CWP No.5783 of 2008 -1- In the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh. Date of decision:19.01.2009. Arun Kumar Yeluri ... Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others ... Respondents. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PERMOD KOHLI Present: Mr.Rajive Atma Ram, Senior Advocate, with Ms.Sunita Chauhan, Advocate. Mr. BS Chahal, Senior DAG,Punjab. Mr.DS Patwalia, Advocate. -- PERMOD KOHLI, J. (Oral): The petitioner was appointed as Assistant Geophysicist on 10.06.1980. He was promoted as Geophysicist on 1.2.1990. He was given the additional charge of the post of State Geologist on 2.3.2000. On recommendation of the D.P.C., he was promoted as State Geologist on 16.5.2000 and continued to work on the promotional post till the passing of the impugned order dated 31.03.2008 (Annexure P-15), whereby the petitioners' promotion has been withdrawn on the ground that he did not possess the requisite qualification of M.Sc. Geology at the time of his promotion. A number of grounds have been raised in the writ petition for challenging the impugned order. The principal ground being the non observance of the principles of natural justice. It is not in dispute that the petitioner remained on the promotional post for about eight years when his CWP No.5783 of 2008 -2- promotion was recalled vide the impugned order. Without going into the merits of the controversy, the impugned order is liable to be set aside solely for non-observance of doctrine of Audi Alteram Partem. In view of the above, this writ petition is allowed. Impugned order dated 31.03.2008 (Annexure P-15) is hereby quashed. The respondents are, however, granted liberty to pass a fresh order, if so desired after affording adequate and effective opportunity of being heard to the petitioner. No costs. 19.01.2009 (PERMOD KOHLI) BLS JUDGE