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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
PURNENDU SINGH, J.
Akhilesh Kumar Sharma son of Late Kedar Nath Sharma – Appellant
Versus
The State of Bihar – Respondent
Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.23625 of 2019
Decided on : 04-09-2023
DEPARTMENTAL PROCEEDINGS - DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE - BIHAR PENSION RULES, 1950; BIHAR GOVERNMENT SERVANTS (CLASSIFICATION, CONTROL AND APPEAL) RULES, 2005 - The court discussed the procedural requirements for conducting departmental proceedings against government employees, emphasizing the necessity of evidence and the obligation to provide reasoned decisions. The court highlighted that disciplinary actions must adhere to the principles of natural justice and cannot be based solely on unproven allegations. The failure to conclude proceedings within the stipulated time frame led to the quashing of the punitive orders against the petitioner, reinforcing the importance of timely and fair administrative processes.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner challenged the initiation of departmental proceedings and subsequent orders against him, including a dismissal order and a pension forfeiture order. The proceedings were based on allegations of corruption and misconduct, but the petitioner argued that the disciplinary authority failed to provide adequate evidence and reasoning in their decisions.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the disciplinary proceedings were flawed due to a lack of evidence and failure to adhere to procedural requirements. The orders issued by the disciplinary authority were deemed mechanical and without proper justification, leading to the conclusion that the petitioner was not afforded a fair hearing.
Issues: 1. Whether the disciplinary authority conducted the proceedings in accordance with the principles of natural justice and the relevant rules? 2. Did the disciplinary authority provide sufficient evidence to support the charges against the petitioner?
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that disciplinary proceedings must be based on credible evidence and that the authority must provide reasoned decisions. The absence of witness examination and reliance solely on a vigilance report without corroborating evidence rendered the proceedings invalid. The court reiterated that a quasi-judicial authority must record reasons for its decisions to ensure fairness and accountability.
Final Decision: The court quashed the orders of dismissal and pension forfeiture, reinstating the petitioner and directing the state to pay all retiral benefits, emphasizing the need for the disciplinary authority to conduct proceedings in compliance with legal standards.
JUDGMENT :
PURNENDU SINGH, J.
Heard Mr. S.B.K. Manglam, learned counsel along with Mr. Awnish Kumar, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner; Mr. Dinesh Maharaj, learned AC to AAG-11 for the State and Mr. Bindhyachal Rai, learned counsel for the Accountant General, Bihar.
2. Petitioner is aggrieved by the manner in which the departmental proceeding has been initiated against him and several orders have been passed one after another even after intervention of this Court. Finally, the present writ petition has been filed against the order dated 15.10.2019 contained in Memo No. 9267 dated 17.10.2019. The operating part of the order is reproduced hereinafter:
^^4- Jh 'kekZ }kjk ekuuh; mPp U;k;ky;] iVuk esa nk;j lh0MCy;w0ts0lh0 la0&2015@2015 esa ekuuh; U;k;ky; }kjk fnukad&06-02-2017 dks ikfjr vkns'k ds vkyksd esa foHkkxh; vf/klwpuk la0&9009≶&ifBr Kkikad&9010 fnukad&06-10-2017 ,oa 'kqf) i= la0&3152 fnukad&02-04-2018 }kjk Jh 'kekZ dks lalwfpr c[kkZLrxh n.Mkns'k dks foHkkxh; vf/klwpuk la0&11451 ¼Hk0½ fnukad&11-11-2014 ls fujLr dj fn;k x;k ,oa fcgkj isa'ku fu;ekoyh 1950 ds varxZr iqu% foHkkxh; ladYi Kkikad&4038 ¼Hk0½ fnukad&15-05-2017 }kjk foHkkxh; dk;Zokgh lafLFkr dh x;h ,oa bl ekeys esa lapkyu inkf/kdkjh ls izkIr tkWp izfrosnu ds vkyksd esa fofgr izfØ;k iw.kZ djrs gq, fcgkj isa'ku fu;ekoyh 1950 ds vkyksd esa foHkkxh; vf/klwpuk la0&8308 fnukad&03-08-2018 }kjk iw.kZ isa'ku tCr djus dk n.M lalwfpr fd;k x;kA
5- ekuuh; mPp U;k;ky; ds vkns'k ds vkyksd esa Jh 'kekZ dk c[kkZLrxh n.Mkns'k fujLr fd;s tkus ds mijkUr Jh 'kekZ ds fo:) izR;kuqikfrd /kuktZu ds ekeys esa foHkkxh; ladYi Kkikad&8139 ¼Hk0½ fnukad&05-08-2014 }kjk lafLFkr foHkkxh; dk;Zokgh dks iqu% izkjEHk djus dk fu.kZ; fy;k x;k ,oa foHkkxh; ladYi Kkikad&3941 ¼Hk0½ fnukad&11-05-2017 }kjk mDr foHkkxh; dk;Zokgh dks fcgkj isa'ku fu;ekoyh 1950 ds rgr iqu% lapkfyr fd;k x;kA ftlesa foHkkxh; tkWp vk;qDr dks lapkyu inkf/kdkjh ukfer fd;k x;kA
6- tkWp vk;qDr≶&lfpo] ifjogu foHkkx] fcgkj] iVuk ds i=kad&62 fnukad&20-11-2018 }kjk lefiZr tkWp izfrosnu esa vkjksfir inkf/kdkjh ds fo:) lHkh nks vkjksiksa dks izekf.kr gksus dk earO; fn;k x;kA
7- lapkyu inkf/kdkjh ls izkIr tkWp izfrosnu ds vkyksd esa foHkkxh; i=kad&58 ¼Hk0½ fnukad&03-01-2019 }kjk Jh 'kekZ ls f}rh; dkj.k i`PNk dh x;hA bl lanHkZ esa Jh 'kekZ }kjk muds i=kad&'kwU; fnukad&15-01-2019 }kjk lefiZr vkosnu esa izekf.kr vkjksiksa dks [kafMr djus ds laca/k esa dksbZ Li"V rF; izLrqr ugha djus ds dkj.k l{ke izkf/kdkj }kjk Jh 'kekZ dk iw.kZ isa'ku tCr djus dk fu.kZ; fy;k x;kA ftl ij muls iqu% n.M ds fcUnq ij dkj.k i`PNk ¼Quantum of Punishment ½ dh x;hA Jh 'kekZ ds i=kad&'kwU; fn0&27-06-2019 }kjk lefiZr dkj.k i`PNk ¼Quantum of Punishment ½ esa muds }kjk dksbZ u;k lk{;@rF; izdk'k esa ugha yk;k x;kA ftlls ;g izekf.kr gks fd ;s funksZ"k gSA Qyr% muds }kjk lefiZr vH;kosnu dks vLohdkj dj fn;k x;kA
8- Jh 'kekZ ds fo:) mDr vuqeksfnr n.M izLrko ij foHkkxh; i=kad&5115 ¼Hk0½ fn0&06-06-2019 }kjk fcgkj yksd lsok vk;ksx ls lgefr@ijke'kZ miyC/k djkus dk vuqjks/k fd;k x;kA ftlij fcgkj yksd lsok vk;ksx ds i=kad&1577 fn0&26-09-2019 }kjk lgefr O;Dr dh x;hA
9- Jh 'kekZ ds fo:) izR;kuqikfrd /kuktZu ds ekeys esa lapkfyr foHkkxh; dk;Zokgh esa lapkyu inkf/kdkjh ls izkIr tkWp izfrosnu ,oa Jh 'kekZ ls izkIr f}rh; dkj.k i`PNk&mRrj izfrosnu ds leh{kksijkUr bls vLohdkj djrs gq, fcgkj isa'ku fu;ekoyh] 1950 ds rgr budk iw.kZ isa'ku tCr djus dk n.M lalwfpr fd;k tkrk gSA ;fn ekuuh; U;k;ky;@fdlh l{ke izkf/kdkj }kjk VªSi ekeys esa iw.kZ isa'ku tCr djus laca/kh n.M LFkfxr@fujLr@la'kksf/kr fd;k tkrk gS rks bl izR;kuqikfrd /kuktZu ds ekeys esa lalwfpr n.M izHkkoh gks tk,xkA^^
3. Petitioner was initially proceeded departmentally and as per the vigilance report and the basis of inquiry so conducted in the departmental proceeding, an order of dismissal from service was passed vide memo no. 11452 dated 11.11.2014 by the State Government in its Building Construction Department issued under the signature of the Joint Secretary- cum-Officer on Special Duty-cum-Chief Vigilance Officer. The sa
Disciplinary proceedings against government employees must be conducted fairly, based on adequate evidence, and require reasoned decisions to uphold the principles of natural justice.
The absence of a witness list in a disciplinary charge memo violates procedural fairness, rendering the proceedings invalid, necessitating adherence to natural justice principles.
Pension rights cannot be revoked without adherence to due process, ensuring legal and procedural fairness in disciplinary proceedings, especially when misconduct charges remain pending.
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