RAVINDER KUMAR Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Present writ petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution for issuance of a writ in the nature of Certiorari for quashing the offending part of impugned orders (P-5/1 to P-5/26) whereby requests of petitioners for cancellation of transfer orders were accepted, but they have been "debarred for applying for transfer again for the next three years".

(2.) Petitioners (total 26) are working as school teachers within the State of Punjab. On 25/6/2019, Government of Punjab, Department of School Education, framed Teachers Transfer Policy-2019 (P-2) (for short "transfer policy"). In pursuance of said policy, various teachers, including petitioners were transferred to different schools vide orders dtd. 24/3/2021 and 9/4/2021. Aggrieved against the transfer orders, some of the teachers felt aggrieved and as a result thereof, respondents issued public notice dtd. 13/4/2021 (P-3) for considering the requests of teachers for cancellation of transfer orders. Last date for submission of online objections was fixed as 14/4/2021 and subsequently, extended up till 2/7/2021 (P-4).

(3.) In pursuance of the above public notices (P-3 and P-4), petitioners made requests for cancellation of their transfer orders, which were accepted by respondents (P-5/1 to P-5/26); but they have been debarred from applying for transfer for a period of next three years; for reference, relevant part of P-5/1 is extracted as under:-