KHIZAR HAYAT BHATTI vs THE DIRECTOR OF INSPECTION AND TECHNICAL
The petitioner, a civil servant dismissed from service following departmental proceedings for receiving illegal gratification and making a written confession, sought leave to appeal against the Service Tribunal's decision upholding his dismissal. The petitioner challenged the dismissal on procedural grounds, alleging he was not supplied with a copy of the enquiry report, was denied a personal hearing, evidence was recorded in his absence, and no second show-cause notice was served. Furthermore, he claimed his confession was obtained under duress. While the Service Tribunal acknowledged these procedural irregularities, it concluded that the petitioner suffered no prejudice. Before the Supreme Court, the petitioner argued that the failure to serve a second show-cause notice was a mandatory legal requirement and that the failure to provide the enquiry report prejudiced his defense. Finding that the case involved substantial questions of law of public importance requiring authoritative pronouncement, and noting that leave had been granted in a similar case arising from the same occurrence, the Supreme Court granted leave to appeal.
- Is the service of a second show-cause notice a mandatory requirement in departmental proceedings against a civil servant?
- Does the failure to supply a copy of the enquiry report to a civil servant necessarily prejudice their defense in departmental proceedings?
- Under what circumstances does the Supreme Court grant leave to appeal against a judgment of the Service Tribunal under Article 212(3) of the Constitution?
- Article 212(3), Constitution of Pakistan 1973
ORDER
SHAFIUR RAHMAN, J.--The petitioner, a civil servant, whose appeal against an order of dismissal from service was dismissed, seeks leave to appeal under Article 212(3) of the Constitution against the judgment of the Service Tribunal, dated 14-11-1984.
2. The petitioner was employed as chargeman, Inspectorate Army Stores and Clothing, Karachi, when he was departmentally proceeded against on two charges, one of receiving illegal gratification and the other of having deposited on detection of it and making a written confession before the Field Security Team. An enquiry was held. He was found guilty and dismissed from service. He appealed against the dismissal order and being unsuccessful he brought it before the Service Tribunal. The grievance was that he was not supplied a copy of the enquiry report, he was not afforded a personal hearing which he had asked for and part of the evidence against him was recorded in his absence and no second show-cause notice was served on him indicating how and as to what extent the charges were held proved. He also sought to avoid the so-called written confession on the ground that it was obtained by pressure and duress and he had filed a criminal complaint with regard to the events relating thereto. The Service Tribunal accepting factual part of the grounds advanced by the petitioner considered that the petitioner was in no way prejudiced by the omissions or irregularities pointed out by him.
3. The learned counsel for the petitioner contended that the service of a second show-cause notice was mandatory requirement of law as held in Mir Muhammad v. N.-W.F.P. Government PLD 1981 SC 176 and that the omission to supply the copy of the enquiry report had necessarily the effect of prejudicing the petitioner in his defence and this was the view that the Tribunal itself had held in Abdur Razaq v. Secretary Finance and 2 others 1982 PLC (C S) 203. The learned counsel also contended that arising out of the same occurrence other employees were also similarly proceeded against and in one of such cases, i.e., S.M. Hayat v. Federal Service Tribunal and others (C.P.S.L.A. No. 464-K of 1983), leave has already been granted by this Court.
4. After hearing the learned counsel for the petitioner, we find that substantial questions of law of public importance do arise in the case and they require authoritative pronouncement. Leave is, therefore, granted. The record of the inquiry and the appeal within the Department should be made available at the hearing.