K S SINGH Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner who retired as a Director General of Anthropoligical Survey of India, is stated to be renowned expert in his field. The petitioner after his retirement in March 1993,worked as a consultant with the UOI on the project "People of India", which had been commenced by the petitioner, prior to his retirement.

(2.) In the present writ petition, the grievance of the petitioner is that after his retirement, he was engaged as consultant by the UOI and he continued to work in that position for completion of the project. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner being a renowned world expert in his field was totally committed to complete this prestigious project for the country. He therefore, whole-heartedly kept on working on this project, at the behest of the respondents with their full knowledge and consent, the respondents in recognition of the same, entered into a consultancy arrangement which was upto September 1994. The petitioner, according to the counsel nevertheless continued to work on the project beyond September, 1994.

(3.) The petitioner in the present writ petition has set up a pecuniary claim totalling Rs.7,29,800/- claiming consultancy charges, transportation, telephone, house rent allowance etc. for the period commencing 1.10.1994 till the date of filing of the petition. The claim in the petition is a pecuniary claim simplicitor. Learned counsel for the respondent raises a preliminary objection to the maintainability of the writ petition on the ground that the court would not entertain a claim of a pecuniary nature in the exercise of writ jurisdiction. Secondly learned counsel submits that the contract for consultancy was last renewed upto September 1994, for which the petitioner has been duly paid.