1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.2139 OF 2007 Mahant Pal Singh. ...Petitioner. vs. 1.Union of India & others. ...Respondents. --- Mr.P.G.Pravin, for Petitioner. Ms.K.J.Presswala with Mr.K.R.Davierwale i/b. Mulla & Mulla, for Respondents. CORAM: D.K.DESHMUKH & R.G.KETKAR, JJ. DATED: 7th September,2009 P.C.:- 1. The petitioner by this petition challenges the order terminating his service. The petitioner was in service of Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited. As per the reply of the Respondents, Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) was a public sector undertaking but it was dis-invested after bidding process in favour of 2 TATA group with effect from 13.2.2002. As a consequence of disinvestment, the entire management of said company was transferred to TATA group from the said date, and therefore, according to the respondents, VSNL is not amenable to writ jurisdiction of this Court. The only contention raised by the learned Counsel appearing for petitioner is that the service conditions of the petitioner were governed by the Rules framed by the VSNL before its disinvestment and those rules continued to apply, and therefore, according to the petitioner, the Company is amenable to writ jurisdiction of this Court. 2. In our opinion, even assuming that the Rules continued to apply though the Company ceased to be controlled by the Government, merely because the Rules continued they will not have statutory force and the status of those rules would be contract between the employer and employee. Thus, we find that in view of disinvestment, VSNL is not amenable to writ jurisdiction of this Court, particularly, in relation to its role as employer. Therefore, no relief can be 3 granted in the petition. The petition is, therefore, rejected. (D.K.DESHMUKH, J.) (R.G.KETKAR, J.)