CWP No. 745 of 1994 -1- IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CWP No. 745 of 1994 Date of decision: 26.08.2011 Gurjit Singh and others ...Petitioners versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE RITU BAHRI Present:- None for the petitioners. Mr. Praveen Chander Goyal, Addl.A.G. Punjab Mr. Harjot Singh Bedi, Advocate for Mr. Mohinder Singh Bedi, Advocate for respondent No. 3-Bank *** RITU BAHRI, J. (Oral) The petition under Articles 226 & 227 of the Constitution of India is for issuance of direction to the respondents to grant one additional increment which became due to the petitioners after passing the Gyani examination. Petitioners are working in the Punjab State Co-operative Bank Ltd., Sector 17, Chandigarh (for short 'the Bank') as Steno/Clerks. Vide circular dated 17.09.1991, the Bank had informed all the employees that any employee who pass Gyani examination would be given one additional increment (Annexure P-1). After acquiring the aforesaid qualification, the petitioners were not granted the above said benefit and they were informed that they were entitled to Rs.500/- in lump sum as per letter dated 17.03.1993. The petitioners were seeking the benefit of one additional increment which became due to them after passing the Gyani examination. CWP No. 745 of 1994 -2- Learned counsel for respondent No. 3-Bank has taken a preliminary objection that the writ petition filed by the petitioners is not maintainable against the respondent-bank as it is not covered under Article 12 of the Constitution. He has placed reliance on the judgment of this Court rendered in the case of 'Ranjit Singh vs. The Registrar, Co-operative Societies, 2011(1) RSJ 240' wherein the writ petition filed against the Punajb State Co-operative Bank was dismissed ont he question of maintanibility and liberty was granted to the petitioner to approach the appropriate/competent authority for redressal of his grievance under the Punjab Co-operative Societies Act, 1961 and Rules, 1963. He has also referred to the instructions issued by the Registrar (Annexure R-3/1)to the Managing Director of the Punjab dated 02.04.1991. As per this letter, it was decided that those employees who will get the qualification of Gyani (owners in Punjabi) or M.A in Punjabi Language, they will be rewarded for Rs. 500/- (for residents of Punjab State) and Rs. 1000/- (for non-Punjabis). These instructions were to be complied with strictly as per Government letter dated 15.12.1992 (Annexure R-3/2) After going through the facts, the writ petition against the bank is not maintainable and the same is hereby disposed of with liberty to the petitioner to approach the appropriate/competent authority for redressal of his grievance in case as per Annexure R-3/1 , Rs. 500/- on acquiring the qualification has not been given to him by the bank till date. August 26, 2011 ( RITU BAHRI ) G.Arora JUDGE