HC imposes penalty of ₹50K for filing contempt plea against judge

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday imposed a penalty of Rs.50000 on a man who filed a contempt petition against a family court judge for not disposing of his petition filed for divorce despite the HC passing an order to decide on the plea within three months in 2017.

Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan passed the order for the reason that the petitioner failed to file this contempt petition within one year since the HC passed an order to the family court to dispose of the divorce case within three months in 2017.

The judge also pointed out that the petitioner approached the high court asking action against the family judge who took charge only in the year 2021.

According to the petitioner, he filed a case before the Family court in 2013 for separation. As the matter was not disposed of within a stipulated time, the petitioner approached the HC in 2017 for speedy disposal of his divorce petition.

In 2017, the high court passed an order to the family court to hear and dispose of the matter within three months.

Nevertheless, the family court did not grant relief to the petitioner which prompted him to file this contempt petition.

The judge also noted that the HC Registry should have considered the year in which the HC passed its order on this issue.