RAZALUDEEN Vs. UNIVERSITY OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The point to be decided in this Original Petition is whether the petitioner who is the Director, Department of Publications, University of Kerala is entitled to continue in service till the age of sixty years. The brief facts necessary for the disposal of the case are the following:

(2.) The petitioner joined the Department of Publications of the Kerala University in 1988 as its Director. At the time of his joining the Department, the age of retirement of the Director was sixty years. This will be evident from Ext. P1 order of the University dated 19.9.1975 issued on the basis of the decision of the Syndicate dated 30-8-1975. Later, the Syndicate at its meeting held on 30-4-1991 decided that members of the staff of the Department of Publication etc. will have retire at the age of 55. Consequential order issued by the University is Ext. P2 dated 20-5-1991. In view of that order, the petitioner was bound to retire from service at the age of 55. Challenging Ext. P.2. one Mr. S. Krishna Iyer who was an Assistant Director of Department of Publications filed OP No. 6400/91 before this Court as evidenced by Ext. j P3. This Court granted an interin order and on the strength of it, the petitioner in that Original Petition continued in service till the age of 60 years and retired.

(3.) The Syndicate of the University at its meeting on 23.10.2001 resolved to accept Ext. P4. report and fixed the retirement age of the petitioner as 60 years. The minutes of the meeting containing the decision is Ext. P5. The resolution in this regard reads as follows: