High Court Of Madhya Pradesh
A. K. SRIVASTAVA, S. P. KHARE
VIJAY SHANKAR TRIPATHI - Appellant
Versus
PROJECT OFFICER - Respondents
L. P. A. 739 Of 2002
Decided On : 09/24/2004
Resignation - Employment Dispute - Standing Orders, Clause 24.3, Clause 32.2 - Punjab National Bank v. P. K. Mittal, AIR 1989 SC 1083 : 1989 Supp (2) SCC 175 : 1989-I-LLJ- 368 - J. K. Cotton Spinning and weaving Mills Company Ltd. v. State of U. P and others AIR 1990 SC 1808 : 1990 (4) SCC 27 : 1991-I-LLJ-39 - Dr. Prabha Atri v. State of U. P. and others AIR 2003 SC 534 : 2003 (1) SCC 701 : 2003-I-LLJ-1123 - Union of India v. Wing Commander T. Parthasarathy AIR 2001 SC 158 : 2001 (1) SCC 158 - Shambhu murari v. Project and Development India and another AIR 2000 SC 2473 : 2000 (5) SCC 621 : 2000-II-LLJ-935
Fact of the Case:
The appellant submitted a resignation letter and later requested its withdrawal, claiming that the resignation was withdrawn before it was accepted. The respondent argued that the resignation was accepted before the withdrawal request was made.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the resignation letter was conditional and not unconditional, and therefore, it could not be equated with a resignation. It held that the resignation was withdrawn before its acceptance, rendering the acceptance of the resignation letter by the respondent after its withdrawal meaningless in the eye of the law.
Issues: The main issue was whether the resignation was withdrawn before its acceptance, and the applicability of the standing orders and relevant case law.
Ratio Decidendi: The court relied on the principle that a resignation must be unconditional and with an intention to operate as such. It also considered the timing of the withdrawal request and the acceptance of the resignation, as well as the interpretation of the standing orders and relevant case law.
Final Decision: The appeal was allowed, the orders of the single judge and the tribunal were set aside, and the respondents were directed to reinstate the petitioner in service with 30% back wages.
( 1 ) THIS appeal has been preferred by appellant Vijay Shankar against the impugned order passed by learned single Judge dismissing, his writ petition and affirming the order passed by the Central Government industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court (in short the Tribunal) dated August 26, 1998. The appellant was appointed on the post of "auto helper Category-II" in the year 1984. It is admitted by the parties that the petitioner submitted his resignation vide letter dated september 10, 1991 (Annexurea/1 ). On going through the resignation letter, it is found that a prayer to accept it immediately was made. According to appellant he did submit the application to withdraw the resignation vide annexure A-2 on the same day i. e. September 10, 1991. On going through the withdrawal letter, it is gathered that in a heat of passion, he did submit an application of resignation. However on the same day, he requested not to accept the resignation, by submitting application of withdrawal. There is a note at the bottom of Annexure A-2 that it was received on September 11, 1991. The contention of appellant before the Tribunal as well as before the writ Court, was that since before the acceptance of the resignation letter, he withdrew the resignation on (sic) September 10, 1991, therefore the resignation could not have been accepted on September 11, 1991.
( 2 ) THE other contention which was raised on behalf of appellant before the Tribunal as well as before the writ Court was that in view of clause 24. 3 of the Standing Orders, no workman is permitted to leave the service of the employer unless notice in writing is given of one month in the case of monthly paid workman and two weeks in the case of weekly paid workman. The attention was also invited to the proviso to clause 24. 3 which empowers the employer to relax this condition but subject to the payment of cash in lieu of such notice. It was further proponed before the writ Court as well as before the Tribunal that the certificate issued by Superintendent of respondent certifying that petitioner did work on september 10, 1991 as well as on September 11, 1991 and therefore, if the resignation was accepted on September 10, 1991, how appellant was allowed to work on September 11, 1991 and therefore it cannot be said that the resignation was accepted on September 10, 1991.
( 3 ) COMBATING the aforesaid submissions, on behalf of respondents, a return was submitted in the writ Court in which it was pleaded that appellant was working as a labourer and he had submitted his resignation on account of his personal difficulties with a request for its immediate acceptance. The resignation of the appellant was accepted by respondent on September 10, 1991 and therefore, the request of withdrawal of resignation which was made on the next day i. e. September 11, 1991 was without any sanguinity. It was submitted in the writ Court on behalf of respondent that clause 32. 2 of the standing Orders gives right to the employer to accept the resignation with immediate effect. According to case of respondents since resignation was accepted on September 10, 1991, therefore, the appellant had no case and therefore he is not entitled for any relief.
( 4 ) THE Tribunal as well as the writ Court did find the merit in the contentions raised by respondent. The writ Court did not accept the contention of appellant and held that clause 24. 3 of the Standing Orders is not applicable in his case and on the other hand clause 32. 1 is applicable. The case of Punjab National Bank v. P. K. Mittal, AIR 1989 SC 1083 : 1989 Supp (2) SCC 175 : 1989-I-LLJ- 368 and Ravinder singh v. State of M. P. and others 1995 (2) SLR 424, were not found to be applicable by learned single Judge. The learned single judge by placing reliance on the decision of the Supreme court in the case of J. K. Cotton Spinning and weaving Mills Company Ltd. v. State of U. P and others AIR 1990 SC 1808 : 1990 (4) SCC 27 : 1991-I-LLJ-39 held tha
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