PUSHPAVALLI V K Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The applicant in O.A. (EKM) No. 1238 of 2015 of the Kerala Administrative Tribunal, Thiruvananthapuram is before us aggrieved by Ext.P1 order dated 2.2.2018 of the Tribunal. The petitioner is a retired Assistant Educational Officer, (AEO) of the General Education Department. She retired from service on 31.3.2014. Long after her retirement, she was served with Annexure A1 dated 17.9.2015 fixing a liability of Rs.2, 40, 013/- on her. As per Annexure A2, she was informed that a number of vouchers relating to the years 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 were missing. The liability was quantified and fixed on the basis of the vouchers that were found missing.

(2.) The petitioner challenged Annexure A1 before the Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) . According to the petitioner, the liability related to a period that was long prior to her retirement. Audit of the department was being conducted every year, no discrepancy has been detected at any time. The petitioner has not been subjected to any disciplinary proceedings. Therefore, it was contended that, Annexure A1 was unsustainable and liable to be set aside.

(3.) The KAT considered the contentions, found that no notice as contemplated by Note 2 to Rule 3 Part III of the Kerala Service Rules ('KSR' for short) had been issued to the petitioner. Therefore, the O.A. has been disposed of directing the authorities to consider Annexure A1 as a show cause notice. The petitioner has been directed to submit her objections and the fourth respondent has been directed to pass appropriate orders thereon within one month. It is the said order, Ext.P1, that is under challenge in this Original Petition.