Get inspired by IAF pilots who hit JeM camps, Madras HC tells public servants
Chennai: Reminding the bravery shown by our Indian air force pilots in targeting the enemy terrorists camps inside the territory of Pakistan, the Madras high court has expressed its expectation from a staff nurse, who is transferred from Coimbatore government hospital to Vellore government hospital, to show such courage and braveness in performing his duties.
“If such mindset is developed in the public service, then, there would be no room for corrupt activities also in public service”, said Justice S.M.Subramaniam while dismissing the petitions filed by R.Sreenivasan, challenging the order of the authorities transferring him from Coimbatore Government hospital to Vellore district.
The judge said the petitioner is serving as a Staff Nurse in Government Hospital. The job nature of staff nurse is noble one. A public servant, more specifically, serving as a staff nurse, is bound to serve with full devotion to duty. Undoubtedly, the petitioner, being a staff nurse, more specifically in a government hospital, has to serve in the interest of public and for the welfare of the administration, the judge added.
The judge said administrative transfers were issued on various grounds. It was not necessary for the competent authorities to spell out reasons for all such administrative transfers. Administrative grounds cannot be challenged in a routine manner. However, the authorities, while exercising the power of discretion must keep in mind that the said power should be used without any bias and administrative transfers were to be issued for genuine reasons. The authorities should not issue any such transfer orders on personal vengeance or on any other extraneous consideration, the judge added.
The judge said in the present case, except by stating that the petitioner was an office bearer of an Association and the officials concerned have taken certain personal vengeance against him, the said allegations were not substantiated with sufficient materials on record.
Those officials were not impleaded as parties in their personal capacity. In the absence of any such specific and substantiated allegations regarding the mala fide intention, this court would not entertain a petition based on certain bald allegation or on certain grounds made in the petition. If such grounds were accepted at the threshold, every public servant will come to the court and state that every such transfer orders were issued with some ulterior motive or on personal vengeance. Courts cannot give room for such pleadings to be raised by the public servant without any basis, the judge added.
The judge said undoubtedly every family in this country has got problems in one way or other and they have to solve the problems and lead their life with happiness and peace. Such personal grievances cannot be a ground to revoke an order of transfer. “Public service is a noble one, more so being a member of medical services in government hospitals, where the service of nurses like the petitioner, is very much essential for the benefit of poor people. This court would like to remind the bravery shown by our Indian air force pilots in targeting the enemy terrorists' camps inside the territory of Pakistan.
The petitioner staff nurse also is expected to show such courage and braveness in performing his duties. If such mindset is developed in the public service, then, there would be no room for corrupt activities also in public service. Under these circumstances, this court would suggest that the petitioner has to serve in the place where he is posted, in the interest of public and to serve the nation with full devotion to duty”, the judge added.
