Devisingh
Meena Vs. Union of India [2007] Insc 1201 (30 November 2007)
Dr.
Arijit Pasayat & Tarun Chatterjee & Lokeshwar Singh Panta
CIVIL
APPEAL NO. 5543 OF 2007 (Arising out of SLP (C) No. 10899 of 2005) Dr. ARIJIT
PASAYAT, J.
1.
Leave granted.
2. Challenge
in this appeal is to the judgment of a Division Bench of the Gujarat High Court
dismissing the writ petition filed by the appellant. His claim relates to the
post of Senior Administrative Grade. He filed OA 245 of 2001 before the Central
Administrative Tribunal, Ahmedabad Bench (for short the 'Tribunal'). Before
that he had moved OA 8639 of 1997 making the grievance that he was not granted
the post of Chief Commercial Manager, Senior Administrative Grade from 1995.
His
stand was that the Minister of Railways had approved his promotion in the said
grade, but the same was not given effect to by the respondents. OA was decided
on merits by order dated 15.1.1999. While dismissing the OA, Tribunal had
observed that the applicant was not entitled for promotion to the post of Chief
Commercial Manager in the grade w.e.f. 1.1.1995. The appellant had preferred
Special Civil Application No.10899 of 2000 before the Gujarat High Court and
while dismissing the same, learned Single Judge had directed the respondents to
decide the pending representation of the applicant for his promotion in the
light of existing rules and regulations.
3.
Subsequently, Misc. application no.132 of 2001 was moved by the appellant in
the said Special Civil Application which was also rejected by the Division
Bench on 7.3.2001 in view of the appellant making a statement that he would proceed
before the appropriate forum in respect of the challenge. A speaking order was
passed by the competent authority on the representation. Therefore, OA No.245
of 2001 was filed. Subsequently, prayer in the OA was for setting aside the
order dated 2.2.2001 passed by the Member, Railway Board and for direction to
the Railways authorities to consider his case for promotion w.e.f. 1996.
4. It
is to be noted that the representation was rejected on the ground that though
the Minister had initially approved his promotion to the Senior Administrative
Grade, subsequently, by order dated 26.4.1997 he concurred with non-inclusion
of his name in the panel. He was not considered for promotion. Before the
Tribunal stand of the respondent was that merely because the Minister had
earlier recommended for inclusion of appellant's name in the Senior
Administrative Grade at an earlier stage, that did not confer any right to get
promotion particularly when the same Minister had subsequently approved the
exclusion of his name.
5. The
stand of the appellant in support of the appeal is that once the Minister had
approved inclusion of his name, there was no question of his subsequently
disapproving the inclusion merely because it was brought to his notice that
inclusion of his name was impermissible.
6.
Learned counsel for the respondent submitted that the Departmental Promotion
Committee ((in short 'DPC') did not recommend appellant's name. On his
representation, the Minister directed his empanelment. Subsequently, when
materials were placed before the Minister, he directed that there was no scope
for empanelment of appellant.
7. At
this juncture it is necessary to note that there was no challenge to the
Minister's subsequent order. From the records it is revealed that in the order
of 1996, when DPC had referred the panel to the Minister for his approval, the
name of the appellant was not included in the list. The Minister while approving
the panel included the name of the appellant and then approved the panel.
Subsequently, the Member, Special Railway Board, who was one of the members of
the DPC, advised the Secretary, Railway Board, to place the matter before DPC
for re-consideration in view of the observations made by the Minister.
8.
Thereafter, DPC put up a detailed note indicating the reasons as to why the
name of the appellant can not be included for promotion to Senior
Administrative Grade. The Minister accepted the reasons given by the DPC for
non- inclusion and further approved the panel which did not figure appellant's
name.
9. It
is not in dispute as per applicable provisions, the promotions have been
granted. Appellant's name was not recommended by the DPC and, therefore, he
could not have been appointed.
10.
Appellant's stand is that once the Minister had directed inclusion of his name,
there was no scope for making a departure from the view. This stand is clearly
unsustainable.
As has
been rightly contended by the learned counsel for the respondent, at the first
stage though the Minister had directed inclusion of appellant's name,
subsequently when relevant material was placed before him, he took a view
different from what he had taken earlier. As noted above, there was no
challenge to the Minister's order disapproving the case of the appellant.
11.
That being so, there is no scope for interference with the orders passed by the
Tribunal and the High Court. The appeal is without merit and is dismissed.
There will be no order as to costs.
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