The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered Rs 1.50 lakh costs imposed in contempt proceedings to be recovered from the personal account of the officer heading the office of the Director, Department of Rural Development and Panchayat, Punjab, during September to November 2024. Taking up a matter pertaining to payment of retirement benefits, Justice Harkesh Manuja made it clear that the amount would be recovered as arrears of land revenue.  The direction assumes significance as the court found “No explanation whatsoever towards delay in release of benefits”, despite an undertaking by the respondents before the court on September 30, 2024. Justice Manuja recorded that the Special Secretary, Department of Rural Development and Panchayat, Punjab, present in Court, could not point out “any specific single document”, which the applicant was required to furnish, which was not already with the respondents or could not have been made available through other government offices or their bankers.Justice Manuja directed that the Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh costs, imposed through orders dated September 6 and September 30, 2024, be initially paid to the applicant-petitioner Puran Chand Bissarwal from the accounts of the department concerned within three working days. Its Secretary was directed to ensure release of the amount, failing which the officer concerned would have to remain personally present in court on the next date of hearing.In his detailed order, Justice Manuja directed UT District Magistrate to recover the amount “from the personal account of the officers/officials” who headed the Director, Department of Rural Development and Panchayat, Punjab, office during September to November 2024 and remit it to the department concerned”.Justice Manuja made it clear that the District Magistrate “shall also be liable to face contempt proceedings” in case of default. The proceedings have its genesis from non-compliance with an undertaking given before the court regarding release of the applicant-petitioner’s revised gratuity and other benefits.The contempt petition had earlier been disposed of on September 30, 2024 after the respondents stated that the retirement benefits had been sanctioned and would be released within two weeks, with liberty granted to seek revival if the needful was not done. “In that eventuality, the erring /concerned officer(s) would be liable to pay additional sum of Rs1 lakh as costs from his/her own pocket in favour of the petitioner towards litigation expenses, immediately, i.e. on the first date of listing of revival application,” it was addedFollowing non-compliance of undertaking by respondents, the applicant-petitioner approached this court again for revival and re-admission of contempt proceedings and the benefits were subsequently released. But the costs imposed were not paid to the applicant-petitioner. Faced with this, he filed the “present application” for payment of costs as ordered by the court.