1997 Supreme(Raj) 599
Rajasthan High Court
Honble V.G. PALSHIKAR, J.
Dr. Ramlal - Appellant
Versus
State of Rajasthan and Others - Respondents
S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 1880 of 1997
Decided On : August 11, 1997
S.L. Jain for Petitioner Vijay Kumar, for Respondents
Headnote:Service Law – Transfer Matter – Constitution of India, Art. 226 – Posting orders kept in abeyance at the instance of the minister – Held – It is the duty of the Minister to look into the public work – To interfere with the administration of Government under Art. 226 of the Constitution is unwarranted exercise of the jurisdiction by this Court. (Para 6)
(2). Show cause notice was issued and the operation of the order dated 6.5.97 was stayed.
(3). In reply, it has been contended in para 3, that the petitioner is not factually transferred but is only asked to await posting orders. It reads thus :-
``It is submitted that the petitioner was not transferred but only posting orders were kept in abeyance because of several complaints received against the petitioner and adverse inquiry reports and pendency of criminal case against the petitioner. It is submitted that keeping posting orders in abeyance is not called to transfer and the petitioner is not prejudiced in any way because the petitioner gets his salary and all emoluments etc. available to him without any work being taken from him.
(4). An affidavit has also been filed by the Health Minister for Rajasthan Government, Mr. Rajendra Singh Rathore. In para 3 of his affidavit, the Honble Minister states :–
``That during my visit to Hanumangarh Junction in the beginning of
May this year, I was astonished and dismayed to learn from the joint Director, Medical & Health Services, Bikaner, as well as the Principal Medical Officer, Sriganganagar that the petitioner Dr. Ramlal was not only neglecting his duties but was also functioning in most dublous and perfunctory manner. I was shown by the Joint Director, Bikaner, the inquiry report dated 21.10.95 and various complaints against the malfunctioning of the petitioner, which were looked into by the Enquiry Officer, Mr. Ratan Lahoti, a senior RAS Officer.
(5). The Honble Minister then seeks to state on affidavit :
``I am a responsible Officer and Head of the Ministry of Health and it is my duty to ensure their duties in a noble way in larger public interest.... I was constrained to issue oral instructions to the Joint Director, Medical & Health Services, Bikaner to keep the posting of the petitioner in abeyance till further orders.
(6). In such circumstances, when the posting orders are kept in abeyance at the instance of the Minister whose duty it is to look into the public work, no interference is called for. To interfere with the administration of Government under Article 226 of the Constitution, in such circumstances, is unwarranted exercise of the jurisdiction by this Court. I do not propose to undertake such unwarranted exercise. The petition is dismissed.