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Journalism of Courage
CHANDIGARH, JAN 21: A bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal comprising judicial member Jasbir.S. Dhaliwal directed the General Manager Telecom (Finance), Chandigarh to reconsider transfer of Ashok Kumar Sardana, junior accounts officer from Chandigarh to the office of General Manager Telecom, District Ferozepur.
The applicant pleaded that he was picked up for transfer only after his stay at Chandigarh for a period of about one-and-half- year whereas there were number of persons working in his category at Chandigarh for a period of more than 5 to 7 years. He averred that in fact he was penalised because in performance of his official duties he objected to TA Bills of his Accounts Officer, which were wrong and were so found to be by the concerned senior officer also and the affected officer got him transferred out. The applicant also stated that there was no public interest involved in his transfer.
The respondents justifying their action contended that the transfer was ordered in larger public interest and administrative exigencies for providing better service to the public.
Applicant’s transfer was held to be essential in view of decision of Telephone Advisory Committee to shift the TRA from Ferozepur as public there was facing great difficulty.
Considering the facts and circumstances the Tribunal directed the General Manager Telecom (Finance) to decide the representation of the applicant against his transfer by keeping in mind the averments made in the petition and factors discussed by the Bench within a period of 30 days directed the respondents to maintain status quo qua his posting as it existed on 30.9.1998 when the case came up for first hearing and status quo was ordered to be maintained.
