S.S. MONGIA Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The matter here concerns appointment to the post of Chief Engineer-cum-Secretary in the Engineering Department of the Union Territory, Chandigarh. The present incumbent of this post being Shri S.S. Virdi, respondent No. 2 and it is his appointment as such that is now challenged.

(2.) In the past, the post of Chief Engineer in the Chandigarh Administration has invariably been held by a Chief Engineer from Punjab on deputation, so much so that before the previous holder of the post, Shri J.S. Kohli, who was working as Superintending Engineer in the Union Territory, was appointed to it, he was sent back to his parent cadre for a day to enable him to pick up his rank as Chief Engineer there. Shri S.S. Virdi provides the first instance of a Superintending Engineer being appointed to this post and not being the senior most amongst the Superintending Engineers in Punjab is what now constitutes the launching pad for the attack upon his appointment as such. The seniority of the Superintending Engineers concerned, as per the State of Punjab being as under:

(3.) S.S. Mongia