Telangana HC raps education secretary over court absence

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Thursday, June 25, expressed strong displeasure over the absence of Education Department secretary Yogita Rana, despite being served notices directing her to appear in a contempt of court case.

Questioning her conduct, the court asked, “Is this the respect you show to the courts?” It warned that such lapses would not be tolerated in the future and that she could face contempt proceedings if repeated.

Contempt petition filed

The contempt petition was filed by Hyderabad resident Syed Mehboob, alleging that the state government had failed to implement the High Court’s 2023 order regarding a compassionate appointment.

During the hearing before Justice T. Madhavi Devi, the court noted that Yogita Rana had neither appeared in person nor sought exemption from appearance, prompting the judge to express displeasure. The court directed her to appear before it by the afternoon.

Later, Yogita Rana, who was in Nizamabad, appeared before the court virtually and explained that the absence was due to a communication gap. She offered an unconditional apology and assured the court that such an incident would not recur.

The judge questioned why, at the very least, a lawyer had not appeared after the notice was served.

Judge criticises delay

When asked whether the earlier court orders had been implemented, the Secretary stated that instructions had been issued to the District Collector. The judge, however, criticised the delay, observing that the petitioner was being made to suffer while the matter remained pending between the Secretary and the Collector.

The High Court directed the authorities to implement its earlier orders and instructed the Education Secretary to file a counter-affidavit in the contempt petition. The matter was adjourned for three weeks, and the court exempted Yogita Rana from personal appearance at the next hearing.