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2010 Supreme(Bom) 1496

High Court of Judicature at Bombay
B.H. MARLAPALLE & U.D. SALVI
Shankarrao Narayanrao Jadhav
Versus
The State of Maharashtra & Others
WRIT PETITION NO.4827 OF 2010
Decided on : 14-10-2010

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioner:Y.S. Jahagirdar Senior Advocate i/b. N.V. Bandiwadekar, Advocate. For the Respondents:R1 - S.R. Nargolkar, G.P., R4 - A.V. Anturkar i/b. G.M. Savagave, Advocates.

Headnote:Maharashtra Government Employees Regulation of Transfers and Prevention of Delay in Discharge of Official Duties Act, 2005 - Sections 4 and 6-Transfer of Government servant-Under direction of Election Commission-Such transfer for special reasons, falls within category of mid-term transfers-Such transfer order to be issued with prior approval of competent authority specified in Section 6 of Act-Petitioner, an officer in Group B-Competent transferring authority would be Minister-in-Charge in consultation with Secretary of Revenue Department.-General transfers are issued between April and May whereas the mid-term transfers are issued under the circumstances mentioned in the proviso below Section 4(4) as well as Section 4(5) of the Transfer Act. The orders issued under Section 4(5) are to be issued by recording reasons in writing and in special cases, but with the prior approval of the immediate superior transferring authority as mentioned in the table to Section 6. The transfer orders to be issued under the instructions of the Election Commission will be the transfer for special reasons and midterm transfers.

       It is not in dispute that the petitioner is an officer in the pay scale of less than Rs. 10,650-15,860/- (unrevised pay scales) and is in Group B and hence the competent transferring authority for the petitioner would the Minister in charge in consultation with the Secretary of the Revenue Department.

       

JUDGMENT

B.H. MARLAPALLE, J.

Heard. Rule. Respondents waive service. Petition is heard finally.

2. This petition filed under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution arises from the order dated 30th April, 2010 passed by the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal in O.A. No.214 of 2009. The petitioner was posted as Sub Divisional Officer, Haveli, Pune and on completion of his tenure of more than 3 years was due for transfer. As per the instructions in letter dated 14th November, 2008 from the Chief Electoral Officer proposals were invited from the Divisional Commissioners for transfer of officers who were required to be transferred at the behest of the Commission. On 31st December, 2008 the Divisional Commissioner, Pune, had submitted his list to the State Government of all such officers. The name of the petitioner was included in the said list. The proposal was processed and submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer for his concurrence and such a concurrence was given on 18th February, 2009. The proposal was then placed before the Chief Minister through the Revenue Minister and with some modifications it was approved. Consequently on 2nd March, 2009 by a common order addressed to the Divisional Commissioner, Pune 28 officers under him were sought to be transferred from one station to another and on account of the instructions of the Election Commission of India. However, the authorities realised that the modifications made in the proposal by the Chief Minister were not placed before the Chief Electoral Officer and, therefore, on 3rd March, 2009 the order dated 2nd March, 2009 was stayed/kept in abeyance. On obtaining concurrence of the Chief Electoral Officer for the modification as well, the impugned order, in place of the order dated 2nd March, 2009 for transfers was issued. The petitioner who was sought to be transferred from Pune to Satara as Deputy Collector (Revenue) by the order dated 2nd March, 2009 retained his transfer to Satara even in the subsequent order dated 6th March, 2009. Being aggrieved by this order dated 6th March, 2009 the petitioner approached the Tribunal in O.A. No.214 of 2009. At the same time some other officers from the very same transfer order dated 6th March, 2009 and who were from the Pune Revenue Division had also approached the Tribunal in O.A. Nos.202, 212, 213 and 517 of 2009.

3. In all these applications, the Tribunal had passed orders setting aside the transfers. Writ Petition No.7141 of 2009 came to be filed before this Court by Smt. Nilima Dhaigude, who was respondent in O.A. No.202 of 2009 challenging the judgment of the Tribunal rendered on 11th August, 2009. It was submitted by Smt. Nilima Dhaigude before this Court that the Tribunal had allowed the applications on a wrong admission that before issuing the order dated 6th March, 2009 approval of the Chief Minister was not obtained though it was essential and mandatory and she wanted to resile from the said concession. This Court did not consider such a request and left the petitioner therein to approach the Tribunal with a review application. The Review Application came to be dismissed and, therefore, Smt. Dhaigude approached this Court in the second round by filing Writ Petition No.9665 of 2009. A Division Bench of this Court was pleased to dismiss the said petition as well on 23rd November, 2009. Thus the four other officers who were transferred by the impugned order dated 6th March, 2009 have succeeded before the Tribunal as well as before this Court in O.A. Nos.202, 212, 213 and 517 of 2009 and on a common ground that before issuance of the transfer order dated 6th March, 2009 the approval of the Chief Minister was not obtained.

4. The petitioner’s O.A., was also allowed initially by the Tribunal on 11th August, 2009 and the same order came to be challenged before this Court in Writ Petition No.7269 of 2009 by Smt. Jayshree Katare, who was respondent No.4 in the O.A. On 18th February, 2010 a Division Bench of this Court disposed off






































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