Can't change date of birth, Punjab police chief told

Punjab police chief Puran Chand Dogra is trying his best to change his official date of birth. He approached the Punjab university, magistrates, the Union government, the Jammu and Kashmir high court and finally the Central Administrative Tribunal.

And comes the plea of three of his colleagues that any concession given to Dogra in this regard will affect their common interest.

Additional Director Generals of Police Sarabjit Singh, Jarnail Singh Chahal and Mehal Singh Bhullar have already submitted their petitions before the CAT.

After hearing their petitioners, the CAT bench, comprising Judge J S Dhariwal and administrative member N K Verma, directed the counsel for the applicant to file his reply by September 2 and adjourned the case till then.

Before dictating the order, the tribunal suggested that Dogra withdraw his petition as it did not stand judicial scrutiny. It referred to a case decided by the Supreme Court recently. The apex court had ruled that the date of birth, once accepted while joining service, cannot be changed.

''What have you been doing since 1964, when you joined the Indian Police Service? By moving your case only in 1994, you have brought in many malafides in your case,'' Dhaliwal told Dogra's counsel.

''He is a very senior officer. Even if the tribunal accepts verbatim what the petitioner says, it cannot cross the limits and rules laid down by the Supreme Court,'' he added.

Dogra's original birth certificate had mentioned his date of birth as March 3, 1940. He wanted it to be changed to September 5, 1941 and approached the special mobile magistrate in Jammu on June 20, 1994. The date was corrected by the magistrate and subsequently by the chief medical officer there.

He then moved the Punjab university authorities in Chandigarh to make the necessary changes in his educational certificates and also gave a representation to the Union government to this effect.

However, the Centre did not accede to the change and he moved the Jammu and Kashmir high court. The court directed the government to decide Dogra's representation in accordance with the rules.

The Union government rejected his representation on October 29, 1996 and he subsequently moved the CAT.

Dogra, as per his original date of birth (March 3, 1940), is due to retire from service in March.