The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Allahabad, has held that a senior officer’s WhatsApp reply saying “OK” to a leave request could not, by itself, be treated as conclusive proof that the leave had been sanctioned by the competent authority.

Judicial member Rajnish Kumar Rai made the observation while dismissing a railway employee’s plea challenging his transfer from Prayagraj to Fatehpur, which he alleged was punitive and linked to his absence from duty. “…the alleged WhatsApp response ‘OK’ relied upon by the applicant cannot, by itself, be treated as conclusive proof of sanction of leave by the competent authority…,” the order dated October 7 read.

What was the case?

The employee said that he had gone to his native village after availing three days of leave. He further requested two additional days of leave through WhatsApp.…