Gujarat High Court Revives 5 Contempt Petitions Over Unpaid Benefits, Warns DDOs of ₹25,000 Personal Fine

The Gujarat High Court has revived five contempt petitions against authorities over the failure to disburse financial benefits to eligible employees despite an earlier court order, warning that responsible officials could face a personal fine of ₹25,000 per petition.

The petitions were revived after the applicants informed the court that they had not received the actual financial benefits directed under a previous High Court order.

During the hearing on November 2, the State Government submitted that the Department of Panchayats, Rural Housing and Rural Development had approved the benefits and instructed the concerned District Development Officers (DDOs) to take necessary action. Reminders had also been issued to the officials.

However, the petitioners maintained that the approved benefits had still not reached them.

Officials Face Personal Cost for Further Delay

Taking note of the continued non-compliance, the High Court ordered the revival of all five contempt petitions and directed that they be placed before the appropriate Division Bench according to the roster.

The court also reiterated its warning that if the concerned District Panchayat officials are found responsible for the delay during the next hearing, a personal cost of ₹25,000 will be imposed on them for each petition.

The warning follows an earlier order dated September 17, 2025, in which the High Court had granted the authorities three months to complete the payment process. The court had also allowed the petitioners to revive their contempt proceedings if the directions were not followed.

The latest order makes clear that administrative approval alone does not amount to compliance with a court directive. The beneficiaries must actually receive the financial benefits due to them.

Background: High Court's Order on Multi-Purpose Health Workers

The original dispute concerned Multi-Purpose Health Workers (MPHWs) seeking regular pay scales and related service benefits.

The High Court had observed that employees who had served continuously for years under similar working conditions should not face discriminatory treatment.

The case particularly involved employees of different district panchayats who sought benefits similar to those granted to employees of the Sabarkantha District Panchayat, where regularisation with retrospective effect had been extended to workers with comparable qualifications and service conditions.

In its September 17, 2025, order, the High Court directed the State Government and the concerned authorities to complete the necessary proceedings within 12 weeks of receiving a copy of the order.

With the five contempt petitions now revived, the concerned officials will have to explain the continued delay in implementing the court's directions.