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MOHD. MASOOD AHMAD versus STATE OF U.P. & ORS.

Citation: [2007] 10 S.C.R. 72 · Decided: 18-09-2007 · Supreme Court of India · Bench: C.K. THAKKER · Disposal: Dismissed

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Judgment (excerpt)

A 
MOHD. MASOOD AHMAD 
\ 
v. 
STATE OF U.P. & ORS. 
SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 
B 
[C.K. THAKKERAND MARKANDEYKATJU,JJ.) 
Service Law: 
-4--
c 
Transfer-Transfer of public servant.from one place to another-
Allegation that transfer order at the instance of MLA-lnterference 
with-Held: Transfer is an exigency of service and is an administrative 
decision-Public servant was on transferable post--Transfer order at 
the instance of MLA by itself would not vitiate the transfer order-It 
D 
depends on the facts of the case-Thus, High Court rightly did not 
interfere with the transfer order-Constitution of India, 1950-Article 
226. 
,__ 
The question which arose for consideration in this appeal was 
whether the High Court _!:ightly dismissed the Writ Petition filed by 
E appellant-Executive Officer, Nagar Palika Parishad challenging his 
transfer order from Muzaffarnagar to Mawana, District Meerut. 
Dismissing the appeal, the Court 
HELD: 1.1. Since the petitioner was on a transferable post, 
F the High Court has rightly dismissed the writ petition since transfer 
is an exigency of service and is an administrative decision. 
Interference by the Courts with transfer orders should only be in 
very rare cases. [Para 4] [74-A-B] 
B. Varadha Rao v. State of Karnataka, AIR (1986) SC 1955, Shi/pi 
G Bose v. State of Bihar, AIR (1991) SC 532, Union of India v. NP. 
Thomas, AIR (1993) SC 1605 and Union oflndiav. S.L. Abbas, AIR 
> 
(1993) SC 2444, relied on. 
State of Punjab v. Joginder Singh Dhatt, AIR (1993) SC 2486, 
Abani Kanta Rayv. State of Orissa, (1995] Supp. 4SCC169, Rajendra 
H 
72 
MOHD.MASOODAHMADv. STATE[KATJU,J.] 
73 
Rao v. Union of India, [1993] 1 SCC 148, National Hydroelectric A 
Power Corporation Ltd. v. Shri Bhagwan, [2001] 8 SCC 574, State 
Bank of India v. Anjan Sanyal, [2001] 5 SCC 508, Vijay Pal Singh v. 
State of UP., (1997) 3 ESC 1668 and Onkarnath Tiwari v. The Chief 
Engineer, Minor Irrigation Department, UP. Lucknow, (1997) 3 ESC 
1866, referred to. 
B 
1.2. Even if the allegation of the appellant that he was 
transferred on the recommendation of an MLA is correct, that by 
itself would not vitiate the transfer order. After all, it is the duty of 
the representatives of the people in the legislature to express the 
grievances of the people and if there is any complaint against an C 
official the State government is certainly within its jurisdiction to 
transfer such an employee. There can be no hard and fast rule that 
every transfer at the instance of an M.P. or MLA would be vitiated. 
It all depends on the facts and circumstances of an individual case. 
Thus, there is no infirmity in the impugned transfer order. 
D 
[Para 8] [75-E-F] 
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 4360 of 
2007. 
From the Judgment and Order dated 08.07.2005 of the High Court E 
of Judicature at Allahabad in Writ Petition No. 1110 (SIB) of 2005. 
Dinesh Kumar Garg and V.K. Biju for the Appellant. 
S.B. Upadhyay, Chandan Ramamurthi, Sandeep Singh, Manoj Kr. 
Dwivedi, G. Venketesh Rao, Shiv Mangal Sharma, Shubra and Jatinder F 
Kumar Bhatia for the Respondents. 
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by 
MARKANDEY KAT JU, J. 1. Leave granted. 
2. This appeal has been directed against the impugned judgment & 
order dated 8.7.2005 passed by the High Court of Judicature at 
Allahabad in Writ Petition No.1110 (SIB) of 2005. 
3. Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record. 
G 
H 
74 
SUPREME COURT REPORTS 
\---~ 
[2007] 10 S.C.R. 
A 
4. The petitioner-appellant, who was an Executive Officer, Nagar 
Palika Parishad MUZi;tffamagar, had in his writ petition challenged his 
i 
transfer by the State Government by order dated 21.6.2005 as Executive 
Officer, Nagar Palika Parishad Mawana, District Meerut. Since the 
petitioner was on a transferable post, in our opinion, the High Court has 
B rightly dismissed the writ petition since transfer is an exigency of service 
and is an administrative decision. Interference by the Courts with transfer 
orders should only be in very rare cases. As repeatedly held in several 
decisions, transfer is an exigency of service vide B. Varadha Rao v. State 
of Karnataka, AIR (1986) SC 1955, Shilpi Bose v. State of Bihar, AIR 
+-
c (1991) SC 532, Union of India v. NP. Thomas, AIR (1993) SC 1605, 
Union of India v. S.L. Abbas, AIR (1993) SC 2444, etc. 
5. In State of Punjab v. Joginder Singh Dhatt, AIR (1993) SC 
2486 this Court observed (vide paragraph 3 of the said AIR): 
D 
"We have heard le

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