Page No.# 1/4 GAHC020008612025 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) KOHIMA BENCH Case No. : COP(C)/41/2025 SHRI N. RONHONG K W/C LABOUR (FIXED) PHOMCHING, SUB DIVISIONAL OFFICER, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, MON DIVISION, MON NAGALAND VERSUS SHRI ER. P.I. IMNA AO AND ANR ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF (NPWD), KOHIMA NAGALAND 2:SHRI MOHAMMAD ALI SHIHAB IAS COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS DEPARTMENT NAGALAND KOHIM Advocate for the Petitioner : KEKHRIESENUO, H ZELIANG Advocate for the Respondent : , BEFORE HONBLE MRS JUSTICE HELEN DAWNGLIANI ORDER 22.09.2026 Ms. Kekhriesenuo, learned counsel appears for the petitioner and the respondents are represented by Ms. Livika, learned counsel. The instant contempt petition has been filed for alleged willful Page No.# 2/4 and deliberate violation of the order dated 24.07.2025 passed by this Court in WP(C) No. 177/2023 wherein, the respondent No. 5 was directed to merge the petitioner’s case with Category ‘A’ and forward the same to respondent No. 2 expeditiously so that clearance can be given to release the salary to the petitioner. It was further directed that the entire exercise shall be completed within a period of two (2) months from the date of receipt of a copy of the order. As already reflected in the order dated 15.09.2026, the admitted position of the parties is that the arrear salary of the petitioner has been paid. However, the salary from March, 2026 to August, 2026 is yet to be paid. From the direction given by this Court, it is noticed that it was a direction to the respondents to expedite the clearance so that release of salary can be made to the petitioner. The learned counsel for the respondents Ms. Livika has taken this Court to the order dated 25.09.2025 wherein, it was communicated to the Engineer-in-Chief, NPWD, Nagaland that the details of work-charged employees have been rectified in PIMS portal and Aadhaar card and request was made to merge these work-charged employees to Category ‘A’. Further, as per Circular dated 30.09.2025, issued by the Engineer-in-Chief (NPWD), Nagaland, an approval letter Page No.# 3/4 was received from Works & Housing Department for rectification in the PIMS portal and that the rectification is matching with the Aadhaar records. The letter listed the employees whose records matched with the PIMS portal and the name of the instant petition figured at Sl.No. 19. The learned counsel for the respondents have also placed on record the communication dated 10.07.2026 wherein, expenditure sanction for payment of work-charge for arrear salary was given and the arrear salary covers the period 20.03.2020 to February 2026. Considering the nature of direction given by this Court and the official communication highlighted above as well as the concept of the contempt petition, this Court is of the view that steps have been taken by the Government respondents, for compliance and that there was no deliberate and willful non-compliance of the order of this Court and that the second portion of the direction of this Court could be complied at the belated stage due to bureaucratic procedural setups. It is an admitted position that the arrear salary has been received by the petitioner. In view of the communications enclosed and reflected in the foregoing paragraph and the admission that there was actual release of the arrear salary, this Court is of the view that there is no reason to Page No.# 4/4 further continue with the contempt proceedings against the instant respondents. Accordingly, the instant contempt proceedings stands closed. Sd/- JUDGE Comparing Assistant