GOVERNMENT OF INDIA PRESS WORKERS ASSOCIATION, NILOKHERI, DISTRICT KARNAL AND ANOTHER Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Aggrieved by the order dated 04.07.2018 passed by Chandigarh Bench of Central Administrative Tribunal dismissing the application for grant of interim relief, petitioners have approached this court invoking extra-ordinary jurisdiction conferred by Article 226 of the Constitution of India. Petitioner No.1 claims to be association of workers of Government of India press situated in Nilokheri, District Karnal and petitioner No.2 is an employee of said press working as binder.

(2.) Facts giving rise to present dispute, in brief, can be summarised as under.

(3.) There was a Government press situated in Nilokheri, District Karnal. Considering the fact that the Government presses situated throughout the country were using obsolete technology and, thus, for rationalisation and modernisation of such Government of India presses the Union Cabinet took a decision for merger of seventeen such Government presses situated throughout the country, which were using obsolete technology, into five and modernise them. In respect of the Government of India press situated at Nilokheri, it was decided that same shall stand merged with the Government of India Press, Mayapuri, Ring Road, New Delhi, and the services of the employees shall stand transferred to the said press. The petitioners made a representation requesting for redeploying them in the offices of the Central Government situated in surrounding areas of Nilokheri and vide order dated 02.07.2018 their representation was rejected. The applicants moved Chandigarh Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal by making original application under section 19 of the Administrative Tribunal Act seeking quashing of the order dated 02.07.2018. Challenge was also made to the policy of the Central Government dated 20.09.2017 whereunder merger was directed. An application seeking interim relief was also made which has been rejected vide the order impugned in this petition.