20000113

LHC dismisses petitions of ad hoc employees

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has dismissed a number of identical petitions filed by education department employees appointed on ad hoc basis by former Punjab education minister Riaz Fatiana and later terminated by former chief minister Sardar Arif Nakai .

The petitioners, appointed in 1995 at different posts, contended that their appointments were made in accordance with the law. They said that the respondent government officials terminated them without any prior notice in violation of the service rules.

They contended that the respondents were legally bound to give them a chance to clear their position but they did not bother with the law and its requirements.

They, therefore, prayed to the court to declare their termination orders as illegal and issued without lawful authority.

The law officer contended before the court that the petitioners were appointed on an ad-hoc basis and in accordance with the services rules they were not regular employees of the government .

He said that ad hoc employees could be terminated without prior notice after completion of their period.

He, therefore, prayed to the court to dismiss the petitions, being non maintainable.

The court after hearing both the sides at length dismissed the petitions.