SARDAR LAL Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Can the State Government restrain the University from releasing the accelerated increments granted by it to the employees ? This is the short question that arises in this writ petition.

(2.) A few facts may be noticed.

(3.) The petitioners are the members of the Ministerial Establishment of the Guru Nanak Dev University. Vide order, dated March 10, 1992, the Vice Chancellor granted accelerated increments to petitioner Nos. 1 to 12. Petitioner Nos. 13 and 14 who were working as Peons were granted two accelerated increments by the Registrar, vide his order, dated February 29, 1992. These order were passed under Statute 41. The release of these increments was stopped by the Auditors. The Registrar vide his letter, dated July 15, 1992 informed the State Government that the increments had been granted in accordance with the statutory provisions governing the University. The petitioners also represented. However, vide letter, dated October 4, 1994 the Deputy Registrar of the University informed one of the petitioners that the release of the accelerated increments had been stopped by the Education Department. Aggrieved by this action, the petitioners have approached this Court through the present writ petition. They challenge the action of respondent Nos. 1, 3 and 4 viz., the State Government and its Officers, primarily on the ground that it is without jurisdiction and violative of the provisions contained in Statute 41.