Thu Jul 24 16:28:50 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Five Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers faced contempt of court proceedings for a delay in regularizing the services of three temporary government drivers as ordered by the Madras High Court in 2021. Instead of paying monetary compensation as initially suggested by the judge, the officers undertook to visit old age homes or orphanages, spend time with the residents, and provide a meal from their personal funds. The Madras High Court accepted the written undertaking, closing the contempt proceedings but warning that they would be reopened if the undertaking was not fulfilled.

**News Article:**

**IAS Officers to Serve at Old Age Homes to Avert Contempt Charges**

**CHENNAI, July 24, 2025** – Five IAS officers have averted contempt of court charges by undertaking to visit old age homes and orphanages, spending time with residents and providing meals funded from their own pockets. The Madras High Court accepted the written undertaking as a means of atonement for a delay in complying with a 2021 court order to regularize the services of three temporary government drivers.

The original contempt petition was filed by drivers C. Chinnathambi, M. Krishnamurthy, and P. Anandhan, alleging disobedience of the 2021 order issued by Justice C. Saravanan. While their services were eventually regularized, the three-year delay led to a loss of wages.

Justice Battu Devanand, who was later transferred to the Andhra Pradesh High Court, initially suggested a monetary compensation of ₹1.25 lakh per officer to the drivers. However, after the Additional Advocate General deemed this too onerous, the judge proposed the alternative of community service at care facilities.

The IAS officers, Kumar Jayant, S.K. Prabakar, V. Rajaraman, P. Kumaravel Pandian, and D. Baskara Pandian, submitted a written undertaking to the court expressing their willingness to participate in the service. Justice Devanand accepted the undertaking, closing the contempt proceedings, but warned that failure to fulfill the commitment would result in the case being reopened. The officers have been granted two weeks to complete the service and must file an affidavit detailing their activities.

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