The Madras High Court today imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on a Revenue Divisional Officer for her 'unreasonable' attitude in not issuing a community certificate to two children belonging to the Kattunayakan community (SC).
The Division bench comprising Justices N Paul Vasanthakumar and P Devadass gave the direction while disposing of a petition filed by one Delli.
The petitioner submitted that the father of the children D Mohanapriya and (14) and Deepak (12) had applied for the certificate with necessary documents, including a copy of the certificate issued to him.
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But the RDO rejected it, saying the children's grandfather was from Shikkarikani community, which comes under MBC and not to that which the petitioner sought.
Aggrieved, the father moved the court.
The bench after perusing the documents placed before it, observed that all the petitioner's relatives, including his brother's daughter were issued the certificate. Even the grandfather who was now more had been issued it, as per the Service Register records of Southern Railway, the bench said.
The bench said that when a similar matter was raised earlier in another petition involving the same RDO on the issue of the same community certificate, it had directed the authorities concerned to issue the certificate in which she was imposed a penalty of Rs 1,000.
The bench noted that the RDO had implemented the order on the same day after paying the fine.
"Even after that the same official is committing the very same mistake and not rectified it. The action of the RDO not only violates the orders of this court, but also of the apex court."
The bench then set aside her order and imposed a cost of Rs 10,000, to be paid from her own money and directed her to issue the community certificate within three days.
