1. At the time of filing of the Original Application before the Tamilnadu Administrative Tribunal, Chennai, the petitioner was aged 57 years and was working as Assistant Conservator of Forests, Forest Protection Squad, Nilgris. He entered the Forest Department as a Research Forester on 29.07.1968 through employment exchange and thereafter, on completion of the qualifying examination conducted by the Government, was chosen as Ranger.

2. For certain allegations of the year 1983, disciplinary action was initiated and that the petitioner was imposed a penalty of stoppage of increment for six months without cumulative effect by the District Forest Officer, Uthagamandalam on 09.01.1991. A punishment of censure was also imposed by the District Forest Officer, Tiruvannamalai on 17.02.1994. The petitioner was also implicated in a criminal case, which ended in acquittal by the Assistant Sessions Judge, Tiruvannamalai on 27.04.2000.

3. According to the petitioner, though, he was eligible to be included in the panel of Assistant Conservator of Forests for the year 1996-97, the respondents have overlooked his case on the following grounds

1. pendency of the criminal case in Cr.No.99/93