CAT quashes BSNL officer's transfer from Haryana circle

 Chandigarh, April 3

The Chandigarh bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal has quashed the transfer order of Surnider Kumar, accounts officer of BSNL’s Karnal Telecom District, from Haryana Circle to Punjab Circle.

The bench comprising Suresh Kumar Monga and Rakesh Kumar Gupta said the order had been issued in violation of the tenure policy of the BSNL and on malicious grounds.

In the application filed before the CAT Surnider Kumar, alleged that his transfer order from Haryana Circle to Punjab Circle was issued on account of malice on part of the respondents and in violation of transfer policy of the BSNL

He said he was the General Secretary of the BSNL Executives Service Association since June 6, 2018. He has been taking up the matters before the higher authorities concerning the grievances of his colleagues and also supporting them in the legal field. The applicant, also, took up the issues for the purpose of appropriate remedy before CAT also.

He alleged that the officers of BSNL (respondents) threatened him with dire consequences for the court cases which the applicant has filed against the BSNL before this tribunal.

He alleged that respondents with mala fide intention downgraded his APAR for the year 2017-18 with adverse remarks and downgraded the same from 7.6 to 6.1.

He alleged that the respondents had transferred him from Kurukshetra to Kaithal first and again transferred him from Haryana Circle to Punjab Circle on August 13, 2018. He said that the order was issued in violation of the transfer policy framed by BSNL.

Meanwhile, the BSNL justified the transfer order .They said that as per this policy, BSNL management reserves the right to move or not to move the employees from one post/job to another to different locations, to different seats, temporarily or on permanent basis as per the business requirements and special needs. They also said that the transfer made on grounds of administrative exigencies was not open to judicial review. The transfer was in accordance with the guidelines and in public interest.