Dr. (Mr.) C. Madhusoodan, vs Steel Authority Of India Limited on 23 February, 2011

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Karnataka High Court

Dr. (Mr.) C. Madhusoodan, vs Steel Authority Of India Limited on 23 February, 2011

Bench: Mohan Shantanagoudar

 

IN THE HIGH COURT 0:: KARNATAKA AT BANGALORE
DATE?) THIS 'me 23*" on or FEBRUARY 20:2:

BEFORE :

THE HOIWBLE MRJUSTICE M0!-IAN sHANTA*ExiA;G§jo;}s§€A'R; ii  1'

wan PETITION No;;6o22;}2oo:?' gs':-.R£s'i--..:  

Between i

Dr.(Mr.) C.f\/iadhusoodazw,

S/0 Sri Narayanachar,

Aged about 52 years,

Formerly working as ._ .

Senior Consultant in  _  '
Anesthesiology, _  -_  I     
VISP Hospitai, Bhad;;ia»iv_atha'*,.    
Shimoga E)istr§'C"t;    "  
Now residing at.V.Ne_.2;O5 '

II Main, M8'?'l'3'!3XiT-13 Laﬁ-

I " V
'out',--. '--

Bangaiore.§56O_0'855_--v.V   . j .. Petitioner
( By M/s.SA'u.§abaA Raeé8t:.Co:_i;"r;£1iiV6'\}'ocates )

___i Lag ; .» 

 .AS:t'eei r'\.L;rtAhor.i"t'§i'v of India Ltd.,

4._.Represe_"nijeu' ray juts Chairman,
Regi-sterVed"."o.ffi.:e at
Ispaét Bhaa/a'r1~,i
Lodhi Road,'

  Executive Director,
 Stgeei Authority of India E._td.,

'  ~B'hadravathE~S7? 301,



3345*"

{J
e

Shimoga District. .. Respondents

( By rvi/$.SJ\i.Ma;rthy Associates, Advocates ) This; Writ Petition is fiieci under Articies the Constitution of India praying to quash i:hi3__iei:i:eri'€ia't.ei<:i 23.12.2006 written by the Senior ii/i»anager.'~'~>'*F>eAr_3oiinei_(EE)A addressed to the petitioner vide A'nne><u«r'e%--;C anti" <1_tiVa'sh' the office order dated 9.5.2007 issueci by_"'ti3-he Senitir i'*3§i':1_";}g:;§_r"

Persenriei (EE), vide Annexmii and etc,__, W = This Writ Petition having'~v..h'een new 'arid ieseméd for orders on 6"' January 2011, and""pvro--n_ounCi:ti_the orders on this day. , = - ' an .............1__.:..u..-.-..... -« The gaetitrioider iitiiasgiSourgiihtfg_fQ'rV:'Vj'(a) quashing the letter/order' sent by the 15* respondent vicie " which the petitioner was "V,_vi'i'ifO.,iij|;§'i€EiZiAV. that h"i"5~r.e.rrisest for voluntary retirement was na§'i%acce;§terd:;L(in) quashing the order dated 9.5.2007 paseéed 15*' respondent vide Annexure-'J' 7-'«.___V'a¢Ceptin§}'3' the resignation tendered by the petitioner and it :."hh'e--..f3:'.i7'«d€f at Annexiire-'i<' dated 15.5.2007 reiieving the .;:>etitioner frem duties eursuant to the resignation of the ire"), Kg.) eetitioner, (c) a declaration that Ciause 100:) of Arme><ure-'I' to Annexureﬁe' is arbitrary and i,;jI:'ra§'--i_g2;f:fes of Articies 14, 16 and 21 of the Constitutkinv.eVf':.s:frici.'i'af (ci) to grant benefits of Voluntiafy'*«i¥?.e_ti*'.re:fiierit_ §ch'en"i~eV' Arme><ure~'A' dated 22.11.2VO06.iaW__ 2, The records joined service as Medical o:=ric§f Iron and Steei Plant (VISP) and was a in the year 2007. Voluntary Retirement Schemei".A(VRS)v: .2001 and the same was extended tirrfieA"toV"'tiVme. The petitioner opted for 1';?...&20[iV6V." """ 'But, the same was turned down by i"'the._ordefr;tjaVted'.i~~23.12.2006 as per Anne><ure--'C' by the _ resAp"o.nde'nt.:i'§'~"AiOn 15.3.2007, petitioner submitted the fetter otisresignation, which came to be accepted on as per Annexure~'3'. On 28.4.2007 i.e. prior T {tithe acceptance of the resignation of the petitioner, a ta notice came to be issued eh behaif of the petitioner as per /i'mne><ure~7i_', by inter alia inentiening theteii7i_l't.hat the resignation was given out of sheer des4'peta:t'i'eh*--l {}f1.'i";ﬁill'».

frustration and the same was n.et~t=.oA¥ut.i4'tat'3k'.'nCit"iSj.aIi'aoV' mentioned in the said letter 't'hat.g_"even..3.tnoi,:gti=..At'l*te petitioner was eligible to havt/e.tehis "easev..cjpnVside'ted fot' VRS, his case was not~sohs_iid'e're£:l!o»'i:,lfintehVa'b'i'e grounds and that he has been the benefits payable undet it was prayed that the 15.3.2007 submitted by tteated as application for retirementtindet. he be paid all benefits to whieifgﬂiie is 'e.§iVgV;:iVt)|ev: under the \/RS. However, the tejsidnatiion--.te~.ndered by the petitioner was accepted as on 9.5.2007 and he was relieved from i_aatiész titii.t%'114'.VeffeCt from 15.5.2037. Thereafter, this it "{'petit'i«oh is ﬁled for the aforementioned reliefs.

"ihe writ petiton is opposed by the respondents by 'v".uffiling statement of objections aieng with certain Ea":

docurnente, Relying upon the documents produced afong with statement ef objections, it was ai'QLJ€(?i__§';' the ieerned counsel for the respondents that the resii{i_'n_a'tiion tendered by the petitioner is voluntary application filed by the peti't'io~neAr7.."

retirement was not recommended'-.V_on \}a_ifid». gto_§;a'nds., According to the respondentvs;"'*ithe v.p'et_ition=er'}heVing the lone active Anesthet;i:st.'_in_«"th_€§§t':'h_O'eip.itaI haviing special knowfedge in the fieidV_V_an;j'd_'i:ffi--cuft to get the re placementf 'ap_p:iica_t'i'on.:_" " vvoiiuntary retirement was not _ by the concerned and consequiientily, the not accepted. It is further casegof' the 'respondents that the hospital could appoint 'ano,the_r injector only on 1.2.2008 another doctor was 'aaAp.oi'nt'e'dTL:as}"ianeethetist in place of the petitioner, '.Vinasn:nch 'has, it was very difficuit to get stiitabie it 'i~IfAneStAhetist to the hospitaf in question.

-{,t

3. As eouid be seen frem Annexure-'..?;A3;i.,;*--:he eppiication df the petitioner for voiuntary not recommended by the concern»eci tviiieu' ground that he is. the ione ac>tiyé"A--A_Aneettie'tE.st iiospita! having nine moreVy*et:a"rs ofV.serv'i.eé;: he being in the Speciaiist..V_if/lediiicai.Vvséjéreiich, difficuit to get the repiacernent. .".i.ISJ__t.'he copy of the resignation not indicated anything in. that he was resigning out of fetter is dated 15.3.2oo';i.,_'i Prior.'to"t'Attiet:fdéte, the petitioner had asked V for perni.i.ssion"itovoitintariiy retire, which was refused According to the petitioner, he suffered rneAn.i:a'i eg'Vd'n.y'A'e:=hecause of the rejection of his application {fer voitintery retirernentt The said submission is fortified the document at Annextire-'N' -- Medicai Certificate by Dr.Harish, the coneuitant Psychiatriet. It seems the petitiener eensuiteci the same doctor for his neurowbehevioerei probierns.

4. The copy of the Voiuntary RetErement...Sehe.me is produced at Anne><ure-'A'. The same c|_eeri'y'5re~vTee..l_§.V that granting of voiuntary retirenf_2e.n.t_Shel}"beret'thee-eoi_e' discretion of the management a1nd?'ftihet'iith_e formed to achieve optin'iie.a'tion "of, man "';:§oi;ve'r for"

effective utiiésation ef ht:i"r1'eri_:"'r'esourAces-, ~'irn;:>roveci productivity, cost reduction"ganct.i:.Q--:.Ai_'e.:'i'tfg of work life. Ciause ;:'inn.é>{iui---ea~..'iri' to the Voluntary Retirern'ent4'_ it farther clear that the scheme doe:-: not'Vconfe'r"iiVany right on any empioyee to

-'V,..haV'{§.,.{i1E;S;Khef recjVu'e's't'Vfor voiuntary retirement accepted by authority. The competent authority wili -h__ave~'hi»iiii.i*ciiscretion to accept or reject the request of :"c'in\,/_ erhpioyee for voiuntary retirement. This Court a._Aeoe's~Anot find any iliegaiity in such a ciauses This Court i 'also does not find any unreasenabieness in exercising Er"./~}i the discretion by the management. The vol___oritary retirement Cannot be clairraecé as of right. The..jot§je:ct,V'of the Voluntary Retirement Scheme is to 4_ power optimised for effective»"':;i~t«ilisa~'tion"Xe'? V'ni;:'mVla»n' resources, improved productivii';f,'l'€Vost redt;»<:t«io'n""--a:n'ciVV quality of work life. The \lo'i--viti:r3'--t,aryV.Retii*eo3e«ntVwfécllhemeV is formed to reduce tlie...ﬂmanmpo'iri.{eVr"'v"ia(rierelrernecessary keeping in mind respondent organisat§on,:__" in particular section/depaV.rt'e;ie¥nt"V"i3'fiiitjlieliltjstielelijpllaint, such man power would the interest of the respondent'orga-nisa'"Li..o'n--._'So also, if the expert man power' iVsaiacl<ing.._inv any particular department or section, the..exis:tiAn%g,:m.an power/staff/experts cannot be allowed tostakev.Vvo'i';inA't.a'ry retirement, In case, if such experts IV;who"ar'e.:_'inevitable are allowed to take voiuntary A {_'reAtir5'ernerat, the organisation suffers, The organisation exercise its discretionary power either to accept or is __«:}_ to reject the eppiicetion for voidntery retirement tendered by ehy employee degzzeneihg on the exicjelnefes of' service, particularly having regard tojthee.:1:'hc5'sii;)i'i"teel"V. requirement. Hence, this Ceurt do'es.hot«'_fin,d 'griou'i1du' to accept the contention of the

(ii) of Clause 10 ef Annexure§.,/,,j,fi..?,attet:hed.tQ thieuégcehemee is violative of Articlee"'1..{}, 1_.S""e'r'iej, th'e"'Ct:vnstitution of India, as contended S. The""epi§tl..i.::Vatie_n___'i?i..|_ee" the petitioner seeking voluntaﬁ/--*'evr'e'tiiren?:t:eVnt'*--.ﬂ.l,ls.V' rejected, as is clear from An nexueire-"h_R4~ " round that the petitioner possesseseeithg q_u.aieifica~t'iVon of M888 and Diploma in .---.Aner-e:t'i'ie,.Sl0i~0,9'/i xHtha't'Vhe is the lone active Anesthetist in eveiisﬁing nine more years of service left; that hiseisja vspeieeieelist Medical Branch for which replacement yeryrvdeiifficult to get. Since, he was the oniy clector ,._e'h~a'vi-ngj expertise in the field of Anesthesia in \/ESP it :'.,:"'l'i*eeoital, it is, but natural for the respondent ?' f \ if/' ergenisetien te reject the erayer ef the petitieifiet for veiuntary retirement. The hespitei i1eeds"~._::'e.:i{';;:i_ert Anesthetists assistance every day. If not availabie, then the patients-.rancid'Hitioeiséedu'.e'nt"fy,it' hespitai suffers, Hence, this ground to conciude they-..,ot'o:.th,e v.ap;;ific.at_iorir'see-kindV voiuntary retirenientﬁs rejected VVV"wi_th any "rna/a fide intention.

Howe;,*«et,..__ sufosieiquenitv_i dates, the petitioner remained~---ehsie'n.t'iI;:.frore;'--d'uty"**wivt§hout getting his leave sanctioned 'and V'vi}.itiho:i_ti'ii..otificiaI permission. In this view of the matter,"noVtice~--._w'a's issued as per Anne><ure--'R--3' '"'«..(jated"' 2._8.2ii..200i?"directing the petitioner to report for In the very letter, it is observed that in Aeese»ef1knon--reperting to duty, the same wiil be seriousiy and that the petitioner would be dealt i._"W.i_{§'i as per the Rufes of the Company. After receipt of ' f such a ietter dated 28.2.2807 vide Annexui--e~'e~3', the iris eetitiorier sent a letter of resignation as eer Ann_e><ere«w 'RW4' en 15.32087 in his own hand e;rEting..,j'*»..:'In*--tAhe fetter of resignation he has Cieariy state-Qt' resigning from the services oi' th:e'''er.ganisa_tiferi._owi.ngx'to ' his personai problems and that he h"=._ay be'V;jeE'ie~.;eeT'tron; duties after working hours in the resignation letter, he '"h.a's t_i1'a'n'kre<dV'»Vt'he man"ag°ement for the support he got during the erganisation since August" t'ne':~resi.g:nation letter vide Annexure-€§;--.r;'fj;.iA_Vit."is' "'ti'iat"gtVhe petitioner has not made eut_en'yXgtievanee-.t._at the time of submitting the resignation"iiette~ri not mention in the said resignation ietteifthat: he is tendering resignation out of The authority concerned having found t'h'aAVii.'--tihe'Vre'si.geextion ietter submitted by the petitioner is ',Vvoiun'tar"yi heccepted the said ietter and permitted the V' 'v~Ii_'eeVtiitioAner to resign.

:3?/"ti

6. The appfieation seeking voluntary retirement edbmitted be the petitiener wee zegeeted aaj"'p:e'rV?:"'the order wide Anne><urem'C' dated 23.12.2005; to the petitioner, he became diepreeeecl a;n_dft_iesperat.e thereafter. He consulted the Psvy<:h'éatric aSv.'pAe;ciaii'Sif:"x;«,:vhe..L treated him for three month'g;"--l."I"he doictoe-= had advised him not to attend navontvhs as the petitioner had sVuffere'd_ facts would go to show have been in a the said period.

Under:'ej'uc.h~A also the petitioner must have tendered' vvres_i"_c';:Vfia*ti:o»n'. Be that as it may, the resivglaatii'c-nV lett'e~riv;§_t:Abmitted by the petitioner, that too, inellhrisw ovm writing is plain and simple and does not depiittt aVt§y.V~"ti\ggrVin'ere that he has tendered resignation out 't_§)f frus~tra'tion.

§ %\}'\.

-13- :7. The etetement of objections filed by the respondent~memagement {:EearEy reveeis ti":ai:44.._Vtvhe hosgoitai in fact has suffered ioss due to the petitioner as a Anesthetist.V.7'F'i:»o.ug§*i' resignation wag accepted on couid not get .3 good Anesthetﬁst till" iivhicn day, one Drushoba Senior Medicai Officer (Anesthetist) c;~fBti'3.--'eeetitiener as per Annexure-'R<__5"}!i{?"grQ;§¢ﬁ retire its clear that the rejection of.' Vvoiuntary retirement was a male fide intention, but, was'under"the."e.Ert:--:.3'rnstences prevaiiing then i.e., no e»>.<;t)eret Anesttietisticouid have been found in the near document at Anee><ure-'R~6' produced tt"=-~4___"a|eng the acfditionai statement of objections filed by '_%'evsp.orideet~management cieariy reveals that an iwggimiw empieyee ftziﬁkiirzg certain criteria iisted in Ciause-4 at guidelines fer grant at voluntary retirameht, may be disceuraged in epting voiuhtary retirement. Ohe..t>'tp_:t;eb Criteria is that the empioyee having_,f;erbfaa"s~tAd'aa3r-.é qualificatieh such aa CA/ICWA/Ceranba eJpte'c;a%:t;srmteaacaéx t Personnel. Since the petitibraar $}».{_aS--._aA' S;3e'c.ia*ii..st. I'"vted}'VcaEV Personmei, he was disceura*g;ez:£ tram.eptj§vhg":.»i}e'luntary' retirement by rejecting h%'S""a|a'p£tCa.tEon.""'H'ence, the rejection of the applicatieh_V aeettin.g:Vej']~a__h.~tary retirement cannot be sa'id"'j.t.e' uhreaSeha"b~!ve....§ar arbitrary. The document_ dtscioses that the prayer for veltuntaryt of another doctor viz., Dr.\'{4..;_t}L"i*.t1ipg3Ve'sw_tarr1yV:who was a specialist doctor En Department having Dipfoma in was aiso rejected an 18.12.2006.

Lhehee, it the not open for the petitioner to Cbatend that V' "fthet"management was biased against him or that he was dtitfererztiy treated.

53"'

9. As is clear from Anrie><:Lires~'R~1€)'§, 'Rwlit' am 'R-4.2' that the petitioner has received aft thev~~t:er.o'.~.i.na¥ benefits such as gratuity, eoeashrrient of difference of gratuity and arreairse'of'_rsaiary'."ti.i;;je 'tou' retrospective wage revision, to v3;rhic::hi"rie iwaAs~.eoti"t.§:e~d"'to in the month of June and .jE.j';~§?/'y-l?kg)£)'7.V.Wi§thQ'éJ§t2 a"riifVijr'otest'§' The petitioner has aicknowie'o'oiejeiu:"i'o'r hex'/"i"i'ig'V4 received such amounts. In vieéirvi. not open for the petitione_r":to"V document at Arine><ure~5i;','i::_ij'i%irii'?iieh":t'ii'f';2: has stated that he tenderevoiéhiig' Chiiiiiitrustration and that letter of resiginatijon a Eetter seeking voiuntary reti regjroent.

"..__10;:°"_~v_...Tiii;é"Vndocument at Annexure«~'L' cannot be

--Vtreated.""v.as"'.Va document withdrawing the resignation "..fii.ett'e':«'..,A coufd be seen from Arine><ure-'L', it is deer that petitioner had requested the management to treat the ietter of resignation as the application for retirement if ,5"?

if under" Voluntary' Retirement Seherne' Since the reqtiesi:

of the petitioner was eriiy for treating the resignaticin ietter as the appiieation for retirement Lincier Xi'e.:i:'ue'tary Retirement Scheme, the same couid net tze the appiicaticjin for withdrawal Qf'r*th--eA Moreover, as aferementioned, tine t,--=.etition'eer-..t:t)Li3§i'~..n't:tV have giver: veiuntary retiretirxis-ent.V. of' arguments, Sri S.i\i..i'¢*i~t.i_rthy;""'ieaji'n:eaiA SenVibr'"vAdv0cate appearing for the respon'idAents} that the V18? is still reat:iy;_"a'r'ji;:tf1:1"wiiiing'"'to'"'tai{--e'-.thfe services of the petitioner, th:e~«.'petiti0ner is not ready. Hence, it cannotsaid"th'aif""the"Jaction of the respondent in accei;it:i'rig tVhe..V_V_V'resit3:nation is wrong. Thus, the re:s«i.e:Vria_tAieh«pi.the petitioner was rightiy accepted and he wee *--teiiVevued "v.1n"'view of the above and having regard to the teitality ef the facts and circumstances, this is not a fit case to grant any relief in favour of the petitioner, :"v'?\\ 5 E Petition faéis and accordingiyg the game stands dismissed.

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