High Court Directs CEO Of Delhi Waqf Board To Remain Present On Next Date Of Hearing Over Non-Payment Of Salaries To Employees
The Delhi High Court has sought the presence of the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of the Delhi Waqf Board on the next date of hearing over non-compliance with its order and non-payment of the salaries to its employees.
A Single Bench of Justice Jyoti Singh directed, “In this view of the matter, this Court deems it appropriate to direct Md. Rehan Raza, Chief Executive Officer/Respondent No. 1 to remain present in Court on the next date of hearing i.e. 11.07.2023 at 02.30 PM, to explain the alleged non-compliance of the orders passed by this Court and non-performance of the statutory obligations of the Delhi Waqf Board to pay salaries and allowances to its employees.”
The Bench has listed the matter for the next date of hearing on July 11, 2023.
Advocates M. Sufian Siddiqui and Rakesh Bhugra appeared on behalf of the petitioners while Advocate Tushar Sannu, Additional Standing Counsel Yeeshu Jain, Advocate Natasha Maheshwari, and Standing Counsel Wazeeh Shafiq appeared on behalf of the respondents.
In this case, an application was preferred on behalf of the Delhi Waqf Board Employees Association alleging non-compliance with the order dated March 27, 2023, passed by the High Court, wherein it had directed the respondents to ensure that all outstanding dues of the employees who were members of the said association be released within two weeks from the date of passing of the order, failing which court would be constrained to pass adverse orders.
The High Court in the above regard observed, “Present writ petition depicts a very sorry state of affairs inasmuch as admittedly the employees of the Delhi Waqf Board have not received their salaries for nearly nine months as of today. … Even today the usual and casual response of the Respondents is that the matter is under consideration as also that there is deficiency of funds.”
The Court said that the respondents are totally insensitive to the plight of the employees who are without their salaries and that they are finding it difficult to make two ends meet and fend for themselves and their families.
“Prima facie this Court is of the view that Respondents have scant regard even for the orders passed by this Court since despite an assurance given on the last date of hearing that the dues will be cleared within two weeks even today there is no certainty as to when the Petitioners will receive their salaries”, noted the Court.
Accordingly, the Court sought the presence of the CEO.
Cause Title- Delhi Waqf Board Employees Association & Anr. v. Chief Executive Officer Delhi Waqf Board & Ors.
