IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 26.11.2008 CORAM: THE HONOURABLE Mrs.JUSTICE R.BANUMATHI W.P.Nos. 32502, 36782, 37150, 37197, 37739, 36764/2003 and 1421, 8809 & 11180/2004 W.P.No.32502/03 1. V.KANNAPPAN 2. S.P.SUBRAMANIAN 3. AL.SUBRAMANIAN 4. N.SUNDARAM 5. CT.MEIYAPPAN 6. AL.CHIDAMBARAM 7. D.JAYAKUMAR 8. S.SUBRAMANIAN 9. SS.CHOCKALINGAM 10. RM.ALAMELU 11. RM.RAJENDRAN 12. PL.PALANIAPPAN 13. M.LAKSHMANAN 14. K.KANNAPPAN 15. PL.KARUPPAN CHETTY 16. R.KARUPPIAH 17. V.R.RENGANATHAN 18. K.NARAYANAN 19. SP.RAMASUBBU 20. L.ARPUTHARAJ .. Petitioners in W.P.No.32502/03 W.P.No.36782/03 1. A.SUNDARAM 2. M.ALAMELU MANGAI 3. SP.RAMAIAH 4. N.VENKATAKRISHAN 5. VE.NALLAKUMAR 6. P.SHANMUGAM 7. MPS.MUTHUPALANIAPPAN 8. M.MEENAKSHI SUNDARAM 9. SP.KARUPPIAH 10. M.VALLIAPPAN 11. R.ANDAL 12. KANTHIMAOY BANERJEE https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 13. KIRAN SANKARNATH 14. R.SATHYAMOORTHY 15. NS.KUPPUSAMY 16. RM.LAKSHMANAN 17. G.NAGAPPAN 18. VE.SENTHILVADIVELU 19. T.MANICKAVASAGAM 20. N.ARUNACHALAM 21. AM.MANI 22. VE.VAIRAVAN 23. SM.RAMADURAI 24. V.MUTHURAMAN 25. A.MURUGAPPAN 26. M.MUTHUKARUPPAN 27. SP.ARUNACHALAM 28. C.RAMU 29. VR.SUBRAMANIAN 30. RM.SOLAYAN 31. SP.VISALAKSHI 32. ALAMELU KRISHNAN 33. AL.VALLIAPPAN 34. M.MURUGAPPAN 35. RM.SUBRAMANIAN 36. AL.KASIVISWANATHAN 37. PR.SL.SATHAPPAN 38. T.MAHENDRAN 39. V.MUTHUKRISHNAN 40. S.MUTHURAMAN 41. T.PALANIAPPAN 42. L.NACHIAPPAN 43. R.VALLIKANNU 44. RM.VALLIAPPAN 45. J.HARIHARAN 46. M.MEENAL 47. P.RAJAGOPAL 48. A.THENAPPAN 49. S.RAMU 50. RM.CHIDAMBARAM 51. M.CHANDRAN 52. RM.NALLAPPAN 53. N.ANANTHAKRISHNAN 54. M.GANESH BOSE 55. M.VALLIAPPAN 56. K.PALANIAPPAN 57. AL.SETHURAMAN 58. M.MEYAMMAI 59. N.SHANMUGASUNDARAM 60. L.GURUNATHAN 61. PS.PRESENNA RATHINAM https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 62. SP.SUBRAMANIAN 63. D.KALAISELVI 64. N.PALANIAPPAN 65. PL.SUBRAMANIAN 66. N.THENAPPAN 67. SP.RAMASWAMY 68. MANI SATHYANARAYANA MOORTHY 69. N.UNNAMALAI 70. N.AL.PERIYAKARUPPAN 71. PL.SHANMUGANATHAN 72. AL.A.KASIVISWANATHAN 73. A.KALYANAI 74. V.MEENAKSHI 75. S.JEYAPRAKASH 76. V.MURUGAPPAN 77. PL.SELVAM 78 S.MURALI 79 K.R.RAMANATHAN 80 P.L.PALANIYAPPAN 81 V.MUTHUKARUPPY 82 K.MEENAKSHI 83 V.R.MEENAKSHI 84 P.RAGHAVAN 85 P.RAMAMOORTHY 86 R.M.CHIDAMBARAM 87 M.ABDUL RAHIM 88 S.MADHUSUDANA REDDY 89 S.ALAGAPPAN 90 N.R.PALANIKUMAR 91 S.KANJANA 92 C.LAKSHMANAN 93 AL.RAMANATHAN 94 V.VIMALA 95 BHUBANESWARI MAHALINGAM 96 VR.LAKSHMI 97 KR.MUTHAIAH 98 S.MEYYAPPAN 99 RM.ALAGAMMAI 100 VE.RAMANATHAN 101 BAKKIYALAKSHMI ARUNACHALAM 102 S.JOTHIBAI 103 R.NAGAPPAN 104 RA.SIVAGAMI 105 S.VISWANATHAN 106 U.MURUGAPPAN 107 A.R.KANNAN 108 KR.ALAGAPPAN 109 M.KRISHNAPPAN 110 V.PANACHAPAKESAN https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 111 MP.THENAPPAN 112 AL.LAKSHMANAN 113 R.MUTHUSUBRAMANIAN 114 CT.MURUGAPPAN 115 KR.SENTHILNATHAN 116 TR.CHOCKALINGAM 117 VS.SELVARAJAN 118 AL.MUTHAIAH 119 K.SUBRAMANIAN 120 OV.CHANDRASEKARAN 121 RM.ALAMELU 122 RM.SUNDARAVALLI 123 V.KANNAPPAN 124 S.PALANIAPPAN 125 SP.ANNAPOORANI 126 S.AL.RAMAKRISHNAN 127 RM.CHIDAMBARAM 128 R.MUTHUVEERAPPAN 129 P.NACHIAPPAN 130 P.KOTHANDARAMAN 131 S.ALAGAPPAN 132 C.RAMASAMY 133 K.CHOCKALINGAM 134 RM.SIVARAMAN 135 N.VENKATACHALAM 136 AL.NATARAJAN 137 C.SUNDAR 138 J.MOHAN 139 S.SATHYANARAYANAMOORTHY 140 AR.THENAPPAN 141 INDIRRA ARUNACHALAM 142 T.RAMASAMY 143 R.SRINIVASAN 144 S.NAGAPPAN 145 K.VAIRAVAN 146 PL.RAMANATHAN 147 S.SEVUGANCHETTY 148 S.RAMANATHAN 149 N.MEENAKSHISUNDARAM 150 N.NACHIAPPAN 151 RM.RAJALAKSHMI 152 PRATAP NALLATHAMBI 153 VE.VAIRAVAN 154 L.S.SHARMA 155 KM.ARUMUGAM 156 N.NAGAPPAN 157 S.SAMBANDAM 158 PR.LAKSHMANAN 159 NAGAMMA NAIDU https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 160 AR.CHIDAMBARAM 161 K.SUBAIAH 162 N.PURUSHOTHAMAN 163 A.KARUNAKARAN 164 R.RAMADOSS 165 V.RAMAKRISHNAN 166 V.MEYAMMAI 167 PL.SUBRAMANIAN 168 SP.SHANMUGAM 169 AM.PR.AMMAYAPPAN 170 A.RAMANATHAN 171 AR.ARIYAPPAN 172 PREMA SESHADRI 173 T.DESIKAN 174 CHNTHAMANI KRISHNAN 175 PL.RAJARAJESWARAN 176 N.RAJALAKSHMI 177 VR.MUTHAIAH 178 MV.MANICKAM 179 VE.AR.NAGAPPAN 180 RM.CHELLAPPAN 181 RM.RAMANATHAN 182 S.SUBRAMANIAN 183 M.KUMARAPPAN 184 K.LAKSHMINARASIMHA RAO 185 S.NACHIAPPAN 186 A.BALAKRISHNAMOORTHY 187 PC.CHANDRASEKAR RAO 188 EV.RAMAKRISHNA RAO 189 S.RAMASUBRAMANIAN 190 CT.CHIDAMBARAM 191 N.VISALAKSHI 192 N.KRISHNAPPAN 193 M.VEERAPPAN 194 V.SUNDARESAN 195. V.SUNDARESAN 196. VE.SATHYAMOORTHY 197. V.MURUGAPPAN 198. A.SATHIYANARAYANA 199. V.RAMANATHAN 200. PL.MEENAKSHISUNDARAM 201. V.ELUMALAI 202. M.SRINIVASAN 203. N.MEENAL 204. AR.SINGARAM 205. S.KRISHNAN 206. S.EDWIN XAVIER 207. M.NARAYANAN 208. MR.GOBALRAM https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 209. R.SUKUMAR 210. K.RAMACHANDRAN 211. SP.PARVATHY 212. K.SENTHILNATHAN 213. A.THIRUNAVUKKARASU 214. M.SABARATHINAM 215. S.SELVAM 216. L.SURIYA KALA 217. M.ULAGAPPAN 218. AL.CHOCKALINGAM 219. R.RAVIKUMAR 220. K.S.RAMESH 221. C.HARIDOSS 222. V.NAGAPPAN 223. SANJEEV DHEER 224. VIRENDERSINGH 225. GEETHA DINGHRA 226. SANGEETHA ARORO 227. MUKESH KAPPOOR 228. PRADIP KUMAR GUPTA 229. S.VIADYANATHAN 230. RM.VALLIAPPAN 231. RM.DHAKSHINAMOORTHY 232. N.GNANASAMBANDAN 233. TS.MARAGADHAMBAL 234. R.MANOHARAN 235. R.SUNDARAM 236. T.CHOCKALINGAM 237. M.VAIRAVAN 238. S.KUMARAGURUBARAN 239. VR.VALLIAPPAN 240. L.MUTHU 241. AL.MEENAKSHISUNDARAM 242. SM.SINGARAM 243. S.SAMBAMOORTHY 244. RM.MOHAN 245. RM.V.RAMANATHAN 246. R.SHANMUGASUNDARAM 247. C.SANKASUBRAMANIAN 248. PL.KASI 249. PL.MURUGAPPAN ..PETITIONERS IN 250. A.SATTANATHAN WP.NO.36782/03 M. SEVUGANCHETTY ..PETITIONER IN WP.NO.37150/03 1. S.ALAGAPPAN 2. G.CHANDRASEKARAN 3. RAMAKARUPPAIAH https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 4. S.BALASUBRAMANIAN 5. M.VASANTHA 6. PH.SHARMA 7. S.CHANDRA MOULI 8. K.ANNAMALAI 9. C.MANIVANNAN 10. V.PALANIAPPAN 11. G.KRISHNAN 12. M.RAMASAMY 13. P.NAGENDRAN 14. NR.NARASIMHAN 15. R.SAMBASIVA REDDY 16. M.KARUPPAIAH 17. P.THANGARAJ 18. SP.NACHIAPPAN 19. R.MURALIDHARAN 20. K.SHANTHAKUMARI 21. K.VENKATACHALAM 22. RM.SUNDARAM 23. SV.SEVIYAPPAN 24. M.SRINIVASAN 25. D.VENKATARAMAN 26. M.SELVARAJ 27. R.NAGARAJAN 28. AR.ARUNACHALAM 29. M.KAMESH 30. D.SHANMUGAVELU 31. V.PONNALAGAMMAI 32. AL.SATHAPPAN 33. V.ALAGAPPAN 34. PL.CHOCKALINGAM 35. S.KULANDAYAN 36. P.L.MURUGAPPAN 37. KR.SUBRAMANIAN 38. MRS.ANJALI DATRE 39. GOUDA VIJAYALAKSHMI 40. N.NACHIAPPAN 41. RAMOLA BERNES 42. M.VEERABADRAN 43. V.GANAPATHYSUBRAMANIAN 44. R.RATHINAVELU 45. S.PARTHASARATHY 46. S.LAKSHMANAN 47. HR.KAVERI 48. KR.RAMASAMY 49. K.ARUMUGAM 50. RM.SETHURAMAN 51. V. MEENAL 52 AR.RAMANATHAN https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 53 K.ABDUL JAFFAR 54 N. RAJENDRAN 55 YVS.BASKARAN 56 M.NALLAPPAN 57 SP.RAMASAMY 58 M.LAKSHMI NARAYANAN 59 VR.MUTHAIAH 60 D.MANGALAM 61 G.SIVAPRAKASAM 62 JP.SURENDRA SING 63 AN.MEYAMMAI 64 A.SOLAYAPPAN 65 N.PALANIAPPAN 66 S. SUBRAMANIAN 67 V. SUNDARAMOORTHY 68 SM.UMAYAL 69 LALITHA SURIYA MOORTHY 70 AR.NATARAJAN 71 R.SUBRAMANIYAM 72 C.TAMILARASI 73 N.SOLACHI 74 T.SAROJA. 75 S. PICHAIAMMAL 76. N. NACHIAPPAN 77 V. MANOHARAN 78 KR.ALAGAPPAN 79 RM.SUBRAMANIAN 80 CP.JANAKI 81 A.DEVARAJAN 82 U.MURUGAN, 83 K.VAGEESAN 84 K. CHOCKALINGAM 85 A.RAMASAMY 86 MHD.ASHRAF ALI 87 V.LAKSHMINARAYANAN 88 M. THIRUNAVUKKARASU. 89 V.PALANIAPPAN 90 S. PALANIAPPAN 91 V. RAMASUBRAMANIAM 92 RM.SUBRAMANIAN 93 K. PALANIAPPAN 94 R. KRISHNAMOORTHY 95 M.LAKHMIPATHY RAO 96 TK.SRIDHARAN 97 AZAR. AHMED BIJLEE 98 MR.VIJAYARAGHAVAN 99 KARU NATARAJAN. 100 RM. RAMU 101 G.PADMASINI https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 102 R. JAYACHANDRAN 103 V.S.CHANDRA 104 PL.KARUPPANCHETTY 105 KL.SUBRAMANIAN 106 AL.PALANIAPPAN 107 R. INDIRA 108 PL.GOVINDAN 109 SPN. NARAYANAN 110 P.SUNDARAMURTHY 111 M. RAMASAMY 112 V. SARAVANAN 113 M. PADMAVATHY 114 KR.CHINNAPICHAPPAN 115 RM. RUKKUMANI 116 S.GOBINDAN. 117 SL.SOMASUNDARAM 118 A. SHOBALATHA DEVI 119 N. GIRIJAKUMARI. 120 RM.LAKSHMANAN 121 SM. VEERAPPAN 122 V.SOBARANI 123 T. SINGARAM 124 S. SUKUMAR. 125 R. PANDITHURAI 126 B. ETHIRAJ 127 RM.ALAGAPPAN 128 M. ALAMELU 129 K. JEYAKUMARI 130 KR.MUTHUKARUPPAN 131 E. SOUNDARAPANDIAN 132 P. THIYAGARAJAN 133 R. PARAKALAN 134 M. MOHAMED NAZIR. 135 G. SESHADRI. 136 M. VEERAPPAN 137 P.GANESAN . 138 PL.MEYAPPPAN 139 M. KUMAR . 140 G. SOMASUNDARAM 141 G. NAGESWARA RAO 142 R.V.S.RANGA RAO 143 S. MURUGESAN. 144 SP.SUBRAMANIAN 145 N.KARUPPAIAH 146 K. VISALAKSHMI 147 PVS.GANAPATHY RAO 148 V.SUBRAMANIAN 149 M.CHOCKALINGAM 150 S. SITHIVINAYAGAM https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 151 V.PALANIAPPAN 152 R. RAJESWARI. 153 C. KARUNAKARAN. 154 T.ULAGANATHAN 155 CH. SATHYANARAYANAN 156 REHA MALHOTRA 157 G. BULLIBABU 158 A. ARUNACHALAM. 159 V. ALAGAPPAN 160 AR. RAJAMANI. 161 K.ALAGAPPAN 162 M.BALASUBRAMANIAN 163 K.DHAKSHINAMOORTHY 164 D.RAJAGOPALAN 165 S. SIVAKAMI NARAYANAN 166 M.VENKATACHALAM 167 SP.GOBALAKRISHNAN 168 A.NAGARAJAN. 169 M.BALASUBRAMANIAN 170 M. KARUPPAIAH 171 P.PREMNATH 172 RM.RAJENDRAN. 173 M. THIRUNAVUKKARASU. 174 N. KARUPAN CHETTY 175 N. NACHIAPPAN 176 K.SUBRAMANIAN 177 L.KANNAN 178 K.RAJAN 179 L. NARAYANAN 180 P. SUBRAMANIAN 181 A. RAJENDRAN 182 PVH.SUNDARSANA RAO 183 N. PALANIAPPAN 184 AR. NARAYANAN 185 S. VENKITARAMAN 186 S.VENKITARAMAN 187 N. VITALDASS BHATT 188 T.S.THIYAGARAJAN. 189 A. JAYAPAL 190 S. KARUPPAIAH 191 S.M.DEIVANAI 192 T. KALYANI 193 T.R.MANI 194 MR.THIYAGARAJAN 195 A.AYYASAMI 196 N. ARUNACHALAM 197 R. VIJAYARAGHAVAN 198 KR.NATARJAN 199 AR.SUBBAIAH https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 200 L. PALANIAPPAN 201 A. KUMARAPPAN 202 A. ARUNACHALAM 203 P. MEENAKSHISUNDARAM 204 S.BALASUBRAMANIAN 205 K.N.PRAHAHAR GUPTA 206 SP.ARUNACHALAM. 207 M.KANNAPPAN. 208 RAJU. VD 209 S. SUBRAMANIAN 210 P. NARAYANAMOORTHY 211 DV. DEVENDRA 212 R. NAGU 213 P. SABARATHINAM 214 M. RAJENDRAN 215 P. ABDUL GANI. 216 R. BHANUMATHI 217 SP.RAMASAMY. 218 V. KASTHURIRENGAN 219 PL.VISWANATHAN 220 M.VALLIAMMAL 221 AL.MEENAL 222 N. THAVAMANI 223 PR.PANNA 224 SR.SHYAMALA 225 DWARAKA SHETTY 226 A. SUBRAMANIAN 227 CB. MEENAKUMARI 228 CT.ARUNACHALAM 229 AR.NARAYANAN 230 A. KANNAPPAN 231 G. BASKARAN 232 PR.PL.PERIYAKARUPPAN 233 VD. LOGANATHAN 234 K. ALAGUSUNDARAM 235 PL.VISALAKSHI 236 KN.VENKATARAMANI 237 R.SUBBAIAH 238 VR.SEETHA 239 PL PALANIAPPAN 240 M.DEVENDRA PAI.M. 241 AN THANNEERMALAI 242 MELAPPA.E.CHIKKANARGUDI 243 V.SANKARANARAYANNAN 244 S.RADHA 245 N.CHOCKALINGAM 246 S. SUKANYA 247 V. RAMASUBRAMANIYAN 248 R. RATHI https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 249 M. PALANIAPPAN. 250 RM. LAKSHMANAN 251 S. CHANDRASEKARAN 252 M. MURUGAPPAN 253 H. VISWANATHAN 254 V.VISWANATHAN 255 R. SUBRAMANIYAN 256 N. THIYAGARAJAN 257 MEENAKSHI THIYAGARAJAN 258 S. SASIKALA DEVI 259 V. KUMARAPPAN 260 PRABHU RATHINAM 261 NATARAJAN.A.R. 262 S.RAMU 263 C. SUBRAMANIAM ...Petitioners in W.P.No.37197 of 2003 1 THIRUNAVUKARASU 2 L.LAKSHMANAN 3 K.MUTHU 4 SAVITHA TALWAR 5 K.R.KARUPPIAH 6 D.GNANANANDAM 7 YOGESH KANILAL PATEL 8 S.SRIDHARAN 9 GOBALABAHI. B.PRIKH 10 NARESH R.KANDAR 11 AVANISH JITENDRA DALAL 12 DILLIPKUMAR J.TIRVIEDI. 13 V.VALLIAPPAN 14 S.S.DAMAGUDE. 15 KANTILAL NARODIA. 16 HAMISH AGHENDRA DESAI. 17 S.P.VENKATCHALAM 18 P.C.SONI 19 MR. DEVSIHANA. 20 MAHENDRA KUMAR SRIVASTAVA. 21 KUSUM SAWHENY 22 BISWAJIT MAITRA 23 TARUN KUMAR DAS BISWAS 24 DILIPKUMAR DEBNATH 25 PRITIMORY BANARJEE 26 MUTHIAH. K. 27 SATNIAMOORTHY R.M. 28 RAJKUMAR KESARE 29 ALAGAPPAN A.L. 30 SAMIR KUMAR MITRA 31 ANNAMALAI PIL https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 32 MUTHUSAMY E. 33 VISWANATHAN C.T. 34 SEKAR CHOURDRY 35 SOMESH CHAKRABARTHY 36 SRIKANTA IYER V. 37 SUBBIAH S.L. 38 PAPANNA V.M. 39 SUBRAMANIAM P. 40 SHYMALA GURURAJAN 41 SEKAR CHOUDRY 42 LAKHSMI MADHAVAN 43 RAJESH CHANDRA GUPTA. 44 K.S.KANNAN 45 KARTIKEYA CHANDRA BISWAS 46 PRANAB ROY 47 P.SUBRAMANAIAM 48 RANJAN DUTTA ....PETITIONERS/PETITIONERS IN W.P.No.37739/03 D.G. RAGAVENDRA ... PETITIONER IN W.P.NO.36764 OF 2003 W.P.1421 of 2004 1 K.R.CHANDRAN 2 A.MUTHUKKARUPPAN 3 T.KANNAN 4 AR.ARUNACHALAM. 5 BV.CHANDRALEKA 6 A.VASANTHI. 7 U.VAIRAVAN. 8 JAGADESH N.GAJJAR. 9 PANKAJKUMAR PANNALAI SHAH 10 S.SUBRAMONIA PILLAI. 11 KR.PALANI MUTHU. 12 SANJIV S.MAHULIKAR. 13 PRAKASH R.CHAUBAL. 14 S.SENTHILVEL. 15 S.SOLACHI. 16 M.K.MENON. 17 R.NARESH KUMAR. 18 MEYYAPPAN.L. 19 RAJAGOPALAN V. 20 V.SUBRAMNIA PILLAI. 21 HASMUKH D.PRAJAPATI. 22 A.GEORGE SANTHANAKUMAR 23 MAMBHAI M.SOLANKI. 24 HITENDRA RAM LAL SHAH 25 AMIT BATTACHARYA 26 DIMAN GOSH. https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 27 S.THIAGARAJAN. 28 SANAJAY BASNDOPATHYAY 29 BHUDEV CHANDHURI. 30 ANURADHA SRIDHAR 31 BHOLA NATH SHAW 32 A.ANNAMALAI. 33 TAPAS RR.BASU. 34 RABIN CHANDRA DAS. 35 BIMAN JOSE. 36 R.M.CHOCKALINGAM. 37 NANI GOBAL NATH. 38 SUSY THOMAS. 39 SWAPAN KUMAR SAHA. 40 SAVITRI SANKARAN. 41 PADMAKUMAR. 42 MEENA BHARAT BHATI. 43 N.RAJAGOPALAN. 44 HEMAXI P.MEHTA. 45 BHASKAR Z.VYAPAR. 46 HITESH H.BHAT. 47 SATHI KANNAN 48 S.ARUNACHALAM. 49 RATNAM VENKITACHALAM. 50 KK.JAYANTHI. 51 RAMESH NARAYAN NAYAK 52 ARJUN R.GHANEKAR. 53 BALWANI TRIMBAK PAITHNKAR. 54 CHINMOY BHATTACHARYA 55 V.MUTHAIAH. 56 E.MOHAN. 57 DEEPAK R.RENGANEKAR. 58 HEMANT KATE 59 LATHA SUNDARRAJAN 60 K.SRIRAMAN. 61 KODURI NAGAURAJA RAO 62 P.J.BASTIAN. 63 N.USHA KAMAKSHI. 64 RAM NARESH SHARMA 65 V.RAMACHANDRAN. 66 M.VEERAMANI. 67 S.PRADHAP Petitioners in WP No.1421/04 WP No.8809 of 2004 1 M.JEYAPAL 2 JANAK KUMAR AJITBHAI SHAH 3 DEEPAK JYANTILAL SHAH 4 NEELAM BAREJA 5 DEBJANI BASU https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 6 KKABRI MAJUMDAR 7 ARCHANA KANUNGO 8 BHARAJI BOSE 9 MAILRAYEE BANJERJEE 10 KRISHNAKALI MITRA 11 TAPTI SINHA 12 SAMIT KUMAR BASU 13 BANI SEN 14 M.P.MADAN MOHAN 15 RINA BHATTACHARYA 16 AMAR CHAKRABORTHY 17 SUIGDHAMITRA 18 SANAT KHAN 19 N.ANANDAN 20 KRISHNA CHANDRA BATTACHARAYA 21 ASHOK KUMAR GUHA 22 NIRMAL BATTACHARYA 23 GUTAM LAHA 24 V.RAVINDRAN NAIR 25 V.HARIKUMAR 26 FIROZ SHAH Petitioners in WP No.8809/04 1. A. KALYANI 2. R.M. CHIDAMBARAM 3. M.M. ELANGO 4. N. NARAYANAN 5. D. SRINIVAS 6. R. SUNDARAM 7. RENU BALA BIBNDLISH 8. NIRMAL KUMAR 9. R. SUKUMAR 10. K.R. SIVAGAMI 11. K.A.M.N. PARMILARANI 12. B.S. SAROJA 13. S. VENUGOPAL 14. R. VALLIAPPAN 15. K. HARIBABU 16. R. BALRAJ 17. NILIMA PRADEEP BHISE 18. B. SARAVANAN 19. PETNAKOLI NAGAAJ 20. K.R. SRIMATHEE 21. THANGAMMA MATHIEW 22. S. KALIYAPERUMAL 23. R. BHANUMATHY 24. G. MANGALAM 25. S. RAJAELAYAKUMAR 26. S. PRITHIVIRAJ 27. T. GURUMURTHY https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 28. K. SHYAM SUNDAR 29. M. UMAYAL 30. K. PARAMASIVAM 31. A. SUJATHA 32. DEBASISH MULLICK 33. K. NAGAMANI 34. D. SAMSON 35. K. SEKAR 36. MR. NARAYANAN 37. L.M. NAGAPPAN 38. K. WILSON 39. S. SOMASUNDARAM 40. DEIVAKADATCHAM ... PETITIONER IN W.P.11180/04 Vs. 1. Additional Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Company Affairs, (Banking and Insurance), No.235, Jeevandeep Buildings, Sansad Marg-1, New Delhi-110 001. 2.Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, ICICI Bank Limited, Corporate Office, ICICI Towers, Bandra Kuria Complex, Bundra East, Mumbai-400 051. 3.Assistant General Manager, ICICI Bank Limited, Corporate Office, Karumuthu Nilliam, No.192, Mount Road, Chennai-6. ... Respondents in all Wps Common prayer: Writ Petitions are filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the 2nd Respondent Bank to pay Pension as per the scheme viz., Bank of Madura Pension Regulation, 1995. For Petitioners : Mr. T.R.Rajagopal, Senior Counsel for Mr.L.J.Krishnamurthy https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ For Respondents : Mr. A.L.Somayaji, Senior Counsel for P.L.Narayanan COMMON ORDER Petitioner seeks Writ of Mandamus directing the 2nd and 3rd Respondents to pay Pension according to the regulation of Pension scheme in view of Rule 2 (ze), 2 (zea), 35 (i) and 35 (ii) of Bank of Madura Employees Pension Regulations, 1995. 2. Briefly stated case of the Petitioners is as follows:- (i) Petitioners were originally employed in Bank of Madura and served for more than 20 years in various Branches of Bank of Madura. During 1995, Bank of Madura sent a circular to implement Pension scheme of the employees of Bank of Madura and along with its regulations. Again another Circular dated 01.2.1996 was issued calling for options from the employees to opt for Pension scheme. Petitioners who were in service on erstwhile Bank of Madura have not opted for Pension scheme. Petitioners and some of the Bank employees were in a dilemma whether to opt for Pension scheme or to continue to contribute Provident Fund scheme. According to the Petitioners, they were under the impression that at the time of retirement, a sizable amount would be paid by way of contribution to the Provident Fund. (ii) Bank of Madura merged with ICICI Bank on 10.3.2001. An order was passed for Amalgamations u/s.44(a) of Banking Regulations Act, 1941. Bank of Madura merged with ICICI Bank and as per Clauses 9 and 10 of the Order of Amalgamations, Petitioners became employees of the transferee Bank without any break or interference in service. (iii) Petitioners have averred that under threat and coercion employees of erstwhile Bank of Madura have been asked to go on VRS and were threatened with lot of consequences. ICICI Bank had launched Early Retirement Option (ERO) 2003 on 17.6.2003 and the scheme was open during July 2003. According to ICICI Bank, Bank of Madura employees who have opted for pension during 1995-1996 and have completed 20 years of service only would be eligible for Pension benefits under ERO-2003 scheme. (iv) Case of the Petitioners is that employees who have opted for Pension under ERO scheme fall within the definition of Rule 2 (ze) and 35 (i) & 35(ii) of Bank of Madura Employees Pension Regulations and are eligible for Pension under ERO scheme. But ICICI Bank had refused to pay Pension to those employees who https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ retired on 31.7.2003 on the ground that they ceased to be the employees of ICICI Bank and therefore, they have no right to make an application for Pension. Further, case of the Petitioners is that ICICI cannot refuse Pension to the Petitioners stating that Employees/Petitioners have not opted for Pension during 1995-1996 in the erstwhile Bank of Madura Employees Pension Regulations and therefore, Petitioners seek Writ of Mandamus directing the 2nd Respondent Bank to pay Pension as per the Pension Regulations of 1995. 3. Denying the averments in the Petitions, 2nd and 3rd Respondents have filed counter stating that Petitioners on their own volition have opted for Early Retirement Option Scheme, 2003 introduced by the Respondent Bank for the welfare of the employees and Petitioners have received all retiral benefits viz., employees and employers matching contribution to P.F. with upto date interest and gratuity as specifically mentioned in ERO-2003. Erstwhile Bank of Madura introduced a Pension scheme called Bank of Madura Employees Pension Regulations, 1995 in line with Banking Industry. 4. Respondent Bank averred that in response to the opportunities given by the erstwhile Bank of Madura, out of 2824 employees ( as of 31.10.1993), 1044 employees had exercised their option within the prescribed period. However, Writ Petitioners have not availed those opportunities to exercise their options for Pension. According to ICICI Bank, all employees who are eligible to opt for ERO are the employees who have already opted for Pension and have completed 20 years of service only would be eligible for Pension and P.F. cannot be surrendered in lieu of Pension. 5. Stand of ICICI Bank is that Bank of Madura employees who have opted for Pension and have completed 20 years of service only would be eligible for Pension benefits. It is further averred that all ERO-2003 optees were aware that in case they have not opted for Pension during 1995-1996, they would not be eligible for Pension and as such the decision to opt for ERO-2003 was a conscious and well informed decision taken by the Petitioners. 2nd Respondent ICICI Bank has taken a stand that Writ Petitioners having failed to exercise their option during 1995-1996 and decided to continue under PF and having failed to exercise option for Pension during 1995-1996 are not eligible for Pension. Stand of ICICI Bank is that Petitioners would be eligible for benefits only under ERO-2003 scheme and are not eligible for Pension. 6. Contending that demand of Pension is neither a bounty nor a matter of grace and that it is a matter vested right, Mr. T.R.Rajagopalan, learned Senior Counsel for the Petitioners has submitted that Writ can be issued even against a private body. It was further argued that where exercise of power is arbitrary and https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ unfair even in the area of contractual obligation, Writ can be issued. 7. Learned Senior Counsel for the Petitioner further submitted that denial of Pension on the ground that they have not opted for Pension during 1995-1996 under Bank of Madura Pension Scheme is arbitrary and unfair. 8. Mr. A.L.Somayaji, learned Senior Counsel for the Respondents 2 and 3 has contended that Writ of Mandamus is pre- eminent public law remedy and not available as a remedy against the private bodies. It was further argued that under Art.226 of Constitution, power has to be exercised only when public duty involved. It was further urged that ICICI bank is a private Bank not carrying on any public duty and the Banking activity cannot be claimed as discharging public duties and therefore Writ Petitions are not maintainable. 9. Petitioners are the erstwhile employees of Bank of Madura. Bank of Madura merged with ICICI Bank on 10.3.2001. After merger, Petitioners continued to be the employees of transferee bank without any break in service. 10. Evolution of Pensionary benefits in Banking Sector:- Basically, there were two types of retiral benefits existed before introduction of Pension in Banking Industry – (i) Contributory PF; (ii) Gratuity. There was consistent demand for Pension as third retiral benefit. After lot of deliberation in respect of nationalised banks, Government of India agreed for Pension as second benefit in lieu of Contributory Provident Fund (CPF) and not as third benefit. Accordingly, Pension Regulations came into existence in 1995 giving effect retrospectively from 01.11.1993. 11. Post introduction of Pension Regulations in 1995 effective November 1 1993, retiral benefits in banking sector thus changed to:- (i) PF without matching contribution; (ii) Pension (out of Management Contribution to PF, an amount equivalent to hitherto Management contribution to PF) and (iii) Gratuity. 12. Resultantly, all the new joinees on or after 01.11.1993 were covered in Pension Regulations by design. Since, new Pension scheme has brought change in the retirals, option was given to the existing employees as of 31.10.1993 ( i.e. the date just prior to the effective date of implementation of Pension regulations), employees were afforded an opportunity to exercise option to decide within the time frame whether to continue to CPF and gratuity or to move to PF without matching contribution and gratuity. https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 13. All the Petitioners who were in services of erstwhile Bank of Madura as on 31.10.1993 were afforded opportunity to exercise their option as to whether they want to be governed by retirals i.e. CPF and gratuity or to avail PF without matching contribution from the employer, Pension and Gratuity as was done in the Banking Industry. The eligible employees allowed to exercise their option within the period of 6 months commencing from 25.1.1995 (Vide Circular No.CO.STF.94/94-95) and subsequently the said period for exercising option was extended to May 1996 on two occasions. Writ Petitioners have not availed the opportunity and exercised option for Pension. According to the Bank, Petitioners on their own volition preferred to continue with the Provident Fund Scheme. 14. Early Retirement Option (ERO) Scheme:- ICICI Bank introduced ERO-2003 scheme for all employees of the Bank including the employees of erstwhile Bank of Madura Limited, for the welfare of the employees with a view to give soft exit option to those employees. Stand of ICICI Bank is that all employees are eligible to opt for ERO-2003. Further stand of the Bank is that the employees who have already opted for pension and have completed 20 years of service only would be eligible for Pension and PF cannot be surrendered in lieu of Pension. 15. According to ICICI Bank, Regulation 35 eligibility criteria for employees to receive Pension benefits superannuation are (i) employees should have already opted for Pension as enumerated in Regulation 2 (ze); 35 and (ii) and employees should have completed 20 years of service. 16. Briefly the issue involved is whether Pensionary benefits under ERO scheme is available only to those who have already opted for Pension in 1995. Contentious issues between the parties revolve around interpretation of ERO-2003 and Regulations 2 (ze), 2 (ze a) and 35 (ii) which we would would avert shortly. 17. Albeit stand that Petitioners are not eligible for Pension, Bank has mainly raised objection as to maintainability of the Writ Petitions. 18. Maintainability of Writ Petitions:- Onbehalf of ICICI Bank, Mr.A.L.Somayaji, learned Senior Counsel mainly contended that Writ Petitions are not maintainable, since Writ Petition will not lie against the Respondent Bank which is a Public Limited Company registered under the provisions of Companies Act which is neither created nor governed by any statute. It was mainly argued that Respondent Bank being a Private Sector Bank is neither a State nor an https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ instrumentality of a State within the meaning of Art.12 of Constitution of India and hence, Petitioners cannot invoke Writ jurisdiction. To substantiate his contention that Writ Petition under Art.226 of Constitution is not maintainable against Private Sector Bank, learned Senior Counsel for the Respondents heavily placed reliance upon AIR 2003 SC 4325 [Federal Bank Ltd. v. Sagar Thomas and others]. 19. Placing reliance upon (1983) 1 SCC 305 [D.S.Nakara and others v. Union of India] and 1984 (Supp) SCC 410 [Deokinandan Prasad v. State of Bihar and others], Mr. T.R.Rajagopalan, learned Senior Counsel appearing for the Writ Petitioners submitted that payment of Pension is welfare measure wherein retiral benefits is allowed and Respondent Bank though a Private Sector Bank is amenable to Writ jurisdiction in payment of Pension. Learned Senior Counsel for the Petitioners mainly contended that Payment of Pension is a "public function" amounting to discharge of public duty and therefore, when there is violation of that public duty by arbitrary act of the Bank, Writ of Mandamus can be issued even against the Private body. Learned Senior Counsel would further submit that when Private body performs such statutory obligations, Writ can be issued against private bodies also. It was further urged that form of the body is not very much relevant and what is relevant is nature of duty imposed on the body. 20. In Federal Bank's case [AIR 2003 SC 4325], the Hon'ble Supreme Court has elaborately considered the question of maintainability of Writ Petition against Private Sector Bank and referring to Ajay Hasia's case [AIR 1981 SC 487], the Supreme Court has laid down the position as to the maintainability of the Writ Petition: "17. From the decisions referred to above, the position that emerges is that a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India may be maintainable against (i) the State (Government); (ii) an authority; (iii) a statutory body; (iv) an instrumentality or agency of the State; (v) a company which is financed and owned by the State; (vi) a private body run substantially on State funding; (vii) a private body discharging public duty or positive obligation of public nature; and (viii) a person or a body under liability to discharge any function under any statute, to compel it to perform such a statutory function. 21. Observing that the concept of instrumentality or agency of the Government is not limited to a