Madras High Court
R.Balasubramanian vs The District Collector on 3 December, 2014
Author: D.Hariparanthaman
Bench: D.Hariparanthaman
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 03.12.2014 CORAM: THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE D.HARIPARANTHAMAN Writ Petition No.18322 of 2007 (O.A.No.890 of 2004) R.Balasubramanian ... Petitioner vs. The District Collector, Thoothukudi District. ... Respondent This petition came to be numbered by transfer of O.A.No.890 of 2004 from the file of the Tamil Nadu Administrative Tribunal, praying for a Writ of Certiorari, to call for the records in Rc.No.A6/15664/1998 on the file of the respondent and quash the order of punishment dated 26.12.2003 passed by the respondent in Rc.No.A6/15664/1998. For Petitioner : Mr.A.Immanuel For Respondent : Mr.R.Govindasamy Addl. Government Pleader O R D E R
The petitioner was working as a Tahsildar at the relevant point of time. While so, by an order dated 07.04.2000, the following three charges were framed against him:-
"Charge No.1 : He contravened the official procedure laid down in D.O.M., for official business in a Government Office by not affixing office seal and his initial on the applications received.
Charge No.II:- He has issued all the certificates without any basic records such as recommendation of the Village Administrative Officers, Revenue Inspectors or any other creditable technical experts on the nature of damages caused to the consumer goods like T.Vs., Refrigerators etc. His action is ill-motivated and abuse of official power.
Charge No.III:- He has abetted the employees of SPIC Limited Thoothukkudi to stake fraudulent claims for drawal of advances from their E.P.F., by issuing false certificates. He has eroded the credibility of his post and committed breach of Trust."
2. The petitioner gave his explanation. Not satisfied with the same, an an Enquiry was conducted. The Enquiry Officer held that the charges were not proved. Thereafter, the District Collector vide his proceedings dated 12.02.2003 informed the petitioner that he had not accepted the findings of the Enquiry Officer and sought explanation from the petitioner.
3. It is relevant to extract the entire proceedings of the respondent dated 12.02.2003:-
"J}j;Jf;Fo eype;njhh; cjtpj;jpl;l tl;lhl;rpauhf gzpahw;wp jw;nghJ J}j;Jf;Fo fyhy; nkw;ghh;it mYtyuhf gzpahw;Wk; jpU/Mh;/ghyRg;ukzpad; vd;gth; kPJ jkpH;ehL Foikg;gzp tpjp 17(M) tpd; fPH; Fw;wr;rhl;Lf;fs; Vw;gLj;jg;gl;lJ bjhlh;ghf ghh;it ,uz;oy; fhQqk; tprhuiz mYtyhpd; mwpf;ifapd;nghpy; fPH;fhQqk; fUj;Jf;fs; Fw;wk; rhl;lg;gl;l mYtyUf;F bjhptpf;fg;gLfpd;wd/ Fw;wr;rhl;L vz;/1 khtl;l mYtyf E}ypy; tpjpj;Js;sthW tpz;zg;g';fspy; mYtyf Kj;jpiu ,lhkYk;. bghWg;gpypUe;j tl;lhl;rpahpd; RUf;bfhg;gk; ,y;yhkYk; jtW neh;e;Js;sJ/ tl;lhl;rpah; jhd; RUf;bfhg;gkpl;L Fwpg;g[iua[k; vGjpajhf Twg;gLk; fojk; vJt[k; nfhg;gpdpy; ,y;iy/ vdnt. Fw;wr;rhl;oypUe;J jd;id jw;fhj;Jf;bfhs;tjw;fhf gpd; epidthfnt ,r;rkhjhdj;jpid Twpa[s;shh;/ vdnt. ,r;rkhjhdk; Vw;fj;jf;fjy;y/ bgwg;gl;l kDf;fspy; 801/98 Kjy; 888/98 tiuapyhd kDf;fspy;; njjpa[ld; Toa mYtyf Kj;jpiu ,lg;gl;Ls;sJ/ kw;w kDf;fspy;; Kj;jpiu ,lg;glntz;oajpy;iy/ 774 kDf;fs; bgwg;gl;ljhy;. md;W tprhuiz mYtyh; Twpa[s;sJ jtwhFk;. ,J tprhuiz mYtyh; jd; RaK:isia cgnahfpj;J ,;g;bghUs; Fwpj;J MH;e;J ghprPypf;ftpy;iy vd;gijna fhl;LfpwJ/ Fw;wr;rhl;L vz;/2 1997 Mk; Mz;L mf;nlhgh;. etk;gh; kw;Wk; ork;gh; khj';fspy; Vw;gl;ljhff; Twg;gLk; bts;sr; nrjj;jpw;fhf tU';fhy itg;g[epjpapypUe;J fld; bgw rhd;W nfl;L 7/2/98 md;W 774 kDf;fs; bgwg;gl;L md;nw mj;jid kDf;fSk; ghpe;Jiu bra;ag;gl;Ls;sd/ Kiwahd tl;lhl;rpah; tpLg;gpy; brd;wjhy; jw;fhypf bghWg;gpypUe;j tl;lhl;rpah; 8/2/98 "hapW xnu ehspy; mj;jid kDf;fSf;Fk; rhd;wpjH; tH';fpa[s;shh;/ tpz;zg;g';fSk;. rhd;wpjH; got';fSk; mr;Rf;Tlj;jpy; mr;rplg;gl;Ls;sd. Kd;Tl;ona jpl;lkpl;L mr;R bra;ag;gl;l tpz;zg;g';fspd; mnj gf;fj;jpy; ghpe;Jiu thrfk; mr;R bra;ag;gl;L ,Hg;[gj;bjhif g{h;j;jp bra;jpl kl;Lk; rpwpJ ,lk; xJf;fg;gl;Ls;sJ/ mjd; fPH; mg;nghija g[Jf;nfhl;il tUtha; Ma;thsh; tpLKiw ehshd 7/2/98 md;W mspf;fg;gl;Ls;s midj;J kDf;fspd; fPGk; mr;rof;fg;gl;l ghpe;Jiu thf;fpaj;jpy; vt;tpj tprhuiz MtzKkpd;wp rhd;wspj;Js;shh;/ Xt;bthU tPl;oYk; nrjkile;jjhf Twg;gLk; o/tp/. gphpl;$; ,uz;L kw;Wk; ehd;F rf;fu thfd';fs; gpuhz;l; bgah; Tl Fwpg;gplg;gltpy;iy. ,U rf;fu kw;Wk; ehd;F rf;fu thfd';fspd; gjpt[ vz;Tl Fwpg;gplg;gltpy;iy/ nkYk;. jpU/Mt[ilag;guh$; jdf;Fr; rk;ke;jkpy;yhj J}j;Jf;Fo FWtl;lj;jpypUe;J bgwg;gl;l 52 kDf;fspYk; mtrufjpapy; ifbaGj;jpl;Ltpl;L gpd; gpw;nrh;f;ifahf J}j;Jf;Fo tUtha; Ma;thplk; ifbaGj;Jg; bgw;Ws;sJ. bfhLf;fg;gl;l tpz;zg;g';fs; jtwhd nehf;fj;njhL bfhLf;fg;gl;lit vd;gJk; mjd; kPJ Ma;th; jtwhfg;ghpe;Jiu bra;jjpd; mog;gilapy; tprhuiz Mtz';fs; VJk; Kiwahf ,y;yhj epiyapy; Kiwahd tl;lhl;rpah; tpLg;gpy; brd;wjhy; jw;fhypf bghWg;gpy; ,Ue;j xU tl;lhl;rpah; muR tpLKiw ehshd "hapW xnu ehspy; 774 rhd;wpjH;fs; tH';fpa[s;sJ fLk; jtwhdjhFk;/ jtwhd rhd;W tH';fpaJ xU muR mYtyUf;F xt;thj eltof;ifahFk;/ tprhuiz mYtyh; Mtz';fs; vija[k; ghh;itaplhky; jdJ Ra K:isiag; gad;gLj;jhky; bghJ tprhuizapd; mog;gilapy; mDg;gpa mwpf;ifapy; jpUg;jpaile;J tH';fpa[s;sjhff; Twpa[s;sJ xU ftdkw;w Fwpg;g[iuahFk;/ vdnt. tprhuiz mYtyhpd; Fwpg;g[iu Vw;Wf;bfhs;sjf;fjy;y/ Fw;wr;rhl;L vz;/3 tl;l mYtyfj;jpy; tl;lhl;rpah; xU rhd;W tH';Fk; nghJ mJ Mtz';fspd; mog;gilapnyh my;yJ Kiwahd jPh;khdkhd tprhuizapd; mog;gilapy; muR tpjpfSf;F cl;gl;L tH';fg;gl ntz;Lk;/ murhizapy; rhd;W njitapy;iy vd;W Fwpg;gpl;Ls;s epiyapy; ,r;rhd;W njitapy;iy vd;W kDit jpUg;gp mDg;gpapUf;f ntz;Lk; mt;thwpd;wp Kiwahd tprhuizapd;wp jtwhd rhd;wpjH; tH';f ve;j tpjpKiwapYk; brhy;yg;gltpy;iy. nkYk;. tl;lhl;rpahpd; rhd;wpjiH typa[Wj;jhky; Kd;gzk; bfhLf;f ntz;Lbkd;W bjhptpj;Js;ss Lr.Ms.No.1. Dated 2.1.98 I nrh;j;J mDg;gpa[s;s bjhHpyhsh; Jiw muR fojk; LR.No.55447/vk; 1 97-1 ehs; 2/1/98,y; rhd;wpjH; tH';Fk; nghJ mira[k; kw;Wk; mirah brhj;Jf;fspd; rhpahd nrj kjpg;gpw;F kl;Lk; tH';fg;glntz;Lbkd;W mwpt[Wj;jg;gl;Ls;sJ/ (to the actual damage caused to their movable/immovable properties by the heavy rains in October to December 1997) kDtpy; Fwpg;gpl;l nrj kjpg;gpid rhpghh;j;J cz;ikahd nrjkjpg;gpw;Fj;jhd; rhd;W tH';fpapUf;f ntz;Lk;. Mdhy;. nrjj;jpd; jd;iknah my;yJ mJ vt;thW kjpg;gPL bra;ag;gl;lJ vd;gjw;F vt;tpj mog;gilnah Mtz';fnsh ,y;iy/ vdnt. tpz;zg;g';fs; 774k; muR tpLKiw ehshd rdpf;fpHik (7/2/98) bfhLf;fg;gl;Ls;sd/ bfhLj;j md;nw mit midj;Jk; tprhuiz VJkpd;wp Kiwnflhf ghpe;Jiuf;fg;gl;Ls;sd/ ghpe;Jiuf;fg;gl;ltw;iw mit Kiwahf cs;sdth vd;W vt;tpjj;jpYk; rhpghh;f;fhky; jtwhd rhd;wpjH;fs; (774) tpLKiw ehshd "hapwd;W mtruf;fjpapy; mspj;Js;sJ jtwhd nehf;FilaJ vd;gJ bjspthfpwJ/ ,J muR mYtyUf;F xt;thj eltof;if MFk;/ (Conduct un becoming of a Government Servant) tprhuiz mYtyh; ,J vjida[k; Muhahky; jd; Ra K:isia gad;gLj;jhky; Kfhe;jpuj;jpid Vw;fyhk; vd;W fUj;Jiu Twpa[s;sJ jtwhFk;/ ,e;j Fwpg;ghiz fpilf;fg;bgw;w 7 jpd';fspy; jdJ nky; tpsf;fj;jpid mspf;f jpU/,uh/ghyRg;ukzpad;. tl;lhl;rpah; nfl;Lf;bfhs;sg;gLfpwhh;/ jtwpdhy;. mth; nky; tpsf;fk; mspf;f vJt[kpy;iy vd fUjp iftrKs;s Mtz';fspd; mog;gilapy; ,Wjp Miz gpwg;gpf;fg;gLk; vd;W bjhptpf;fg;gLfpwJ/"
4. After getting explanation on the differed views, the respondent, by an order dated 26.12.2003 imposed the punishment of stoppage of increment for three years with cumulative effect. The petitioner did not choose to file any appeal and he has directly approached this Court by filing this Original Application.
5. Heard both sides.
6. A reply affidavit was filed seeking to sustain the impugned order.
7. The crux of the allegation is that the petitioner issued 774 Natural Calamity Certificates on one day, that too on Saturday, without any basic records such as the recommendation of the Village Administrative Officer and Revenue Inspector and those certificates are to claim certain relief from the Government.
8. The differed views of the District Collector is extracted hereunder:-
"...vdnt. tpz;zg;g';fs; 774k; muR tpLKiw ehshd rdpf;fpHik (7/2/98) bfhLf;fg;gl;Ls;sd/ bfhLj;j md;nw mit midj;Jk; tprhuiz VJkpd;wp Kiwnflhf ghpe;Jiuf;fg;gl;Ls;sd/////"
9. The learned counsel for the petitioner vehemently contended that the punishment imposed on the petitioner is too excessive as the same could have an effect in his pension. This Court while exercising its power under Article 226 of the Constitution, normally, cannot interfere in the matter of punishment and that too, when it is not a capital punishment of dismissal. Furthermore, the petitioner could have opted to file an appeal to the Appellate Authority and thereafter to the Government. But the petitioner had chosen to approach this Court straightaway to quash the order of punishment dated 26.12.2003. I do not find any infirmity in the impugned order passed by the respondent.
10. For all the foregoing reasons, I have no option except to dismiss this writ petition. Accordingly, the writ petition stands dismissed. No costs.
03.12.2014 Index : Yes/No Internet : Yes svki D.HARIPARANTHAMAN,J.
svki To The District Collector, Thoothukudi District.
W.P.No.18322 of 2007(O.A.No.890 of 2004) 03.12.2014