ANGREJ SINGH Vs. PUNJAB STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners who are working as Sub-Station Attendants at Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant, Bhatinda, pray for the issue of a direction to the respondents to appoint them as Auxiliary Plant Attendants. The respondents contest their claim. A few facts may be noticed.

(2.) On July 29, 1992, the Punjab State Electricity Board issued an advertisement inviting applications for the posts of Auxiliary Plant Attendants. The following qualifications and experience were prescribed: "Recognised Diploma in Mechanical and or Electrical Engg. having at least 3 years' experience as Plant Attendant on Condenser Boilder Feed Pump and other Auxiliaries of Thermal Plant of minimum 15 MW capacity or above. Qualification of diploma can be relaxed in respect of persons having first class Boilder Competency Certificate and long experience on Boilder. OR Matric and ITI in elect/Mech. Traders with 8 years experience as Plant Attendant on Condensor and other Auxiliaries of Thermal Plant of minimum 15 MW capacity or above." The petitioners applied for these posts. They claim that they were eligible and had been duly selected. The grievance sought to be a made out is that in spite of having been selected, they have not been appointed to the posts in question. They consequently pray that a direction for issue of appointment letters be given to the respondents.

(3.) In the written statement filed on behalf of the respondents, it has been inter alia averred that the petitioners possess the academic qualifications required for the posts of Auxiliary Plant Attendants. However, they have not got the requisite experience. It nas been further averred that the Sub-Station Attendants are concerned with the distribution of electricity and they are entitled to be promoted to the post of Sub- Station Operators but they are not qualified to be appointed as Auxiliary Plant Attendants. The respondents point out that in view of the fact that the Sub- Station Attendants have been agitating for being considered for appointment as Auxiliary Plant Attendants, the Board had appointed a Committee to go into the matter. This Committee submitted its report on September 24, 1992. Since the seniority of Sub- Station Attendants was being maintained at the Board level for their promotion to the posts of Sub-Station Operators and their basic duties on the plants'were to operate the switchgears which were similar to the duties performed by them, they were engaged in the distribution of power and were not entitled to be considered for the posts of Auxiliary Plant Attendants for which only those experienced in 'generation of power' were suitable. In view of this report, the petitioners were not considered as eligible for the posts of Auxiliary Plant Attendants. It has been also pointed out that the applications of the petitioners were considered but after the receipt of the recommendations of the Committee, a copy of which has been produced as annexure R-1 with the written statement, applications were rejected. They were interviewed in accordance with the directions given by this High Court but were not selected as they were not "in possession of requisite experience......."