SECRETARY (FUNDS) ECONOMIC ADVISOR vs IMTIAZ MEHMOOD and others
This matter comes before the Supreme Court of Pakistan via a petition for leave to appeal under Article 185(3) of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973, challenging a judgment of the Service Tribunal which allowed a service appeal filed by the respondent. The core legal question concerned the validity of the departmental action taken against the respondent and the maintainability of the service appeal. The Supreme Court held that the Service Tribunal's judgment setting aside the impugned departmental order on the ground of denial of a proper opportunity of hearing—specifically the failure to provide requested documents for cross-examination and defence—was based on proper appreciation of the record, and further noted that no substantial question of law of public importance under Article 212(3) was involved. The petition was accordingly dismissed and leave to appeal refused, while affirming the direction for a de novo enquiry by a new Inquiry Officer.
- Whether a service appeal is maintainable when terms and conditions of service are allegedly not regulated by statutory rules?
- Does the failure to provide requested documents to an employee for cross-examination and defence vitiate a departmental inquiry?
- Whether the Supreme Court will interfere with a Service Tribunal judgment where no substantial question of law of public importance is involved?
- Article 185(3), Constitution of Pakistan 1973
- Section 10, Punjab Removal from Service (Special Powers) Ordinance 2000
- Article 212(3), Constitution of Pakistan 1973
ORDER
' SYED ZAWWAR HUSSAIN JAFFERY, J.--- This petition, under Article 185(3) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, has been filed against the judgment, dated 20-2-2008, whereby service appeal, filed by respondent No,1 Imtiaz Mehmood, was allowed.
2. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that learned Tribunal has not taken into consideration section 10 of the Punjab Removal from Service (Special Powers) Ordinance, 2000, which is ultra vires of the Constitution; that respondent No,1, is neither a Government servant nor a civil servant, as notified by the Punjab Government; that the Punjab Government Benevolent Fund Board has no statutory rules, therefore, the appeal filed by respondent No,1 was not maintainable in the eyes of law; that terms and conditions of service of respondent No,1 are not regulated by a statute or statutory rules, therefore, relationship of master and servant exists between the parties.
Therefore, leave to appeal may be granted.
3. We have heard learned counsel for the petitioner at considerable length and gone through the entire material available on record. The learned Tribunal while deciding the appeal of respondent No,1 Imtiaz Mehmood, observed as under:--- "We are of the considered opinion that the appellant was not afforded opportunity of hearing which includes provisions of record for preparation of cross-examination and defence. The impugned order, therefore, could not sustain in the eye of law and withstand the test of judicial scrutiny and thus, the same is liable to be set aside, though departmental disciplinary action qua the appellant shall be deemed to be pending and a de novo enquiry should be ordered by appointment of an Enquiry Officer other than the one who had already conducted the enquiry and it should be ensured that copies of documents demanded by the appellant are provided to him before the commencement of enquiry."
' Therefore, the impugned order was set aside and respondent No,1 was directed to be reinstated into service with direction to appoint new Inquiry Officer for holding de novo inquiry. But the respondent was not reinstated into service. The impugned judgment of learned Service Tribunal is based on proper appreciation of material available on record. Learned counsel for the petitioner has not been able to pinpoint any infirmity or illegality in the impugned judgment justifying interference by this Court. No substantial question of law of public importance within the contemplation of Article 212(3) of the Constitution is involved.
4. For what has been stated above, this petition being devoid of merits is dismissed. Leave to appeal refused.