Page | 1 Sl. Nos. 9-11 IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR AT IMPHAL Cont.Cas(C) No. 5 of 2024 Ref:- WP(C) No. 551 of 2023 Maibam Bharat Meitei and 15 others Petitioners Vs. Ngangom Uttam Singh, MCS, Director (Social Welfare), Government of Manipur Respondent Clubbed with MC(Cont.Cas(C)) No. 21 of 2024 With MC(Cont.Cas(C)) No. 35 of 2024 BEFORE HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. KEMPAIAH SOMASHEKAR HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AHANTHEM BIMOL SINGH ORDER (K. Somashekar, C.J.) 18.08.2025 [1] This contempt case has been initiated by the complainant/petitioner for willful disobedience of the orders rendered by the coordinate Bench in WP(C) No. 551 of 2023 dated 14.08.2023 and whereby the complainant/petitioner is seeking for taking action against the respondent/accused. [2] Learned senior counsel Mr. HS Paonam for the complainant/petitioner is on record but represented by the counsel Ms. Th. Lekhakumari. Similarly, the learned senior counsel Mr. Y. Nirmolchand for the respondent/accused is present and whereby the said senior counsel in this matter submitting that the interim order which was rendered by this Court had already been complied with by issuing the order dated 20th SHAMURAILATPAM SUSHIL SHARMA Digitally signed by SHAMURAILATPAM SUSHIL SHARMA Date: 2025.08.21 17:09:34 +05'30' Page | 2 February, 2024 at Annexure-C/3 to the MC(Cont.Cas(C)) No. 35 of 2024 (Ref:- Cont. Cas(C) No. 5 of 2024) wherein in the order it is disclosed as that the process for framing of Recruitment Rules for the following posts of Mission Vatsalya (former ICPS) which was notified by the Department vide notification No. 1/159/2016-SW(RR) dated 16th November, 2023 is hereby kept in abeyance until the disposal of the Writ Petition (C) No. 551 of 2023 (Shri Maibam Bharat Meitei & 15 Ors. Vs. The State of Manipur & Ors.) or till a leave is granted by the Hon’ble High Court to move ahead with the following process, whichever is earlier, in compliance of the interim order dated 14.08.2023 : 1. District Child Protection Officer. 2. Protection Officer 3. Legal-cum-Probation Officer. However, the said senior counsel for the respondent in this matter is submitting that there is no consequences for consideration to persuade the proceeding in Cont.Cas(C) No. 5 of 2024 inclusive of the proceedings in item No. 10 i.e., MC(Cont.Cas(C)) No. 21 of 2024 and also the proceeding in item No. 12 i.e., MC(Cont.Cas(C)) No. 35 of 2024. [3] Whereas, keeping in view the issues in between the complaints/petitioners and the respondent/accused in these matters are concerned, it is deemed appropriate to state that the proceeding in CCC No. 896 of 2023 (Civil) dated 02.04.2024 rendered by High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru wherein in para 2 it indicates that evidently, the above order is interim order and that the parent proceedings are at Page | 3 large before learned Single Judge on merits. In that view, the contempt proceedings are not liable to be entertained. It is relevant to refer the order rendered by the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru in the proceeding in CCC No. 1237 of 2023 (Civil) dated 26th March, 2024 wherein in para 3, the Hon’ble Court made an observation that when the order is an interim order, by its very nature it does not determine rights of the parties finally. There are no trappings of finality in the order. In the aforesaid view, this Court is not inclined to entertain the contempt petition and it is not persuaded to exercise the power of contempt under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. [4] However, in this contempt proceeding, the learned senior counsel for the respondent/accused is fairly submitting that even though the interim order has been challenging in this contempt proceeding and the same has already been complied with in pursuance of the order dated 20th February, 2024 issued by the Government of Manipur/Directorate of Social Welfare and therefore, this contempt proceeding does not have any substance to persuade the matter in accordance with law, even keeping in view the provision of Section 2(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. Hence, this contempt proceeding and the two miscellaneous applications are hereby closed. JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE Sushil