Virender Singh, J. - (1.) Through the instant writ petition, the petitioner (hereinafter to be referred to as "Judicial Officer") has prayed for quashing the notification bearing Memo No. 2732 dated 20.5.2003 issued by the Deputy Secretary, Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, Government of Jharkhand, Ranchi (Respondent No. 3 herein), whereby in exercise of the powers under 74(b)(ii) of the Jharkhand Service Code of 2001 (for short "Service Code of 2001"), he has been compulsorily retired from service with effect from 20.5.2003 (as contained in Annexure -1 to the writ application), asserting that the impugned order of compulsory retirement is completely arbitrary, illegal, discriminatory and bad in law.
(2.) The journey of the Judicial Officer till he was compulsorily retired is as under: "He joined Bihar Judicial Service as Additional Munsif at Jamshedpur on 09.06.1975, and thereafter transferred to Nalanda as Judicial Magistrate, First Class in the year 1978. Again he was transferred to Hazaribagh, and then Godda as Judicial Magistrate, First Class. Thereafter, he was transferred to Gopalganj as Munsif on 02.02.1981. He was granted Junior Selection Grade after crossing the efficiency bar on 09.06.1985 and thereafter promoted on the post of Sub Judge on 12.05.1992 and posted at Patna. It is the second regular promotion and later on, he was posted at Araria as Sub Judge. On 14.08.1996, he was posted as Special Judge, Economic Offences at Purnia and thereafter, transferred to Gumla on 22.6.2000 where he joined as Chief Judicial Magistrate. He was promoted as Additional District Judge on 11.8.2001 and posted at Lohardaga, from where he was compulsorily retired on 20.05.2003."
(3.) Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the material available on the Writ Court records.;