IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ANTONY DOMINIC THURSDAY, THE 22ND OCTOBER 2009 / 30TH ASWINA 1931 OP.No. 904 of 1997(C) --------------------- PETITIONER(S): ---------------------- K.M.BEENA, CLERK-CASHIER, STATE BANK OF TRAVANCORE, PARAPPANANGADI BRANCH, PARAPPANANGADI. BY ADV. SRI.M.V.BOSE RESPONDENT(S): ----------------------- 1. STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. THE REGIONAL MANAGER III, STATE BANK OF TRAVANCORE ZONAL OFFICE, KOZHIKODE. 3. THE BRANCHMANAGER, STATE BANK OF TRAVANCORE, PARAPPANANGADI. SPL.GOVERNMENT PLEADER SRI.P.SANTHOSH KUMAR SRI.P.RAMAKRISHNAN FOR R2 & R3 SRI.M.PATHROSE MATHEW THIS ORIGINAL PETITION HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 22/10/2009, ALONG WITH WPC NO. 31533 OF 2006 THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: OP NO.904/97 ORDER IN CMP NO.1504 OF 1997 IN OP NO.904 OF 1997 DISMISSED 22/10/2009 SD/-ANTONY DOMINIC, JUDGE APPENDIX PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS EXT.P1: TRUE COPY OF GOVERNMENT ORDER DT 15.3.78. EXT.P2: TRUE COPY OF CERTIFICATE DT 18.11.1985 ISSUED BY THE TAHSILDAR, OTTAPALAM. EXT.P3: TRUE COPY OF MEMO DT 4.5.1993 ISSUED BY THE REGIONAL MANAGER III, STATE BANK OF TRAVANCORE, KOZHIKODE. EXT.P4: TRUE COPY OF EXPLANATION DT.14.6.93 OF THE PETITIONER TO THE REGIONAL MANAGER. EXT.P5: TRUE COPY OF JUDGMENT DT 25.2.94 IN WA NO.287/94 OF THIS HON'BLE COURT. EXT.P6: TRUE COPY OF ENQUIRY REPORT SUBMITTED BY THE ENQUIRY OFFICER. EXT.P7: TRUE COPY OF COMMUNICATION DT 7.10.95 OF THE 1ST RESPONDENT. EXT.P8: TRUE COPY OF LETTER DT 2.10.1996 OF THE COUNSEL OF THE PETITIONER TO THE REGIONAL MANAGER, SBT, KOZHIKODE. EXT.P9: TRUE COPY OF GO DATED 23.10.1979 OF THE 1ST RESPONDENT. EXT.P10: TRUE COPY OF MEMORANDUM DT 8.1.97 ISSUED TO THE PETITIONER BY THEMANAGER STATE BANK OF TRAVANCORE, PARAPPANANGADI. EXT.P11: TRUE COPY OF GO(RT) NO.637/92 SC ST DT2.12.92. EXT.P12: TRUE COPY OF JUDGMENT DT 21.2.2002 INOP NO.5226/1990 V EXT.P13: TRUE COPY OF JUDGMENT DT 21.3.1985 IN OP NO.288/82. EXT.P14: TRUE COPY OF JUDGMENT DT 25.7.2001 IN OP NO.10129 OF 1995. //TRUE COPY// P.A. TO JUDGE Rp ANTONY DOMINIC, J. ================ O.P.No.904 OF 1997 & W.P.(C) NO. 31533 OF 2006 ===================== Dated this the 22nd day of October, 2009 J U D G M E N T Petitioners are sisters and the issue raised in these petitions pertain to their caste status. Since the issue is common and the contentions are identical, these two petitions were heard together and are disposed of by this common judgment. 2. Petitioners in these petitions belong to Ottapalan Taluk of Palakkad District and had secured employment on the basis that they belonged to Thandan, a Scheduled Caste recognised in the State of Kerala. 3. In so far as OP NO.904/97 is concerned, initially the entries in the school records were that Smt.K.M.Beena, the petitioner herein, was a Thiyya. However, the entires in the SSLC Book were corrected in the year 1985 as Thandan. Thereafter, the Tahasildar, Ottapalam issued Ext.P2 caste certificate to her on 18/11/85 certifying her caste status as a Thandan. On that basis, she secured employment and joined the State Bank of Travancore in the Clerical cadre on 7/3/1987. Subsequently, based on Ext.P11 O.P.No.904/97 & WPC 31533/06 :2 : in OP NO.904/97 dated 2/12/1992 issued on the basis of anthropological studies conducted and the report dated 16/1/1992 suggesting that the petitioner belonged to Thiyya, Ext.P3 memo was issued proposing to initiate disciplinary action against her for having obtained employment falsely representing to belong to a scheduled caste. She filed Ext.P4 reply. Thereafter by Ext.P10 dated 8/1/1997, she was directed to produce a caste certificate. It was at that stage OP No.904/97 was filed by Smt.K.M.Beena. 4. WP(C) No.31533/06 is filed by Smt.K.M.Meena. In her case also, school records originally stated that she belonged to Thiyya. In 1985, her SSLC Book was corrected and her caste status was shown as Thandan. On the strength of the caste status as above, Ext.P14 caste certificate was issued and she joined service on 25/3/87 as Assistant Executive Engineer in the Irrigation Department. Based on Ext.P11 in OP No.904/97 referred to above, by Ext.P1 order, she was placed under suspension. Her suspension was challenged before this Court in OP No.1847/94, which was dismissed. She challenged the judgment by filing WA No.287/94, which was disposed of by O.P.No.904/97 & WPC 31533/06 :3 : Ext.P3 judgment directing that departmental enquiry shall be conducted. In para para 3 of the judgment, it has been held that the contents of the anthropological report shall be taken only as an allegation and that it was up to the disciplinary authority to prove the misconducts. 5. Accordingly, disciplinary proceedings were initiated and Smt.K.M.Meena produced several documents to prove that she belonged to Thandan Community. Finally, Ext.P4 enquiry report was submitted, where taking into account the materials available, the Enquiry Officer exonerated the petitioner of the misconducts alleged. However, Ext.P9 show cause notice was issued by the disciplinary authority disagreeing with the findings in Ext.P4 enquiry report. Though Ext.P9 show cause notice was challenged by filing OP No.15579/95 and stay of further proceedings was ordered by this Court, the original petition was finally disposed of by Ext.P11 judgment holding that Ext.P9 was only a show cause notice and that therefore, it will be open to the disciplinary authority to finalise the proceedings and that if the petitioner is aggrieved by the final order issued, the same should be challenged. Finally, Ext.P18 order dated 2/11/2006 O.P.No.904/97 & WPC 31533/06 :4 : was issued removing the petitioner fom service and it was thereupon that WP(C) No.31533/06 was filed by Smt.K.M.Meena. 6. The proceedings were thus initiated against the petitioners on the basis that they did not belong to Thandan Community and that they actually belonged to Ezhava/Thiyya Community. Therefore, the fate of the proceedings initiated against the petitioners will depend upon the decision on the dispute regarding the caste status of the petitioners. 7. It is the admitted case that in the school records of both the petitioners, their caste status was initially shown as Thiyya. It was while so that on 17/5/79, Government of Kerala issued GO(MS) NO.76/79/DD, para 4 of which reads as under: In the above circumstances and in succession of the instructions already issued in the references 5th to 8th cited. It is hereby ordered that the applications for the issue of community certificates to the Thandans of all the four Districts of Malabar area and of the Taluks of Thalappilly, Vadakkancherry and Chavakkad in Trichur District may be enquired into the detail to ascertain whether the applicant belongs to the Thandan Community of the Scheduled Castes or to the Thandan Section of the Ezhava/Thiyya Community and while issuing community certificates to the Thandans who are scheduled castes, the authorities issuing the certificates in respect of the areas mentioned above viz., the four districts of Palghat, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Cannanore and the Taluks of Thalappilly, Vadakkancherry and Chavakkad in Trichur District should note the name of the community in the O.P.No.904/97 & WPC 31533/06 :5 : certificate as “Thandan other than Ezhava or Thiyya”. 8. Subsequently, the Government issued GO(MS) No.72/84/HWD dated 15/10/1984 cancelling the Government order dated 17/5/79 (supra) and ordering that: Having considered the matter in all its aspects Government now ordered that the orders issued in the G.O. read above as first paper are cancelled. Thandans throughout Kerala would be treated as members of Scheduled Castes as existing in the list of Scheduled Castes of this State as per the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 1976 and Community Certificate issued accordingly. 9. Thus, a reading of this Government order of 15/10/84 shows that by this order, State recognised Thandans throughout the State of Kerala as Scheduled Castes. It was while this Government order held the field that the caste status in the SSLC Books of the petitioners were corrected as Thandan. It was subsequent to that the Tahsildar, Ottapalam issued Ext.P2 in OP No.904/97 and Ext.P14 in WP(C) No.31533/06, the caste certificates, certifying the petitioners to be Thandans eligible for the benefit of reservation. It was on the strength of these certificates that the petitioners secured employment also. 10. Still later, on 24/11/1987, the Government issued GO (MS) No.63/87/SCSTD, para 2 of which reads as under. Government have again considered the matter in all its O.P.No.904/97 & WPC 31533/06 :6 : aspects and in partial modification of the Government order read above as second paper Government now order that persons belonging to the Thandan Caste throughout Kerala would be treated as members of Scheduled Castes as existing in the list of Scheduled Castes of this State as per the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (amendment) Act, 1976. While issuing such caste certificate the Revenue Authorities should clarify after proper verification that the person concerned belongs to Thandan Caste and not Ezhava/Thiyya. 11. A reading of the above Government order shows that by this order, the Government made an attempt to revert to the position of the Government order dated 17/5/1979. The validity of the Government order dated 24/11/87 was considered by the Supreme Court in the judgment in Palghat J.T.S.S.Samithi v. State of Kerala (1994(1) KLT 118), para 16 to 23 of the judgment being relevant, are extracted below for reference. 16. Article 341 empowers the President to specify not only castes, races or tribes which shall be deemed to be Scheduled Castes in relation to a State but also “parts of or groups within castes, races or tribes” which shall be deemed to be Scheduled Castes in relation to a State. By reason of Art.341 a part or group or section of a caste, race or tribe, which, as a whole, is not specified as a Scheduled Caste, may be specified as a Scheduled Caste. Assuming, therefore, that there is a section of the Ezhavas/Thiyyas community (which is not specified as a Scheduled Caste) which is called Thandan in some parts of Malabar area, that section is also entitled to be treated as a Scheduled Caste, for Thandans throughout the State are deemed to be a Scheduled Caste by reason of the provisions of the Scheduled Castes Order as it now stands. Once Thandans throughout the State are entitled to be treated as a Scheduled Caste by reason of the Scheduled Castes Order as it now stands, it is not open to the State Government to say O.P.No.904/97 & WPC 31533/06 :7 : otherwise, as it has purported to do in the 1987 order. 17. We may usefully draw attention to the judgment of a Bench of three learned Judges of this Court in Srish Kumar Choudhury v. State of Tripura and ors. 1990 (Supp) SCC 220. This judgment considered Constitution Bench judgments in B.Basavalingappav D. Munichinnappa, 1965-1SCR 316, and Bhaiyalal v. Harikishan Singh and others (1965) 2 SCR 877, and certain other judgments. It held that the two Constitution Bench judgments indicated that any amendment to the Presidential Orders could only be by legislation. The Court could not assume jurisdiction and order an enquiry to determine whether the terms of the Presidential Order included a particular community. A State Government was entitled to initiate appropriate proposals for modification in cases where it was satisfied that modifications were necessary and, if after appropriate enquiry, the authorities were satisfied that a modification was required, an amendment could be undertaken as provided by the Constitution. 18. These judgments leave no doubt that the Scheduled Castes Order has to be applied as it stands and no enquiry can be held or evidence let in to determine whether or not some particular community falls within it or outside it. No action to modify the plain effect of the Scheduled Castes Order, except as contemplated by Art.341, is valid. 19. The Thandan community in the instant case having been listed in the Scheduled Castes Order as it now stands, it is not open to the State Government or, indeed, to this Court to embark upon an enquiry to determine whether a section of Ezhavas/Thiyyas which was called Thandan in the Malabar area of the State was excluded from the benefits of the Scheduled Castes Order. 20. Learned counsel for the State relied upon the decision in Bhaiya Ram Munda v. Anirudh Patar, 1971(1) SCR 804, referred to in paragraph 15 of the judgment in Srish Kumar Choudhury's case, for the view taken there was that evidence was admissible for the purpose of showing what an entry in the Presidential Order was intended to mean. In paras, 8,9,10 and 11 of the judgment in Srish Kumar Choudhury's case, the Constitution Bench judgments referred to above are discussed, as also two other judgments taking the same view. Then, in para 14, the judgments of this Court in the case of Dina v. Narayan Singh, O.P.No.904/97 & WPC 31533/06 :8 : 38 FIR 212, and Bhaiya Ram Munda v. Anirudh Patar, 1971 (1) SCR 804, are referred to and it is stated that both were rendered by the same bench of two learned Judges. Para.14 goes on to set out the substance of the decision in Dina's case and para.15 sets out the substance of the decision in Bhaiya Ram's case. In para.16 it is said, “These authorities clearly indicate, therefore, that the entries in the Presidential Order have to be taken as final and the scope of enquiry and admissibility of evidence is to find within the limitations indicated. It is however, not open to the court to make any addition or substraction from the Presidential Order”. There is, therefore, no doubt that the Court in Srish Kumar Choudhury's case accepted and followed, as it was bound to do, the Constitution Bench judgments and not the two Judge judgments in the Dina and Bhaiya Ram Munda cases. 21. The enquiry that was ordered by the High Court in the order under appeal to “find out whether there was a community called Thandan distinct from Ezhavas in Palghat District in areas other than in the erstwhile Chittur Taluk and also in any other place in erstwhile Malabar District” has proceeded to a conclusion on the basis of an interim order passed by this Court on 16th January, 1989. It is not for the State Government or for this court to enquire into the correctness of what is stated in the report that has been made thereon or to utilise the report to, in effect, modify the Scheduled Castes Order. It is open to the State Government, if it so deems proper, to forward the report to the appropriate authority to consider whether the Scheduled Castes order needs amendment by appropriate legislation. Until the Scheduled Castes Order is amended, it must be obeyed as it reads and the State Government must treat Thandans throughout Kerala as members of the Scheduled Castes and issue Community Certificates accordingly. 22. K.V.Kumaran, who claims to be the Chairman of the Kerala Scheduled Castes Protection council, sought impleadment to these matters. We declined to implead him but we heard him in the character of an intervenor. His submission, in the main, was that in Malabar Ezhavas/Thiyyas are known as Thandans but this did not mean that they belonged to the Scheduled Castes. As we have indicated, it is not for this Court to go into the question. It is for the appropriate authority to do so and, if satisfied, initiate proceedings to amend the Scheduled Castes Order. O.P.No.904/97 & WPC 31533/06 :9 : 23. In the result, the writ petitions are allowed and the State Government is directed to grant to all members of the Thandan community, including those belonging to the erstwhile Malabar District and the present Palghat District, the benefits due to a Scheduled Caste included in the Schedule to the Constitution Scheduled Castes Order as amended upto date and to issue to them community certificates accordingly. The order of the State Government dated 24 th November, 1987, is quashed and set aside . Civil Appeal No.4807/84 is allowed to the extent that the High Court's direction that Miss O.K.Lakshmikutty's admission to the M.B.B.S. Course and to the post-graduate course were provisional are set aside. The appeals by the State of Kerala arising from SLP(C) No.6457/90 and SLP(C) No.3746/92 are dismissed. (emphasis supplied) 12. A reading of this judgment show that the Apex Court has held that by reason of Article 341 of the Constitution of India, and Scheduled Castes Order, even if there is a section of Ezhava/Thiyya community,which is called Thandan in some parts of Malabar area, that Section is also entitled to be treated as Scheduled caste for the reason that the Thandans throughout the State are recognised as a Scheduled caste by reason of the provisions of the Scheduled Castes Order as it stood then. It is also held that once Thandans throughout the State are entitled to be treated as members of the scheduled castes, it is not open to the State Government to say otherwise, as it has purported to do in the order dated 24/11/87. The Supreme Court further held that until the order is amended, it must be obeyed and if the O.P.No.904/97 & WPC 31533/06 :10 : State deems it proper, the course available to it is to forward its report to the appropriate authority to get the Scheduled Castes Order amended by an appropriate legislation. It was directed that until such an exercise is completed, all Thandans in the State, even if they are known as Ezhava/Thiyya, shall be eligible for the reservation benefits and community certificates shall be issued to them. The law thus declared by the Apex Court held the field and all Thandans in the State enjoyed the benefit. It was long thereafter, the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order Amendment Act, 2007 was introduced on the 29th of August, 2007 w.e.f. 30th of August, 2007. Therefore, the legal position as held by the Apex Court in the judgment referred to above held the field until 30th of August, 2007, when the amendment came into force. 13. The counter affidavit filed by the State in OP NO.1710/1993 has been adopted in this case and the anthropological report is also produced. In the counter affidavit, while the respondents deny the claim of the petitioners that they are Thandans and hence, are members of the Scheduled Caste Community, what they contend is that petitioners are members O.P.No.904/97 & WPC 31533/06 :11 : of Thiyya (OBC) caste, “who are popularly known as Thandan in Shoranur areas” and that “these Thandans allied to Thiyyas/Ezhavas have nothing to do with the Scheduled Caste Thandan of the State of Kerala”. In paragraph 12, it is further stated that Thiyyas of South Malabar had the popular name “Thandan”. These factual averments show that the principles laid down in the Apex Court judgment (supra), apply to these cases, for the reason that it is laid down that if there is a section of Ezhavas/Thiyyas Community, which is not specified as a Scheduled Caste, is called Thandan, that section is also entitled to be treated as Scheduled Castes by reason of the Scheduled Castes order, as it stood then. If that was the legal position, the petitioners cannot be faulted for having got their SSLC Books corrected or securing employment under reservation quota or for claiming benefits due to the members of a Scheduled Caste community. 14. In both these cases, proceedings were initiated by issuing Ext.P11 in OP NO.904/97. Ext.P11 is dated 2.12.1992. This was based on the Anthropological report dated 16.1.1992. As already seen, till the Schedule Castes Order was amended O.P.No.904/97 & WPC 31533/06 :12 : w.e.f. 30th August, 2007, the law laid down by the Apex Court judgment held the field and as a consequence thereof, even a section of Thiyyas/Ezhavas who were known as Thandans were entitled to the benefits of Schedule Caste Status. If so, at any rate, petitioners could not have been proceeded against till Scheduled Castes Order was amended w.e.f. 30/8/2007. For this reason, enquiry culminating in the Anthropological Report dated 16.1.1992 and Ext.P11 order dated 2.12.1992, having been issued before 30.8.2007, are illegal and are unsustainable. 15. Even if by an amendment, a change has been brought about, such change can only be of prospective effect. If so, any employment that was acquired in the meanwhile cannot be affected by any such prospective change in law. It has been so declared by this Court in Prakash v. State of Kerala (2002 (2) KLT 580) and Anila v. State of Kerala (2009(4) KLT 112). 16. As a necessary consequence, the proceedings initiated against the petitioners impugned in these petitions are illegal. Therefore, Ext.P10 in OP NO.904/97 and Ext.P18 in WP(C) NO.31533/06 are set aside with consequential benefits. 17. It is made clear that this judgment has been rendered O.P.No.904/97 & WPC 31533/06 :13 : only on the basis that the petitioners are entitled to the benefit of Schedule Caste status in view of the Government order dated 15th October 1984 and law declared by the Apex Court in the judgment referred to above and this Court has not examined the impact of Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order Amendment Act, 2007. OP No.904/97 and WP(C) No.31533/06 are disposed of accordingly. No costs. ANTONY DOMINIC, JUDGE Rp