C RAJENDRAN Vs. KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners, while being employed in the services of the Kerala State Electricity Board, was served with Ext.P1 series of notices asking them why action should not be taken to recover from them certain sums of money, alleged to be the loss suffered by the Board, on account of their negligence and maladministration.

(2.) The petitioners were working as Assistant Account Officer, Senior Superintendent and Assistant Engineer respectively under the KSEB and they say that they retired from service on 31.05.2002, 31.05.2000 and 31.01.2000 respectively. According to them, no action as contemplated under Ext.P1 could have been taken against them after a period of four years of their retirement, under the provisions of Rule 3(b) (iii) Part III of the Kerala Service Rules. It appears that pursuant to Ext.P1 series of notices, they had filed detailed objections stating these contentions but that they were rejected through Ext.P3 series of orders, wherein the Chairman, KSEB imposed punishment as was proposed in Ext.P1 series of notices.

(3.) The petitioners have challenged Exts.P1 and P3 series of notices and orders as illegal and unlawful.