Rajasthan High Court – Jodhpur
Kesha Ram Patel vs State & Ors on 18 February, 2009
SBCWP No.3598/97
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S.B.C.W.P. No.3598/1997
Kesha Ram Patel v. State of Rajasthan & others
Date of Order: 18th February, 2009
HON'BLE MR JUSTICE GOVIND MATHUR
None present for the petitioner
None present for respondents
After completing training relating to multi-purpose
workers, petitioner was employed as Multi-purpose Worker
under an order dated 19th January, 1991 passed by the Chief
Medical & Health Officer, Jodhpur. By the same order, posting
was given to the petitioner at Primary Health Center, Kakelao
(Salawas), Jodhpur.
As per averments made in the petition for writ, petitioner
remained absent from duties somewhere in 1991 due to acute
illness and after getting fit, he reported on 15th June, 1994 to
resume the duties. However, he was not allowed to do so. No
action was taken by the respondents for pretty long time,
therefore, a notice for demand of justice was also given by the
petitioner to respondents through his counsel on 18th November,
1996. On failing to get any favour from the respondents' corner,
this petition for writ was preferred by the petitioner seeking a
direction for respondents to allow him to resume the duties.
SBCWP No.3598/97
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In reply to the writ petition, it is stated by the respondents
that the petitioner, after drawing salary on 05th August, 1991
with respect to period from January, 1991 to June, 1991; did not
choose to report on duties though a bond was executed by him
at the time of initial appointment that he will work with the
respondents for a period of five years. As per respondents, the
petitioner never applied for any medical leave and no joining
report was submitted by him on 15th June, 1994 as stated in the
petition. The respondents, in quite unambiguous terms stated
that the document dated 15th June, 1994 (Annx.1) is a forged
one. The stand of the respondents is that, as a matter of fact,
petitioner abandoned the service and as such, the instant one is
not a case of absence but of abandonment from service. No
rejoinder to the reply filed on behalf of respondents is submitted
by the petitioner.
Precisely, the question that requires adjudication is that
whether the petitioner remained absent from duties due to his
ailment or he abandoned the service?
The petitioner has not placed any document on record to
substantiate the fact averred in the writ petition that he
remained absent from duties due to illness and for that he
submitted an application. In entire petition for writ, not a single
SBCWP No.3598/97
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word regarding nature of petitioner's ailment is referred. The
petitioner has placed on record copy of joining report dated 15th
June, 1994, genuineness of which is disputed by the
respondents. Even after receiving reply to the writ petition,
petitioner did not choose to place on record any evidence to
substantiate the contention that he was suffering from such an
ailment that prevented him from report on duties for years
together. Nothing is stated by the petitioner regarding allegation
of the respondents that the document Annx.1 dated 15th June,
1994 is forged one.
In the factual background above, a valid inference can be
drawn that the petitioner abandoned the service and after lapse
of substantial period, he want to convert the same as absence
for the reasons beyond his control. I do not find any bona fide on
the part of petitioner to claim his absence from duties as genuine
one. The petitioner, as a matter of fact, abandoned the service.
Therefore, respondents rightly did not allow him to resume
duties as claimed in the notice for demand of justice submitted
on behalf of petitioner.
For the reasons stated above, I do not find any merit in
this petition for writ. Same is, therefore, dismissed.
[GOVIND MATHUR],J.
mma