Allahabad High Court Pulls Up Power Department Over Suspension of JE, Orders Reconsideration
By Rajesh Pandey
Prayagraj: In a strong observation against arbitrary disciplinary actions, the Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh electricity department to reconsider the suspension of Junior Engineer Lalit Kumar, who was penalized following a brief ten-minute power outage during a high-profile event attended by the state’s Energy Minister in Moradabad district.
Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery, while disposing of Lalit Kumar’s writ petition, noted that the suspension order appeared to be a mere cover-up attempt by the department, as no specific allegation or defined responsibility was attributed to the petitioner.
The Incident
The controversy dates back to July 20, when the Energy Minister was present at a public program in Moradabad.
During the event, a power supply disruption lasting approximately ten minutes caused embarrassment to officials on the ground. Although the electricity was promptly restored, the junior engineer on duty, Lalit Kumar, was suspended on grounds of negligence.
Legal Challenge and Court Proceedings
Challenging this disciplinary action, Lalit Kumar moved the Allahabad High Court through a writ petition.
His counsel argued that the suspension was arbitrary and unjustified, claiming that the department sought to shift blame onto a single employee rather than addressing systemic shortcomings.
On behalf of the department, the electricity board’s counsel informed the court that the Managing Director of Pashchimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam (PVVNL) would personally review the suspension order and consider its withdrawal.
Court’s Verdict
Taking this assurance on record, Justice Shamshery disposed of the petition on August 25, clearly stating that Lalit Kumar retains the right to approach the court again if the authorities fail to fulfill their commitment.
The court’s intervention has been seen as a stern reminder to government departments to exercise fairness and transparency while initiating disciplinary actions, particularly when no individual culpability is established.
This decision has brought a sense of relief to the petitioner while also placing accountability squarely on senior officials to ensure that such suspensions are not used as scapegoating tactics.
#AllahabadHighCourt #JudicialReview #UPPowerDepartment #JusticeForEmployees #LalitKumarCase #MoradabadNews #ElectricityOutage #AdministrativeAccountability #UPNews #PowerSectorUpdates
