NARESH KUMAR Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioners in these three cases are employed with the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board. They pray that the Respondent-Board be directed to regularise their services on the respective posts held by them. Counsel for the parties had broadly referred to the facts in Civil Writ Petition No. 10082 of 1997. These may be briefly noticed.

(2.) ON January 13, 1993, the petitioner was offered appointment as a Jr. Draftsman "contract basis for 89 days. . . " He was to be given "fixed salary of Rs. 1700.00 during the period of appointment. ' The petitioner was informed that if these conditions are acceptable to him, he may give his joining report. The petitioner joined the post. His initial appointment was periodically extended from time to time.

(3.) THE petitioner alleges that even Junior Engineers were working on contract basis. They had approached this Court by filing C. W. P. Nos. 5018 of 1996 and 4268 of 1997. Their petitions were allowed by a Division Bench (M. S. Liberhan and V. S. Aggarwal, JJ.) vide order dated May 29, 1997. Their Lordships were pleased to observe that "once the Board has decided to regularise the services of the petitioners, we find no ground to deny the relief claimed by the petitioners. In view of the conceded position, the respondent-Board is directed to implement its own decision. . . " In spite of this admitted position, the Board vide its order dated March 27, 1997 decided to terminate the services of the petitioner. He was conveyed the order, a copy of which has been produced as Annexure P. 13 with the writ petitioners. Alongwith this order, he was paid the compensation as contemplated under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. The petitioner alleges that he is eligible for regular appointment. In accordance with the decision of the High Court in C. W. P. No. 4268 of 1997, he is entitled to the relief of regularisation of services. He, consequently, prays for the issue of a direction to the respondents to consider his claim for regularisation.