HC REINSTATES JUDICIAL OFFICER AFTER 10 YEARS

CHANDIGARH: A Punjab and Haryana high court division bench has ordered the reinstatement of a judicial officer, terminated in 2008 following adverse reports about his conduct. The HC division bench of justice AB Chaudhari and justice Kuldip Kumar quashed the recommendation of full-bench of November 26, 2008, and the subsequent decision of the Punjab government, terminating services of Amrish Kumar Jain, then a civil judge (junior division), Jalandhar.

The HC has now ordered that he be reinstated in service within one month with all consequential benefits of seniority, continuity of service, increments and the right to promotions.

“The petitioner could not be punished by way of terminating services on the basis of such defects being pointed out by district and sessions judge, since such defects can also be found in most of the courts and on the basis of single complaint of an unscrupulous complainant, who is an accused in a case and that too without any verification about truthfulness of said allegations,” the division bench observed on the points raised by then district and sessions judge in the ACR of Jain.

He was terminated on the basis of lone adverse report of then district and sessions judge, when Jain was a probationary officer.

Jain had alleged in court that Gurdev Singh, then district and sessions judge, Jalandhar, became biased and inimical towards him, which resulted in adverse annual confidential report. Singh did not defend himself in these proceedings. HTC