SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

1959 Supreme(All) 79

HIGH COURT OF ALLAHBAD
S. S. DHAVAN, J.
Laxmi Narain Pande
Versus
Dist. Magistrate
Civil Misc. Writ No. 2218 of 1958
Decided On : 02-04-1959

Advocates:
S.N. Misra, for Applicant; Laxmi Saran, Addl. Junior Standing Counsel, for State.

Headnote:

GOVERNMENT SERVANTS - CONDUCT RULES - SCOPE - POWER OF GOVERNMENT TO DISMISS OR REMOVE GOVERNMENT SERVANT FOR MISCONDUCT UNCONNECTED WITH HIS OFFICIAL DUTIES - EXTENT OF - UNWRITTEN CODE OF CONDUCT - APPLICABILITY - CHARGES AGAINST PETITIONER - SOME RELATING TO HIS CONDUCT AS GOVERNMENT SERVANT - PETITION PREMATURE - DISMISSED.

Fact of the Case:

The petitioner, a Government servant, was accused of having entered the house of a neighbour and made immoral advances to his wife. He was suspended and a departmental enquiry was instituted against him. The petitioner filed a writ petition challenging the jurisdiction of the departmental enquiry on the ground that the alleged misconduct was unconnected with his official duties and that the Government had no power to dismiss or remove him for such misconduct.

Finding of the Court:

The Court held that the Government has the power, under Art. 310 of the Constitution, to dismiss or remove or otherwise punish a Government servant even for acts unconnected with his official duties if Government are of the opinion that if the act in question amounts to misconduct unbecoming or unworthy of a Government official or violates the unwritten Code of conduct: provided that Government comply with the provisions of Art. 311 and give a reasonable opportunity to the accused official to show cause against the action proposed to be taken against him.

Issues: 1. Whether the Government has the power to dismiss or remove a Government servant for misconduct unconnected with his official duties? 2. Whether the petitioner's alleged misconduct was unconnected with his official duties? 3. Whether the departmental enquiry against the petitioner was within jurisdiction?

Ratio Decidendi: 1. The Government has the power, under Art. 310 of the Constitution, to dismiss or remove or otherwise punish a Government servant even for acts unconnected with his official duties if Government are of the opinion that if the act in question amounts to misconduct unbecoming or unworthy of a Government official or violates the unwritten Code of conduct: provided that Government comply with the provisions of Art. 311 and give a reasonable opportunity to the accused official to show cause against the action proposed to be taken against him. 2. The petitioner's alleged misconduct was not unconnected with his official duties as it related to his conduct as a Government servant. 3. The departmental enquiry against the petitioner was within jurisdiction.

Final Decision: The petition was dismissed with costs.

ORDER :- This is a petition under Art. 226 of the Constitution praying for the issue of a writ of mandamus directing the District Magistrate and Collector, Ballia and the Sub-Divisional Officer, Ballia not to proceed with a departmental enquiry into the conduct of the petitioner and not to enforce an order of suspension passed against the petitioner by the Collector of Ballia. The petitioner has made the following allegations in his affidavit supporting the petition.

2. He entered the service of the State of Uttar Pradesh in the year 1952 and worked as permanent Supervisor Qanungo for several years. In May 1958 he was appointed Naib Tahsildar Taxation. He alleges that, on or about 26th July, 1958, a conspiracy was hatched to "frame" the petitioner and involve him in serious trouble. According to him the author of this conspiracy was a man called Chaturbhuj Sahai who was an officiating Sadar Qanungo and living as almost next door neighbour to the petitioner. This mans motive or cause of hostility to the petitioner has been detailed in several paragraphs of his affidavit.

The petitioner alleges that Chaturbhuj Sahai, though senior to the petitioner, was officiating as Sadar Qanungo with effect from February 1958. He remained under suspension for several years for "misappropriation etcetra" and came out of the clouds only recently. The petitioner further alleges that Chaturbhuj Sahais financial condition was "far from satisfactory" as a result of his suspension and on account of his family troubles. Consequently, after he was appointed officiating Sadar Qanungo "he has been making efforts for making gains for himself in numerous ways".

But the petitioner "did not cooperate with him in his designs", with the result that he was not in the good books of Chaturbhuj Sahai. In May 1958 the petitioner was appointed Naib Tahsildar Taxation but the hopes of Chaturbhuj Sahai "in respect of the applicant (the petitioner) were belied". As far as I have been able to understand this allegation, it contains the obvious innundo that Chaturbhuj Sahai was trying to abuse his official position for the purpose of making illegal gains but the petitioner prevented him from doing so, or at any rate, did not cooperate with him in his designs, and that this was one of the contributory causes of Chaturbhuj Sahais hostility to the petitioner, the other being his natural hostility to a person who though his junior in years, had shot ahead of him and had been promoted Naib Tahsildar Taxation.

Another cause which, according to the petitioner, fanned Chaturbhuj Sahais hostility to him was his (Chaturbhuj Sahais) desire to "push up" a man called Asthana who, though junior to the petitioner, was expected to be more accommodating in the matter of helping Chaturbhuj Sahai in his financial difficulties. The petitioners case is that for all these reasons Chaturbhuj Sahai wanted the petitioner out of the way and hatched a conspiracy to achieve his object.

3. The details of the conspiracy are given in the petitioners affidavit. He says that Chaturbhuj Sahai made a false allegation against him that, on the night between 26th and 27th July 1958, the petitioner entered the house of Chaturbhuj Sahai for the purpose of illicit intercourse with the latters wife. The petitioner alleges that this false allegation was manufactured in the course of that very night by Chaturbhuj Sahai. One of the reasons which may have prompted Chaturbhuj Sahai to make this allegation may be, according to the petitioner, "That he is addicted to liquor and the conspiracy related to the home affairs of the said Sri Chaturbhuj Sahai". This last allegation has been left vague and no particulars have been given.

4. The petitioner alleges that no incident happened that night. He points out that no police report was made and he was never taken to the police station. According to him, the allegation subsequently made by Chaturbhuj Sahai was a complete fabrication.

5. Chaturbhuj Sahai made a complaint to the Di






















































































Click Here to Read the rest of this document

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top