Punjab and Haryana High Court stays DGM Amandeep Singh's termination

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 17

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the operation of an order dispensing with the services of Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank’s DGM Amandeep Singh after more than two decades of appointment.

In his petition placed before Justice GS Sandhawalia’s Bench, the petitioner through counsel Surya Kumar contended that he was appointed in November 2001 and eventually promoted as the DGM. He was not having an MBA degree, but he had obtained a degree in masters of finance and control from Punjabi University, Patiala. Yet, a complaint was received that he did not possess the requisite qualification.

An inquiry was carried out in June 2019 without following the proper procedure and associating the petitioner. Eventually, the Board of Directors in March 2021 came to the conclusion that he had put in 20 years of service and disciplinary action was not required to be taken.

“Without issuing any show-cause notice, the state passed the impugned order on June 2/6, whereby it has come to the conclusion that the services of the petitioner cannot be allowed to continue and also recommended that disciplinary action be taken against the officers, who had undertaken the recruitment process in the year 2001,” Kumar submitted.

“The issue requires consideration and balance of convenience is in favour of the petitioner, after so many years of service, since it is also argued that there is a certificate of equivalence in his favour and that he has also done MBA at a subsequent point of time during the service. Keeping in the above view, interim relief is granted to the petitioner,” the Bench said.

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