Competent authority directed to decide pending representation through a reasoned and speaking order within three months.

The applicant, appointed as a Helper in the Railway Department on August 6, 2013, under the Izzatnagar Division, was transferred from Pilibhit to Tanakpur

He sought a transfer to Azamgarh on humanitarian grounds, citing the serious medical ailments of his aged parents and the lack of other male family members to care for them, given the 600 km distance between his current posting and native place

The applicant submitted a representation to the competent authority on January 30, 2026, which remained undecided

Consequently, the applicant filed the present Original Application seeking a direction for the disposal of said representation

Whether the Tribunal should exercise its jurisdiction to direct the respondents to decide upon a pending representation regarding a transfer request on humanitarian grounds

The Tribunal applied the principle of administrative responsiveness, requiring competent authorities to consider personnel grievances in accordance with applicable rules and administrative exigencies

It further relied on the legal requirement that administrative representations must be disposed of by passing a "reasoned and speaking order" in accordance with law

The Tribunal noted the undisputed fact that the applicant’s representation dated January 30, 2026, was pending

While the respondents contended that a mandamus cannot be issued for a transfer to a specific location and that the application was premature, the Tribunal found that no fruitful purpose would be served by keeping the O.A. pending

By directing the respondents to decide the representation without expressing an opinion on the merits, the Tribunal balanced the applicant’s right to a timely administrative decision with the respondents' prerogative to manage transfers based on exigencies

It directed the competent authority among the respondents to consider and decide the applicant's representation dated January 30, 2026, by passing a reasoned and speaking order within three months from the receipt of the certified copy of the order

The resulting order must be communicated to the applicant immediately