-1- .* HieHeowropcmwrnseMWAresuwuit WritPetitian (aN».15Z8 »f2007 Pctitioner Ponneahuwr Din Vodw, S/o. ari Chetan Prasod Yadw, cged about 51 yeors, Upper OwisKm Teacher, Sovt. Hr. Sec. Schoot-Barpali-Oiampa, Block- B<mihnictti, Oistt.-Jorugw dwmpa (C.6.) Versus Respondents 1. State of Chhatti'sgorh, Through The Secwtary. Oepartment of Edu«ition,DXS. Bhcnan, Raipui- 2. DirectorPubBcInstructwn Chhattiqarh Sovt. Rnipur 3. &istrictEduc<riwnOfficer,Distt- Jar^gir clMunpa (Cj6.) Single Benchs Honble Mr. Justk* Satish K. ^gnilwtri. Present: Mr. Anil Sm^i Rcijput, Advoeate for •rtie petltioner. Ms. OeepaU Pcuidey, Paiel towyer fw the Sttite/nwpondenls. OflbER (fessed on 16"' Oay •f MaK*. 2007) Ttw foltowing order of the Court I»<Bpossed by SorMsli K. AgiwhoM, J. 1. This wit petition, filed under Articte 226 of the Constitution of Indw, hnpugns ttie validity of the order dortwl 23/24/08.2005 passed by ttie District Educotion Officer, Oishict-Joiygtr-ChtBBpo (Amiexure P/2), •riiereunder the petitioner, (Upper Division Teoctiw) has been plaeed under suspension under Ihe provisions of the Ride 9 of Ihe Mahya Pndesh Civil Services (Ckssification. Corrtrol ond Appeal) Rutes, 1966 (for short "the Rules, 1966"). 2. The indisputabte •fticts in nut'rfiell <re tha* the petittoner was iwrlyng CB Upper Uvision Teacher. AcwFdSng to Ihe petitioner ttw cppoinl'ing <wrtiw4ty of Upper bivision Teachcr.is the Divisional SupenntBidenft;^ - 2- ^ &luctiMoh ond -the NjHgned order t»eB passed by the tlistrict 6(h<cntion Officer, J<uygh*^Mmpa (Annexire P/2). As pw prwifflons of Rute 9 of ttie Rute, 1966, Ihe oi^iointing authorrty or any ather withorMy te which the q»pointjngauthority is sdbordinate or the disciplinary tUttwrHy or <ny other auttiority empowered in that betwlf by •the fiwemor is eompetent to place o ©ovemmentserv<mt imder suspensfon. In the present cose.'the qqwirrtment onter ws pcssed by Ihe Oistrict Education Officer which is not the appeinting authopfty <nd alao not superior to 1he cppointing cwtbonty i.e. Dwisiond Superintendent' of Bducation. Thus, -Nie order js bad, and contrwy to Ihe pnwiffl'ons of •rtw Rutes. »- 4. I hwe gone Ihrough the (riecdin9S ond doctflaents appended thereto. It js beneficiol 1o quote the Rule 9 of the Rutes, 1966 which is w wicters- "9. (1) The appmnt'inci oirthority or <ny outtwrfty to Nihieh it is subordinat'e or the cBsciplinwy author'ity or ony othw authority empowwed in tiwt behalf by -the Sovemor, by genwnl or specNrf order, nwy ptnce a ©ovwmnentswvant uhder suq»ension•/• (a) —here a discipBnu'y proceeding agawBt him is contemplated or is pending; or (b) irtiere «i ease <gunst him in respect of ony ainiinol offenee is under uwestjgatfon, inqiriry or trial; [Pnwided that a <?ovemment servant sholl iiwariably be placed under suspension trfien o chollan for a crimjnol offence inwMng con-uptwn or other monrf turpitude is flled <g<»ndthim:} Provided further -Hiot where the onfer of duspenrion is mode by cn auttiority lower than the appointing outhority, such CMthority shdl forlhurith report to the appomtifg authorfty the drcunst<nces in which the order •»usmade. (2) A Sovernment servont *di be deemed to hove been placed under suspenston by nn order of <ypointing cwttiority - -3- !rL4 ^. (a) Niith effect from the date ofhis detcntwn, if he is cte't'dned m custody whetiier on a a'iminql charge er otherwise, for a period exceedin9 forty-eight hours; (b) irith effect from the dote of hte conwtetton, if, in Ihe event of a comk?tion for on offence, he is sentenced to a teifm of unprisonmerrt ®<cee<fing forty eight houw and is not forthirith disnissed w remeved or comBpulsortl^ retired consequent to aich cowkstton. Explanation ! Tlie period of forty-e^ht hours refcrred to m ckuse (b)of this sub-rute sholl be computcd from the cammencement of the imprisonment after •the conyiction ond for this purpose, intermittent pertods of imprisonment, if any, shall be taken into ac<»unt. [(2-a) Whwe n Sovernment servant is plaoed under suspension tmder ctause (a) ef sub-rute (t), •Ihe order of suspension shall contafn •the reasons for DKdtirg sudi ordw ond whwe it is pwposed to hokt on inynry against such ©ovwnmentservont under nrie 14, o copy of ttie wttetes of dwrges, the statement of imputations of misconduct or misbehwior and list of documents and witnesses by -hich each erticle of chorge is proposed to be sustained sholl be issued or coused to be issued by •the tNscipUnory authority fo such Sovemment servont- as required by sul>^ide (4) of rule 14, within o pertod of forty-five d<ys from Ihe dute of order of suqienslon; Pnvided tiiat- —herethe disciplimry authority is tte [State Sowewiment or the l-1i9h Court], the copy of chcrges ond other documerrts mentioned otoove shall be issued or coused to be issued to sudi Sovenmwnt servant- iirithin o perkad of ninet)' days from the date of wder of suspenaon. (2-b) Where the disciplimny aithority f«uls 1w issue to •thc Sovemment servant, a eop/ef the charges <md other documents refeivcd to in sub-rule (2-a) Nrithin the period of 45 days, the disciplinuy ari'hority diatl, before expiry of -the said period, obtain ordew in tDriting of 'rtw State©overnmentforeKtensionoftii®sotolperiodofaisp«nsion; Provided that the period of suspensionshdl in no case be «ihanced beyond o period of ninety dcys from the date of the order of ai^wrwton. -4- ^- KSH (3) Where<ipen<dly of dianiasd, wmowl or aunpulaory retirement •frdm service imposed u]pon a&>vernment servant under suspenrioi^is set adde in o(^e<d er on review under -these ndes and the eos< is remttted fw further inquiry or action or i»i1h «BVother cUrectiiBns, the order ef tus auapenswn shall be deemed to tww conlinued in force on ond from the daf'e of the original order of disroissol.removd or compulsory r'etiranen* ond dwll remmn in forwe until ftirther orders. (4) Where a penalty of dismissol, pewwai or compttfsory retiiwent from service imposed upon a ftwemmwt servant, is det adde or deckred or rendered wid in consequence of or by a decisfon of a court of IONI <nd ttie discipBnwy authority, on aconsideratkwi of ttie circumstances of the case, decides to hold a furthw inquiry agdnst Wm on the oltegatfens on t»hJch ttie pendty of dismissal, renioval or comptdsory retirement uws orjginally imposed, the ffwernment servmt sh<dl be deemed to hw« been ptaced under aispension by Ihe <yp<rinting authority form the dote of -the or^inat order of disnussul, removol oc eompulsory retircmenl' wd Aialt corrt'inue to remain under aispehsfon uirtil firtheronter's. ^)(o) An order of suspension mode w deemed to hwe bewi nwde under this rule, shall continue to remdn in ftirce until is is modtfied or rewked by -the outhority competent to do ao s [Provided that the order of suspensfawi sholl stand rwoked on expiry of Ihe period of forty-five doys from the date of order of suspenswi in case a copy of ch<yges and 6'ther documents referred to in sub-rule (2-a) <re not i^ued to sudi Sovemment serwnt by the disciplinary authority (if It is not the Stcrt'e ©ovemment)without obhAiing the orders of Ihe Stdte ©ovemmentfw extension of Ihe period for issue of tiie sad documents, os re<|uired unda" sub-rute (2-b)s Provided further ihot the order of auspenden shaU stnnd rwoked on expiry of the period of 90 days from the date ofortter of su^wnaon, in case •the copy of chopges ond other documents refeived to in sub-nte (2-a) wv not issued to such Sovemment servcnt.] ) In respect of o Sovemment servant, v^we orders of suspension stand revoked in accordnnee with •the first or second prwiso of ctouse (s) the aulhority competent m<y, if it condders expedientso te do, -5- '¥-- ptaee him under suspenrion aft'er o co(iy ofdwrgssenii ottw doiunwnls, as reqiAwl by stA^ule (4) «rfmde 14, have been isaued t6 hbn.] 3[{c)]Whwe a 6(wemment serwmt- is su^twKlcd or Is deemad -to hwe been suspended, (whetha" in comNWtion iri-th uny diaciplmory pruceedmg or othenmse <nd any Irther disciplinary pr-oceeding is commenced 09<unst Wm during Ihe continucBice of t hot suqwision, the authority competent to ptaw him under su^ension nuy, for reasons to be recopded fay him in witin9, direct •thot ttw Sowrflment swvant shall continue to be under suspension until -the terminotion of all or ory of sudi pwceedings.) Kd)] An order of suapension made or deemed to haw been mode undep tiiis rute m<y at oaff time be modifieal or niwked by •Ihe tarttiorHy which mode or 'is deemed to have nwde -rtie order or by ony arthorjty 1o which that arthority is ajbor'eBnafe; [Provided thut <ai or-der of suapension made under the first pnwiso to sub-rute (1} of rute 9 shdl not be rew*ed except by «nowter of Ifte Gwwmnesit made for re<Bons to be recwded.]" On penisd of the pnwiswns dealing wirtt su^iension, it is ctear Ihat' ttie siBpensiwi <yder can be passed by rtw folloiwng officcrsi- p) tiie oppointing (luthority, (ii) ony authority to »rfiidithe wppmntmg ariher'ity is subordinate, Oii) the cHscipimary authority, tnd (iv) any other authorHy empowered in that- behalf by Ihe 6ovww)r by «« general or spedal order. 6. Second proviso of Rule 9 prowdes that if the ordw of a*q>ension is mcrie by an authority loiiie*' thun tlw appointin9 carthority. aich authority dhdl •fortlwiith report to the oppointirg authority •th®circumsttnces in •rfrich the order wcs made. 7. In the present ccse, a copy of the suspension order i»as immedwtely refewed to the OSrector, Public Instruction, 6ovemnusnt of arfKrttisgcirh, -<- the Collectw, District-Jcu'ygir-awmpQ nnd others. Thia, tt>e sccond proviso of Rule 9 of the Rules, 1966 haa been opplied Nri'th. Accordingly, it connot be held that the suqxnsion order was not pcesed by •the competent authority and •the same is bad. 8. The Supreme Court, in the cose of State flf Orisaa and otheni w. Shiva Parushad Oost held as unders- "3. An order of suspension passed cgannst o ^vemment servont pending disciplinary enquiry is neither one of dismissd nor of removol from service within Art. 311 of the Coitttitution. This position wos clearly laid down by a Corwtitution Bench of this Court in Mohtunmod 6hoi.Be v. State of Andhra. 1957 SCR 414 : (AIR 1957 SC 246). It is unfortumrte Itiut this deciSKm was not brought 1o the notice of the leorned Judges of the Hi^i Coirt. Ckiuse (t) of Art. 311 will get crt'tracted only when a person wiho is a nwmber of Civil Service of the Union or on All India Service or a Civi) Service of o Stdte or one cho holds o civfl post under the Union or a Stnte is 'dismissed' or 'removed from service. The pnwidons of the said clause have no tpplicdtion iihatever to a situation where o ©oyemment servant has been merely ptaced undw suspension pendin9 depdrtmental enquiry since such actk»ndoes iwt constitute either dismissal or removd from service. The High Court was, therefwe.fflonifestly in error in qucehing the order of si.epension possed against the respwiderrt- on •the 9round that it iKtS violafive of cltuse 0) of Art. 311 of the Constitution." 9. The Suprane Court furttier' in the ccee of P.L. Shah vs. Urion ef India nnd another^ held os imden- "6. An orcter of suspensfon is not on ordw imposi»gpumshment on a person found to be guilty. It is <n order mede flgfnst him before he is found 9uilty to ensure snwxrth disposol of -the proeeedings initKrt'edogninst him." -7- 10. Following the settled priiKaple of lcnr, this Court in the matter ofAtanhanm Id Dhiw w. State of Chhotlisgarb A otten in WJ>. (S) No. S246 of 2006 passed on 4*11 October, 2006 rf>served as unders- " Ihe suspension is temporary nnd it does not iiwolve puroshmart with civjl consequences. Suspenston means a tempor'ury depriwtion of the functions rwt amounting to any reduetion of his rcnk or his status. The employee uider suspension cwrtinues •tu be a. ©ovemmentServant, he is not permitt'ed to work keeping m viear pendency of deporhiwsntal enquiry to avoid undue inftuence in the proceedings of depart'mentol enquiry ond likely tamperin9 with on records. At Ihis stage. it is not necessary to 90 into the chorges leveUed a9ainst the petitiona' because it may pmjudfce the cose af the porties in the pending departmentat enqury,1' 11. In vieNr of the •foregoing and for •the rea«ns stated hereindaove, this petition is dismissed. No order asto costs. ^—"~~~"^7'~"""^'. ^ SatishK.Agmhom , Judge ••'^ z AIR1985SC70t (1989) 1 SOC 546 Subhash