Jammu, Feb 24: The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Jammu Bench, has declined to interfere with the suspension order issued against five petitioners from the Public Works Department (PWD), who were suspended for arriving 15 minutes late to office.
The Division Bench, comprising Judicial Member Rajinder Dogra and Administrative Member Ram Mohan Johri, observed that the action forms part of a drive initiated by the Deputy Chief Minister to enforce punctuality and accountability among employees towards the general public.
All five petitioners were found absent from duties on one morning during a surprise visit by the Deputy Chief Minister and were consequently suspended, and their headquarters were reassigned outside Jammu as follows:
i. Rajinder Chopra, Section Officer – transferred to Doda; ii. Rajinder Sharma, Head Assistant – transferred to Poonch; iii. Mukesh Kumar, Draftsman (Civil) – transferred to Kishtwar; iv. Abhishake Saraf, Junior Assistant – transferred to Billawar; v. Puneet Gandotra, GSA – transferred to Mahore.
The Court refused to stay the suspension orders passed by the Department, holding that it would not intervene in such drives which is in the interest of general public aimed at making the administration more accountable and punctual.
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