RAMESHWAR Vs. HARYANA STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Though this petition has been filed jointly by Rameshwar son of Makhan Singh and Krishan Chand son of Shiv Lal, learned counsel for the petitioners has made a statement during the course of hearing that he wants to withdraw the writ petition on behalf of Krishan Chand son of Shiv Lal with a liberty to file a fresh writ petition on behalf of that petitioner. That request has been accepted by a separate order. Therefore, now I am required to adjudicate upon the claim made by the petitioner Rameshwar son of Makhan Singh.

(2.) The land belonging to the family of the petitioner Rameshwar and other landowners of village Khukrana was acquired for the construction of Thermal Power Project Panipat. The acquisition proceedings were initiated by the State of Haryana and the land was handed over to the Haryana State Electricity Board. Similar acquisition of lands were made by the Government of Haryana for the Haryana State Electricity Board. Since the acquisition of the land resulted in depriving the land-owners of their only source of livelihood, the Haryana State of Electricity Board took a policy decision to give employment to one member of the family of the land-owners whose land was acquired.

(3.) The petitioner has alleged that a large number of persons, named in para 4 of the writ petition, whose land was acquired alongwith the land of the petitioner, have been given employment on the posts of Meter Reader/Drivers in the service of the Board but in his case a different treatment has been meted out by the Board and in this manner the Board has violated his fundamental right of equality before law guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution of India.