THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOOTY RAMAMOHANA RAO CONTEMPT CASE No. 22 of 2010 O R D E R: This contempt of Court action has been initiated by the writ petitioners complaining that the respondent has willfully disobeyed the orders passed by me in W.P.M.P.No. 14355 of 2009 in Writ Petition No. 11173 of 2009 on 16.07.2009. At this stage, it will be appropriate at once to notice the direction issued by me on 16.07.2009, which is now alleged to have been violated by the respondent: “ Since the larger public interest is involved in allowing the vacant posts of Deputy Executive Engineers to be filled in, the present arrangement contemplated by the respondents – Corporation by making in charge arrangements, should not be stopped. But at the same time, care has got to be taken by the respondents-Corporation to ensure that the senior most Assistant Engineer, be he a Graduate Engineer or Diploma Holder, is placed as in charge Deputy Executive Engineer. Let there be no departure from the said principle. If the in charge arrangements were to last for more than six months period from now, the respondents –Corporation will review such arrangements and replace them with regular Deputy Executive Engineers or make arrangements for promotion on regular basis/temporary basis of the existing personnel in accordance with the Recruitment Regulations.” A notice was issued in the above contempt of Court action on 29.01.2010. In pursuance thereto, the Managing Director of the A.P. State Housing Corporation Limited, Hyderabad has filed a detailed counter-affidavit in the matter. In paragraph 9, it has been specifically asserted as under: “ The respondent Corporation has reviewed in charge arrangement made earlier and decided to withdraw the in-charge arrangements made on district seniority as basis and consequently a circular vide No. A2/8136/2008, dated 25.02.2010 was issued withdrawing the in-charge arrangements for Dy. Executive Engineers, which was continuing in the districts following the circular dated 04.06.2009 which is impugned in the writ petition against which the present contempt case arose.” From the above statement made by the respondent, it would be clear that the in-charge arrangements have since been withdrawn on 25.02.2010 and the in-charge arrangement of the Deputy Executive Engineers has been appropriately removed. In view of this statement and in the absence of any contra material to indicate that the said statement is not factually correct, the contempt of Court action being a quasi-criminal proceeding cannot be initiated against the respondent. Hence, the Contempt Case is dismissed. The notice issued on 29.01.2010 shall stand discharged. ---------------------------------- (NOOTY RAMAMOHANA RAO, J) 18th June 2010 ksld