G PADMANABHA SHENOY Vs. CANARA BANK BANGALORE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) guidelines issued by the government of India in terms of proviso to regulation 19(1) of the canara bank officers services regulations, 1979 provide that while officer-employees of the bank recruited/promoted prior to 19th of july, 1969 shall retire on completion of 60 years of age, those recruited on or after the said date shall do so at the age of 58 years. The petitioner's case in the present writ petition is that he was recruited prior to 19th of july, 1969 and is therefore entitled to retire from the bank's service only on completion of 60 years of age. The respondent-bank, however, disputes this position and contends that the petitioner had been recruited after the crucial date and therefore is bound to retire on completion of 58 years of age. The short question that falls for determination is as to what exactly does the word 'recruited' as appearing in the guidelines aforementioned mean and when shall the petitioner be deemed to have been recruited.

(2.) a few facts may at this stage be stated.

(3.) the petitioner was initially appointed on contract basis fora period of 2 years on a consolidated remuneration of Rs. 350/- per month in terms of an order dated 18th of july, 1967 Annexure-A to the writ petition. What is significant about the order is that on satisfactory completion of the contract, the petitioner was entitled to be absorbed in the regular service of the bank as a probationary accountant in routine officer grade-iv on a basic pay of Rs. 240-25-740-30-800, and upon satisfactory completion of the period of probation, to be confirmed as an accountant. I shall revert back to the appointment order but only a little later.