IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AT SHIMLA CWPOA No. 3421 of 2019 Date of Decision: September 8, 2023 Vijay Kumar Verma …Petitioner.

Versus H State of Himachal Pradesh & others ..Respondents.

Coram:

The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vivek Singh Thakur, Judge.

Whether approved for reporting?1 For the Petitioner: Mr.Sanjeev Bhushan, Senior Advocate, alrongwith Mr.Rajesh Kumar, Advocate.

For the Respondentsu: Mr.Anup Rattan, Advocate General, alongwith Mr.Rajesh Mandhotra, Additional Advocate General.

Vivek Singh Thakur, J. (Oral)

Petitioner is serving as a Principal in Department of Hhigher Education, Himachal Pradesh. Being aggrieved by considerable long pendency of the Departmental Inquiries initiated against him, he has approached this Court with following reliefs:-

“(i) That an appropriate writ, order or directions may be issued and Annexure P-6 dated 1.2.2010, Annexure P-8 dated 29.4.2010, Annexure P-9 dated 3.8.2011 and Annexure P-12 dated 22.12.2012 may kindly be quashed and set aside and in the alternative all the inquiries may very kindly be ordered to be transferred to the Commissioner, Departmental Inquiries in the interest of justice.

(ii) That the suspension order dated 30.7.2012 Annexure P-11 may kindly be quashed and set aside with further directions to the respondents to

1 Whether reporters of the local papers may be allowed to see the judgment?

the respondents to pay the salary to the petitioner w.e.f. 1.8.2012 uptil 31^st March, 2013 with interest @ 9% p.a. being the suspension order .being completely and wholly unjustified and against the provisions of law.”

2. During pendency of the petition, respondent-State was directed to file status of Charge Sheet/Inquiries issued to/initiated against the petitioner. In response thereto, following status of Charge Sheet was submitted by the respondent-

Authorities:- t