ABDUL HAMID JANJUA vs CHIEF ENGINEER AND ANOTHER
The petitioner, a Research Assistant, challenged his removal from service following unauthorized absence from duty. After failing to resume work despite telegraphic and written directives, he was issued a show-cause notice and subsequently removed from service. His service appeal was dismissed by the Punjab Administrative Tribunal. Before the Supreme Court, the petitioner contended that his removal order and the show-cause notice were issued by the Secretary of the Department rather than the Government, which he alleged was the competent appointing authority. Additionally, he argued that he was denied a personal hearing. The Supreme Court observed that these specific legal points were not argued before the Tribunal and were absent from the impugned order. Consequently, the Court declined to entertain these new arguments, noting the lack of supporting material on the record. Furthermore, the Court rejected the claim regarding the lack of a personal hearing, as the petitioner failed to demonstrate that he had requested one. The petition for leave to appeal was dismissed, affirming that new legal grounds cannot be raised for the first time in appeal without prior adjudication.
- Can a petitioner raise legal arguments for the first time before the Supreme Court that were not argued before the Service Tribunal?
- Is a public servant entitled to a personal hearing if they have not specifically requested one during disciplinary proceedings?
- Does the failure to argue specific points before an administrative tribunal preclude their consideration in a subsequent petition for leave to appeal?
ORDER
KARAM ELAHEE CHAUHAN,J-The petitioner who was a Research Assistant in the Building Research Station, University New Campus, Lahore, proceeded on three days' leave on 15-12-1978. He left the Headquarter and reached Karachi on 18-12-1978, from where he applied for 25 days leave. This leave was not allowed and he was telegraphically informed on 24-12-1978, to resume duty at once.
This was followed by a formal letter dated 29-1-1979. As the petitioner did not resume duty, he was issued a show-cause notice on 29-1-1979 to explain why major penalty may not be imposed on him. The petitioner submitted a reply but as that was not found satisfactory, he was removed from service on 23-6-1979.
2. The petitioner filed a service appeal but without any success as the same was dismissed by the Punjab Administrative Tribunal on 3-2-1980.
3. The petitioner has come up in a petition for leave to appeal to this Court.
4. It was argued .By the learned counsel that the appointing authority of the petitioner was the Government. Whereas the impugned order in this case has been passed by the Secretary of the Department and was, therefore, without lawful authority. The same was the position, according to the learned counsel of the show-cause notice issued to his client. These points were not argued before the Punjab Administrative Tribunal as the are conspicuous by their omission from the impugned order. When confronted with this situation, the learned counsel really had no answer except that in the memorandum of appeal some reference of this nature had been mad by him. Be that as it may, as the points were not argued before the Tribunal, we are not prepared to allow the petitioner to raise them for the first time before us particularly when he has not placed an iota of material on the present record about the soundness of his proposition. It was next argued that the petitioner was not given a personal hearing. This point also does not seem to have been argued before the Tribunal and when w asked the learned counsel, whether his client had really asked for an personal hearing, he had no answer. The plea raised, therefore, is hereby repelled.
5. The result is that this is not a fit case for grant of leave to appeal. The petition is dismissed hereby.