HABEEB HASSAN P. C. Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners say that they are working as Field Officers in the services of the Kerala Forest Development Corporation Ltd., the second respondent herein. They say that this post was originally known as Field Assistant, which was re-designated as Field Officer subsequently.

(2.) The petitioners assert that they are constrained to approach this Court since the post of Field Officer is equivalent to the post of Range Forest Officer in the Forest Department, but that in spite of this, there has been no formal orders by the Government of Kerala to equate these two, with respect to their service conditions and other benefits. They say that they have, therefore, preferred Exhibit P12 representation before the Government for this purpose and pray that same be taken up and disposed of at the earliest.

(3.) The learned Senior Government Pleader appearing on behalf of the first respondent submitted that if the petitioners only require Exhibit P12 representation to be taken up and disposed of, he does not stand in the way and that there is no legal impediment in doing so, but prayed that this Court may not enter into the merits of their contentions and leave it to the competent Secretary of the Government to take a decision thereon as per law. He submitted that he is making this request because, while considering equation of the post of Field Officer with that of the Range Forest Officer, various factors and inputs will have to be taken note of and that this will require an assessment of exhaustive materials and documents. He, therefore, prayed that this Court may not issue any directions to the Government to act in a particular manner, but leave it to the competent authority to decide on Exhibit P12 appropriately.