1 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 12.07.2011 CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE S.MANIKUMAR W.P.(MD)No.7704 of 2011 and M.P.(MD)No.1 of 2011 S.Muthukumar .. Petitioner Vs. The Deputy Director of Health Services, Visvanathapuram,Madurai-625 014. .. Respondent PRAYER: Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for the issuance of a Writ of Certiorari, to call for the records of the respondent relating to R.No.4014/A-1/2002, dated 01.07.2011 and quash the same. For Petitioner : Mr.S.Visvalingam For Respondent : Mr.T.S.Mohammed Mohideen Additional Government Pleader ORDER Mr.T.S.Mohammed Mohideen, learned Additional Government Pleader, takes notice on behalf of the respondent. 2. Proceeding dated 01.07.2011 of the Deputy Director of Health Services, Visvanathapuram, Madurai, proposing to conduct an enquiry with reference to the charges framed in the Government Letter in R.No.4014/A-1/2002, dated 25.04.2007 initiated under Rule 17(b) of the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules and the appointment of Tmt.N.Latha Freeda John, District Malaria Officer of the office of the Deputy Director of Health Services, Madurai, as the enquiry officer to enquire into the charges framed against the petitioner, under the above said proceedings, are challenged in this Writ Petition on the ground inter alia that the respondent has no jurisdiction to exercise suo motu power of review or to sit over his decision made in R.C.No.4014/A-1/2002, dated 08.09.2010, by which, action was dropped with reference to the same charges and further, when direction of the respondent to the petitioner to remit a sum of Rs.2,693/- towards travelling expenses had already been paid by the writ petitioner. In support of the above contention, Mr.S.Visvalingam, learned counsel for the petitioner, took this Court through the orders dated 08.09.2010. 3. Heard the learned counsel for the parties and perused the materials available on record. 4. Vide proceeding in R.C.No.4014/A-1/2002, dated 25.04.2007, the Deputy Director of Health Services, Madurai District has initiated disciplinary action under Rule 17(b) of the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, on the ground that the petitioner has committed the following delinquency: "(i). In government service acted in a partial manner. (ii). Placing a wrong income tax return before the Medical Officer and obtained his approval stating as it is a true one. https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 2 (iii). Claiming right over an inadmissible travelling allowance for attending treasury works. (iv). Since the Medical Officer has not sanctioned list of General Provident Fund temporary advance for him, he failed to submit the list of General Provident Fund temporary advance pertain to other staff in the treasury." 5. The petitioner was called upon to offer his explanation to the above said charges and in response to the same, he submitted a detailed explanation on 10.10.2007. After considering the abovesaid explanation, the Deputy Director of Health Services, Madurai, by proceedings in R.C.No.4014/A1/2002, dated 08.09.2010, has dropped further action on the charges. The order dated 08.09.2010 is extracted hereunder: "e.f.vz;.4014/m1/02 Jiz naf;Feh; Rfhjhug;gzpfs; mYtyfk;, kJiu. ehs; 8-09-2010. bghUs;: gzpf;FG -– bghJ Rfhjhuk; muR Muk;g Rfhjhu epiyak;, fr;rfl;o Kd;dhy; cjtpahsh; jpU.Brh.Kj;Jf;Fkhh; gzpg[hpe;j fhyj;jpw;fhd FiwghL Fwpj;J bjhlug;gl;l Fw;wr;rhl;L Fwpg;ghiz –- nWjpahiz gpwg;gpj;jy; rk;ge;jkhf. ghh;it: nt;tYtyf e.f.vz;.4014/m1/02, ehs;:25.04.2007 2. jpU.Brh.Kj;Jf;Fkhh; fz;fhzpg;ghsh; jw;rkak; muR Muk;g Rfhjhu epiyak; myA;fhey;Y]h;. gjpy; ehs; 10.04.2007. 3. jpU.Brh.Kj;Jf;Fkhh; fz;fhzpg;ghsh;, muR Muk;g Rfhjhu epiyak;, myA;fhey;Y]h; tpz;zg;gk; ehs; 06.09.2010 -------- ghh;it 1y; fhZk; nt;tYtyf fojg;go jpU.Brh.Kj;Jf;Fkhh; cjtpahsh; Kd;dhy; muR Muk;g Rfhjhu epiyak;, fr;rfl;o gzpg[hpe;j fhyA;fspy; Vw;gl;lj mYtyf eilKiwapy; Vw;gl;l gzp Fwpj;J 17(gp) d;go Fw;wr;rhl;L Fwpg;ghiz tHA;fg;gl;lJ. mjw;F jdpah; ghh;it 2y; fhZk; fojg;go 10.04.2007 md;W nt;tYtyfj;jpy; gjpy; rkh;g;gpj;Js;shh;. md;dhh; kPz;Lk; 06.09.2010 md;W Bkw;fz;l Bfhg;gpid Kof;f kDr;bra;jjpd; Bghpy; Bkw;fz;l Bfhg;gpid jPu Ma;t[ bra;jjpy; Fw;wr;rhl;L vd; 3y; Twg;gl;ljw;F mthpd; tpsf;fj;jpid Vw;Wf;bfhz;lhYk; muR tpjpKiwf;F khwhf gazg;go bgwg;gl;Ls;sjhy; mf;fhyA;fSf;fhd gzag;go bjhifapid fzf;fpl;L muR fzf;fpy; brYj;j mwpt[iu tHA;fpa[k;, gpw Fw;wr;rhl;Lfis mYtyf eilKiwapy; Vw;gl;Ls;s jtW vd fUjpa[k; nf;Bfhg;g[ gy Mz;Lfshf epYitapy; nUg;gjhYk; nf;Bfhg;g [ nj;Jld; Kof;fg;gLfpwJ. (Charges Dropped) Jiz naf;Feh; Rfhjhug; gzpfs; kJiu. https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 3 bgWeh; jpU.Brh.Kj;Jf;Fkhh;, fz;fhzpg;ghsh;, muR Muk;g Rfhjhuepiyak;, myA;fhey;Y]h;, kJiu khtl;lk;, tl;lhu kUj;Jt mYtyh; muR Muk;g Rfhjhu epiyak; myA;fhey;Y]h; Kykhf. efy; tl;lhu kUj;Jt mYtyh;, muR Muk;g Rfhjhu epiyak;, myA;fhey;Y]h; kw;Wk; fr;rfl;o. efy; rkh;g;gpf;fg;gLfpwJ. naf;Feh; bghJ Rfhjhuk; kw;Wk; Beha; jLg;g[ kUe;J Jiw, brd;id." 6. While that be so, the very same authority, vide impugned proceeding dated 01.07.2011, has proposed to conduct an enquiry under Rule 17(b) of the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, with reference to the charges dropped already on 08.09.2010 and appointed the District Malaria Officer as enquiry officer. As rightly pointed out by the learned counsel for the petitioner, once an order has been passed dropping further action on the disciplinary action, the Deputy Director of Health Services, Madurai, becomes functus officio and that he has no power to suo motu review any decision. As per the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, power of suo motu review can be exercised only by the Head of the Department/Government and the original authority, who has passed the order, has not been vested with any such power of review. As action on the disciplinary proceedings in R.C.No.4014/A-1/2002, dated 25.04.2007, has already been dropped, the impugned order passed by the respondent is arbitrary and without jurisdiction. 7. In such view of the matter, the impugned order dated 01.07.2011 passed by the respondent is liable to be set aside and accordingly, set aside and the Writ Petition stands allowed. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petition is closed. No costs. Sd/- Assistant Registrar(Crl.Side) /TRUE COPY/ Sub Assistant Registrar To The Deputy Director of Health Services, Visvanathapuram,Madurai-625 014. +1cc to Special Govt.Pleader SR.No.22888 Order made in W.P.(MD)No.7704 of 2011 Dated:- 12.07.2011 SML PA/15.07.2011/3P/3C https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/