IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA

Civil Writ Petition No. 3457 of 2025

Date of Decision: 22.12.2025

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Sh. Satish Chander

……...Petitioner Versus

State of Himachal Pradesh and Anr.

…....Respondents

Coram

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sandeep Sharma, Judge.

Whether approved for reporting? Yes.

For the Petitioner: Mr. Nikhil Katwal, Advocate.

For the respondents: Mr. Anup Rattan, Advocate General, Mr. Rajan

Kahol & Mr. Vishal Panwar, Additional Advocates General and Mr. Ravi Chauhan & Mr. Anish Banshtu, Deputy Advocates

General.

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Sandeep Sharma, J. (Oral)

Precisely, the question which needs to be determined in

the case at hand, is that “whether allegation of unauthorized absence of an employee from service can be sustained without proving that

unauthorized absence was willful or not?”

2. Precisely, facts of the case as emerges from the pleadings adduced on record by the respective parties are that on 12.5.1997 petitioner was appointed as Junior Engineer at HPPWD, Chenab Valley Division Udaipur, Lahaul and Spiti, on regular basis. After his having put in more tha