Kuilambal and B. Nathigan vs The Director of School Education, The Joint Director (Secondary) of School Education, The Chief Educational Officer and P.V. Selvaraj High School

Elipe Dharma Rao, J.—The writ appeal is directed against the order passed by the learned single Judge of this Court dated 29.9.1999 made

in W.P. No. 6081 of 1991, whereby the learned single Judge has ordered granting terminal benefits in favour of the legal heirs of the deceased

T.Balan, who was working as I Grade Tamil Pandit in the fourth respondent School, viz., P.V.Selvaraj High School, Thanjavur, from 27.11.1967.

The facts of the case are that the fourth respondent School was originally a co-education school. In the year 1979, nine male teachers of the

School started an agitation against the management, by which act, the strength of students reduced considerably. Therefore, during June 1981, the

management took steps to convert the co-education school to that of a Girls High School and initiated action to seek permission for the same. In

the meanwhile, during the year 1980, proceedings were initiated transferring the said Late Balan on the ground of surplus staff of the School to

George High School, Vishnupuram, Thanjavur District, however, protecting his scale of pay and status. Accordingly, the Correspondent of George

High School, Vishnupuram, issued an appointment order dated 15.12.1980. Based on which, the fourth respondent School, by proceedings dated

17.12.1980, re-deployed the deceased T.Balan and relieved him from duty w.e.f. 19.12.1980 enabling him to join George High School w.e.f.

20.12.1980, without break of service. Challenging the same, an appeal was preferred by the deceased T.Balan. Pending appeal, he filed a writ

petition before this Court in W.P. No. 1541 of 1982 which was disposed of on 6.9.1988 directing the Joint Director of school Education to

dispose of the representation dated 24.12.1980. Accordingly, the appeal was disposed of dismissing it on the ground that his service was not

satisfactory, by order dated 16.11.1989, which was communicated to his legal heirs, viz., the appellants herein, on 20.12.1989.

It is pertinent to note that the during the pendency of the proceedings, Thiru.T.Balan died on 8.9.1989. Therefore, the legal heirs filed filed W.P.

No. 6081 of 1991 seeking to grant the terminal benefits to which the deceased is entitled to from the date of his appointment i.e. on 27.11.1967,

till the date of his death i.e. on 8.9.1989. But the learned single Judge, on consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, and in view of

the dismissal of the appeal filed by the deceased, by order dated 16.11.1989, granted the terminal benefits for the period from 27.11.1967 to

19.12.1980 i.e. till the the date of his transfer, instead of granting the same till the date of his death. Aggrieved of the above, the writ appeal has

been filed.

We have gone through the entire materials placed on record. Heard the learned Counsel on either side.

We have gathered an information from the counter affidavit filed by the fourth respondent P.V.Selvaraj High School in W.P. No. 6081 of 1991,

so as to interfere with the order passed by the learned single Judge, wherein it has been stated admitting that the deceased T.Balan was appointed

as Tamil Pandit in their School on 27.11.1967 and due to some gross agitation by nine male teachers during the year 1979, the strength of students

got decreased drastically in the year 1980. Therefore, they have taken steps to convert the co-education school to that of a Girls High School and

initiated action to obtain permission in the month of June 1981. It is to be noted that even before the conversion of the above said co-education

school to that of a Girls High School, by order dated 17.12.1980 itself, the deceased T.Balan was transferred on the ground of ''surplus'' to

George High School, Vishnupuram. Accordingly, the Correspondent of George High School has given a fresh appointment by order dated

15.12.1980, as per the proceedings of the Chief Educational Officer, Thanjavur. The fourth respondent P.V.Selvaraj High School, Thanjavur, by

order dated 17.12.1980, relieved him from duty w.e.f. 19.12.1980 to enable him to join the George High School, w.e.f. 20.12.1980, without

break of service. Aggrieved by the above, he filed an appeal petition before the Chief Educational officer, Thanjavur. Though reminders were

made on 5.1.1981, 10.3.1981 and also by a lawyer''s notice seeking to dispose of the appeal petition, there was no response. Therefore, pending

appeal, he filed a writ petition before this Court in W.P. No. 1541 of 1982 which was disposed of on 6.9.1988 directing the Joint Director of

School Education to dispose of the representation dated 24.12.1980. Ultimately, the appeal petition was dismissed by the appellate authority, by

order dated 16.11.1989, adding a new ground of casting a stigma on Late T.Balan that his service was not satisfactory.

As seen from the counter affidavit filed by the fourth respondent in W.P. No. 6081 of 1991, it is clear that only due to the conversion of the co-

education school to that of a Girls High School, steps were taken in June 1981, but even before which, he was made to transfer on the ground of

''surplus staff'', by order dated 17.12.1980.

But, quite surprisingly, the appellate authority, by order dated 16.11.1989, added a new ground of dissatisfaction of the work by Late T.Balan,

which cannot at all be accepted. The new ground attributed while disposing of the appeal is quite contrary to law, when there are no reasons

assigned by the fourth respondent School in his counter affidavit. Moreover, for the first time, at the time of disposal of the appeal, this allegation

was made against the said Late T.Balan. Therefore, we are not satisfied with the reasons assigned for the dismissal of the appeal petition by the

appellate authority in his order dated 16.11.1989, which is quite contrary to law, as it has been stated in the counter affidavit filed by the fourth

respondent that only to the conversion of the co-education school to that of a Girls High School, the order of transfer was effected by the

Correspondent of P.V.Selvaraj High School. Therefore, it can be said that only to benefit the Correspondent of P.V.Selvaraj High School, the 4th

respondent herein, the entire proceedings were initiated by the Chief Educational Officer, including the order of the appellate authority. Therefore,

the impugned orders dated 15.12.1980, 17.12.1980 and 16.11.1989 are liable to be set aside and accordingly they are set aside. In view of the

same, the deceased is deemed to be in service till the date of his death i.e. on 8.9.1989 and his legal heirs, viz., the appellants herein are entitled to

the service benefits as well as the terminal benefits from 27.11.1967 to 8.9.1989 i.e. from the date of his original appointment till the date of

untimely death of the deceased T.Balan.

From the above discussions, it is crystal clear that the deceased T.Balan was subjected to both physical and mental agony and made to

approach this Court twice by way of writ petitions. Therefore, in the interest of justice, we consider it appropriate that the legal heirs of the

deceased, viz., the appellants herein are entitled to an interest at 8% per annum on the service benefits as well as the terminal benefits with from

27.11.1967 to 8.9.1989 i.e. from the date of his original appointment till the date of the death of the deceased T.Balan.

The writ appeal is allowed in the above manner. No costs.