Orissa High Court Station Manager vs Chairman on 25 June, 2024 W.P.(C) No.16710 of 2014 (In the matter of an application under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, 1950). Station Manager, Railway .... Petitioner(s) Station, Balangir Town &. Anr. versus Chairman, Permanent Lok .... Opposite Party (s) Adalat (PSU), Balangir & Ors. Advocates appeared in the case through Hybrid Mode: For Petitioner(s) : Mr. B.K. Padhi, CGC For Opposite Party (s) : None DR. JUSTICE S.K. PANIGRAHI DATE OF HEARING:17.05.2024 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 25.06.2024 Dr. S.K. Panigrahi, J. 1. The Petitioners through this Writ Petition have challenged the award dated 04.07.2014 in P.L.A Case No 43 of 2013 passed by the Learned Chairman, Permanent Lok Adalat (PSU), BolangirSonepurBalangir allowing the P.L.A Case No 43 of 2013. I. FACTUAL MATRIX OF THE CASE: 2. The brief fact of the case which may be put succinctly as follows: (i) Opposite Party Nos.2 and 3, who are Advocates of the Balangir Bar Association filed an application under Section 22G of the Legal Services Authority Act, 1987 praying for issuance of a direction to the Petitioners Signature Not Verified Page 1 of 7 Digitally Signed Signed by: BHABAGRAHI JHANKAR Reason: Authentication Location: ORISSA HIGH COURT, CUTTACK Date: 25Jun2024 17:34:15 to install Coach Indication Boards at Titilagarh, Balangir Railway Station. In the absence of such Coach Indication Board, the general public are facing lot of inconveniences. The case was registered and numbered as PLA Case No.43/2013. (ii) The Petitioners, who were arrayed as Respondent Nos.1 and 2 in the said PLA case filed two written statements stating therein that the relief claimed are pertaining to policy matters which are decided by the Railway Board and the Government of India through the Ministry of Railways. Hence, the Zonal Headquarters, Divisional Headquarters and the Station Manager are not competent to represent the East Coast Railway in such matters and the reliefs claimed and passed by award impugned cannot be implemented by said parties before the court below. (iii) The Permanent Lok Adalat (PSU), Balangir, SonepurBalangir after hearing the parties, vide award dated 04.07.2014 in P.L.A Case No.43 of 2013 allowed the said P.L.A Case and directed the Petitioner No.2 to move to the concerned Railway authorities within a period of two months from the date of the order for release of funds to have Coach Indication Board at Balangir Railway Station and to submit copy of the compliance report to the Opposite Party Nos.2 and 3. Hence, this Writ Petition. II. SUBMISSIONS ON BEHALF OF THE PETITIONER: 3. Learned counsel for the Petitioner earnestly made the following submissions in support of his contentions. Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed Signed by: BHABAGRAHI JHANKAR Page 2 of 7 Reason: Authentication Location: ORISSA HIGH COURT, CUTTACK Date: 25Jun2024 17:34:15 (i) It is submitted that the case is not maintainable inasmuch the claimed reliefs are policy matters which are decided by the Railway Board and, hence, the Zonal Headquarters, Divisional Headquarters and the Station Manager are not competent to represent the East Coast Railway in such matters. Additionally, only the Union of India through Ministry of Railways and the Railway Board are competent to decide the matter on merits. Considering that they have not been made parties in the aforestated case. Therefore, this case sho