UNION OF INDIA Vs. BISHWAMBHAR NATH MISHRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and Sri AK. Dave, who has appeared for the respondents.

(2.) The petitioners have challenged the impugned order, dated November 9, 2000, Annexure 4 to the writ petition. It appears that respondent No. 1 was in Railway service and was chargesheeted for his absence without leave for certain periods. After enquiry he was removed from service. The Tribunal substituted the punishment of removal from service by punishment of compulsory retirement. Evidently the Tribunal took this humanitarian approach because the respondent No. 1 has retired from service and by substituting the punishment of removal from service by the punishment of compulsory retirement it enabled him to get pensionary benefits in his old age. We, therefore, see no reason to interfere with this humanitarian approach of the Tribunal.

(3.) The learned counsel for the petitioners has submitted that the Tribunal cannot substitute the quantum of punishment awarded by the concerned authority. However the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of B.C. Chaturvedi v. Union of India and others AIR 1996 SC 484 : 1995 (6) SCC 749 has held that the High Court or Tribunal can itself substitute the punishment awarded by the authority to some lesser punishment in appropriate cases to shorten the litigation and impose appropriate punishment with cogent reasons in support thereof. Hence, as mentioned above, we see no reason to interfere with the impugned order of the Tribunal.