The Kashmir Dialogues
Srinagar: In a significant legal development, the Ganderbal district court has issued a show-cause notice to Deputy Commissioner Shyambir, questioning why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him under the Contempt of Courts Act. This action follows accusations of non-compliance with a court order and attempts to “personally attack” the presiding judge through “manipulation and fabrication.”
The order, passed by Sub-judge Fayaz Ahmad Qureshi, alleges that Shyambir failed to comply with a previous court directive regarding a land acquisition case. The court had mandated that the Deputy Commissioner compensate petitioners whose land was acquired by the government, a decree originally issued in 2022.
Despite a subsequent order in January 2024 to enforce this compensation, Shyambir reportedly did not act on it. As a result, the court ordered on June 21 to withhold the salaries of Shyambir and other officials involved.
In a more recent development dated July 23, the court accused Shyambir of retaliating against the judicial directive by targeting Judge Qureshi. The judge alleged that Shyambir conspired with other district officials to fabricate charges against him, including an inquiry into land owned by the judge.
The court asserted that these actions by Deputy Commissioner Shyambir were intended to “scandalize the Judge who passed a judicial order” and constituted an abuse of power. Such acts, the court argued, are not only contemptuous but also warrant criminal proceedings under the Prevention of Corruption Act for misuse of official position for personal vendettas.
In response, the court has called for administrative action against Deputy Commissioner Shyambir, recommending his transfer and further investigation into his conduct. The Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, Atul Dulloo, has been informed and urged to take appropriate measures.
Sheikh Sameer
Rameez Makdoomi
