IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.N.RAVINDRAN FRIDAY, THE 19TH JUNE 2009 / 29TH JYAISHTA 1931 WP(C).No. 16991 of 2009(T) -------------------------------------- PETITIONER: ------------------- K.N.CHANDRAN, HEAD READER, GOVERNMENT CENTRAL PRESS, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. BY ADV. MR.P.C.SASIDHARAN. RESPONDENTS: ------------------------ 1. STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, HIGHER EDUCATION (H) DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. THE DIRECTOR OF PRINTING, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF PRINTING, GOVERNMENT CENTRAL PRESS, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. R1 & R2 BY GOVT. PLEADER SMT. ANU SIVARAMAN. THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 19/06/2009,THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: prv. P.N.RAVINDRAN, J. ----------------------------- W.P(C) No. 16991 of 2009-T ------------------------------ Dated this the 19th day of June, 2009. J U D G M E N T Heard Sri.P.C.Sasidharan, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Smt.Anu Sivaraman, the learned Government Pleader appearing for the respondents. 2. The petitioner, who is presently working as Head Reader in the Government Central Press, Thiruvananthapuram has filed this writ petition challenging Ext.P4 preliminary seniority list of Copy Holder, Reader Gr.II, Reader Gr.I and Senior Reader. The petitioner has also prayed for a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents not to review/revise the seniority position obtaining in Ext.P2 final seniority list. The petitioner's grievance appears to be that ignoring Ext.P1 letter sent by the Government, the second respondent has in Ext.P4 preliminary seniority list treated his transfer from Government Press, Ernakulam to Government Press, Shornur and his transfer back to Ernakulam as inter district transfers. 3. The pleadings disclose that the petitioner has filed Ext.P5 objection to be proposal in Ext.P4 to treat his transfer from Government Press, Ernakulam to Government Press, Shornur and back to Ernakulam as inter district transfers. Ext.P5 also refers to the stand taken by the W.P(C) No. 16991 of 2009-T 2 Government in Ext.P1. Since Ext.P4 is a preliminary seniority list and not a final seniority list, I am of the opinion that the petitioner should await the decision of the Director of of Printing before seeking the intervention of this Court. I accordingly dispose of this writ petition with the direction that the Director of Printing shall while finalising Ext.P4 preliminary seniority list have due regard to the objection set out by the petitioner in Ext.P5 and the stand taken by the Government in Ext.P1 letter. The Director shall while finalising the proposal in Ext.P4 specifically deal with the contentions raised by the petitioner based on Ext.P1 and give reasons in support of his conclusions. The Director of Printing shall after the final seniority list is published communicate a copy thereof together with the proceedings to the petitioner. If the petitioner is aggrieved by the rank and seniority assigned to him in the final seniority list, it will be open to him to challenge the same in other appropriate proceedings. The contentions of the petitioner on the merits are kept open. Sd/- P.N.RAVINDRAN JUDGE //True Copy// PA to Judge ab