IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE K.BALAKRISHNAN NAIR & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M.L.JOSEPH FRANCIS WEDNESDAY, THE 18TH MARCH 2009 / 27TH PHALGUNA 1930 WP(C).No. 22392 of 2006(S) -------------------------- (O.A.NO.1092/1992 OF THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL, ERNAKULAM BENCH) PETITIONER(S): --------------- 1. THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF POSTS, DEPARTMENT OF POSTS, NEW DELHI. 2. MEMBER (PERSONNEL), DEPARTMENT OF POSTS, NEW DELHI. 3. THE CHIEF POSTMASTER GENERAL, KERALA CIRCLE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 4. THE DIRECTOR OF POSTAL SERVIES, SOUTHERN REGION, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF POSTMASTER GENERAL, KERALA CIRCLE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 5. THE UNION OF INDIA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS, NEW DELHI. BY SRI.JOHN VARGHESE, ASSISTANT SG SRI.P.PARAMESWARAN NAIR, ASST. SOLICITOR GENERAL. RESPONDENT(S): --------------- 1. K.GOVINDAN ADIYODI, FORMERLY OFFICE ASSISTANT, OFFICE OF THE SUPDT. OF POST OFFICES, KASARAGOD.NOW RETIRED POSTMASTER RESIDING AT KENOTH HOUSE, PO PILICODE 671 353, KASARAGOD DT. 2. P.V.SREEDHARAN NAMBISSAN, FORMERLY MANAGER, POSTAL STORES DEPOT, CALICUT AT FEROKE P.O., FEROKE-673 631. NOW RETIRED POSTMASTER RESIDING AT MEENA NIVAS, NEAR GLP SCHOOL, ARUKIZHAYA, MANJERI – 676 121. WPC 22392/06 BY SRI.O.V.RADHAKRISHNAN, SENIOR ADVOCATE APPEARING ALONG WITH SMT.K.RADHAMANI AMMA FOR R1 SRI.M.R.RAJENDRAN NAIR, SENIOR ADVOCATE APPEARING ALONG WITH SRI.M.R.HARI RAJ FOR R2 THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 18/03/2009, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: WPC 22392/06 APPENDIX PETITIONERS' EXTS. EXT.P1 - TRUE COPY OF O.A.NO.1092/1992 OF THE CAT, ERNAKULAM DT. 02.08.1992. EXT.P2 - TRUE COPY OF THE REPLY STATEMENT FILED BY THE PETITIONERS HEREIN IN O.A.NO.1092/1992 DT.9.2.1993. EXT.P3 - TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DT. 9.7.1993 IN O.A.NO.1092/1992 OF THE CAT, ERNAKULAM. EXT.P4 - TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DT. 17.11.1987 ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF POSTS. EXT.P5 - TRUE COPY OF THE O.M.NO.9/1155-RPS DT.22.12.1959 ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS. EXT.P6 - TRUE COPY OF THE COMMUNICATION DT.18.2.1997 ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS, DEPT. OF POSTS. EXT.P7 - TRUE COPY OF THE NOTICE DT. 14.3.1997 ISSUED TO THE 2ND RESPONDENT. EXT.P8 - TRUE COPY OF THE COMMUNICATION DT. 9.6.1997 ISSUED TO THE 2ND RESPONDENT. EXT.P9 - TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT OF THIS HON'BLE COURT IN O.P.NO.16613/2000 DATED 13.6.2000. EXT.P10 - TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER OF THE CAT, ERNAKULAM IN O.A. 1455/1995 DT. 22.11.1995. EXT.P11 - TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER OF THE CAT, ERNAKULAM IN O.A.1113/2000 DT. 20.11.2000. EXT.P12 - TRUE COPY OF THE RELEVANT PAGES OF THE CIRCLE GRADATION LIST AS ON 1.7.1987. /TRUE COPY/ K.BALAKRISHNAN NAIR & M.L.JOSEPH FRANCIS, JJ. ----------------------------------------- W.P.(C) NO. 22392 OF 2006-S ----------------------------------------- Dated 18th March, 2009. JUDGMENT Balakrishnan Nair, J. This Writ Petition is filed, challenging Ext.P3 order of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Ernakulam Bench in O.A.No.1092/1992 dated 9.7.1993. There is a delay of more than 13 years in challenging the said order. Further, in view of the direction of the Apex Court in L.Chandra Kumar v. Union of India [(1997)3 SCC 261], the Writ Petition challenging the said order of the CAT is not maintainable before this Court. The relevant portion of the said judgment reads as follows: “94. The directions issued by us in respect of making the decisions of Tribunals amenable to scrutiny before a Division Bench of the respective High Courts will, however, come into effect prospectively i.e., will apply to decisions rendered hereafter. To maintain the sanctity of judicial proceedings, we have invoked the doctrine of prospective overruling so as not to disturb the procedure in relation to decisions already rendered.” The judgment in L.Chandra Kumar (supra) was rendered on 18.3.1997. WPC 22392/2006 2 So, in view of the above direction issued by the Apex Court, this Writ Petition challenging Ext.P3 order dated 9.7.1993 is not maintainable. Accordingly, it is dismissed. K.BALAKRISHNAN NAIR, JUDGE. M.L.JOSEPH FRANCIS, JUDGE. nm/