- (1.) BY this petition, the petitioners are challenging the order passed by respondent No. 2 Chief Officer, Municipal Council, Kalmeshwar, terminating the services of the petitioners. A short question, which is raised in this petition, is whether the Additional Collector, Nagpur, was competent to pass an order of termination by exercising the powers under section 308 of the Maharashtra Municipalities Act.
(2.) THE brief facts, giving rise to the present petition, are as follows : The petitioners came to be appointed temporary with effect from 10-8-1987 by virtue of the order passed by the Standing Committee dated 24-3-1987. Even prior to the issuance of the said letter of appointment, the petitioners were in the employment of the Municipal Council and all of them had completed more than 240 days. Some of them had completed 4 years in service prior to the said letter of appointment being issued to them.
(3.) IT is submitted that suddenly the services of the petitioners were terminated by an order passed by the Additional Collector dated 12-8-1987, which was communicated to them by the Chief Officer by his letter dated 10-9-1987. It is submitted by the learned Counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners that none of the petitioners had received any notice from the Collector nor they were party to it.;