T.A. Reena vs The Manager, The Assistant Educational Officer, The District Educational Officer and Secretary to Government

T.R. Ramachandran Nair, J.—The Petitioner is presently working as Headmistress of the School managed by the first Respondent. The writ petition is filed seeking for a direction to the fourth Respondent to consider and dispose of Ext. P-4 revision petition filed by the Petitioner after affording an opportunity of hearing. Earlier, the Petitioner was suspended from service with effect from 16/09/2009. The Petitioner was directed to be reinstated as per Ext. P-1 order passed by the District Educational Officer, Chavakkad. Even though the Manager did not initially comply with the directions in Ext. P-1, the Petitioner was finally reinstated and she joined duty on 27/05/2010. Thereafter, the Manager filed a revision petition before the Government which was disposed of in favour of the Petitioner as evident from Ext. P-2 order. In terms of the directions issued in Ext. P-2 order, the District Educational Officer directed the Manager to take appropriate decision to impose penalty except removal from service. Against the above order, Ext. P-3, passed by the District Educational Officer, the Petitioner has approached the Government by filing Ext. P-4 Revision Petition, which is pending. In the meanwhile, the Manager passed Ext. P-5 order, imposing a punishment of reversion to the post of L.P.S.A. Challenging the same, the Petitioner has filed Ext. P-6 appeal before the District Educational Officer.

Therefore, Ext. P-4 revision petition filed by the Petitioner before the Government against Ext. P-3 order passed by the District Educational Officer and Ext. P-6 appeal filed against Ext. P-5 order passed by the Manager are pending before the respective forums. The learned Counsel for the Petitioner prayed for a direction to the District Educational Officer to take a decision on Ext. P-6 appeal within a time frame.

The learned Counsel also prayed that in the meanwhile the implementation of the order passed by the Manager may be kept in abeyance. The Petitioner will be free to move for appropriate interim orders before the District Educational Officer. There will be a direction to the District Educational Officer to take a final decision on Ext. P-6 appeal after hearing the Petitioner and the Manager within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment. Any request for grant of interim order will also be considered in the meanwhile. Revision petition filed by the Petitioner as per Ext. P-4 also will be disposed of expeditiously. The writ petition is disposed of as above. No costs.