STATE OF PUNJAB Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These two petitions have been filed with almost identical prayers, namely, to direct the respondents to allow the petitioners to exercise fresh options under the Punjab Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 1988 (for short 'the Rules').

(2.) The petitioners in both the petitions are employed as teachers in the Education Department of the Government of Punjab. Each one of the petitioners has exercised option under the Rules. This the petitioners did in terms of Rule 5 of the Rules. Subsequently, they made representation to the departmental authorities for grant of relief in the form of an opportunity to revise the dates of their option. The petitioners have claimed that similarly situated persons have been allowed opportunity to exercise option but in their cases no such order has been passed by the competent authority. They have placed reliance on the order dated 16.8.1994 passed in C.W.P. No. 2587 of 1994 (Haranbir Singh v. State of Punjab and others).

(3.) We have perused the writ petition and have given our thoughtful consideration to the submission of the learned counsel.