NARENDRABHAI SHANKARLAL JOSHI Vs. POST MASTER GENERAL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner, who is a retired primary teacher, has moved this Court by way of this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, questioning the the legality, validity and propriety of the action on the part of the Post Master General, Gujarat Circle, Ahmedabad whereby the repeated requests of the petitioner to effect the payment in respect of the Indira Vikas Patras (hereinafter referred to as 'the IVP certificates' for short) purchased by the petitioner which were stolen from the custody of the petitioner was not accepted to even after the expiry of the maturity period of the same despite the fact that the petitioner was ready, willing and prepared to accept any reasonable terms and conditions which may be imposed by the respondents for the purpose of safeguarding the interest of the post office.

(2.) The petitioner retired as a primary teacher on or about 30th May 1990 and on his retirement, he thought of investing the amount which he received as retirement benefit in IVPs issued by the Government of India. The petitioner purchased the IVP Certificates for a sum of Rs.64,500.00 from the Post Office situated at Ode Bazar, Umreth, the details of which are given hereunder:

(3.) This Court on 18.6.1997 issued Rule in the matter. By way of interim order, the respondents were restrained from making payment with respect to 29 IVPs described in paragraph 2 of the petition to anybody without the permission of this Court. The respondents were further directed to communicate that order to the concerned post offices in India.