Kuldip Singh, J.

The petitioner, who is a retired Junior Engineer from Punjab State Electricity Board (now Punjab State Power Corporation Limited), has invoked the writ jurisdiction of this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of a writ of certiorari for quashing the impugned order dated 24.9.2007 (Annexure-P-4), passed by respondent No. 3, vide which the period during which the petitioner remained dismissed from service on account of his conviction in a criminal case for offence punishable under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, from 12.2.1996 to 23.3.2004, the dismissal period was ordered to be treated as leave of kind due. Further, writ of mandamus is sought, directing the respondents to consider the said period as a period on duty and grant all the consequential benefits including the retiral benefits.

2. The petitioner was working as a Junior Engineer with the Punjab State Electricity Board, now taken over by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (in short 'PSPCL'), at Rural Sub Division, Gidderbaha. On 24.6.1992, FIR No. 42 dated 24.6.1992 was registered at Police Station Gidderbaha, under Section 7 read with Secti