Ranchi: Jharkhand High Court on Thursday issued show cause notices to the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) secretary and the secretary of the state home department for non-compliance with its orders and directed them to reply within a week as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them.The court of Chief Justice MS Sonak and Justice Manoj Prasad issued the notices while hearing a PIL on the condition of inmates in Jharkhand’s jails and the implementation of the model jail manual in the prisons in compliance with Supreme Court’s directives.The HC was informed that 81% of posts at various levels in the jails are vacant. On April 1, HC directed govt and JSSC to ensure that the vacancies be filled within six months.JSSC’s counsel Sanjay Piprawar informed the HC that it has already sent a requisition to govt seeking names of candidates for the posts of assistant jailer, jail warders, medical nursing staff and other posts. Govt has still not provided the list, due to which JSSC is unable to make appointments, the counsel informed the court.On Thursday, the state govt sought a further six weeks to comply with HC orders. Denying a further extension, the court rejected the state govt’s petition and summoned the JSSC and home secretaries to file their responses within a week. The case will again be heard on Oct 26.
