LawDistill
Supreme Court of India

JASWANT SINGH & ANR vs THE STATE OF PUNJAB on 23 September, 1996

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Official PDFBench Katikithala Ramaswamy, Gopal Ballav Pattanaik
PETITIONER:
JASWANT SINGH & ANR
Vs.
RESPONDENT:
THE STATE OF PUNJAB
DATE OF JUDGMENT: 23/09/1996
BENCH:
K. RAMASWAMY, G.B.PATTANAIK
ACT:
HEADNOTE:
JUDGMENT:
O R D E R

O R D E R Leave granted. We have heard learned counsel for the parties. These appeals by special leave arise from the judgment of the Punjab and Haryana High made on July 18, 1995 in CWP Nos.3020 and 3027 of 1994. The appellants were appointed as drivers. while in service, they became blind and, therefore, they sought for alternative appointment. Instead, they were removed from service. The controversy is no longer res integra. This court in Anand Bihari vs. Rajasthan S.R.T.C. [(1991) 1 SCC 731] had considered the controversy in similar circumstances and issued directions for alternative appointment as indicated in paragraph 15 of the judgment. "In view of the helplessness shown by the corporation, we are constrained to evolve a scheme which according to us, would give relief as best as it can to the workmen such as the ones involved in the present case. While evolving the scheme and given these directions we concerned are incapacitated to work only as drivers and are not rendered incapable of taking any other job either in the Corporation or outside. Secondly, the workmen are at an advanced age of their life and it would be difficult for them to get a suitable alternative employment outside. Thirdly, we are also mindful of the fact that the relief made available under the scheme should not be such as would induce the workmen to feign disability which, in the case of disability such as the present one, viz, the development of a defective eyesight, it may be easy to do. Bearing in mind all the aforesaid factors, we direct the Corporation as follows; (i) The Corporation shall in

addition to giving each of the

retired workmen his retirement

benefits offer him any other

alternative job which may be

available and which he is

eligible to perform. (ii) In case no such alternative

job is available, each of the

workmen shall be paid along

with his retirement benefits,

an additional compensatory

amount as follows; (a) Where the employee has put in

5 years or less than 5 years

service the amount of

compensation shall be

equivalent to 7day’s salary

per of the balance of his

service; (b) Where the employee has put in

more then 5 years but less

then 10 years, service the

be equivalent to 15 days’

of his service; (c) where the employee has put in

more then 10 years’ but less

than 15 years’ service the

be equivalent to 21 days’

of his service: (d) Where the employee has put in

more then 15 years but less

than 20 years’ service, the

be equivalent to one month’s

of his service; (e) Where the employee has put in

more than 20 years’ service

the amount of compensation

shall be equivalent in two

months salary per year of the

balance of his service. The salary will mean the total monthly emoluments that the workman was drawing on the date of his retirement. (iii)If the alternative job is not

available immediately but

becomes available at a later

date, the Corporation may

offer it to the workman

provided he refunds the

proportionate, shall be that (iv) the option to accept either of

the two reliefs, if an

alternative job is offered by

the Corporation, shall be that <SLE> Under these circumstances, the appeals are allowed. The respondent is directed to consider the cases of the appellants for alternative appointment as and when vacancies arise. No costs.