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2025 DAILYLAW 2140 (GAU)

SMTI MEPUTOLA v. SHRI SHASHANK PRATAP SINGH, IAS

COP(C)/36/2025 · 2026-01-21

Budi Habung

Contempt Petitionbody2025

Judgment text

Extracted from the PDF above. The PDF is authoritative.

Page No.# 1/4 GAHC020007662025 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) KOHIMA BENCH Case No. : COP(C)/36/2025 SMTI MEPUTOLA W/O LATE SENWATIBA @ SENWATIBA LONGCHAR @ SENWATIBA AO, KHENSA VILLAGE, MOKOKCHUNG, NAGALAND VERSUS SHRI SHASHANK PRATAP SINGH, IAS PRINCIPAL DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE OF SCHOOL EDUCATION, NAGALAND, KOHIMA Advocate for the Petitioner : I. IMTI LONGCHAR, L BAUPHEN PHOM,MOANUKSUNG KICHU,W. YAKAP KONYAK,OBANGNENLA LONGCHAR,VIKHONO KISO Advocate for the Respondent : , Page No.# 2/4 BEFORE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE BUDI HABUNG ORDER 22.01.2026 Heard Ms. O. Longchar, learned counsel for the petitioner. Also heard Ms. Livika, learned counsel for the respondent. 2. The present contempt petition has been filed alleging willful and deliberate non-compliance of the order passed by this Court on 26.06.2025 in WP (C) No. 112/2025, whereby the respondent authorities, more particularly respondent No. 5/present respondent (Principal Director, Directorate of School Education, Nagaland, Kohima), were directed to consider the case of the petitioner and dispose of the representation submitted by the petitioner on 12.01.2023 for grant of invalid pension and family pension of her husband, Lt. Senwatiba Longchar, by passing a reasoned order within the stipulated time. 3. It is submitted that despite of service of the certified copy of the said order and subsequent notices served upon the respondent, the respondent did not comply within time, leading to the filing of this contempt petition. 4. However, during the pendency of this contempt petition, the respondent authorities have issued an interim order dated 20.12.2025, wherein it has been stated that, since the service book of Lt. Senwatiba Longchar is not traceable and, therefore, the same is required to be reconstructed. However, the department is taking steps for reconstruction. For this purpose, the petitioner has been called upon to furnish certain documents as mentioned in the Page No.# 3/4 interim order that are available with her for further necessary action. 5. In view of the above development, the learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner may be permitted to submit the required documents before the respondent authorities for consideration and prays for disposal of the contempt petition with a further direction to the respondent authority to consider and decide the petitioner’s claim expeditiously. 6. In this regard, Ms. Livika, learned counsel for the respondent, submits that the State may be granted sufficient time after the submission of the documents for perusal and further necessary action. 7. In view of the above, this contempt petition is disposed of with the following directions: i. The petitioner shall submit all relevant documents available with her/as mentioned in the interim order before the respondent authority within 30 days from today. ii. Upon receipt of such documents, the respondent authorities are directed to re-construct the service record and thereafter consider the case of the petitioner and dispose of the representation submitted on 12.01.2023 by passing a reasoned and speaking order, in terms of the earlier direction of this Court for invalid pension and family pension of her husband, Lt. Senwatiba Longchar, within a further period of 45 days from the date of receipt of the documents submitted by the petitioner. 8. With the above observations and direction, this contempt petition stands disposed of. It is made clear that in the event of Page No.# 4/4 failure on the part of the respondent to comply with the directions, it shall be open to the petitioner to seek revival of the contempt proceedings in accordance with law. Sd/- JUDGE Comparing Assistant