Debangana Ray
Published on August 21, 2022 at 22:02 IST
The Supreme Court has stated that the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has no power to do away with a trial before punishing for contempt if the offender is denying those charges.
The court stated that the CAT does not have the power to punish for contempt of court. Not conducting such a trial will result in a gross miscarriage of justice.
The Bench referred to Section 14 of the Contempt of Courts Act, and also Section 17 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, and the Rules under which the tribunals are given jurisdiction to initiate proceedings for contempt.
Referring to Section 14(1)(c), the Bench stated that the contempt proceedings included “taking of evidence as may be necessary” to ascertain the substance of the charges framed.
The court stated that “We would think that in the facts of this case, denial of a right of trial which is contemplated also under Section 14(1)(c) of the Act as also Rule 15 of the Rules, has resulted in miscarriage of justice.”