BALBIR SINGH NEG!versusUNION OF INDIA & ORS.
- Citation
- 1996 INSC 439
- Decided
- 25 March 1996
- Disposal
- Dismissed
Holding
A government servant who has already attained superannuation cannot withdraw an application for voluntary retirement under Rule 48‑A.
Summary
Balbir Singh Neg, after completing 33 years of service, filed an application for voluntary retirement under Rule 48‑A of the Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, which was accepted to take effect on 30 June 1991. He later sought to withdraw the application before it became effective, but the Central Administrative Tribunal rejected his request. On appeal, the Supreme Court considered whether a government servant who has already attained superannuation can withdraw a voluntary retirement application. Relying on Bairam Gupta v. Union of India, the Court noted that withdrawal is permissible before the relationship of master and servant ceases, but held that once the servant has attained superannuation, there is no useful purpose in allowing withdrawal. Consequently, the petition was dismissed. The decision reaffirmed that the statutory provision does not permit withdrawal after superannuation has been reached.
Issues considered
- Whether a government servant who has attained superannuation may withdraw an application for voluntary retirement filed under Rule 48‑A of the Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972.
Subjects
Judgment
A BALBIR SINGH NEG!
v.
UNION OF INDIA & ORS.
MARCH 25, 1996
B [K. RAMASWAMY AND G.B. PAITANAIK, JJ.]
Service Law :
Celltra/ Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972:
c R. 48-A-Volwuary retirement-Witluirawal of application for volun-
tary retirement-Held, though employee was entitled to withdraw the applica-
tion for voluntmy retirement before it became effective, but as he has already
attained superannuation, no useful pwpose will be served by pennitting him
to withdraw his application.
D
Bairam Gupta v. Union of India, [1987] Supp. SCC 228, referred to.
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Special Leave Petition (C)
No. 5655 of 1996.
E From the Judgment order dated 17.11.95 of the Central Administra-
tive Tribunal, Chandigarh in O.A. No. 758 of 1991.
Ravi Kapur and S.C. Patel for the Petitioner.
The following Order of the Court was delivered :
F
The SLP is ftled against the order of the Central Administrative
Tribunal, Chandigarh Bench, Circuit at Shimla made on 17.11.1995 in O.A.
No. 758/HP/91. The petitioner, admittedly, after completing his 33 years of
qualifying service submitted, on February 18, 1991, an application for
voluntary retirement under Section 48A of Pension Rules which came to
G be accepted on May 2, 1991 w.e.f. June 30, 1991 as requested by him. After
the receipt of this letter and acceptance on the even date, namely, May 2,
1991 and of another letter dated May 23, 1991, he sought to withdraw his
applie>tion for voluntary retirement which he had submitted but was not
accepted by the authorities. Thereafter, he filed OA. in the Tribunal
H contending that he is entitled to withdraw his application before the
868
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B.S. NEG! v. U.0.1. 869
relationship or master and servanrbecomes oper.ative, i.e., July 1, 199i. A ..
Acceptance of his ~esignation before that date, i.~., 30.6'.1991 is not valid
in law. Under Rule 48-A of the Pension Rules, a.Government servant, on
completion of required pe~iod of service, -is ~ntitie·d to 'make a request for.
voluntary retirement. Admittedly, that request was acceded to and resig-
natiop was accepted. Learned counsel for the Petitioner sought to rely B
upon the judgment of this Court in Bairam Gupia v. Union-of India, [1987]
Supp. SCC 228 in which this Court had held that a Government servant
after making the application but before it becomes effective and the
relationship of master and the servant ceases to operate, is entitled to
I
.withdraw the resignation: In that case, on the facts and circumstances, it
was held that he was pressurised in the first instance to voluntary retire. . c >
With a view to get it over he had submitted his ·application for voluntary
retirement. Subsequently; he reconciled. The entitlement to withdraw the
application for voluntary retirement was accepted by this Court. It is seen
that. in this case, admittedly, the petitioner has stated that he was on leave
for one year prior to the date of seeking vo!Untary retirement on medical .D
grounds and he was unable to discharge the duties ano that, therefore, he •' ' '
had sought to voluntarily r~tire from service. It wou1d appear that when be
was transferred from Shimla to Faridabad,.,he.had submitted his applica,
tion in a huff for v~luntary retirement ·and that thereafter he came forward
with the ·application for withdrawal. It is true that the petitioner was
;ontitled to withdraw the resignation. But in view of the fact that he has E
already attained the superannuation·in normal circumstances on February
28, 1994; no useful purpose will be served by .giving direction to. permit him
to withdraw his application. ·
Under these· circumstances, the petition is dismissed:
F,
R.P. .,Petition dismissed. ·
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