Superannuated ACP keeps his "date" with the job

Setting aside the superannuation order of August 31, 1995, the MAT member also directed that the change in the date of birth be made in the police records and that the officer be reinstated within a fortnight with all the consequential benefits.

Munje, who belongs to the Mahar community, joined the police force as a constable in 1958, and rose to become a police head constable in 1965. He appeared for a departmental examination for the post of Police Sub Inspector in 1972, and was posted as a PSI in 1974 afterundergoing two years of training at the Police Training College, Nashik. After several promotions, Munje was promoted to the post of ACP in 1988.

Munje’s counsel, A V Bandiwadekar, told the tribunal that in 1962, Munje had applied for a correction in his recorded date of birth. According to him, the date of birth was wrongly recorded as August 15, 1937, instead of August 15, 1940. Munje filed several documents in support of his contention, but the issue was not decided upon until his retirement on August 31, 1995.

The reason cited behind the delay was an enquiry into the issue. A final decision was taken on August 28, 1995. Munje then filed an application before the MAT on November 9, 1995, seeking a change in the date of birth. But this application was dismissed on May 8, 1996, by MAT member L Himgliana, who has since retired.

Vazalwar, after hearing arguments from both sides, observed that the date of birth mentioned in the School Leaving Certificate, issued by the head master of Nagar ParishadSchool, Latur, dated December 26, 1995, is August 15, 1940, and that the certificate was issued on the basis of the admission register. The member also took into consideration an affidavit filed by the school head-mistress Akthabi Siddiqui, who stated the authenticity of the register, maintained by the school since 1950. Taking into account the affidavit, the member upheld that the SLC was authentic.