A.K.KARUPPANNAN Vs. THE BLOCK DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners have filed this writ petition seeking to quash the impugned proceedings dtd. 15/4/2009 of the first respondent / the District Collector, Erode District, refusing to regularise their services in terms of G.O.Ms.No.22, Personnel and Administrative Reforms(F) Department, dtd. 28/2/2006.

(2.) Learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that the first petitioner / Mr.A.K.Karuppannan, was appointed as Watchman-cum-Motor Pump Operator from 28/10/1987 in the Tamil Nadu Water Supply Board on daily wage basis and likewise, the second petitioner / Mr.K.Ganesan was appointed in the same category from 22/3/1996 in the office of the third respondent Panchayat. In the year 1987, the Tamil Nadu Water Supply Board established a Combined Drinking Water Supply Scheme for Alathukombai and the same was funded by the World Bank. After completion of the project, the over-head tank and the maintenance of water supply were entrusted to the Block Development Officer, Sathyamangalam Panchyat Union, Erode / second respondent herein by the Water Supply Board.

(3.) Relying on a proceeding dtd. 28/10/1987 of the Senior Engineer, TWAD Board (EEC), Sathyamangalam, addressed to the Assistant Executive Engineer, TWAD Board, EEC, Gobichettipayalam, which states about the handing-over of the charge related to C.W.S.S. to Alathukombai and three other habitation in Sathy Union, learned counsel submitted that the electricity supply was given for 14 hours (6 hrs during day time and 8 hrs during night time) to all those 9 tanks situated in that Union for filling up of 1,78,000 litres of water. Therefore, when the work from the petitioners was extracted for all those 14 hours, accepting the continuous employment of the petitioners, a resolution dtd. 28/12/1998 was passed by the President of Sathumugai Panchayat recommending the regularization of the petitioners' services.