There is no liability on Government to treat the petitioner as Time-keeper, Grade-I, for payment of pension.

(Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying this Court to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to call for the records in pursuant to the impugned order passed by the 1st respondent in Lr.No.4394/PC/2002 dated 12.03.2002 and the consequential order passed by the 2nd respondent in Lr.No.3567/E1.2/2002-3 dated 4.7.2002 and quash these orders and consequently direct the respondents to grant pensionary benefits in the revised scale of pay in the cadre of Time Keeper Grade I, and to pay the arrears of pension with effect from 01.04.1987 with interest and to pay the future pension accordingly and other consequential service benefits and to award cost of this writ petition.)

The writ petitioner has challenged the impugned order of the first respondent dated 12.03.2002 and the consequential order of the second respondent dated 04.07.2002 and also pray for a direction against the respondents to grant pensionary benefits in the revised scale of pay in the cadre of Time Keeper Grade I with effect from 01.04.1987.

2. Under the impugned order dated 12.03.2002, the Government has considered the representation of the petitioner and passed orders stating that as per G.O.Ms.No.575, Industries Department, dated 04.05.1976, he was absorbed as Time Keeper Grade II in TANSI with effect from 04.05.1976 and not as a Time Keeper Grade I. In these circumstances, the request of the petitioner that he should be paid the pensionary benefits by treating him as Time Keeper Grade I was not considered in his favour.

3. The learned counsel for the petitioner basing reliance upon G.O.Ms.No.162, Industries Department, dated 21.1.1971 states that the said G.O. which supersedes the earlier G.O.Ms.No.1571 dated 16.12.1969 gives the following protection:-

"1. All employees, whatever their category, who are borne on the establishment of Directorate of Industries and Commerce and who are on deputation to the Tamil Nadu Small Industries Corporation, whether they be regular employees, approved probationers, probationers or temporary employees, will have the full protection, of their individual rights in the Tamil Nadu Small Industries Corporation which they would have enjoyed had they continued to serve in the Department of Industries and Commerce.

2. The staff will however not have the rights of seniority and promotion in the parent department viz. Industries and Commerce Department and will have to sever their connection with the parent department with regard to seniority and promotion."

4. According to the learned counsel, when once such protection was given, the petitioner was appointed as a Time Keeper Grade II in the department of Industries and Commerce on 28.11.1960 and was subsequently transferred by way of deputation to the fourth respondent in 1974 along with 637 employees and was subsequently absorbed on 04.05.1976. According to the petitioner, the TANSI has promoted him as Time Keeper Grade I on 10.06.1975. Ultimately, the petitioner has opted for voluntary retirement and relieved from service on 31.03.1987. Therefore, according to the learned counsel for the petitioner, when once the fourth respondent has promoted him as Time Keeper Grade I, by virtue of the protection given under the said G.O. dated 21.01.1971, it should be taken that the promotion given by the TANSI namely the fourth respondent to the petitioner as Time Keeper Grade I should also be protected.

5. On the other hand, the learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for the respondents 1 to 3 has taken me to the original G.O.Ms.No.575, Industries Department, dated 04.05.1975, under which the petitioner's services in the TANSI, namely the fourth respondent, were absorbed in that G.O. which also states about the job protection. In the Annexure it categorically shows that, in the list of Time Keeper opted to TANSI, number 15, the petitioner, was holding the post of Time Keeper Grade II in the Government and was also taken to the TANSI as Time keepe