IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE K.SURENDRA MOHAN FRIDAY, THE 9TH DECEMBER 2011 / 18TH AGRAHAYANA 1933 WP(C).No. 31199 of 2011(Y) ------------------------- PETITIONER(S): ----------------------- 1. M.E.OUSEPH, ASSISTANT ENGINEER, QUALITY CONTROL DISTRICT LAB, KERALA WATER AUTHORITY, ALUVA P.O., PIN-683101. 2. JOSEPH SEBASTIAN, ASSISTANT ENGINEER, P.H.SECTION, KERALA WATER AUTHORITY, KURUPPAMPADY P.O., PIN-683545, PERUMBAVOOR, ERNAKULAM DISTRICT. 3. K.V.SABU, IST GRADE DRAFTSMAN, P.H.SUB DIVISION, KERALA WATER AUTHORITY, ANGAMALY P.O., PIN-683572. 4. BIJU JOSE EAPEN, ASSISTANT ENGINEER, P.H.SECTION, KERALA WATER AUTHORITY, EDATHUA P.O., PIN-689573. BY ADVS. SRI.WILSON URMESE SRI.JOHNSON K.KURIEN RESPONDENT(S): ------------------------- 1. THE MANAGING DIRECTOR, KERALA WATER AUTHORITY, JALA BHAVAN, VELLAYAMBALAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN-695033. 2. THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, WATER RESOURCES (WSC) DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN-695001. R1 BY ADV. SMT.AMBIKA DEVI, SC, KWA R2 BY SR. GOVT. PLEADER SRI. E.M. ABDUL KHADER THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 09/12/2011, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: Mn ...2/- WP(C).No. 31199 of 2011(Y) APPENDIX PETITIONERS' EXHIBITS : EXT.P1 TRUE COPY OF THE CIRCULAR DATED 24/5/2006 OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF KERALA. EXT.P2 TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 27/10/1999 OF THE KERALA WATER AUTHORITY. EXT.P3 TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 03/04/2008 ISSUED BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT. EXT.P4 TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 10/1/2008 OF THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, PATTOOR, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. EXT.P5 TRUE COPY OF THE LETTER DATED 20/9/2010 OF THE EXE.ENGINEER. EXT.P5(a) TRUE COPY OF THE LETTER DATED 17/8/2010 OF THE IST RESPONDENT. EXT.P6 TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION FILED BY THE IST PETITIONER DATED 19/7/2011. EXT.P7 TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION DATED 20/7/2011 FILED BY THE 2ND PETITIONER. EXT.P8 TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION DATED 16/7/2011 FILED BY THE 3RD PETITIONER. EXT.P9 TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION DATED 19/7/2011 FILED BY THE 4TH PETITIONER. RESPONDENTS' EXHIBITS : NIL //TRUE COPY// P.S. TO JUDGE Mn K. SURENDRA MOHAN, J. ------------------------------------------------------------ W.P(C) NO: 31199 OF 2011 ----------------------------------------------------------- Dated this the 9th December, 2011. JUDGMENT The petitioners who are employees of the Kerala Water Authority have filed this writ petition claiming that they are entitled to the benefit of their prior service in other departments. Petitioners 1,2 and 4 are working as Assistant Engineers and the third petitioner is a I grade Draftsman. Before joining the Kerala Water Authority they had put in substantial periods of service with other departments like Irrigation Department and the Public Works Department. According to the petitioners, in the light of Exts.P1 and P2 circular and order, they are entitled to be granted due weightage of the service put in by them as employees of other departments. Reliance is also placed on Ext.P4 order by which such benefit has been granted to a similarly placed employee. 2. According to the petitioners though they have submitted Exts.P6 to P9 representations seeking redressal of their grievances, they have not been considered by the authorities till date. The petitioners therefore seek the issue of appropriate orders directing their claims to be considered. WPC 31199/2011 2 3. I have heard the Standing Counsel for the Kerala Water Authority also. 4. In view of the limited relief that is claimed, I am of opinion that this writ petition can be disposed of directing the claims of the petitioners to be considered. 5. This writ petition is accordingly disposed of directing the first respondent to consider the claims of the petitioners set out in their representations, evidenced herein by Exts.P6 to P9, in accordance with law and to pass appropriate orders thereon, as expeditiously as possible and at any rate within a period of two months from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment, after affording an opportunity of being heard to the petitioners. Sd/- K. SURENDRA MOHAN Judge jj P.S.to Judge WPC 31199/2011 3