IN THE HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND AT NAINITAL Writ Petition No. 565 of 2008 (S/S) Ajay Pal Singh Rana & three others . Petitioners ...………… [ Versus State of Uttarakhand and others ...…………. Respondents Mr. I.D. Paliwal, learned counsel for the petitioners. Mr. N.P. Sah, learned Standing Counsel for the respondents. Hon’ble Prafulla C. Pant, J. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners. 2) By means of this writ petition, the petitioners have challenged the order dated 2nd July 2008, passed by respondent No. 3, transferring them from District Uttarkashi to Tehri Garhwal. 3) Brief facts of the case are that the petitioners are Village Panchayat Development Officers. Learned counsel for the petitioners drew attention of this Court to Government Order dated 26th August 2003 (copy Annexure –3 to the writ petition) wherein it is provided that Village Panchayat Development Officers can be transferred within District by the District Magistrate, but the power to transfer the Village Panchayat Development Officers out of the District vests only with the Director, Panchayati Raj. 2 4) This Court, on 15.07.2008, directed the Standing Counsel appearing for the respondents to seek instructions as to whether respondent No. 4 (Additional Commissioner (Admn.) Rural Development) had power to transfer the petitioners, or not? Today, learned Standing Counsel drew attention of this Court to Government Order dated 19.06.2004, issued by the Principal Secretary, Rural Development, Uttarakhand, wherein the Government Order dated 26.08.2003, is modified and Additional Commissioner (Admn.) has been empowered to transfer the Village Development Officers from one district to another. 5) In the above circumstances, this Court is not inclined to interfere with the impugned transfer order. Accordingly, the writ petition is dismissed summarily with the observation that the petitioners may make representation for redressal of their grievances to the authority concerned, after joining their duties at their new place of posting. (Stay Application No. 4282 of 2008 also stands dismissed, accordingly). (Prafulla C. Pant, J.) [ Dt. July 17, 2008. H.Negi 3