R K GUPTA Vs. PUNJAB STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner joined the Punjab State Electricity Board (hereinafter referred to as the Board), as Sub-Divisional Officer on 15th June, 1968, by direct recruitment. In due course, he was promoted as Executive Engineer with effect from 5th May, 1982. In July, 1983, the petitioner had been assigned certain duties at Udhampur (J and K), from Amritsar where he was posted. On the basis of some pseudonymous complaint regarding the misuse of the official vehicle during the abovesaid assignment, the petitioner was charge-sheeted by the Board on 24th September, 1984, for the following lapses:-

(2.) In the written statement filed by the Board, a preliminary objection was taken that against the impugned order, the petitioner had a remedy to file an appeal. The writ petition was dismissed as premature by upholding the preliminary objection and the following order was passed on 30th July, 1987 :-

(3.) Ultimately, the Board dismissed the appeal vide order dated 7th July, 1988 (Annexure P-2) and upheld the order of reversion of the petitioner to the rank of A.E.E. It is this order which had been challenged by the petitioner by way of the present writ petition. It may be noticed that the Motion Bench while issuing notice of motion on 14th July, 1988 passed the following order :-