DB PANDYA Vs. STATE OF GUJARAT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) PETITIONER has challenged order dated 9.1.2002 passed by respondent No.1 imposing penalty of withholding of three increments with future effect on the petitioner.

(2.) THE petitioner was served with a chargesheet dated 22.1.2001 in which it was alleged that the petitioner while working as District Inspector of Land Records ('DILR' for short), Himatnagar had committed following irregularities in connection with Revenue mutation entries in certain land records of village Chandkheda, District Gandhinagar which he certified on 10.9.99:

(3.) WHEN the petition was taken up for hearing, learned counsel for the petitioner mainly raised one contention, namely, that in terms of rule 9(17) of the Gujarat Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, the Inquiry Officer had not questioned the petitioner on the circumstances appearing against him when the petitioner has not examined himself. According to the counsel, this was a fatal error.