IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CWP No. 558 of 2010 Date of Decision: 26.4.2011 Kuldeep Singh ...Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others ..Respondents. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RANJAN GOGOI, CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURYA KANT 1. Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment ? 2. Whether to be referred to the Reporters or not ? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? Present : Mr. Ashok Bhardwaj, Advocate, for the petitioner. Ms. Madhu Dayal, Addl. A.G. Punjab for the respondents. **** RANJAN GOGOI, C.J.(Oral) This Public Interest Litigation has been filed seeking a direction from the Court for appointment of a regular Granthi in Sri Gurudwara Sahib, Sunami Gate, Sangrur (Punjab). According to the petitioner there has been no regular Granthi appointed in the said Gurudwara which is adversely affecting the performance of the religious rites by the members of the public. Hence this Public Interest Litigation. The State of Punjab has filed an affidavit dated 06.04.2010 and a further affidavit dated 24.04.2011 which has been placed before the Court. According to the State contractual appointment of a Granthi has been made and the said Granthi will continue to render service in the Gurudwara until regular appointment is made by the State. In so far as the regular appointment is concerned it is the stand of the State that presently there is a ban on appointments and under the policy in force once a regular incumbent CWP No. 558 of 2010 [2] retires and the post is not filled up, the same is deemed to be abolished and needs to be revived. Any fresh appointment on regular basis can only be made upon revival of the post which requires a decision at the appropriate level. In so far as the present case is concerned, according to the State, though the Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur had recommended for appointment of a regular Granthi in the Gurudwara in question the said proposal needs to be considered along with similar other proposals which will take some time. According to the State, once all the posts of Granthies which need to be filled up on regular basis are identified, an appropriate decision would be taken in the matter and all such posts of Granthies, which are required to be so filled up, will be so done on regular basis. Until the aforesaid matter is finalized and regular Granthies are appointed, the particular Granthi appointed on contractual basis in the Gurudwara in question will continue to render service, though presently the contractual appointment is upto the end of July, 2011. As according to the State the Gurudwara in question will have the services of a Granthi on a continuous basis and steps are being taken for appointment of a Granthi on regular basis we are of the view that this Public Interest Litigation will not call for any further orders save and except that the State shall ensure the availability of a Granthi in Sri Gurudwara Sahib, Sunami Gate, Sangrur (Punjab) on continuous basis and will expedite its decision on filling up the vacant post of Grandhi on regular basis. PIL shall stands disposed of in the above terms. (RANJAN GOGOI) CHIEF JUSTICE (SURYA KANT) JUDGE 26.04.2011 'ravinder'