SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT OF POST OFFICES Vs. LABHU RAM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE present order shall dispose of 23 writ petitions, details of which are given in Annexure 'A', since common questions of law and facts are involved in all the writ petitions. Facts are being taken from CWP No. 3775 of 2011 titled Senior Superintendent of Post Offices vs. Labhu Ram and others.

(2.) IN pursuance of the direction issued in CWP No. 13846 of 2011, office has listed these cases. On 03.03.2011, notice of motion in the main case was issued by this Court, after taking into consideration the submission made by counsel for the petitioner that similar controversy was pending in LPA No. 406 of 2009 and the interim order continued in terms of the said appeal. Thereafter, on 21.08.2012, the writ petition was admitted to be heard with the said LPA.

(3.) THE Division Bench of this Court in Senior Superintendent of Post Offices vs. Smt. Sham Dulari and others, : 2006 (3) SCT 577 also upheld the applicability of the Act to the Extra Departmental Agents (EDAs). The matter again came up for consideration in LPA No. 406 of 2009 titled Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Jalandhar Division, Jalandhar vs. Darshan Ram through L.Rs. and others decided on 28.02.2014. The Division Bench has upheld the order passed by the Single Judge whereby, the writ petition of the department was dismissed against the orders of the authorities under the Act. The observations of the Division Bench read thus: -