HC QUASHES SUSPENSION OF REVIEW OFFICER

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has set aside the suspension order of a review officer of the planning department with liberty to the state government to proceed with the enquiry. It would be open to the state to post the officer by transferring him to any other place, the court said. A division bench of justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi and justice Attau Rahman Masoodi gave this judgement on a writ petition filed by Amlendu Rai, challenging the order dated November 23, 2015, passed by principal secretary, planning department, UP, whereby he had been placed under suspension for alleged mental harassment to one of his subordinate lady officers by sending several unwarranted massages to her. Petitioner’s counsel submitted that the work and conduct of the lady officer, who had been staying at Faizabad for the past 8 years, were being reviewed by the petitioner which appeared to have annoyed her. The state counsel submitted that a committee had been constituted and the matter will be enquired in accordence with law, statutory provisions and notifications framed from time to time. “Having considered the aforsaid submissions raised and keeping in view the fact that the petitioner is proposed to face an enquiry, we do not find any justification for placing the petitioner under suspension during the pendency of enquiry,” the court observed while partly allowing the petition.