IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ANTONY DOMINIC TUESDAY, THE 29TH JUNE 2010 / 8TH ASHADHA 1932 WP(C).No. 19332 of 2010(N) -------------------------- PETITIONER(S): ---------------------- K.R.MOHANLAL, ASSISTANT DEVASWOM COMMISSIONER, ULLOOR GROUP, TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. BY ADV. SRI.BINOY VASUDEVAN SMT.P.G.BABITHA RESPONDENT(S): ---------------------- 1. TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY. 2. THE SECRETARY, TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD. 3. CHIEF COMMISSIONER, TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD. 4. COMMISSIONER, TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD. 5. G.ANIL KUMAR, ASSISTANT AUDIT OFFICER, OFFICE OF THE TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, ALUVA. 6. P.G.GOPALAKRISHNA PILLAI, ASSISTANT DEVASWOM ACCOUNTS OFFICER, KOTTARAKARA. 7. G.SANTHOSH, ASSISTANT DEVASWOM COMMISSIONER (ESTABLISHMENT MATTERS), OFFICE OF THE DEVASWOM COMMISSIONER, TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, NANTHANCODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. ADV. SRI.P.G.PARAMESWARA PANICKER, SENIOR ADVOCATE FOR R1 TO 4 SRI.P.GOPAL FOR R1 TO 4 THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 29/06/2010, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: ANTONY DOMINIC, J. ================ W.P.(C) NO. 19332 OF 2010 (N) ===================== Dated this the 29th day of June, 2010 J U D G M E N T Petitioner is an Assistant Devaswom Commissioner. He was working in the Ulloor Group. In the general transfer of 2010-11, petitioner opted for posting at Malayalpuzha Temple, Sreekandeswaram Temple and Kottarakkara Ganapathy Temple. By Ext.P1, he was posted as Administrative Officer at the Harippad Temple. It is challenging Ext.P1, the writ petition is filed. 2. The main contention raised is against the posting of the 6th respondent at the Kottarakkara Ganapathy temple, which was the third station opted by the petitioner. According to the petitioner, the 6th respondent is a native of Kollam and has been working in Kottarakkara station for the last four years. It is stated that initially, he was working as Administrative Officer in Pattazhi Devaswom and was subsequently transferred and posted as Assistant Audit Officer at Kottarakkara. It is alleged that he was again posted as Assistant Devaswom Commissioner in Kottarakkara, and while so, by the impugned order, he is posted WPC No. 19332/10 :2 : as Administrative Officer at the Kottarakkara Ganapathy temple. 3. According to the respondents, previously the 6th respondent was posted as Manager in the Pattazhi Temple coming under the Kottarakkara Group. It is stated that thereafter from 7/7/09, he is working as Assistant Devaswom Commissioner at Kottarakkara Group. It is pointed out that going by Ext.R4(a), the guidelines governing transfer, each of these places viz., Pattazhi Temple and Kottarakkara Group are different stations and therefore the posting of the 6th respondent is not in violation of Ext.R4(a) guidelines governing transfer and postings. 4. Ext.R4(a) defines a station as a Sub Group and in so far as the employees working in offices are concerned, station includes only office or offices within the same compound. In so far as the 6th respondent is concerned, if the aforesaid provision in Ext.R4(a) is applied to, the Pattazhi Temple and the Kottarakkara Assistant Commissioner's Office are different stations, and therefore, there is no violation of the guidelines in the matter of the posting of the 6th respondent. Therefore, the impugned order posting the 6th respondent at Kottarakkara Ganapathy Temple is WPC No. 19332/10 :3 : not in violation of the guidelines, and hence do not call for interference. Writ petition is dismissed. ANTONY DOMINIC, JUDGE Rp