Punjab-Haryana High Court
Harbhajan Singh vs Pspcl And Anr on 14 May, 2018
Author: Jaspal Singh
Bench: Jaspal Singh
CWP No.12011 OF 2018 --1--
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
AT CHANDIGARH
CWP No.12011 OF 2018
DECIDED ON: MAY 14, 2018
HARBHAJAN SINGH .....PETITIONER
VERSUS
PUNJAB STATE POWER CORPORATION .....RESPONDENTS
LTD. AND ORS.
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JASPAL SINGH
Present: Mr. Ravinder Sharma, Advocate,
for the petitioner.
*****
JASPAL SINGH, J.
By virtue of instant civil writ petition, preferred under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, petitioner has sought the issuance of a writ particularly in the nature of Mandamus directing the respondents to grant him the benefit of 23 years promotional increment(s) as per principal policy under Finance Circular No.17/90 dated 23.04.1990 amended from time to time, with consequential re-fixation of pay and retiral benefits, pension and to release the arrears of revised pay and retiral benefits along with interest @ 18% p.a.
2. The contention of learned counsel for the petitioner is that the petitioner has joined respondent-department as Assistant Lineman/ALM on 26.03.1982 and retired from service on 30.09.2011, thus, he became entitled for the release of benefit of 23 years promotional increment but no such benefit was granted to him till date. He further contended that though the similar relief has 1 of 3 ::: Downloaded on - 19-05-2018 22:29:58 ::: CWP No.12011 OF 2018 --2--
already been granted to the other employees of the State of Punjab vide judgments passed by this Court in CWP No. 10808 of 2007, titled as "Paul Singh vs. Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd. & ors., decided on 24.01.2012, CWP No. 10994 of 2016 titled as "Pritpal Singh Vs. Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd. & anr., decided on 20.12.2016 and CWP No. 8391 of 2018, decided on 05.04.2018. The petitioner stood retired on 30.09.2011 on attaining the age of superannuation. The petitioner being aggrieved of the non-disbursal of the benefits of 23 years promotional increment was constrained to serve legal notice upon the respondents on 10.03.2018 (P-4), but till date no response has been received. Learned counsel further submits that the petitioner feels satisfied in case a direction is given to respondent No.1, to decide the aforesaid legal notice (P-4), within a stipulated period.
3. Without expressing any opinion on merits of the case but considering the aforesaid aspects as has been unfolded by the learned counsel for the petitioner, instant petition is disposed of with a direction to respondent No.1 to look into the grievances unfolded by the petitioner in legal notice dated 10.03.2018 (P-4) and to take a conscious decision within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order, particularly in the light of the Circular Nos. 17/90, dated 23.04.1990 (P-1), 52/99, dated 09.11.1999 (P-2) and 20/2000, dated 28.07.2000 (P-3) as well as judgments referred to above in para 2 of this order. In case, competent authorities come to the conclusion that petitioner is entitled to the relief(s) claimed, the same be released to him within a period of next 45 days.
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CWP No.12011 OF 2018 --3--
4. Since, there is an inordinate delay on the part of the petitioner in approaching the court, the claim shall stand restricted to 38 months prior to the filing of instant petition in view of law laid down by Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of " Saroj Kumari v.State of Punjab and others" , 1998 (3) SCT 664.
5. However, if petitioner still feels aggrieved by any of the orders passed by the aforesaid authority, he shall be at liberty to have recourse to other remedies available to him under law including to approach this Court.
MAY 14, 2018 (JASPAL SINGH)
sonika JUDGE
Whether speaking/reasoned Yes
Whether reportable Yes/No
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