In
The Supreme Court of India Civil Appellate Jurisdiction Civil Appeal No. 1694 of
2006
The
State of West Bengal and others Vs Kamal Sengupta and another
JUDGMENT
G.S. Singhvi, J.
1.Whether
a Tribunal established under Section 4 of the Administrative Tribunals Act (for
short `the Act') can review its decision on the basis of subsequent
order/decision/judgment rendered by a coordinate or larger bench or any
superior Court or on the basisofsubsequent event/development is the question
which arises for determination of this appeal filed by the State of West Bengal
and others against the judgment of the High Court of Calcutta, whereby the said
High Court declined to
2
interfere with order dated 25.9.2001 passed by the West Bengal Administrative
Tribunal (for short `the Tribunal') in R.A. No.26 of 1998.
2.The
facts necessary for deciding the aforementioned question are as under: (i)
Respondents Kamal Sengupta and Narayan Chandra Ghosh appeared in the
competitive examination conducted by the West Bengal Public Service Commission
in 1973 for recruitment to West Bengal Civil Services (Executive) and other
Allied Services. They were declared successful and were allotted to West Bengal
Food and Supplies Service (hereinafter described as `the service'). Initially,
they were posted as Sub-Divisional Controller of Food and Supplies. In due
course, they were promoted as Assistant Director, Deputy Director and finally
as Director and their pay was fixed in the scales prescribed for those posts.
They were also given the benefit of revised scales under the West Bengal
(Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 1981 (hereinafter referred to as `ROPA
1981') and the West Bengal (Revision of Pay and Allowance) Rules, 1990
(hereinafter referred to as `ROPA 1990').
3
(ii)After 20 years of joining the service, the respondents filed Writ Petition
No.1547 of 1995 for quashing letter dated 6.1.1995 vide which the Finance
Department of the State Government rejected their claim for grant of Pay Scale
Nos.19 and 21 in terms of the Career Advancement Scheme (for short `the
Scheme') framed by the Government of WestBengal, which was circulatedvide
Memorandum dated 21.6.1990 and for issue of a mandamus to the State
Governmentto take action in accordance withthe recommendations made by
Secretary, Food and Supplies Department vide his DO No.G-5250/FC dated
5.10.1992, G-5302/FC dated 16.10.1992 and Con-223/FS dated 27.4.1994. They
further prayed for issue of direction to the non-petitioners (the appellants
herein) to declare the posts in Scale Nos.19 and 21 under Rule 2(b) of ROPA
1990 to be in the ranks of Joint Secretary and Special Secretary respectively
and sanction those posts for members of the service in the same ratio as was
done in the case of West Bengal Civil Services Officers. (iii) In the affidavit
filed by him in support of the writ petition, Narayan Chandra Ghosh (respondent
no.2 herein) referred to the factum of sanction of Pay Scale Nos.17, 18 and 19
to members of the service
4
under ROPA 1981, recommendations made by the Third Pay Commission, the Scheme
and averred that they have been subjected to hostile discrimination in the
matter of grant of Scale Nos.19 and 21. For the sake of reference, paragraphs
5, 9, 13, 17 and 18 of the affidavit of respondent no.2 are reproduced below :
"5. That the petitioners having entered in to W.B.F.& S.S., n the year
of 1974/75 after successfully passing the West Bengal Civil Service (Executive)
and certain allied service examination held in 1973 were first posted in the
basic grade posts of Sub-Divisional Controller of Food and Supplies and
thereafter in recognition to meritorious service since rendered by them were
posted in different senior posts and posts with higher responsibilities like
Assistant Director, Deputy Director and lastly were posted as Director in the
year of 1991 and 1992 respectively.
9.
That the petitioners were awarded Scale No.19, (Rs.1600/- to 2250/-) according
to their respective seniority cum merit w.e.f. 01.03.1982 and 01.11.1982
respectively and on 1st January, 1986 when the pay of the petitioners were to
be fixed notionally in terms of the provision of West Bengal Services (ROPA)
Rules, 1990, the petitioners were drawing pay Rs.1840/- and Rs.1780/-
respectively.
13.
That the petitioners state that under ROPA, 1990 the members of W.B.F. &
S.S., have been awarded three scales of pay namely scale Nos.16 (Rs.2200/- to
Rs.4000/-) 17 (Rs.3000/- to Rs.4750/-) and 18 (Rs.3700/- to Rs.5700/-) inasmuch
as these scales correspond to Scale No.17 (Rs.660/ to Rs.1600/-), Scale No.18
Rs.1100/- to Rs.1900/-) and No.19 (Rs.1600/- to Rs.2250/-) under ROPA, 1981.
17.
That the distribution of posts in revised Scale Nos.19 and 21 for the services
shown in Annexure to the Memo No.6075-F dated 21.06.1990 (Annexure
"C" to this Writ Petition) is given hereunder :
5
Name of Service Grade _Scales__ Eligibility condition Strength 1921for Scale
No.19 & 21 (Revised) 1 2 3 4
---------------------
------------ -------------------------------------
1.
W.B.S.C. (Exe) 176764 4 20 years of total service on Revised Scales Nos.16, 17,
18 andtheir unrevised counter parts and 3 years in unrevised scale no.19 or
revised scale no.18.
2.
W.B. Commercial 566 81Same as for Tax ServiceW.B.C.S.
3.
W.B. Co-operative 162 2Nil- do -Service.
4.
W.B. Excise 190 1 Nil - do -Service.
5.
W.B. National Emp- 170 1 Nil- do -loyment Service.
6.
W.B. Labour Service 132 1Nil- do –
7.
W.B.F. & S.S.280 Nil Nil- do -
8.
W.B. Police Service 279 2 Nil - do -(Group B Service)
9.
W.B. General Service 3Nil - do –
6
not known.
18.It
is evident from the foregoing paragraph that all the State Services constituted
under Art. 309 of the Constitution of India and having same method of
recruitment have been given the benefit of Scale No.19 under Career Advancement
Scheme save and except the West Bengal Food and Supplies Service which is a
duly constituted State Service and belongs to Group "A" State
Services along with other, under West Bengal Civil Services (Exe) and Certain
allied Services." (iv) In the counter-affidavit filed on behalf of the
appellants herein, it was averred that the Scheme was framed to improve the
standard of administration and career prospects of the employees, who did not
have adequate promotional opportunities. It was further averred that benefit of
the Scheme was not extended to the writ petitioners because they had been
promoted to the higher posts and were paid salary in the scales prescribed for
those posts.As regards the recommendations made by Secretary, Food & Supplies
Department, it was averred that the same are not binding on the State
Government.
Paragraphs
7, 12 and 13 of the counter affidavit which are reflective of the stand taken
by the appellants read as under : "7. With reference to the said
paragraph, it is pertinent to point out that so far as the service of writ
petitioners is concerned, they have reached their highest post in the service
as admitted by them. They have also reached the highest scale of pay as are
admissible to the highest post. They are no longer eligible for any scale under
the Career Advancement Scheme as the said Scheme is not meant for them.
7
12. With reference to the allegations contained in paragraphs 18 to 20 of the
writ petition, it is denied that all the State services have been given the
benefit of scale no.19 save and except West Bengal Food & Supplies service
or that cadre strength has anything to do with the Career Advancement Scheme or
that there is any arbitrary act or act which is violative of the principles of
equity and the principles of natural justice as wrongfully alleged or at all.
In this context, I repeat and reiterate that the Career Advancement Scheme for
the Government employees is guided by the Finance Department Memo dated June
21, 1990. In order to allow the benefit of higher pay scale to the incumbents
of the respective services subject to fulfillment of certain conditions, the
said Scheme was introduced. The members of the State Service including the West
Bengal Food & Supplies Service are entitled to promotion in the higher
scale of pay being scale nos.16, 17 and 18. In addition to the above benefit,
as per promotion policy of the Government, the members of some of the State
services have been allowed the benefit of scale nos.19 and 21 as per Career
Advancement Scheme referred to above.
The
said benefit of higher scale nos.19 to 21 as per Career Advancement Scheme
referred to above has not been allowed to the State Services in general since
the prospect of promotion to the higher scale of pay depends on a variety of
consideration namely ratio of higher post to base level post in the feeder
grade, hierarchical structure of the department, the level of work and nature
of responsibilities, the proportion of direct recruitment, the pace of growth
of normal activities of a department, the avenue of normal promotion etc.On
consideration of the above factors, there is hardly any justification to bring
all State Services on the same footing in respect of extension of the benefit
of higher scale of pay as per promotion policy of Career Advancement Scheme. In
fact, the Third Pay Commission as an expert body held that it is not possible
to grant equal opportunities of promotion to the higher post to the employees
in general on account of the said various factors. If necessary, I shall crave
leave to refer to a copy of the recommendation of the Third Pay Commission at
the hearing.
8
13.
With reference to the allegations contained in paragraphs 21 to 25(b) of the
writ petition, it is denied that there is any discrimination as alleged or at
all. The D.O. letter dated October 5, 1992 is a mere recommendation by the
departmental head as is usual practice for all the departmental heads to
forward representations which were received from their employees. As already
stated above, the consideration which are relevant for the purpose of extending
the Career Advancement Scheme are totally different. The incumbents who are
holding the post of Commercial Tax Services are not obviously at par with the
post held by the petitioners. In this context, it is also pertinent to mention
that the matter of extending the Career Advancement Scheme is a matter of
policy decision. As already stated and admitted by the writ petitioners that
they have reached the scale no.19, under ROPA Rules, 1990 and as such they’re
getting further career advancement does not and/or cannot arise."
(v)
On establishment of the Tribunal, the writ petition was transferred to it and
was registered as Transferred Application No.826 of 1996. By
an
order dated 25.2.1997, the Tribunal dismissed the same. It held that the pay
structure has been worked out by the Third Pay Commission after proper job
evaluation of different services and posts; that there cannot be any equality
among the members of different services; that the State Government was free to
frame appropriate scheme for grant of higher pay scales to the members of some
services who did not have adequate promotional opportunities and that in the
absence of any evidence of parity, a mandatory direction cannot be issued for
grant of higher pay scales to the applicants.
9
(vi)The respondents challenged the order of the Tribunal in WPST No.59 of
1997, which was dismissed by the High Court with an observation that the only
remedy available to the petitioners was to file petitionfor special leave to
appeal. Thereafter, the respondents filed SLP No.... of 1998 (CC 5925/1998),
which was dismissed on 4.9.1998 as withdrawn in terms of the prayer made by
their counsel.(vii) In the meanwhile, Joydeb Biswas and others filed O.A.
No.148 of 1997 for grant of Scale Nos.17, 18 and 19 to members of the service
under ROPA 1981 in the ratio of 6:3:1. They relied on Finance Department
Memorandum No.9425-F dated 9.8.1983, whereby posts in different services were
distributed in the ratio of 6:3:1 and orders passed by the High Court of
Calcutta for grant of Scale Nos.17, 18 and 19 to the members of State Audit and
Accounts Service and West Bengal Judicial Service in the ratio of 6:3:1 and
pleaded that they are entitled to similar treatment.
(viii)
The appellants contested the application of Joydeb Biswas and others by
asserting that their claim of parity with members of other State Services was
untenable. In support of this plea, the appellants 10 relied on the order
passed in Transferred Application No.826 of 1996 (Kamal Sengupta and another
vs. State of West Bengal and others).
(ix)
The Tribunal distinguished the order passed in Kamal Sengupta's case by
observing that the question of distribution of Scale Nos.17, 18 and 19 was not
considered in that case and directed the State Government to implement the
recommendations made by Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies Department. The
relevant portions of order dated 25.3.1998 passed by the Tribunal in O.A.
No.148 of 1997 are extracted below:-
"That
takes us to the question whether the distribution of scales of pay in the ratio
of 6:3:1 should be extended to the applicants. It may be true that the
rationale which attracted the decisions in the case of Audit and Accounts
Service and the West Bengal Judicial Service may not be fully applicable to the
case of the applicants employed in Food and Civil Supply Department, but the
broad fact remains that the authority competent to decide this question is the
Departmental Secretary being the respondent no.2, who by his elaborate and
reasoned order in Annexure `G', has fully upheld the case of the applicants.
Being the administrative head of the concerned Department he is the most
competent person to decide about the cadre strength, the promotional prospect
and the distribution of the promotional scales of pay, and going through his
order we do not find any unreasonableness or arbitrariness in his judgment.
In
view of the conclusion reached on the second point above, we may dispose of the
third contention raised by the State respondents that due to the decision in
Kamal Sengupta's case 11 the point is concluded against the applicants. We do
not agree for the simple reason that in Kamal Sengupta's case the question was
whether scale nos.20 and 21 of ROPA Rules of 1990 should be extended to the
officers of the Food Department and in that judgment there was no point for consideration
as to how the scale nos.17, 18 and 19 are to be distributed amongst the
officers of the Food & Supply Department. So the third point taken by the
State respondents also fails.
That
takes us to the irresistible conclusion that there is no valid ground to refuse
the applicants the benefit of scale nos.17, 18 and 19 in the ratio of 6:3:1. At
the risk of repetition we may say that the decision of the respondent no.2 as
indicated in Annexure `G' is conclusive. The question whether the Secretary, Finance
Department will issue necessary Government orders or whether such order will
involve additional financial burden upon the State exchequer is of no
consequence to us. When the administrative head of a particular department has
taken a well reasoned decision on the representation of the applicant and
pursuant to our direction in the earlier writ petition, the respondent no.1
cannot be allowed not to implement the same on any plea, whatsoever."
Emphasis added] (x) After dismissal of the Special Leave Petition, the
respondents filed R.A. No.26 of 1998 for review of order dated 25.2.1997 by
asserting that they were stagnating in the same scale of pay since 1982 and the
non-applicants arbitrarily denied them benefit of the higher scales which were
given to the members of other services.
The
respondents pleaded that in view of the recommendations made by Secretary of
Food and Supplies Department, which are binding on the State Government, they
are entitled to Scale Nos.19
12
and 21. In support of this plea, the respondents relied on order dated
25.3.1998 passed in O.A. No.148 of 1997 Joydeb Biswas and others vs. State of
West Bengal and others. The precise grounds on which review was sought by the
respondents are reproduced below:-
"I.For
that this learned Tribunal was pleased to reach two opposite conclusions on the
same point of law as in Annexures "C" and "D" and thereby
dismissing the case of your applicants, while allowing that of the other
applicants.
II.For
that the order as in Annexure "C" therefore suffers from this grave
inconsistency and irregularity on the face of the record when compared to the
Order as in Annexure "D".
III.
For that this learned Tribunal was pleased to hold the recommendation mainly
the Administrative Head of Department of your applicants as a mere
recommendation and allowed the objection of the Finance Secretary to prevail.
In the matter of granting the benefit, which this learned Tribunal was pleased
to grant to the said other petitioners merely because their Administrative Head
of Department had made such recommendation, and despite the objections of the
Finance Secretary in that case.
IV.For
that the Orders as in Annexures "C" and "D" make for
judicial anarchy and scuttle the belief in the judicial system.
V.
For that even otherwise, the said orders as in Annexure "C" and
"D" cannot both stand, without violating the principles of natural
justice not only enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution of India, but also
in Section 22 of the Act of 1985, being the parent Statute of this learned
Tribunal read with Article 323-A of the Constitution of 13 India, and it is fit
and proper that this learned Tribunal be pleased to review its order as in
Annexure "C" in the light of the later judgment as in Annexure
"D", on the principle that the later judgment shall prevail."
(xi) By an Order dated 30.11.1999, the Tribunal dismissed the review
application on the premise that power of review cannot be exercised after
dismissal of the SLP.
(xii)
The legality and correctness of the aforementioned order was challenged by the
respondents in WPST No.37 of 2000, which was allowed by the Division Bench of
the High Court on the premise that dismissal of the SLP as withdrawn did not
affect the Tribunal's power of review. Accordingly, a direction was given to
the Tribunal to decide the review application afresh.
(xiii)
In compliance of the direction given by the High Court, the Tribunal heard the
review application on merits and allowed the same vide order dated 25.9.2001.
The Tribunal made detailed reference to the pleadings of the parties and
arguments of their advocates, recommendations made by Secretary, Food and
Supplies Department and rejection thereof by the Finance Department as also
Memo dated 13.3.2001 issued by the State Government for creation of additional
14 posts in Scale No.19 for various State Services including the service of
which the respondents were members and held : "Be that as it may, it now
appears from the Supplementary Affidavit filed by the applicants that the
respondent authorities concerned have come forward and issued necessary Govt.
orders
extending the benefit of Scale No.19 to the Officers of Food & Supplies
Department w.e.f. 1.1.2001 vide Memo No.3015-F dated 13.3.2001 being annexure
`C' to Supplementary Affidavit. It was argued before us by the Ld.
Senior
Counsel for the applicants that because of the extension of such benefit of
Scale No.19 to the Officers of Food & Supplies Department, the instant case
stood disposed of in their favour but in part. In our view, the extension of
the benefit of Scale No. 19 pointed out only to a glaring fact that the
Officers of Food & Supplies Department were also entitled to such a Scale,
but they were deprived of the same for a long time for reasons best known to
the authorities concerned. It was indeed a clear case of hostile
discrimination." The Tribunal then referred to order dated 25.3.1998
passed in O.A. No.148 of 1997, Joydeb Biswas's case, and held : "Switching
now over to the other aspect of the case, we find rom Annexure `D' to the
application for review that the Ld.
ivision
Bench of this Tribunal delivered a judgment in OA 48/97 on 25.3.98 in which 13
applicants of the said case being employees of the Food and Supplies Department
claimed the benefits of scale nos.17, 18 and 19. It appears that in that case
this Bench held inter alia that the recommendation made by the Food Secretary,
being Head of the Administrative Department was binding on the Secretary,
Finance Department and hence the State respondent authorities concerned could
not refuse to implement the said recommendation of the Administrative Head on
"any plea what-so-ever". In that view of the matter, it appears that
by the said judgment and order dated 25.3.98, the Division Bench of this
Tribunal directed the concerned respondent authorities to issue necessary Govt.
order extending the benefit of scale nos.17, 18 and 19 to the applicants of the
15 said case. The contention of the Ld. Counsel for the applicants of this case
was that this judgment and order was not within their knowledge and hence
documents in that regard could not be produced by the applicants before the Ld.
Tribunal at the appropriate time and that upon discovery of new and important
material, viz., judgment and order, dated 23.5.98, which was not within their
knowledge, they were not praying for review, which was admissible under the
provisions of Section 21 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 and also
under Section 14 of the Limitation Act, 1963. In our view this was certainly a
"sufficient cause" for belated filing of the application for
review." Though the Tribunal did not deal with the issue relating to
entitlement of the respondents to Scale No.21, but directed the appellants
herein to extend the benefit of the said scale to them. This is evident from
the operative part of the Tribunal's order, which is extracted below:
"In
the facts and circumstances of the case, we are, therefore, inclined to allow
the instant prayer for review put in by the applicants. We, thus allow the
Review application and direct the respondent authorities concerned,
particularly respondent No.2 (i.e. Secretary, Finance Deptt.) to take necessary
steps for extending the benefits of Scale No.19, if not already extended to the
applicants and also to extend the benefits of Scale No.21 to the applicants in
accordance with the Rules and law and provisions contained in Notification
No.6075-F dated 21.6.90 meant for W.B.C.S. (Executive) and other Allied
Services officers within a period of four months from the date of communication
of this order." 3.The appellants challenged the aforementioned order in
WPST No.1 of 2001 by asserting that the Tribunal did not have the jurisdiction
to review 16 order dated 25.2.1997 on the basis of subsequent order passed in
Joydeb Biswas's case. Another plea taken by the appellants was that the
recommendations made by the Secretary of the Administrative Department are not
binding on the State Government. The Division Bench of the High Court held that
the Tribunal could not have entertained and allowed the review application on
the basis of a decision which was not in existence at the time of initial
order, but declined to interfere with order dated 25.9.2001 by observing that
denial of higher pay scale to members of the service had resulted in violation
of their fundamental rights under Articles 14, 16 and 21 of the Constitution.
4.Shri
Bhaskar P. Gupta, Senior Advocate appearing for the petitioners extensively
referred to the pleadings of Writ Petition No.1547 of 1995, which was later on
converted into Transferred Application No.826 of 1996, R.A. No.26 of 1998,
orders dated 25.2.1997, 25.3.1998 and 25.9.2001 passed by the Tribunal, orders
dated 8.1.2001 and 21.8.2003 passed by the High Court in WPST No.37 of 2000 and
WPST Nos.1 and 2 of 2001 respectively and order dated 4.9.1998 passed by this
Court in SLP No.... of 1998 (CC 5925/1998) and argued that the Tribunal
committed a jurisdictional error by entertaining the review application on the
ground that in Joydeb Biswas's case a direction had been given to the State 17
Government to act on the recommendations made by the Secretary of the
Administrative Department for grant of relief to the applicants of that case
and while dismissing the SLP, the Supreme Court had observed that the
petitioners can seek review of the order passed in the transferred application.
Shri Gupta submitted that power vested in the Tribunal under Section 22(3)(f)
of the Act to review its order/decision is similar to that of the Civil Court
and the same can be exercised only on the grounds specified in Order 47 Rule 1
of CPC. Learned counsel emphasized that any subsequent decision on an identical
or similar point by a coordinate or larger bench or even change of law cannot
be made basis for recording a finding that the order sought to be reviewed
suffers from an error apparent on the face of the record. Shri Gupta argued
that the Tribunal could not have reviewed order dated 25.2.1997 by relying on
order dated 25.3.1998 passed in Joydeb Biswas's case, because that order did
not contain any determination on the issue of sanction of posts in Scale Nos.19
and 21 under the Scheme circulated vide Memorandum dated 21.6.1990.He further
argued that even if the order passed by the Tribunal in Joydeb Biswas's case
could be relied upon for the purpose of holding that recommendations made by
the Secretary of the Administrative Department are binding on the Government, a
mandatory direction could not have been given for extension of the benefit of
Scale Nos.19 and 21 to the respondents ignoring the fact 18 that those scales
had not been given to members of other services as well.
Learned
counsel invited our attention to the annexure appended to the Scheme to show
that the State Government had not sanctioned posts in Scale No.19 for three
services including the one of which the respondents were members and posts in
Scale No.21 were sanctioned only for 2 out of 17 State Services and argued that
the plea of discrimination raised by the respondents was rightly rejected by
the Tribunal in the first instance because the respondents had already reached
the highest positions in the service and were being paid salary in the revised
scales introduced under ROPA 1990.
Learned
counsel pointed out that while dismissing the SLP as withdrawn, this Court did
not give liberty to the respondents herein to apply for review of order dated
25.2.1997 and argued that letter written by the counsel could not be made basis
for presuming that such liberty had, in fact, been given.
Another
argument of the learned senior counsel is that the plea of stagnation was not
raised by the respondents till the filing of review application and, therefore,
the same could not have been considered by the Tribunal in conjunction with the
decision contained in Memorandum dated 13.3.2001 for recording a finding that
the State had discriminated the respondents in the matter of grant of higher
pay scales. Shri Gupta lastly argued that the High Court committed serious
error by refusing to set aside the order impugned in the writ petition ignoring
the stark fact that posts in Scale 19 No.19 had not been sanctioned for 3 out
of 17 State Services and posts in Scale No.21 were sanctioned only for two
services viz., West Bengal Civil Service (Executive) and West Bengal Commercial
Service and the Tribunal had not struck down the Scheme as a whole on the
ground of violation of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution. In support of
his arguments/submissions, Shri Bhaskar Gupta relied on judgments of this Court
- State of U.P. vs. J.P. Chaurasia [1989 (1) SCC 121], State of Maharashtra and
another vs. Prabhakar Bhikaji Ingle [1996 (3) SCC 463], K. Ajit Babu and others
vs. Union of India and others [1997 (6) SCC 473], Gopabandhu Biswal vs. Krishna
Chandra Mohanty and others [1998 (4) SCC 447], Ajit Kumar Rath vs. State of
Orissa and others [1999 (9) SCC 596], Union of India vs. Pradip Kumar Dey [2000
(8) SCC 580], Sankar Deb Acharya vs. Biswanath Chakraborty [2007 (1) SCC 309]
and Union of India vs. Arun Jyoti Kundu and others [2007 (7) SCC 472].
5.Shri
Dhruv Mehta, learned counsel for the respondents referred to the judgments of
this Court in Indian Charge Chrome Ltd. vs. Union of India
[2005
(4) SCC 67], Board of Control for Cricket in India vs. Netaji Cricket Club
[2005 (4) SCC 741], and K.T. Veerappa vs. State of Karnataka [2006 (9) SCC 406]
and argued that the Tribunal did not
20
commit any illegality by reviewing order dated 25.2.1997. Learned counsel
further argued that failure of the appellants to sanction posts in Scale Nos.19
and 21 for members of the service resulted in hostile discrimination between
similarly situated persons and, therefore, the Tribunal rightly directed them
to extend the benefit of those scales to the respondents. Shri Mehta pointed
out that order passed in Joydeb Biswas's case was relied upon by the Tribunal
for the limited purpose of reiterating the settled legal position that the
recommendations made by the Secretary of the Administrative Department are
binding on the State Government and argued that this Court may not interfere
with the orders under challenge on the ground that the Tribunal did not advert
to the grounds of review enumerated in Order 47 Rule 1 CPC. Shri Mehta
emphasized that the respondents were stagnating on the same posts and were
drawing salary in the same pay scale since 1982 and argued even though this
fact was clearly discernible from the averments contained in the affidavit
filed in support of the writ petition, the Tribunal failed to consider the same
and dismissed the transferred application on the specious ground that the State
Government had the discretion to prescribe different pay scales for different
posts and services.
Learned
counsel then referred to Memorandum dated 13.3.2001 to show that the State
Government suo moto sanctioned posts in Scale No.19 for different services
including the one to which the respondents belonged and 21 argued that the
Tribunal did not commit any illegality by taking cognizance of the said
Memorandum for the purpose of recording a positive finding on the issue of
discrimination in the matter of grant of higher pay scales to similarly
situated persons.
6.We
have given serious thought to the entire matter and scrutinized the record.
Articles 323A and 323B were inserted in the Constitution by Section 46 of the
Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976 in the backdrop of pendency of
large number of cases relating to recruitment and conditions of service of the
employees of the Central and State Governments and their
agencies/instrumentalities and other matters concerning the public at large
before the Civil Courts throughout the country and long delays in the disposal
of such cases which adversely affected administrative set up/structure at
various levels of governance and recovery of revenue etc. These Articles
enabled Parliament to make laws for creation of alternative adjudicatory forums
comprising of experts i.e. the Tribunals with exclusive jurisdiction, power and
authority to deal with and decide the disputes and complaints with respect to
recruitment and conditions of service of persons appointed to public services
and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union or of any State or of any
local or
22
other authority etc. and other matters enumerated in Clause 2 of Article 323B.
7.In
exercise of the power vested in it under Article 323A, Parliament enacted the
Act. Chapter II of the Act contains provision for establishment of Tribunals
and Benches thereof, qualifications of Chairman and Members, term of their
office etc. Chapter III comprises of five sections relating to jurisdiction,
powers and authority of the Central, State and Joint Administrative Tribunals,
power of such Tribunals to punish for contempt and distribution of business
among the Benches.Chapter IV contains various provisions relating to procedure
to be followed for institution and adjudication of applications relating to
service disputes. Chapter V contains miscellaneous provisions including
transfer of the cases pending before the Civil Courts and High Courts. The
original format of the Act excluded jurisdiction of all the Courts including
the High Courts and Supreme Court in relation to service matters. Later on, the
exclusion clause contained in Section 28 was amended and jurisdiction of the
Supreme Court to deal with such matters was restored. The jurisdiction of the
High Courts in relation to service matters was partially restored by the
judgment of the larger Bench of this Court in L. Chandra Kumar vs. Union of
India and others (1997) 3 SCC 261.
23
8.With a view to achieve the object underlying the enactment of Article 323A
i.e. expeditious adjudication of service disputes/complaints, the Tribunals
established under the Act have been freed from the shackles of procedure
enshrined in the CPC but, at the same time, they have been vested with the powers
of a Civil Court in respect of some matters including review of their
decisions. This is clearly evinced from the plain language of Section 22 of the
Act, which is reproduced below : "22. Procedure and powers of Tribunals.-
(1) A Tribunal hall not be bound by the procedure laid down in the Code of
Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), but shall be guided by the principles of
natural justice and subject to the other provisions of this Act and of any
rules made by the Central Government, the Tribunal shall have power to regulate
its own procedure including the fixing of places and times of its inquiry and
deciding whether to sit in public or in private.
(2)
A Tribunal shall decide every application made to it as expeditiously as
possible and ordinarily every application shall be decided on a perusal of
documents and written representations and after hearing such oral arguments as
may be advanced.
(3)
A Tribunal shall have, for the purposes of discharging its functions under this
Act, the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil
Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), while trying a suit, in respect of the following
matters, namely, (a)summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and
examining him on oath;
(b)requiring
the discovery and production of documents;
24
(c) receiving evidence on affidavits;
(d)
subject to the provisions of Sections 123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence Act,
1872 (1 of 1872), requisitioning any public record or document or copy of such
record or document from any office;
(e)
issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or, documents;
(f)
reviewing its decisions;
(g)
dismissing a representation for default or deciding it ex parte;
(h)
setting aside any order of dismissal of any representation for default or any
order passed by it ex parte; and (i) any other matter which may be prescribed
by the Central Government.
9.A
reading of the above reproduced section makes it clear that even though a
Tribunal is not bound by the procedure laid down in the CPC, it can exercise
the powers of a Civil Court in relation to matters enumerated in clauses (a) to
(i) of sub-section (3) including the power of reviewing its decision.
10.
The power of a Civil Court to review its judgment/decision is traceable in
Section 114 CPC. The grounds on which review can be sought are enumerated in
Order 47 Rule 1 CPC, which reads as under Order 47 Rule 1 25
1.
Application for review of judgment.- (1) Any person considering himself
aggrieved (a)by a decree or order from which an appeal is allowed, but from
which no appeal has been preferred, (b) by a decree or order from which no
appeal is allowed, or (c) by a decision on a reference from a Court of Small
Causes, and who, from the discovery of new and important matter or evidence
which, after the exercise of due diligence was not within his knowledge or
could not be produced by him at the time when the decree was passed or order
made, or on account of some mistake or error apparent on the face of the
record, or for any other sufficient reason, desires to obtain a review of the
decree passed or order made against him, may apply for a review of judgment to
the Court which passed the decree or made the order.
11.
Since the Tribunal's power to review its order/decision is akin to that of the
Civil Court, statutorily enumerated and judicially recognized limitations on
Civil Court's power of review the judgment/decision would also apply to the
Tribunal's power under Section 22(3)(f) of the Act. In other words, a Tribunal
established under the Act is entitled to review its order/decision only if
either of the grounds enumerated in Order 47 Rule 1 is available. This would
necessarily mean that a Tribunal can review its order/decision on the discovery
of new or important matter or evidence which the applicant could not produce at
the time of initial decision despite exercise of due diligence, or the same was
not within his knowledge or if it is shown that the order sought to be reviewed
suffers from some mistake or 26 error apparent on the face of the record or
there exists some other reason, which, in the opinion of the Tribunal, is
sufficient for reviewing the earlier order/decision.
12.
Before proceeding further, we consider it proper to mention that there was
divergence of opinion among the High Courts on the question whether the
subsequent contra judgment by the same or a superior Court on a point of law
can be treated as an error apparent on the face of the record for the purpose
of review of an earlier judgment. In Lachhmi Narain Balu vs.Ghisa Bihari and
another [AIR 1960 Punjab 43], the learned Single Judge of the then Punjab High
Court held that the Court cannot review its judgment merely because in a
subsequent judgment different view was expressed on the same subject matter. In
P.N. Jinabhai vs. P.G. Venidas
[AIR
1972 Gujarat 229], the learned Single Judge of the Gujarat High Court
considered the question whether the Court can revise its view on the question
of pecuniary jurisdiction simply because the same has been rendered doubtful in
the light of subsequent decision of the High Court and answered the same in
negative. However, a contrary view was expressed in Thadikulangara Pylee's son
Pathrose vs. Ayyazhiveettil Lakshmi Amma's son Kuttan and others [AIR 1969
Kerala 186]. In that case, the learned Single Judge of the Kerala High Court
opined that a subsequent 27 decision authoritatively declaring the law can be
made basis for reviewing an earlier judgment. The Law Commission took
cognizance of these divergent opinions and suggested amendment of Order 47.
That led to insertion of explanation below Rule 2 of Order 47 by Civil
Procedure Code (Amendment) Act, 1976. The same reads as under:
Explanation.-
The fact that the decision on a question of law on hich the judgment of the
Court is based has been reversed or odified by the subsequent decision of a
superior Court in any ther case, shall not be a ground for the review of such
judgment.
13.
In Nalagarh Dehati Co-operative Transport Society Ltd., Nalagarh vs. Beli Ram
etc. [AIR 1981 HP 1] a Full Bench of Himachal Pradesh High Court considered the
above reproduced explanation and held that a subsequent judgment of the Supreme
Court or a larger bench of the same Court taking a contrary view on the point
covered by the judgment does not amount to a mistake or error apparent on the
face of the record. In Gyan Chandra Dwivedi vs. 2nd Additional District Judge,
Kanpur and others [AIR 1987 Allahabad 40], the learned Single Judge of
Allahabad High Court took cognizance of the explanation, referred to the
judgment of this Court in Aribam Tuleshwar Sharma v. Aribam Pishak Sharma [AIR
1979 SC 1047] and held :
"9.
It will thus be seen that while power of review may be inherent in the High
Court to review its own order passed in a writ petition, the same has to be
exercised on well recognised 28 and established grounds on which judicial
orders are reviewed.
For
example the power may be exercised on the discovery of some new and important
matter or evidence which was not within the knowledge of the parties seeking
review despite due exercise of diligence when the order was made. Review can
also be sought when the order discloses some error apparent on the face of
record or on grounds analogous thereto. These are all grounds which find
mention in various judicial pronouncements right from the earliest time as well
as in the Rules of Order XLVII of the Civil P.C. as permissible grounds of
review.
An
Explanation was added to Order XLVII Rule 1 by the amendment of the Civil P.C.
by Central Act No. 104 of 1976. It reads :
"The
fact that the decision on a question of law on which the judgment of the Court
is based has been reversed or modified by the subsequent decision of a superior
Court in any other case, shall not be a ground for the review of such
judgment."
10.
This explanation was added on the recommendation of the aw Commission to put an
end to the controversy which had risen as regards whether a judgment could be
reviewed merely n the ground that the decision on a question of law on which he
same was founded has been reversed or modified by the subsequent decision of a
superior Court. Almost all the High Courts, save for the solitary exception of
Kerala High Court, were unanimous in their opinion that the fact that the view
of law taken in a judgment has been altered by a subsequent decision of a
superior Court in another case could not afford a valid ground for the review
of the judgment." 14. At this stage it is apposite to observe that where a
review is sought on the ground of discovery of new matter or evidence, such matter
or evidence must be relevant and must be of such a character that if the same
had been produced, it might have altered the judgment. In other words, mere 29
discovery of new or important matter or evidence is not sufficient ground for
review ex debito justiciae. Not only this, the party seeking review has also to
show that such additional matter or evidence was not within its knowledge and
even after the exercise of due diligence, the same could not be produced before
the Court earlier.
15.
The term `mistake or error apparent' by its very connotation signifies an error
which is evident per se from the record of the case and does not require
detailed examination, scrutiny and elucidation either of the facts or the legal
position. If an error is not self-evident and detection thereof requires long
debate and process of reasoning, it cannot be treated as an error apparent on
the face of the record for the purpose of Order 47 Rule 1 CPC or Section
22(3)(f) of the Act.To put it differently an order or decision or judgment
cannot be corrected merely because it is erroneous in law or on the ground that
a different view could have been taken by the Court/Tribunal on a point of fact
or law. In any case, while exercising the power of review, the concerned
Court/Tribunal cannot sit in appeal over its judgment/decision.
16.
We may now notice some of the judicial precedents in which Section 114 read
with Order 47 Rule 1 CPC and/or Section 22 (3) (f) of the Act 30 have been
interpreted and limitations on the power of the Civil Court/Tribunal to review
its judgment/decision have been identified.
17.
In Rajah Kotagiri Venkata Subamma Rao vs. Rajah Vellanki Venkatrama Rao [1990
(27) Indian Appeals 197], the Privy Council interpreted Sections 206 and 623 of
the Civil Procedure Code and observed:
"Section
623 enables any of the parties to apply for a review of any decree on the
discovery of new and important matter and evidence, which was not within his
knowledge, or could not be produced by him at the time the decree was passed,
or on account of some mistake or error apparent on the face of the record, or
for any other sufficient reason. It is not necessary to decide in this case
whether the latter words should be confined to reasons strictly ejusdem generic
with those enumerated, as was held in Roy Meghraj v. Beejoy Gobind Burral
[(1875) Ind. L.R. 1 Calc. 197]. In the opinion of their Lordships, the ground
of amendment must at any rate be something which existed at the date of the
decree, and the section does not authorize the review of a decree which was
right when it was made on the ground of the happening of some subsequent
event."
[Emphasis
added] 18. In Sir Hari Shankar Pal and another vs. Anath Nath Mitter and others
[1949 FCR 36], a Five Judges Bench of the Federal Court while considering the
question whether the Calcutta High Court was justified in not granting relief
to non-appealing party, whose position was similar to that of the successful
appellant, held :
"That
a decision is erroneous in law is certainly no ground for ordering review. If
the Court has decided a point and decided 31
it
erroneously, the error could not be one apparent on the face of the record or
even analogous to it. When, however, the court disposes of a case without
adverting to or applying its mind to a provision of law which gives it
jurisdiction to act in a particular way, that may amount to an error analogous
to one apparent on the face of the record sufficient to bring the case within
the purview of Order XLVII, Rule 1, Civil Procedure Code. " 19. In Moran
Mar Basselios Catholicos and another vs. The Most Rev. Mar Poulose Athanasius
and others [1995 (1) SCR 520], this Court interpreted the provisions contained
in Travancore Code of Civil Procedure which are analogous to Order 47 Rule 1
and observed :
"Under
the provisions in the Travancore Code of Civil Procedure which is similar in
terms to Order XLVII, Rule 1 of our Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, the Court of
review has only a limited jurisdiction circumscribed by the definitive limits
fixed by the language used therein. It may allow a review on three specified
grounds, namely, (i) discovery of new and important matter or evidence which,
after the exercise of due diligence, was not within the applicant's knowledge
or could not be produced by him at the time when the decree was passed, (ii)
mistake or error apparent on the face of the record and (iii) for any other
sufficient reason. It has been held by the Judicial Committee that the words
"any other sufficient reason" must mean "a reason sufficient on
grounds, or least analogous to those specified in the rule"." 20. In
Thungabhadra Industries Ltd. vs. Govt. of A.P. [AIR 1964 SC 1372] it was held
that a review is by no means an appeal in disguise whereof an erroneous
decision can be corrected.
32
21. In Parsion Devi and Others vs. Sumitri Devi and Others [1997 (8) SCC 715],
it was held as under: "Under Order 47 Rule 1 CPC a judgment may be open to
review inter alia if there is a mistake or an error apparent on the face of the
record. An error which is not self-evident and has to be detected by a process
of reasoning, can hardly be said to be an error apparent on the face of the
record justifying the Court to exercise its power of review under Order 47,
Rule 1 CPC. In exercise of the jurisdiction under Order 47, Rule 1 CPC it is
not permissible for an erroneous decision to be "reheard and
corrected". There is a clear distinction between an erroneous decision and
an error apparent on the face of the record. While the first can be corrected
by the higher forum, the latter only can be corrected by exercise of the review
jurisdiction. A review petition has a limited purpose and cannot be allowed to
be "an appeal in disguise"."
[Emphasis
added] 22. In Haridas Das vs. Usha Rani Banik and others [2006 (4) SCC 78],
this Court made a reference to explanation added to Order 47 by the Code of
Civil Procedure (Amendment) Act, 1976 and held :
"In
order to appreciate the scope of a review, Section 114 CPC has to be read, but
this section does not even adumbrate the ambit of interference expected of the
court since it merely states that it "may make such order thereon as it
thinks fit". The parameters are prescribed in Order 47 CPC and for the
purposes of this lis, permit the defendant to press for a rehearing "on account
of some mistake or error apparent on the face of the records or for any other
sufficient reason". The former part of the rule deals with a situation
attributable to the applicant, and the latter to a jural action which is
manifestly incorrect or on which two conclusions are not possible. Neither of
them postulate a rehearing of the dispute because a party had not highlighted
all the aspects of the case or could perhaps have argued them more forcefully
and/or cited binding 33 precedents to the court and thereby enjoyed a
favourable verdict. This is amply evident from the Explanation to Rule 1 of
Order 47 which states that the fact that the decision on a question of law on
which the judgment of the court is based has been reversed or modified by the subsequent
decision of a superior court in any other case, shall not be a ground for the
review of such judgment. Where the order in question is appealable the
aggrieved party has adequate and efficacious remedy and the court should
exercise the power to review its order with the greatest circumspection."
23. In Aribam Tuleshwar Sharma vs. Aribam Pishak Sharma (supra), this Court
considered the scope of the High Courts' power to review an order passed under
Article 226 of the Constitution, referred to an earlier decision in Shivdeo
Singh vs. State of Punjab [AIR 1963 SC 1909] and observed :
"It
is true as observed by this Court in Shivdeo Singh v.State of Punjab, AIR 1963
SC 1909, there is nothing in Article 226 of the Constitution to preclude a High
Court from exercising the power of review which is inherent in every Court of
plenary jurisdiction to prevent miscarriage of justice or to correct grave and
palpable errors committed by it. But, there are definitive limits to the
exercise of the power of review. The power of review may be exercised on the
discovery of new and important matter or evidence which, after the exercise of
due diligence was not within the knowledge of the person seeking the review or
could not be produced by him at the time when the order was made; it may be
exercised where some mistake or error apparent on the face of the record is
found; it may also be exercised on any analogous ground. But, it may not be
exercised on the ground that the decision was erroneous on merits. That would
be the province of a Court of appeal. A power of review is not to be confused
with appellate power which 34 may enable an Appellate Court to correct all
matters or errors committed by the Subordinate Court." 24. In K. Ajit Babu
and others vs. Union of India and others [1997 (6) SCC 473], it was held that
even though Order 47 Rule 1 is strictly not applicable to the Tribunals, the
principles contained therein have to be extended to them, else there would be
no limitation on the power of review and there would be no certainty or
finality of a decision. A slightly different view was expressed in Gopabandhu
Biswal vs. Krishna Chandra Mohanty and others [1998 (4) SCC 447]. In that case
it was held that the power of review granted to the Tribunals is similar to the
power of a Civil Court under Order 47 Rule 1.
25.
In Ajit Kumar Rath vs. State of Orissa and Others [1999 (9) SCC 596], this
Court reiterated that power of review vested in the Tribunal is similar to the
one conferred upon a Civil Court and held: "The provisions extracted above
indicate that the power of review available to the Tribunal is the same as has
been given to a court under Section 114 read with Order 47 CPC. The power is
not absolute and is hedged in by the restrictions indicated in Order 47. The power
can be exercised on the application of a person on the discovery of new and
important matter or evidence which, after the exercise of due diligence, was
not within his knowledge or could not be produced by him at the time when the
order was made. The power can also be exercised on account of some mistake or
error apparent on the face of the record or for any other sufficient reason. A
review cannot be claimed or asked for merely for a fresh hearing or arguments
or correction of an erroneous view taken earlier, that 35 is to say, the power
of review can be exercised only for correction of a patent error of law or fact
which stares in the face without any elaborate argument being needed for
establishing it. It may be pointed out that the expression "any other
sufficient reason" used in Order 47 Rule 1 means a reason sufficiently
analogous to those specified in the rule.
Any
other attempt, except an attempt to correct an apparent error or an attempt not
based on any ground set out in Order 47, would amount to an abuse of the
liberty given to the Tribunal under the Act to review its judgment."
Emphasis added] 26. In State of Haryana and Others vs. M.P. Mohla [2007 (1) SCC
457], this Court held as under :-
"A
review petition filed by the appellants herein was not maintainable. There was
no error apparent on the face of the record. The effect of a judgment may have
to be considered afresh in a separate proceeding having regard to the
subsequent cause of action which might have arisen but the same by itself may not
be a ground for filing an application for review." 27. In Gopal Singh vs.
State Cadre Forest Officers' Assn. and Others
[2007
(9) SCC 369], this Court held that after rejecting the original application
filed by the appellant, there was no justification for the Tribunal to review
its order and allow the revision of the appellant. Some of the observations
made in that judgment are extracted below:
"The
learned counsel for the State also pointed out that there was no necessity
whatsoever on the part of the Tribunal to review its own judgment. Even after
the microscopic examination of the judgment of the Tribunal we could not find a
single reason in the whole judgment as to how the review was justified and for
what reasons. No apparent error on the face of the record was pointed, nor was
it discussed. Thereby the Tribunal sat as an appellate authority over its own
judgment.
This
was completely impermissible and we agree with the High Court (Justice Sinha)
that the Tribunal has traveled out of its 36 jurisdiction to write a second
order in the name of reviewing its own judgment. In fact the learned counsel
for the appellant did not address us on this very vital aspect." 28. The
principles which can be culled out from the above noted judgments are: (i) The
power of the Tribunal to review its order/decision under Section 22(3)(f) of
the Act is akin/analogous to the power of a Civil Court under Section 114 read
with Order 47 Rule 1 of CPC.
(ii)The
Tribunal can review its decision on either of the grounds enumerated in Order
47 Rule 1 and not otherwise.
(iii)
The expression "any other sufficient reason" appearing in Order 47
Rule 1 has to be interpreted in the light of other specified grounds.
(iv)An
error which is not self-evident and which can be discovered by a long process
of reasoning, cannot be treated as an error apparent on the face of record
justifying exercise of power under Section 22(3)(f).
(v)
An erroneous order/decision cannot be corrected in the guise of exercise of
power of review.
(vi)A
decision/order cannot be reviewed under Section 22(3)(f) on the basis of
subsequent decision/judgment of a coordinate or larger bench of the Tribunal or
of a superior Court.
37
(vii) While considering an application for review, the Tribunal must confine
its adjudication with reference to material which was available at the time of
initial decision. The happening of some subsequent event or development cannot
be taken note of for declaring the initial order/decision as vitiated by an
error apparent.
(viii)
Mere discovery of new or important matter or evidence is not sufficient ground
for review. The party seeking review has also to show that such matter or
evidence was not within its knowledge and even after the exercise of due
diligence, the same could not be produced before the Court/Tribunal earlier.
29.
In the light of the above, we shall now consider whether order dated 25.2.1997
passed by the Tribunal in Transferred Application No.826 of 1996 suffered from
any patent mistake or an error apparent so as to warrant its review under
Section 22(3)(f) of the Act. A recapitulation of the facts would show that the
respondents' claim for grant of the benefit of higher scales in terms of the
Scheme was entirely founded on the plea of discrimination. In the affidavit
filed by him, respondent no.2 - Narayan Chandra Ghosh, briefly referred to his
own service profile along with that of respondent no.1 - Kamal Sengupta and
pleaded that in view of the recommendations made by the Secretary of the
Administrative Department, 38 the State Government was bound to extend the
benefit of Scale Nos.19 and 21 to them, but the Finance Department arbitrarily
rejected their claim.
According
to Shri Ghosh, members of all the State Services had been recruited by the same
method and, therefore, there was no justification to deny the benefit of Scale
Nos.19 and 21 to members of the service. He produced a chart of the State
Services whose members were given the benefit of Scale Nos.19 and 21 and
pleaded that denial thereof to members of the service was ex-facie arbitrary,
discriminatory and unjustified.
However,
he did not plead stagnation as a ground for claiming benefit in terms of the
Scheme. Even after transfer of the case to the Tribunal, the respondents did
not raise the plea of stagnation. A careful reading of the averments contained
in the affidavit of respondent no.2 shows that the same did not contain even a
trace of the plea of stagnation so as to enable the Tribunal to read the same
as an implicit ground in support of the respondents' claim for Scale Nos.19 and
21. The reason for this omission is not far to seek. Within a short span of 15
to 16 years of service, both the respondents got three promotions i.e. as
Assistant Director, Deputy Director and Director. In their counter, the
appellants categorically averred that the Scheme was meant only for those
employees who did not have adequate promotional opportunities and that the writ
petitioners were not entitled to Scale Nos.19 and 21 because they had already
received promotions and 39 were holding the highest post. According to the
appellants, the Scheme was framed by an Expert Committee and in the absence of
any patent arbitrariness, the High Court did not have the jurisdiction to issue
a mandamus to extend the benefit of higher scales to the petitioners. It was
also pleaded that recommendations made by the Secretary of Administrative
Department were not binding on the Government. The Tribunal elaborately
referred to the pleadings of the parties, considered the arguments of their
counsel and held that the petitioners (applicants) are not entitled to the
benefit of the Scheme because they were holding highest post in the service and
were being paid salary in the scale prescribed for that post. The Tribunal
further held that the Scheme was not discriminatory because benefit of higher
scales was given to different services keeping in view the ratio of higher
posts to base level posts in the feeder grade, hierarchical structure of the
department, the level of work and nature of responsibilities, the proportion of
direct recruitment, the pace of growth of normal activities of a department and
the avenues of promotion. The Tribunal then observed that recommendations are
usually made by all departmental heads but the same are not binding on the
Government. It is thus evident that the Tribunal had considered all the points
raised by the respondents and negatived their claim by assigning cogent
reasons. The Tribunal did not consider the issue
40
of stagnation because neither any such plea was taken in the affidavit of
respondent no.2 nor any argument was advanced on that score.
30.
In the review application, the respondents did assert that they were stagnating
on the same post and in the same pay scale since 1982, but no material was
placed before the Tribunal to substantiate the said assertion or to show that
members of other State Services had been given benefit of Scale Nos.19 and 21
despite the fact that they received promotions during the course of service.
The respondents reiterated the plea of discrimination by alleging that benefit
of Scale Nos.19 and 21 had been extended to members of other State Services but
the same was denied to them without any rhyme or reason, but no evidence was
produced by them to prime facie prove this allegation. The respondents also
relied on order dated 25.3.1998 passed in Joydeb Biswas's case in support of
their plea that recommendations made by the Secretary of the Administrative
Department are binding on the Government and pleaded that in view of the latter
decision, the earlier order is liable to be reviewed.
31.
The Tribunal made a detailed note of the arguments of the senior counsel
appearing for the respondents and held that they have been discriminated in the
matter of grant of Scale Nos.19 and 21. For this 41 purpose, the Tribunal
relied on Memorandum dated 13.3.2001 issued by the State Government for
sanction of posts in Scale Nos.19 and 21 for different State Services. The
Tribunal also relied on the ratio of Joydeb Biswas's case and held that the
contra view expressed by it on the issue of binding character of the
recommendations made by Head of the Administrative Department was not correct.
32.
In our opinion, neither of the grounds set out in the Review Petition warranted
exercise of power by the Tribunal under Section 22(3)(f) of the Act. At the
cost of repetition, we consider it necessary to mention that the plea of
stagnation was not raised in the affidavit filed in support of the writ
petition. In the Memo of Review, the respondents made a bald assertion that they
were stagnating on the same post and in the same pay scale in 1982 but the said
assertion was ex-facie farcical because as per their own showing (para 5 of the
affidavit of respondent no.2 - Narayan Chandra Ghosh), the respondents had
joined service in the basic grade post i.e. Sub Divisional Controllers of Food
and Supplies and within a short span of 15 to 16 years they got three
promotions and were also granted benefit under ROPA 1981 and ROPA 1990.
Therefore, the plea of stagnation could not have been made basis for reviewing
the finding recorded in the earlier order that the respondents had not been
discriminated. Unfortunately, the 42 Tribunal did not advert to the well
recognized limitation on the exercise of power of review under Section 22(3)(f)
of the Act read with Order 47 Rule 1 CPC and straightaway recorded a finding of
discrimination by placing reliance on Memorandum dated 13.3.2001, which, in our
considered view, did not advance the cause of the respondents. For better
appreciation of this aspect of the case, the relevant portions of Memorandum
dated 13.3.2001 are extracted below :
"Government
of West Bengal Finance Deptt. Audit Br.No.3015-FKolkata 13th March, 2001
MEMORANDUM "The question of improving the existing Career Advancement
Scheme for the State Government employees as introduced in Finance Deptt.
No.6075-F dated 21.6.90 has been under consideration of the Government for
sometime past. The recommendations of the Fourth Pay Commission on this aspect
have also been under examination of the State Government.
After
careful consideration, the Governor is now pleased to modify the existing
Career Advancement Scheme of the State Government employees in the manner
indicated below. 1 to 3.xx xx xx xx
4.
Over and above the existing posts in Scale Nos.19 and 21 in various State
Services as mentioned in F.D. No.6075-F dated 21.6.90 the following additional
posts shall be available to different State Services :
i)
Forty three additional posts in Scale No.19 in West Bengal Civil Service
(Executive) are created and the eligibility
43
condition for Scale No.19 will be the same as stated in F.D. No.6075-F dated
21.6.90.
Six
additional posts of Special Secretary/Secretary in the revised Scale No.21 are
sanctioned for W.B.C.S. (Ex) and such posts are to be filled up by selection
from amongst W.B.C.S.(Ex) Officers who have completed twenty five years of
total service in the cadre including three years as Joint Secretary.Govt. has
also decided to fill up some of the posts of the District Magistrates by W.B.C.S.
(Ex) Officers. Detailed Govt.order in this respect will be issued later on.
ii)
One additional post of Special Commissioner, Commercial Taxes in the Scale
No.21 is created and such post is to be filled up by selection from amongst the
Additional Commissioners who have put in a total service of thirty years since
entry into West Bengal Commercial Tax Service including six years in Scale
No.19 are also created for West Bengal Commercial Tax Service and the
eligibility condition for Scale No.19 will be the same as stated in Govt. order
No.6075-F dated 21.6.90.
iii)
Fifty-five additional posts in Scale No.19 in West Bengal Health Service are
created and the eligibility condition for Scale No.19 will be the same as
stated in Govt. order No.6075 F dated 21.6.90.
iv)
Ten posts in Scale No.19 in West Bengal E.S.I. Medical Service are created and
the eligibility condition for Scale No.19 will be total service of 20 years on
revised Scales No.16, 17 & 18 and their unrevised counterparts and three
years in Scale No.18.
v)
The additional posts in Scale No.19 are created for West Bengal Secretariat
Service and the eligibility conditions for these two posts will remain the same
as at present.
vi)
As regards other constituted State Services as mentioned in Finance Department
Memo No.6075-F dated 21.6.90 which have not been mentioned in this Memo, two
additional posts in Scale No.19 are created for each of those constituted State
44 Services and the eligibility condition for Scale No.19 will be same as
stated in F.D. No.6075-F dated 21.6.90.
vii)
The number of posts in the basic grade in various State Services as mentioned
above will stand reduced by the equivalent number of posts created in Scale
Nos.19 and 21.
5.Other
provisions of the existing Career Advancement Scheme as contained in this
Department No.6075-F, dated 21.6.90 which are not inconsistent with the
provisions of this memorandum shall continue to remain in force.
6.This
will come into effect from 1.1.2001."
[Emphasis
added] The plain language of the above reproduced Memorandum shows that the
State Government had, after considering the representations made by employees
of different services, sanctioned additional number of posts in Scale Nos.19
and 21. For the Officers of Food and Supplies Department, two posts were
sanctioned in Scale No.19. This development had taken place after more than
four years of dismissal of Transferred Application No.826 of 1996. A holistic
reading of the Memorandum dated 13.3.2001 makes it clear that the same cannot,
by any stretch of imagination, be read as suo moto acceptance by the State
Government of the respondents' claim for Scale Nos.19 and 21. Therefore, the
Tribunal could not have considered the same for granting relief to the
respondents and that too by ignoring para 6 of the Memorandum in terms of which
the additional posts were to become operative from 1.1.2001. In any case, the
Tribunal could not have, without 45 recording a reason based finding that order
dated 25.2.1997 was vitiated by a mistake or error apparent on the face of the
record or there existed some other reason analogous to an error apparent,
reviewed that order simply on the basis of the decision taken by the State
Government to sanction posts in Scale No.19 for members of the service apart
from other State Services.
33.
The Tribunal's reliance on the order passed in Joydeb Biswas's case was clearly
misplaced because the only point decided in that case was whether members of
the service are entitled to the benefit of Scale Nos.16, 17 and 18 under ROPA
1981 in the ratio of 6:3:1. The Scheme notified on 21.6.1990 was not the
subject matter of consideration in that case. In the counter filed in Joydeb
Biswas's case, the appellants herein did rely on order dated 25.2.1997 passed
in the case of the respondents to show that the decision taken by the State
Government not to distribute Scale Nos.16, 17 and 18 in the ratio 6:3:1 was not
discriminatory, but the Tribunal refused to consider the same by observing that
the question relating to distribution of posts in Scale Nos.16, 17 and 18 under
ROPA 1981 had not been considered in that case. This being the position, the
Tribunal could not have, by relying on the order passed in Joydeb Biswas's
case, declared that the recommendations made by Secretary of Food and Supplies
Department are binding on the State Government. In any case, in view of the
46
explanation added to Order 47 by the 1976 amendment, the Tribunal could not
have relied on the subsequent order for holding that the contra view expressed
in the earlier order was erroneous.
34.
There is another reason for our conclusion that the Tribunal was not entitled
to rely on the order passed in Joydeb Biswas's case for the purpose of
reviewing order dated 25.2.1997.Undisputedly, that order is under challenge in
the writ petitions filed before the High Court of Calcutta.
Therefore,
even though prima facie we are inclined to agree with learned senior counsel
for the appellants that mere recommendations of the Secretary of the
Administrative Department or for that reason any other authority, are not
binding on the Government - Union of India vs. Arun Jyoti Kundu and others
(supra), we do not consider it necessary to finally pronounce on this issue,
because it will prejudice adjudication of the matter pending before the High
Court.
35.
The most astonishing feature of order dated 25.9.2001 is that without making
any discussion on the entitlement of the respondents to get the benefit of
Scale No.21, the Tribunal directed the State Government to sanction that pay
scales to them. While doing so, the Tribunal conveniently overlooked the fact
that benefit of the Scheme (Scale No.19) had not been 47 given to members of
three State Services i.e. West Bengal Agricultural Income Tax Service, West
Bengal Fisheries Service and West Bengal Food
&
Civil Supplies Service and benefit of Scale No.21 had been extended to the
members of only 2 out of 17 State Services i.e. West Bengal Civil Services
(Executive) and West Bengal Commercial Tax Services and that any direction in
favour of the respondents would result in huge discrimination qua members of
other State Services.
36.
For the reasons mentioned above, we hold that the Tribunal committed a
jurisdictional error by entertaining and allowing the review application filed
by the respondents and the direction given by it for extending the benefit of
Scale Nos.19 and 21 to them is legally unsustainable.
37.
The three judgments cited by Shri Dhruv Mehta, learned counsel for the
respondents are clearly distinguishable. In Indian Charge Chrome Ltd. vs. Union
of India (supra), the Three Judges Bench made detailed discussion on this
Court's power of review but the same was meant only for the purpose of
admission of the review application. This is evident from the last line of the
order, which is extracted below :
"We
make it clear that the observations made in this order are only for the purpose
of deciding the limited aspect of admission of the review petitions."
48
38. That apart, a careful reading of the judgment shows that in paragraph 13
thereof, this Court categorically observed that an important argument regarding
the alleged illegality of the approval granted by the Central Government to the
proposal of the State Government had not been considered and copy of order
dated 14.1.1999 passed by the Chief Minister on which reliance was placed by
the Court had not been supplied to the party and the same was not even
available on record and all this prima facie constituted an error apparent on
the face of the record.
39.
In Board of Control for Cricket in India vs. Netaji Cricket Club (supra), this
Court considered whether the Division Bench of Madras High Court was justified
in admitting the review petition.After making an elaborate reference to the
factual matrix of the case and some judgments, the Two Judges Bench concluded
that the High Court did not commit any error by entertaining the review
petition. In para 91 of the judgment, reference has been made to an earlier
judgment in Moran Mar Basselios Catholicos and another vs. The Most Rev. Mar
Poulose Athanasius and others (supra) in which expression `any other sufficient
reason' was interprted and it has been observed that the said rule is not
universal. However, the judgment of the Two Judges Bench is conspicuously
silent as to why the ratio of the earlier judgment warrants a deviation. The
one line observation contained in para 93 that while exercising review
jurisdiction the Court can
49
take into consideration subsequent event has to be treated as confined to the
facts of the case involving the controversy between rival Cricket Associations.
40.
The third judgment in K.T. Veerappa vs. State of Karnataka (supra) deals with
the issue of discrimination in the matter of grant of pay scales but does not
contain any discussion on the issue of Tribunal's power to review its decision.
41.
We may now advert to the High Court's order.A perusal thereof shows that even
while accepting the contention of the appellants that the Tribunal did not have
the jurisdiction to review order dated 25.2.1997, the High Court approved the
direction given for extending the benefit of Scale Nos.19 and 21 to the
respondents, albeit without taking cognizance of the stark fact that they had
received promotions on the posts of Assistant Director, Deputy Director and
Director; that they were holding highest posts in the service; that they were
given the benefit of higher pay scales under ROPA 1981 and ROPA 1990 and no
material had been placed before the Court to show that members of other State
Services to whom the benefit of Scale Nos.19 and 21 had been given under the
Scheme had also received three promotions after joining the service. The High
Court also overlooked 50 the fact that members of three out 17 State Services
had not been given benefit of Scale No.19 and posts in Scale No.21 had been
sanctioned only for 2 out of 17 State Services. It is our considered view that
in the absence of factual foundation, the High Court was not justified in
recording a conclusion that denial of Scale Nos.19 and 21 had resulted in
violation of the respondents' fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14,
16 and 21 of the Constitution and that too by ignoring the fact that the
respondents had not produced any tangible evidence to prima facie prove that
they had been subjected to hostile discrimination or that the decision of the
State Government not to extend the benefit of Scale Nos.19 and 21 to members of
the service was irrational and arbitrary. It is trite to say that in such
matters the onus is always on the employee to prima facie substantiate the plea
of discrimination or arbitrary exercise of power and only then the State or its
instrumentality/agency or the public body (the employer) can be called upon to
show that its decision is non-discriminatory, non-arbitrary, fair and in public
interest.
42.
In the result, the appeal is allowed. The order of the High Court as also the
one passed by the Tribunal in R.A. No.26 of 1998 are set aside.
The
parties are left to bear their own costs.
51
......................... J.
(B.N. Agrawal)
.........................J.
(G.S. Singhvi) New Delhi June 16, 2008
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