THE SECRETARY, MIN.OF DEFENCE & ORS. versus PRABHASH CHANDRA MIRDHA

Citation: [2012] 6 S.C.R. 182 · Decided: 29-05-2012 · Supreme Court of India · Bench: B.S. CHAUHAN, DIPAK MISRA · Disposal: Disposed off
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Judgment (excerpt)

[2012] 6 S.C.R. 182 
A 
THE SECRETARY, MIN.OF DEFENCE & ORS. 
B 
v. 
PRABHASH CHANDRA MIRDHA 
(Civil Appeal No. 2333 of 2007) 
MAY 29, 2012 
[DR. B.S. CHAUHAN AND DIPAK MISRA, JJ.] 
Service Law - Misconduct - Disciplinary proceedings -
Whether the authority, lower or higher than of the appointing 
C authority, can initiate the proceedings against the delinquent 
on grounds of alleged misconduct - Held: Removal and 
dismissal of a delinquent on misconduct must be by the 
authority not below the appointing authority- However, it does 
not mean that disciplinary proceedings may not be initiated 
D against the delinquent by the authority lower than the 
appointing authority - It is permissible for an authority, higher 
than appointing authority to initiate the proceedings and 
impose punishment, in case he is not the appellate authority 
so that the delinquent may not loose the right of appeal - In 
E other case, delinquent has to prove as what prejudice has 
been caused to him - Constitution of India, 1950 - Article 311. 
Sampuran Singh v. State of Punjab AIR 1982 SC 1407: 
1982 (3) SCC 200; Surjit Ghosh v. Chairman and Managing 
Director, United Commercial Bank & Ors. AIR 1995 SC 1053: 
F 1995 (2) SCC 474; Balbir Chand v. FC/ Ltd. & Ors. AIR 1997 
SC 2229: 1996 (10) Suppl. SCR 156; A. Sudhakar v. 
Postmaster-General Hyderabad & Anr. (2006) 4 SCC 348: 
2006 (3) SCR 373; Inspector General of Police & Anr. v. 
Thavasiappan AIR 1996 SC 1318: 1996 (1) SCR 977; Steel 
G Authority of India & Anr. v. Dr. R.K. Diwakar & Ors. AIR 1998 
SC 2210: 1997 (11) SCC 17; State of U.P. & Anr. v. 
Chandrapa/ Singh & Anr. AIR 2003 SC 4119: 2003 (2) SCR 
1062; Transport Commissioner, Madras - 5 v. A. Radha 
Krishna Moorthy (1995) 1 SCC 332; Director General, ES/ & 
H 
182 
SECRETARY, MIN.OF DEFENCE & ORS. v. 
183 
PRABHASH CHANDRA MIRDHA 
Anr. v. T. Abdul Razak etc. AIR 1996 SC 2292: 1996 (3) 
A 
Suppl. SCR 80 and Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Coal 
India Limited & Ors. v. Ananta Saha & Ors. (2011) 5 SCC 
142: 2011 (5) SCR 44 - relied on. 
Service Law - Misconduct - Disciplinary proceedings -
8 
Chargesheet - Challenge to - Held: A chargesheet or show 
cause notice in disciplinary proceedings should not ordinarily 
be quashed by the Court - Chargesheet cannot generally be 
a subject matter of challenge as it does not adversely affect 
the rights of the delinquent unless it is established that the 
C 
same has been issued by an authority not competent to initiate 
the disciplinary proceedings - Neither the disciplinary 
proceedings nor the chargesheet can be qliashed at an initial 
stage as it would be a premature stage to deal with the issues 
- Proceedings are not liable to be quashed on grounds that 
proceedings had been initiated at a belated stage or could 
D 
not be concluded in a reasonable period unless the delay 
creates prejudice to the delinquent employee - Gravity of 
alleged misconduct is a relevant factor to be taken into 
consideration while quashing the proceedings. 
E 
The State of Madhya Pradesh v. Bani Singh & Anr. AIR 
1990 SC 1308: 1990 Suppl. SCC 738; State of Punjab & 
Ors. v. Chaman Lal Goyal (1995) 2 SCC 570: 1995 (1) SCR 
695; Deputy Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Faizabad v. 
Sachindra f'Jath Pandey & Ors. (1995) 3 SCC 134; Union of F 
India & Anr. v. Ashok Kacker 1995 Supp (1) SCC 180; 
Secretary to Government, Prohibition & Excise Department 
v. L. Srinivasan (1996) 3 SCC 157: 996 (2) SCR 737; State 
of Andhra Pradesh v. N. Radhakishan AIR 1998 SC 1833: 
1998 (2) SCR 693; Food Corporation of India & Anr. v. V. P. 
Bhatia (1998) 9 SCC 131; Additional Supdt. of Police v. T. 
G 
Natarajan 1999 SCC (L&S) 646; M. V. Bijlani v. Union of India 
& Ors. AIR 2006 SC 3475: 2006 (3) SCR 896; P.O. Agrawal 
v. State Bank of India & Ors. AIR 2006 SC 2064: 2006 (1) 
. Suppl. SCR 454; Government of A.P. & Ors. v. V. Appala 
H 
184 
SUPREME COURT REPORTS 
[2012] 6 S.C.R. 
A 
Swamy (2007) 14 SCC 49: 2007 (2) SCR 19; Secretary, 
Forest Department & Ors. v. Abdur Rasul Chowdhury (2009) 
7 SCC 305; State of UP. v. Brahm Datt Sharma AIR 1987 
SC 943: 1987 (2) SCR 444; Executive Engineer, Bihar State 
Housing Board v. Ramesh Kumar Singh & Ors. (1996) 1 SCC 
B 327: 1995 (5) Suppl. SCR 543; Ulagappa & Ors. v. Div. 
Commr., Mysore & Ors. AIR 2000 SC 3603: 2001 (10) SCC 
639; Special Director & Anr. v. Mohd. Ghulam Ghouse & Anr. 
AIR 2004 SC 1467: 2004 (1) SCR 399; Union of India & Anr. 
v. Kunisetty Satyanarayana AIR 2007 SC 906: 2006
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