Sindh Civil Service Manual

Appeal of civil servant against order of departmental authority, rejecting his plea for rectification of his date of birth was dismissed by Service Tribunal

Validity

Provincial Government had plenary powers to correct a wrongly entered date of birth in service records without any limit of time

Such power could be exercised by government only fairly and honestly upon careful consideration of all facts and material brought to its notice and after giving reasonable opportunity to be heard to affected person in accordance with established principles of natural justice

All the more important was to hold proper inquiry when serious allegation of forgery, being quasi criminal in nature, was levelled

No such exercise was undertaken nor any specific order stating to correct civil servant's date of birth was placed on record

Supreme Court rejected view of Service Tribunal that Provincial Government could pass order altering date of birth of civil servant merely through seniority list without following due process of law

Supreme Court converted petition for leave to appeal into appeal and set aside orders passed by authorities as well as by Service Tribunal

Appeal was allowed.