C THANGARAJ Vs. DIRECTOR SR DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) HEARD the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned counsel appearing for the respondents.

(2.) IT has been stated that the writ petition has been filed by the petitioner Union on behalf of the Extra Departmental Post Masters and the Extra Departmental Delivery Agents, who have been re-designated as Gramina Dak Sevaks, who are the employees of the postal department, posted in the villages. The Gramina Dak Sevaks are having the status of civil servants. There are nearly three lakh employees all over India, of whom, 25,000 have been posted in the State of Tamilnadu.

(3.) A counter affidavit has been filed on behalf of the respondents, denying the averments made on behalf of the petitioner Union. It has been stated that the Director General, Department of Posts, New Delhi, had issued the impugned order, dated 4.10.2002, to the Chief Post Master General, Chennai, clarifying that service associations of the Gramina Dak Sevaks are not entitled to trade union facilities, in view of the clarification received from the Department of Personnel and Training. Trade Union facilities are extendable only to the regular Central Government servants. The said order had been communicated to all the Post Master Generals in Tamilnadu circle and they have, in turn, communicated the same to the Divisional Superintendents. Pursuant to the said communication, the second respondent, vide his letter, dated 14.11.2002, has communicated the impugned order.