(1.) The petitioner has filed the present writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India assailing letter dated the 8th February, 1983 and 19th February, 1983, both issued by Government of India. Ministry of Energy, Department of Coal. cornveying the termination of the services of the petitioner as Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Central Coalfields Limited with immediate effect
(2.) The facts relevant for the disposal of the above mentioned writ petition briefly stated are that the petitioner joined the National Coal Development Corporation Limited, Ranchi (hereinafter referred to as 'the NCDC') in 1963 and worked as its Chief Personnel Officer until 1965. He, thereafter, from 1965 to 4th December, 1970 worked as Industrial Relation Adviser in the Fertiliser Corporation of India From 4,12 1970 to 1973, the petitioner worked as Director (Administration) in the NCDC While working in the above capacity with the NCDC, the petitioner had a lien on the post of Industrial Relation Adviser in the Fertiliser Corporation of India till 17.3.1972. on which date he was permanently absorbed in the NC DC. On 9.7.1973, the petitioners as appointed as Director(Personnel & Industrial Relations) in Coal Mines Authority Limited. On 11.2.1974, the petitioner was appointed as Director of NCDC and on 4.11.1974 he was appointed as Managing Director of NCDC. In the year 1975, the Coal Mines Authority Limited was re-named as Coal India Limited and the NCDC was re-named as Central Coal fields Limited and the petitioner was appointed as the Director of Central Coalfields Limited on 4.111975 vide letter dated 13.11.1975.
(3.) On behalf of respondent No. 1 (Union of India through the Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Department of Coal, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi), respondent No.2(Deputy Secretary to the Govt. of India, Ministry of Energy, Department of Coal, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi), a joint counter has been filed by Sh. T.C.A. Srinivasan, the then Director, working in the Ministry of Steel, Mines, Coal(Department of Coal) in the Government of India. On behalf of respondent No.3, a separate counter has been filed by Sh. R.K. Mehta, General Manager(Administration), Central Coalfields Limited, Darbangha House, Ranchi. No counter has been filed on behalf of respondent No.4 (Sh. A.B A Gani Khan Chawdhary) and on behalf of respondent No.5 (Sh. Gargi Shankar Mishra). On behalf of respondent No.6(Coal India Limited), a separate counter has been filed by Sh. J.D.Purohit, Deputy Legal Manager, Coal India Limited, Calcutta.