The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently upheld the termination of service of a man employed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), who was found smoking in a public place [Sukhwinder Singh vs President, SGPC]. .Single-judge Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal noted that the service rules of the SGPC prohibit its employee from smoking."It is stipulated in the service regulations of the SGPC that any employee who is found to be smoking would be dismissed from service. Consequently, I do not find any infirmity in the impugned order," the Court said. .The petitioner was working as a Sewadar. His service was terminated on account of a video that went viral on social media, showing him smoking a cigarette. He had challenged the decision of the SGPC before the bench of Justice Grewal. In his defense, the petitioner claimed to have gone to a dhabha along with another person, who offered some intoxicant substance in a cold drink which made him unconscious. "While he was unconscious, a person had handed over him a cigarette with intention to blackmail him," the plea claimed. .However, the bench noted the "seriousness" of the allegation against the petitioner."It is apparent that there were serious allegations against the petitioner of having smoked a cigarette. He was an employee of the SGPC. Charge sheet has been issued to the petitioner and only after conducting a regular enquiry, his services have been dispensed with," the Court said. It, therefore, dismissed the plea. .Advocate Aruz Khan appeared for the Petitioner..[Read Order]
The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently upheld the termination of service of a man employed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), who was found smoking in a public place [Sukhwinder Singh vs President, SGPC]. .Single-judge Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal noted that the service rules of the SGPC prohibit its employee from smoking."It is stipulated in the service regulations of the SGPC that any employee who is found to be smoking would be dismissed from service. Consequently, I do not find any infirmity in the impugned order," the Court said. .The petitioner was working as a Sewadar. His service was terminated on account of a video that went viral on social media, showing him smoking a cigarette. He had challenged the decision of the SGPC before the bench of Justice Grewal. In his defense, the petitioner claimed to have gone to a dhabha along with another person, who offered some intoxicant substance in a cold drink which made him unconscious. "While he was unconscious, a person had handed over him a cigarette with intention to blackmail him," the plea claimed. .However, the bench noted the "seriousness" of the allegation against the petitioner."It is apparent that there were serious allegations against the petitioner of having smoked a cigarette. He was an employee of the SGPC. Charge sheet has been issued to the petitioner and only after conducting a regular enquiry, his services have been dispensed with," the Court said. It, therefore, dismissed the plea. .Advocate Aruz Khan appeared for the Petitioner..[Read Order]