#misconduct in service

The Karnataka High Court has ruled that a public servant who forges documents to manipulate land mutation entries commits serious service misconduct, making Lokayukta proceedings valid despite the availability of civil remedies under the Land Revenue Act. This clarifies that administrative integrity trumps procedural alternatives when public trust is breached through fraud, directly impacting village accountants and revenue officials across Karnataka.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that removing a public servant for a single operational mistake, absent proof of gross negligence or violation of conduct rules, violates the doctrine of proportionality under Article 14. This sets a critical precedent for departmental inquiries across state services, ensuring punishment aligns with the gravity of the fault and protects long-serving employees from disproportionate penalties.

The Bombay High Court upheld compulsory retirement of a government employee who, despite a clear transfer clause in his appointment, remained absent from his assigned post for seven years. This ruling establishes that persistent defiance of a lawful transfer order, even without physical misconduct, amounts to grave misconduct under service rules, setting a precedent for disciplinary action against prolonged non-compliance in public employment.

Madhya Pradesh High Court holds that public servants must actively comply with court directives; failure to act constitutes misconduct even without financial loss.