While the Chief Secretary neither denied the charges nor admitted guilty, the others, Kannur Superintendent of Police Sheikh Davesh Sahib, Payyavoor sub--inspector T Balakrishnan and panchayat Deputy Director M Mariappan, denied the charges framed under Section 2 b of the Contempt of Court Act 1971.

The Chief Secretary submitted before the division bench, comprising Justice K K Usha and Justice G Sivarajan, that there were some lapses in implementing the court order of August 27, to provide police protection to six Opposition members of the Payyavoor panchayat, to attend the panchayat council meeting on September one. `` There was neither willful disobedience of the court order, nor disrespect to the court,'' he submitted.

The court gave the Chief Secretary time until November 11, to make a categorical statement as towhether he admitted or denied the charges and posted the case to that date for recording his statement.

Though earlier in the day the Chief Secretary offered unconditional apology for the lapses, the court observed that there was no such admission in the affidavit submitted by him earlier.

Advocate T R Raman Pillai has been appointed to assist the court in the case.

All the respondents have been directed to be present before the court on November 11, when the date for beginning of the trial would be fixed.

A large number of people had gathered before the court and the press photographers had a tough time in taking pictures of the respondents coming to the court.