CWPNo.1740 of 2008 -1- In the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh. Date of decision: 20.01.2009 Avtar Kaur and another ... Petitioners Versus The State of Punjab and others ... Respondents. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PERMOD KOHLI Present: Mr.Ajay Pal Singh, Advocate,for the petitioners. MrBS Chahal, Senior DAG, Punjab, for the respondents. PERMOD KOHLI, J. (Oral): I have heard the learned counsel for the parties at length. The petitioners are aggrieved of the order dated 18.12.2007 (Annexure P-7) whereby their services as Anganwari workers have been terminated by the District Programme Officer, Sangrur. It is the admitted position that the Panchayats of villages Dashmesh Nagar Kotthe Daska and Daska, block Lehragaga, Distt. Sangrur, invited applications for engagement of Anganwari Workers and the last date was 31.08.2007. Both the panchayats recommended the names of the candidates, who had applied within time. However, the CDPO vide his orders Annexure P-3 and P-4 appointed the petitioners as Anganwari Workers by directly entertaining their applications dated 04.09.2007 and 06.09.2007, respectively. A complaint was lodged and the the petitioners were heard by the District Programme Officer, Sangrur. After hearing the petitioners, the District Programme Officer has passed the impugned order CWPNo.1740 of 2008 -2- terminating services of the petitioners on the ground that the CDPO appointed them in gross violation of the norms by entertaining their applications directly after the last date without receipt of the applications by the concerned panchayats and that the concerned Panchayats did not recommend their names as they did not apply within time. Learned counsel for the petitioner has relied upon Annexure P- 1, which is the application of one of the petitioners-Avtar Kaur which was allegedly presented to the Panchayat on 27.08.2007. No resolution was passed by the Panchayat. Learned counsel for the petitioner has also referred to a complaint made on 01.09.2007. The petitioner also relied upon Annexure R-1, filed with the reply by respondent Nos. 1 to 3 the instructions dated 12.10.2004 issued by the Programme Officer, Sangrur. Under these instructions, where the Gram Panchayats of the villages do not receive the applications, the same can be made to the CDPO directly and the CDPO after entertaining the applications was required to forward the same to the concerned Gram Panchayats for passing appropriate resolution. Based upon these instructions, it is contended that since the Gram Panchayats did not entertain the applications of the petitioners within time, therefore, the CDPO was entitled to entertain their applications directly and make appointment. This plea of the petitioners is also without any substance. There is nothing on record to indicate that the CDPO after entertaining the applications after the last date had forwarded the same to the Gram Panchayats for passing resolutions. To the contrary, the CDPO on his own, on receipt of the applications of the petitioners, even without determining the comparative merit, appointed the petitioners. The appointment of the petitioners has been terminated after affording them an CWPNo.1740 of 2008 -3- opportunity of hearing. Since the appointment of the petitioners was contrary to the laid down norms, it has been rightly quashed by the competent authority. In view of the above, I find no merit in the present petition and the same is hereby dismissed with no order as to costs. 20.01.2009. (PERMOD KOHLI) BLS JUDGE Note: Whether to be referred to the Reporter? NO