K THANGARAJ Vs. MANAGING DIRECTOR THE DHEEREM CHINNAMALAI TRANSPORT CORPORATION LIMITED TIRUCHIRAPALLI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) BY consent, the writ petition itself is taken up for final disposal.

(2.) THE petitioner is a driver in the respondent Transport Corporation. He was doing his second shift duty on 23.3.1993 which was between 2.00 pm and 10.00 pm THE petitioner took charge of the bus bearing registration No. TN45/N/0456 and was taking the same from the depot at Rockfort and was proceeding to Chatiram bus stand to park the same at the place earmarked for buses going to Moovanur. At about 4.25 pm on 26.3.1993 as the petitioner was entering into the Chatiram Bus Stand to park the vehicle, due to congestion of traffic by the parking of other vehicles, he was moving slowly. THE petitioner heard the siren of a vehicle and the continuous hooting of the horn from behind. He came to understand that a V.I.P. vehicle was coming from behind and he attempted to stop the vehicle on the left hand side and give way to the convoy of vehicles coming behind. He proceeded a little further and went towards the left side of the road and parked the vehicle. THE pilot vehicle and the vehicle carrying the V.I.Ps. overtook the bus and stopped. A person from the pilot vehicle came down and summoned the petitioner to the V.I.P car. According to the petitioner, he got down from the bus and went to the V.I.P. car where he found two Honourable Ministers seated in the car. THE petitioner states that he apologised for the inconvenience and gave reasons for the short delay in parking the vehicle on the left hand side. According to the petitioner, the Honourable Ministers warned him of suspension and as a result, the petitioner was suspended from service on 27.3.1993. THE order of suspension is challenged in this writ petition on the following grounds: