ISHWAR CHAND GUPTA Vs. STATE OF HARYANA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioner was earlier serving in the Army. In the year 1976, he was discharged on compassionate grounds and was thereafter appointed as a Clerk with the respondents, as an Ex -serviceman. He was promoted as Sub Divisional Clerk.

(2.) ON 10.1.2000, the petitioner submitted an application for voluntary retirement in order to contest the assembly elections. The election was held on 22.2.2000. The petitioner lost in that elections. On 30.3.2000, the petitioner made a request for withdrawal of the request for voluntary retirement. On 30.3.2000, the application was accepted and the petitioner was allowed to join his duty and he, therefore, rejoined. The petitioner thereafter applied for adjustment of his period of absence as leave of the kind due and to refund Rs. 17,176/ - deposited by him in lieu of three months' notice pay. The application was accepted and the period of absence was adjusted as 'leave of the kind due' and the refund was made vide order dated 1.6.2000. Meanwhile, the incumbent holding the post of General Manager, Irrigation, Haryana was transferred and the new incumbent joined his place. On 15.9.2000, the new officer issued a show cause notice to the petitioner as to why his services should not be dispensed with. The petitioner replied to the same. However, by the impugned order dated 10.5.2001, copy annexure P/10, the petitioner's services were dispensed with. In the impugned order, it has been mentioned that the Government instructions do not provide that an employee who leaves the service in order to contest election, should be taken back/re -appointed to his original post and has relied on the judgment of this Court in the case of Kartar Singh v. State of Haryana, Civil Writ Petition No. 6580 of 1994, decided on 24.2.1998. This judgment is also reported in, 1998(2) S.C.T. 724.

(3.) HERE in the present case, the petitioner had voluntarily retired for participation in the elections. Learned counsel for the petitioner has argued that the retirement was not accepted and therefore, the petitioner could re -join again. The application seeking voluntary retirement is dated 10.1.2000. However, copy of the order dated 17.2.2001, copy annexure P/11 shows that he was permitted to retire voluntarily from Government service w.e.f. 23.1.2000. It appears from the application of the petitioner dated 26.5.2000, Annexure P/4 that the petitioner has asked for the refund of his advance pay. It is mentioned therein that he had deposited advance pay worth Rs. 17,176/ - to take voluntary retirement on attaining the age of 55 years. This shows that the petitioner had an intention to retire before the statutory notice period. The period, of course, could not have been before the date of election, which the petitioner contested.