A high court judge on Wednesday expressed discontent with a government official for not adhering to an earlier order after allegations by some directors against a federation of Tollygunge technicians.

In a July 8 order, Justice Amrita Sinha directed the secretary of the department of information and cultural affairs to hear all parties on July 16. The hearing was held at Rabindra Sadan, but only the directors who had filed the petition were heard. The technicians’ federation was reportedly heard on another day.

“The order specifically records that the notice has been prepared for hearing... The secretary will hear all the necessary parties. How did the secretary take a decision to hear the parties separately? Why were they heard separately?” Justice Sinha asked barrister Anindya Mitra, who appeared for the state.

“What was the authority doing on July 16? What prompted him to hear the parties separately? There must be something behind it. Your presence here sends the wrong signal that a heavyweight counsel has been engaged to defend this entity. It is only to cover up what has been done that you are present here today,” she said.

The judge was hearing a contempt petition alleging that her earlier order, dated April 3, restraining the Tollygunge technicians’ federation from interfering with the functioning of the directors was not being complied with. The state had challenged the order before a division bench, which on July 2 declined to intervene, sending the case back to Justice Sinha.

On Wednesday, Mitra requested the court to allow a joint hearing next week. The judge said the joint hearing with all parties must be conducted on Monday or Tuesday. The date will be fixed after confirming the presence of the secretary of the department.

“The principal secretary shall pass a reasoned order... The principal secretary shall take all the steps required to resolve the dispute that has cropped up,” the judge said.

The matter will be heard next on August 8.