SREEDHARAIAH Vs. DIST SUPDT OF POLICE ANANTAPUR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) 1. These petitions, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, can be disposed of in a common judgment as they arise out of the same facts and raise the same points for determination.2. The petitioner in W. P. No. 127 of 1957, is Sreedharaiah, who was P. C. 31 of Anantapur District. The petitioner in W. P. No. 153 of 195T is Venkataramanappa who was P. C. 75 of the same District.3. In order to appreciate the points debated before us, it is necessary to set out the admitted facts in their chronological sequence. The two petitioners were in service as police constables in the State of Andhra. In October. 1954, they were attached to the Police Station at Kadiri in Anantapur District. While so, a complaint of irregular and improper conduct in the discharge of their duties was made against them. Having decided to set in motion the machinery preliminary for punishment, the District Superintendent of Police, Anantapur, placed the petitioners under suspension and framed a specific charge on 25-10-1954, which is as follows: (In this judgment, the communications sent to the petitioners in W. P. No. 127/57 and the representations made by him are set out; those in the other Writ petition are identical and do not require to be extracted. For the sake of convenience, the Deputy Superintendent who held the enquiry against the petitioners is referred to in this judgment as enquiry officer and the District Superintendent of Police, Anantapur, who was competent to dismiss the petitioners and did dismiss them is referred to as the competent authority).