P J THOMAS Vs. UNION OF INDIA UOI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioners are at present employees of the State Bank of Travancore. The first petitioner was an officer in the Kottayam Orient Bank Ltd. holding the past of agent from 1-3-1955 to 16-6-1961. The second petitioner was in the service of the Kottayam Bank Ltd. , which later became the Kottayam Orient Bank Ltd. and was holding the post of agent of the said bank from 1-2-1947 to 30 5-1960. He was thereafter transferred to the central office of the bank and was working as an officer until 17-6-1961.

(2.) THE Kottayam Orient Bank Ltd. was amalgamated under the Scheme of Amalgamation, dated 16-5-1961, with the State Bank of Travancore. This amalgamation was pursuant to the scheme prepared by the Reserve Bank of India under Section 45 (4) (d) (ii) of the Banking Companies Act, 1949, published by the Central Government by notification, dated 16-5-1961. Consequent upon such amalgamation the petitioners were absorbed into the service of the State Bank of Travancore with effect from 16-5-1961. A copy of the Scheme of Amalgamation has been produced in the case marked as Ext. PI.

(3.) ACCORDING to the first petitioner he was qualified to hold higher posts in the Kottayam Orient Bank Ltd. where he was working at the time of amalgamation. He was a graduate of the Madras University. The second petitioner though not a graduate is said to have had considerable experience in banking in various capacities.