P JOSEPH JOHN Vs. STATE OF TRAVANCORE COCHIN

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This appeal by leave of the High Court of Judicature of Travancore-Cochin at Ernakulam is directed against an order of a Full Bench of that court dismissing an application for the issue of a writ of certiorari quashing the order of the Government of the united State of Travancore-Cochin removing the appellant from service of the State and permanently debarring him from reappointment in service.

(2.) The facts giving rise to the petition and the appeal are these: The petitioner entered the service of the erstwhile Travancore State in the year 1928. By promotion he became the Executive Engineer, Electricity Department in August 1937 and subsequently Electrical Engineer to Government in October 1944. He was the Electric Engineer to Government on the 1st July 1949 when the States of Travancore and Cochin were integrated by a Covenant entered into between the rulers of the two States. By an order of the Government of the united State of Travancore-Cochin dated the 11th August 1949, he was appointed as the officiating Chief Engineer (Electricity) in the State.

(3.) Mr. Justice Sankaran took charge as Enquiry Commissioner and on the 11th May 1950 forwarded the articles of charges against the petitioner, the list of witnesses and the list of documents placed before him together with the notice regarding the commencement of the enquiry to Shri K.S. Raghavan, Secretary to Government, for service on the petitioner.