HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
ELIPE DHARMA RAO & M. VENUGOPAL, JJ.
D. Swaminathan
Versus
The Presiding Officer, Chennai & Another
Review Appln. No.81 of 2013
Decided on: 07-06-2013
Review Applicant - Labour Court Order - W.A. No.437 of 2011 - A.I.R. 1957 Orissa 222 - Section 114 and Order 47 Rule 1 of the Civil Procedure Code
Fact of the Case:
The Review Applicant challenges the order passed by the Court dated 25.4.2012, arguing that it is contrary to law and weight of evidence. The Court had upheld the punishment of five increments cut imposed by the Labour Court, which the Review Applicant contends is not equivalent to the alternative employment awarded by the Labour Court. The Review Applicant also argues that the Court did not grant backwages and did not provide an opportunity to defend against the involvement in the offence 22 times.
Finding of the Court:
The Court observed that the Labour Court and the single Judge had taken a lenient view, but the materials showed the Review Applicant's involvement in the offence 22 times. The Court dismissed the Review Application, stating that it did not make out a case for review.
Issues: Contradiction between the punishment imposed by the Labour Court and the Court's decision, lack of backwages, and denial of opportunity to defend against the involvement in the offence 22 times.
Ratio Decidendi: The Court emphasized that review jurisdiction does not allow re-appreciation of evidence and that a review application will only lie if there is an error apparent on the face of the record. The Review Applicant failed to cite the provision of law under which the review application was filed.
Final Decision: The Review Application is dismissed with no order as to costs.
M. Venugopal, J.
1. Learned counsel for the Review Applicant submits that the order passed by this Court dated 25.4.2012 in W.A. No.437 of 2011 is contrary to law, weight of evidence and probabilities of case.
2. Advancing his arguments, it is the submission of the learned counsel for the Review Applicant that this Court, in W.A. No.437 of 2011, on 25.4.2012, has erroneously held that there is no infirmity in the order passed by the first respondent/Principal Labour Court, which has been confirmed by the learned single Judge in W.P. No.37919 of 2005 and further learned Judge imposed the punishment of five increments cut. The said findings are opposed to law, inasmuch as the first respondent/Principal Labout Court, Chennai has already awarded the punishment of alternative employment to the Review Applicant, under which he was posted as Diesel Filler, which is not the equivalent post.
3. It is the contention of the learned counsel for the Review Applicant that the first Respondent/Principal Labour Court has not granted backwages, which normally shall be due on passing an order of reinstatement.
4. That apart, it is the prime contention of the learned counsel for the Review Applicant that the materials before this Court point out that the Review Applicant has involved 22 times in committing the offence. In this regard, this Court has erroneously held so and has not interfered with the award of the Labour Court.
5. Learned counsel for the Review Applicant relies on the decision of the Orissa High Court in A.I.R. 1957 Orissa 222 reported in the case of Syamsundar Misra v. The State, wherein it is held as follows:-
"Held further that the Special Officer had also committed a serious irregularity in taking into consideration nine other charges which had been framed by the Chairman and Executive Authority of the Municipality on a previous occasion against the petitioner for it is highly improper to take into consideration some other charges against a public servant which were not included in the charges that he was called upon to meet and then to use these charges as an aggravating circumstance for passing the maximum punishment."
6. According to the Learned counsel for the Review Applicant, the Review Applicant has not been provided with an opportunity to defend his case as to his involvement of 22 times in committing the offence. Therefore, the observation of this Court in W.A. No.437 of 2011 by virtue of order dated 25.4.2012 is not a correct one.
7. At this juncture, we deem it appropriate to point out that while dismissing the writ appeal in W.A. No.437 of 2011 dated 25.4.2012, in paragraph 6, this Court has observed as follows:-
"6. From the charges framed and on going through the Award of the Labour Court, it cannot be said that the Labour Court without considering the materials on record, had passed a short order. The Labour Court considering the charges framed and the punishment imposed, had taken a lenient view by directing the Department to provide alternative employment. The learned single Judge, though found that the charges are grave, confirmed the findings of the Labour Court. In other words, it is to be stated that both the Labour Court and the learned single Judge have taken a very lenient view in the matter. The materials placed before this Court, on the other hand, show that he has involved 22 times in committing the offences. Considering the materials placed, the learned Judge has rightly not interfered with the Award passed by the Labour Court. As such, we see no illegality or infirmity so as to interfere with the order of the learned single Judge. Accordingly, the Writ Appeal is dismissed. However, there will be no order as to costs. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petition is closed."
8. From the above observation made by this Court in W.A. No.437 of 2011 dated 25.4.2012, it is quite evident that this Court has only made a passing reference in the aforesaid paragraph to the effect that the mat
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