Railway not considering High court order

Railways fails to comply with High Court order Had terminated Mohali resident’s services 30 years agoSaurabh Malik/TNS

Chandigarh, July 18
More than 30 years have passed since Jarnail Singh’s career was derailed after the termination of his services as a gateman with the Indian Railways. It is yet to be put back on track, with the railways allegedly failing to comply with a Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing the authorities concerned to decide his legal notice within a specified period of time.

Resident of Teur village in Mohali district, Jarnail Singh has once again moved the high court seeking the initiation of contempt of court proceedings against Divisional Railways Manager, Northern Railways, PK Sanghi.

In his petition, Jarnail Singh has contended that he was posted at Dappar near Ambala, when his services were illegally terminated on February 28, 1981. Although he was selected and appointed on a regular post after following the due process of law, Jarnail Singh claimed his services were terminated “without issuing any notice and without observing the principles of natural justice”.

After a series of litigations, he finally moved the high court on the ground that the respondents have not complied with findings of the Ambala District Judge, who had held that the “plaintiff should be deemed to be continuing in service of the defendant as a gateman and entitled to all benefits and privileges of his service…”

Jarnail Singh served a legal notice to the railways, after the petition was allowed to be withdrawn for pursuing the matter with the departmental authorities. But, they did not “care to decide the legal notice” compelling him to move the court again.

Acting on his plea, Justice Mahesh Grover set a four-month deadline for the respondents to decide his legal notice. The orders have allegedly still not been complied with. Jarnail Singh, in his contempt petition, has now asserted: “The present respondent (Sanghi), who is to decide the case of the petitioner, having received the directions of the high court, has intentionally, willfully and knowingly did not take any action till today”.

The high court has now issued notice to Sanghi and the petition is scheduled to come up for hearing on August 29.