BADRINATH Vs. GOVT OF TAMIL NADU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellant who is the original petitioner is a member of the Indian Administrative Service and from 1973 to 1975, he was Commissioner of Tamil Nadu Archives and Historical Research. It is common knowledge that on 15-8-1973, a time capsule was buried in the precincts of Red Fort which also contained the history of India for the post-independence period telescoped into 10,000 word narrative. The task of compiling this narrative was entrusted to the Indian Council of Historical Research which in turn selected one Prof. Krishnaswami from Madras to write the said narrative which, it appears, was ultimately accepted by the Government of India.

(2.) Admittedly, in the course of his speech delivered on 7-9-1973, to the students of the Presidency College, Madras on the subject of Indian attitude towards History, the petitioner had made some adverse comments on the nature of the narration. On the basis of this comment, charges were framed against the petitioner under Rules 6 and 7 of the All India Service Conduct Rules. These charges were finally dropped by the Government of Tamil Nadu on 28th June 1977.

(3.) The necessary Government Order dropping the charges came to be issued in the form of a Government Order on 25-8-1977.