KHURSHID ALAM, ExSBA vs SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF DEFENCE and 2 others
The petitioner sought leave to appeal against the judgment of the Federal Service Tribunal, which had dismissed his appeal against his removal from service. The petitioner, employed as a Switch Board Attendant, was charge-sheeted for misconduct due to unauthorized absence from duty and was subsequently removed from service after ex parte proceedings under the Efficiency and Discipline Rules. The core legal question concerned the validity of the petitioner's removal from service and whether any substantial question of law arose regarding the unauthorized absence and the proceedings conducted against him. The Supreme Court held that the petitioner failed to substantiate that he had applied for leave or that he was present on duty, and noted that no question of law was involved in the petition. Consequently, the petition for leave to appeal was dismissed. The key principle laid down is that unauthorized absence from duty, coupled with a failure to substantiate leave applications or participate in disciplinary proceedings, justifies removal from service under the relevant disciplinary rules.
- Whether unauthorized absence from duty without sanctioned leave constitutes misconduct warranting removal from service?
- Does a service tribunal's dismissal of an appeal raise a question of law when the employee fails to substantiate leave applications?
- Is leave to appeal maintainable against a service tribunal order where no substantial question of law is involved?
ORDER
' ABDUL QADEER CHAUDHRY, J.---The petitioner seeks leave to appeal against the Judgment of the Federal Service Tribunal dated 11-3-1989 by which his appeal was dismissed.
2. The facts, in brief, are that the petitioner was a Switch Board Attendant. He was charge-sheeted on 5-4-1982. The charge-sheet reads as follows:-- "Misconduct of duty.--In that while employed as SBA (GTE) under SDO E/M GE (Air) CKL absented himself from duty without sanction of leave by competent authority w,e,f. From 25-11-1981 till todate."
' He was proceeded against under the Efficiency and Discipline Rules. He was removed from service with effect from 11-5-1983 by means of order dated 24-5-1983. The petitioner challenged this order before the Federal Service Tribunal but his appeal was dismissed.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner contended that the petitioner fell ill and he applied for one month's leave with effect from 4-10-1981 to 3-11-1981 on medical grounds. His real uncle was murdered and he prosecuted the case in the Special Military Court and he therefore applied for three weeks' leave with effect from 25-11-1981 to attend the Court.
4. Before the Service Tribunal it was submitted by the respondent that the petitioner only submitted three days' leave application with effect from 4-10-1981 to 6-10-1981 and left the office without prior approval. The leave was not sanctioned. The petitioner attended the office on 4-11-1981 to receive his pay for the month of October 1981. He remained absent in spite of directions of the authorities and failed to resume his duty. All the letters sent to him at his permanent address were received back undelivered. No leave application was received on any occasion. Ex parte proceedings were initiated against the petitioner as he had failed to appear.
5. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the Tribunal has only recorded the contentions of the counsel for the respondent and made no observation of its own keeping in view the facts of case and that the past conduct of the petitioner was also taken into consideration.
6. We find that the petitioner had failed to substantiate that he had sent any application to the respondent for grant of leave. It is an admitted fact that the petitioner was not present on duty on the dates for which he was charge-sheeted. He also did not mention as to when the trial before the Military Court started and concluded. The facts have been clearly narrated in the impugned judgment. No question of law is involved in this petition and the same is accordingly dismissed.