V RAJAGOPAL Vs. DISTRICT COLLECTOR THIRUVANNAMALAI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner is working as Village Administrative Officer, Ladavaram village, Polur Taluk, Thiruvannamalai District. He filed O.A.No.6667 of 2001 challenging the order passed by the District Collector, Thiruvannamalai dated 16.09.2001. By the impugned order, the District Collector imposed a penalty on the petitioner degrading his scale of pay to a lower stage for a period of five years. Though it was stated in the order that he can file an appeal to the Principal Commissioner and Commissioner for Revenue Administration, the petitioner chose to move the Tribunal. The Tribunal admitted the Original Application and granted an interim order staying the operation of the penalty imposed on the petitioner. Though an application was filed by the respondent to vacate the interim order in M.A.No.8942 of 2001, for reason best known, the Tribunal did not take up the said application. The interim order came to be continued upto four weeks from 14.12.2001. On notice from the Tribunal, the respondent has filed a detailed reply affidavit dated 11.12.2001.

(2.) Even when the matter is pending before the Tribunal, the petitioner filed a Writ Petition before this Court in W.P.No.38926 of 2005 seeking transfer of the said Original Application to this Court. This Court by order dated 02.12.2005 directed the transfer of Original Application to this Court and also renumber as Writ Petition. Pursuant to the said direction, the matter was transmitted to this Court and renumbered as W.P.No.895 of 2006.

(3.) It is seen from the records that the petitioner, who was a Village Administrative Officer recommended the case of one Salammal, W/o. late Govindasamy residing at 31/WIC, Kannan Street for old age pension. He did not verify that late Govindasamy was working as an Office Assistant and upon his death, Salammal was in receipt of family pension and she is also living in a tiled house in the same village. On account of his recommendation, the Government granted pension for Salammal in P.No.8712.