New Delhi, Aug 6 The objective of compulsory retirement is to weed out the "dead wood", the Supreme Court said on Thursday while rejecting a CISF inspector's plea for retention and observed that members of uniformed forces are expected to maintain high efficiency, vigilance and discipline.
A bench of justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Shree Chandrashekhar noted that the appellant's performance in the last two years immediately before his compulsory retirement, suffered discernible decline, with his gradings dropping from "Good" to "Average" and remaining stagnant thereafter.
"It cannot be lost sight of that the appellant was serving in the CISF, a disciplined and uniformed force entrusted with vital security functions. Members of such force are expected to maintain a consistently high standard of efficiency, vigilance and discipline. Viewed in that light, the decision of the competent authority warrants no interference," the bench said.
The top court said this while upholding a Delhi High Court order. The high court had dismissed the CISF official's plea and upheld the orders of compulsory retirement passed against him in 2010 by the competent authority.
The top court said the object underlying compulsory retirement is to weed out the "dead wood" so as to maintain a high standard of efficiency and integrity in public service.
"It is trite law that an order of compulsory retirement is not punitive in nature and implies neither stigma, prejudice nor any suggestion of misbehaviour. The order of compulsory retirement is in public interest and is passed on the subjective satisfaction of the government," it said.
In this case, the appellant joined the Central Industrial Security Force as an Assistant Sub-inspector on June 28, 1982. While in service, he was promoted twice.
According to the appellant's annual confidential reports, his efficiency to perform his duties slackened in the last two years of the period under review.
