PRADEEP KUMAR PATTNAIK Vs. STATE OF ODISHA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The Petitioner, who was a Judicial Officer in the Orissa Superior Judicial Service (OSJS) as Additional District and Sessions Judge (AD&SJ), has questioned to his pre-mature retirement, which was notified by the Notification dtd. 28/3/2014.

(2.) The background facts are that the Petitioner was appointed as a Munsif on probation in the Orissa Judicial Service (OJS) Class-II by a Notification dtd. 28/1/1987. He was subsequently appointed in the Cadre of OJS Class-II with effect from 16/2/1989. He received promotions first as Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division-cum-Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate by a Notification dtd. 26/4/1999 and then as Civil Judge (Senior Division) with effect from 16/9/2005. He received his Assured Career Progression (ACP) Scale of Pay in the Cadre of Civil Judge with effect from 1/1/1996 and the financial benefit was extended to him with effect from 1/7/1996 by a Notification dtd. 15/10/2009. He was promoted as in the Cadre of Civil Judge (Senior Division) by a Notification dtd. 5/1/2010.

(3.) The Petitioner was promoted in the Cadre of District Judge in the OSJS and was transferred and posted as AD&SJ, Malkangiri by virtue of a Notification dtd. 24/5/2013. He joined in his post at Malkangiri on 17/7/2013. On 28/3/2014, while continuing as such, he was compulsorily retired with immediate effect giving him three months' pay and allowances in lieu of three months' notice.