Retirees Completing 12 Months Service By 30th June Entitled To Annual Increment For Pension Revision: P&H HC

A Division bench of the Punjab & Haryana High Court comprising Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor held that employees retiring on 30th June are entitled to the benefit of annual increment if they completed 12 months of satisfactory service. Background Facts The petitioners were employees of the State of Haryana. They sought quashing of Rule 10 of the Haryana Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2008, to the extent it denied annual increment to employees...

'Undue Delay Causes Mental Agony, Stigma': Punjab & Haryana High Court Sets Timeline For Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Observing that "undue prolongation of proceedings often causes mental agony, financial hardship, and social stigma, even before the charges are proven, which is a punishment in itself," the Punjab & Haryana High Court issued set of guidelines for conducting departmental disciplinary proceedings by the Government authorities.Justice Harpreet Singh Brar said, that "the Court is...

Played With Student's Career: P&H High Court Raps Haryana Officers For Allowing Admission In Unauthorised Course, Directs Inquiry

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has strongly criticized the Haryana Government for admitting students to a four-year B.A./B.Ed. programme at two State Institutes of Advanced Studies in Teacher Education (SIASTE) without mandatory approval from the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor said, "we find it to be a prima facie case...

High Court Allows Law Graduate's Plea Against Change In Haryana ADA Recruitment Exam Syllabus

In a significant development, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today has allowed a petition challenging the abrupt change in the syllabus for the Haryana Assistant District Attorney (ADA) recruitment exam, which had shifted the focus from law-centric subjects to general knowledge.The new syllabus for Haryana ADA Screening Test included Current Events of National and International...

'Authorities Exploiting Citizen In Name Of Volunteers': P&H High Court Directs Regularisation Of Home Guard Serving For Three Decades

In a strong observation against the exploitation of long-serving personnel, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the regularisation of a Home Guard who has been serving for nearly three decades.Justice Jagmohan Bansal said, "A member who is working for part of the day or part of the month or part of the year and doing some other job for his livelihood may be called as...

Mere Allegation That Accused Harassed Deceased Not Sufficient For Proving Abetment To Suicide: Punjab & Haryana High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has observed that a mere allegation of harassment against the accused is not sufficient to establish the offence of abetment to suicide under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code.The Court acquitted the Mother-in-law of the deceased who was convicted for abetting her suicide. It was alleged that the mother-in-law and sister- in-law were harassing her for want...

P&H High Court Takes Suo Moto Cognizance Of News Report Flagging Acute Shortage Of Teachers In Haryana Govt Schools

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of news reports on the issue of acute shortage of teachers in Haryana's government schools—where one teacher is reportedly managing as many as 500 students.Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry sought response from the Haryana Government.The Court noted that, a news item highlighting "Declined ratio of Primary...

Punjab Court Directs Janta Party Chief's Arrest In Forged Signature Case, Seeks Explanation From Chandigarh SHO For Obstructing Arrest

A Punjab court has directed the arrest of the Janta Party Chief in connection with a case involving the alleged forgery of MLAs' signatures to file a nomination. The court has also sought an explanation from the Station House Officer (SHO) of Chandigarh for allegedly obstructing the execution of the arrest.Punjab Police on Monday reportedly registered multiple FIRs after several Aam Aadmi...

Punjab & Haryana High Court Stays Demolition Drive Against Houses, Shops Allegedly Carried Out Without Notice Under NDPS Act

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed a demolition drive targeting houses and shops that was allegedly carried out without prior notice under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry while listing the matter for November 7, "Till the next date of hearing, status quo in regard to the property in question of the...

'Chandigarh Police Sheltering Janata Party Chief Who Forged MLA Signatures To File RS Nomination': Punjab Tells P&H High Court, Notice Issued

In a peculiar development, the Punjab Government has alleged before the Punjab and Haryana High Court that Chandigarh Police is shielding Janta Party Chief Navneet Chaturvedi, who is accused of forging the signatures of several Punjab MLAs to file a Rajya Sabha nomination.Punjab Police on Monday reportedly registered multiple FIRs after several Aam Aadmi Party MLAs alleged that their...

Salary Can't Be Re-Fixed After Superannuation, Hence Recovery Of Excess Payment From Retired Employee Impermissible: P&H HC

A Division bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court comprising Justice Harsimran Singh Sethi and Justice Vikas Suri held that the refixation of salary after an employee's superannuation, leading to recovery of excess payments made without any misrepresentation or fraud by the employee, is impermissible in law. Background Facts The petitioner was a government employee. He...

Reservation Under Backward Class Category Can Be Claimed Only In State of Origin, Not State Of Birth Or Residence: Punjab & Haryana High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that reservation benefits under the Backward Class (BC) category can only be claimed in the State of origin, not in the State of birth or subsequent residence.The development was made while dismissing a petition by a candidate seeking recruitment in Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) under the BC quota, stating that he can claim...