(1.) Initially, this petition was filed before the Madhya Pradesh State Administrative Tribunal, Jabalpur (for short 'the Tribunal') as O.A. No. 304/ 1999. After dissolution of the Tribunal, the petition was transferred to this High Court and was registered as W.P.(S) No. 2862/2005.
(2.) By this petition, the petitioner seeks quashing of the order dated 25.06.1998 (Annexure A/1) and to reinstate the petitioner in service and to declare the period i.e. from the date of compulsory retirement till reinstatement, as service period with all consequential monetary benefits.
(3.) The facts, in nutshell, as projected by the petitioner is that initially the petitioner was appointed as Lower Division Clerk on 20.03.1970 and was posted at Government Regional Press, Rajnandgaon. The petitioner was confirmed in service vide order dated 27.09.1978 w.e.f. 05.01.1973 (Annexure A/3). Thereafter, vide order dated 25.06.1998 (Annexure A/1) issued by the Controller, Government Printing and Stationary, M.P. Bhopal, exercising the powers conferred by clause (b) of sub-rule (1) of Rule 42 of the Madhya Pradesh/Chhattisgarh Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1976 (for short 'the Rules, 1976') the petitioner, on attaining the qualifying service of 25 years on 20.03.1995, was retired compulsorily from service w.e.f. 30.06.1998, which is impugned herein.