Srinagar, Mar 30: The High Court Tuesday stayed the government order to compulsorily retire some 4000 employees in Public Health Engineering and Irrigation and Flood Control Departments. 
 The High Court stayed government order by virtue of which thousands of class fourth employees in public health engineering and I&FC were supposed to opt for voluntary retirement or face thorough medical test to ascertain their actual age.
 The Court issued notice to the state government to respond in two weeks time.
 The state government issued a notice on August 10, 2009 saying that, “It has come to its notice that dates of birth of a large number of employees of the PHE/I&FC department particularly helpers, linemen etc. have been accorded at the time of their recruitment either on the basis of verbal statements or documents which were not authentic or based on any verification of the medical authorities.”
 The notice added: “This has given rise to a peculiar situation most of such employees continuing in the government employment much beyond the age prescribed for superannuation. Now that an exercise has been undertaken to streamline the department, it is herby enjoined upon all drawing and disbursing officers in the PHE and I&FC department to impress upon the employees working under their control to seek voluntary retirement from government service for having attained the superannuation age. Such employees shall apply for voluntary retirement within three months from the date of issue of this notice.”
 However, the government had said if these employees would apply for voluntary retirement within three months from the date of issue of the notice, they would be provided full pensionery benefits. “If they do not seek voluntary retirement they shall b put under medical test to be conducted with the latest medical techniques to determine their age and if it is proved medically that they crossed their age of superannuation, the department shall not only compulsorily retire them but also initiate recovery proceedings against them for the period they have overstayed in government service,” the notice reads.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 31 Mar 2010 00:00:00 IST