contempt in Sudhanshu Ranjan versus Amit Khare.
It may be mentioned that 51 TV journalists were appointed for Doordarshan (DD) in 1988 in senior class I and class I scales through open competitive exam (written and two rounds of interview). It was done on the recommendation of P. C. Joshi Committee’s report to professionalize DD and make it a world class broadcaster. They were imparted excellent training but their trouble began immediately thereafter as insiders were hostile to the batch.
In 1990, when Indian Broadcasting Programme Service (IBPS) was created, they were not included in it. Some of them moved court and the union government gave undertaking that a new channel of promotion for them was being created. But it never happened.
In 2000, CAT, Hyderabad, gave judgement directing the government to induct these journalists into IBPS. The government moved the Andhra Pradesh High court and sought repeated adjournments. Finally the High court in 2014 upheld the decision of the CAT. The government filed an SLP in the Supreme Court which upheld the decision of the CAT and High Court. The judgement was delivered on September 26, 2018.
However, it was not implemented, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting sent the file to the Ministry of Law proposing to file review. The Ministry of Law rejected the proposal twice.
Then Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand also wrote clearly that it was not a case of review. Still the ministry did nothing to implement. Then TV journalist Sudhanshu Ranjan filed contempt petition in the Supreme Court. Only then there was some movement.
After seeking several adjournments the ministry filed an affidavit, as directed by the court, on November 9, 2019, that the judgement would be implemented within three months. On November 29, 2019, the Supreme Court asked them to implement within three months. Thus, the ministry got twenty day more.
The three months period was over on February 27, 2020. Orders for promotions up to the level of JAG(SG) [Junior Administrative Grade (Selection Grade)] were issued in March 2020, and the last promotion was given from April 1, 2007 on notional basis denying arrears. But order was not issued for promotion into Senior Administrative Grade (SAG).
Finally, Sudhanshu Ranjan revived his contempt on 10 July 2021. As the petition was filed, the ministry issued order on July 26, 2021, ie, within 16 days after filing the revival petition. The promotion was given from April 12, 2013 on notional basis denying arrears. The court asked the government to file affidavit.
Finally, on August 16, 2021, the court held that the ministry was in contempt and posed a fine of Rs 1 lakh to be recovered from the officers responsible for compliance and ordered to pay arrears with 6 per cent interest.
TV journalist Sudhanshu Ranjan has finally got it from the Supreme Court after a prolonged legal battle.
– global bihari bureau
