Case: The State of Gujarat and others Vs. R.J. Pathan and others

2. The facts leading to the present appeal in a nut-shell are as under: That the respondents herein were appointed on contractual basis for a period of eleven months on a fixed salary and on a particular project, namely, Post-Earthquake Redevelopment Programme of the Government of Gujarat. That the respondents herein were initially appointed for a period of eleven months in the year 2004 to the post of drivers. On closure of the project in which the respondents were appointed, instead of terminating the services of the respondents herein, the State Government took a decision to place them in the services of Indian Red Cross Society. Instead of joining the duties in the Indian Red Cross Society, the respondents approached the High Court by filing Writ Petition No. 17328/2011 for regularisation of their services and absorption in Government service. The original writ petitioners also challenged their placement with the Indian Red Cross Society.2.1 The learned Single Judge vide order dated 25.11.2011 dismissed the said writ petition by observing that the appointment of the original writ petitioners was only for eleven months on a fixed salary, which has been continued from time to time, and the unit in which they were appointed temporarily was a Project Implementation Unit only for the purpose of rehabilitation pursuant to the earthquake for the PostEarthquake Redevelopment Programme and they were not regularly appointed on any permanent sanctioned posts in any establishment of the Government where the writ petitioners have any lien.2.2 Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied with the order passed by the learned Single Judge dismissing the writ petition, the respondents herein – original writ petitioners preferred LPA No. 2082/2011 before the Division Bench of the High Court. By an interim order dated 20.12.2011, respondents herein were continued in service with the State Government and they were not even transferred to the Indian Red Cross Society. The said LPA came up for hearing before the Division Bench in the year 2021. Before the Division Bench, it was submitted on behalf of the respondents herein – original writ petitioners that as they have been continuously working in the Government Departments and they have not been transferred to Indian Red Cross Society and since they have by now working for seventeen years, the Government may be directed to consider the case for regularisation in the service as long period has passed.2.3 By the impugned judgment and order, the Division Bench of the High Court has directed the State/Department to consider the cases of the respondents herein for absorption and regularisation sympathetically and if necessary, by creating supernumerary posts, solely on the ground that the respondents herein – original writ petitions by now have worked for seventeen years.2.4 Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied with the impugned judgment and order passed by the Division Bench of the High Court, the State has preferred the present appeal.

Reasoning: The High Court has observed that even while absorbing and/or regularising the services of the respondents, the State Government may create supernumerary posts. Such a direction to create supernumerary posts is unsustainable. Such a direction is wholly without jurisdiction. No such direction can be issued by the High Court for absorption/regularisation of the employees who were appointed in a temporary unit which was created for a particular project and that too, by creating supernumerary posts.7. From the impugned judgment and order passed by the Division Bench of the High Court, it appears that what has weighed with the High Court was that the respondents were continued in service for a long time, i.e., seventeen years. However, the High Court has not considered that out of seventeen years, the respondents continued in service for ten years pursuant to the interim order passed by the High Court. Therefore, even considering the decision of this Court in the case of Umadevi (supra), the period for which the employees have continued in service pursuant to the interim order is to be excluded and not to be counted. The High Court has totally missed the aforesaid aspect.8. Now, so far as the reliance placed upon the decision of this Court in the case of Umadevi (supra) and the subsequent decision of this Court in the case of Narendra Kumar Tiwari (supra), relied upon by the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents is concerned, none of the aforesaid decisions shall be applicable to the facts of the case on hand. The purpose and intent of the decision in Umadevi (supra) was, (1) to prevent irregular or illegal appointments in the future, and (2) to confer a benefit on those who had been irregularly appointed in the past and who have continued for a very long time. The decision of Umadevi (supra) may be applicable in a case where the appointments are irregular on the sanctioned posts in regular establishment. The same does not apply to temporary appointments made in a project/programme.8.1 Even in the case of Narendra Kumar Tiwari (supra) also, it was a case of irregularly appointed employees. Even otherwise, in view the facts and circumstances of Narendra Kumar Tiwari (supra), the said decision shall not be applicable to the facts of the case on hand. The case before this Court was with respect to the employees working with the State of Jharkhand which was created only on 15.11.2000 and therefore it was contended on behalf of the irregularly appointed employees that no one could have completed ten years of service with the State of Jharkhand on the cut-off date of 10.04.2006, which was the cut-off date fixed under the relevant rules of the State of Jharkhand.9. Even otherwise, it is to be noted that though not required, the State, instead of putting an end to the services of the respondents, graciously placed the respondents in the Indian Red Cross Society. No duty was cast upon the State to transfer them to another establishment in a case where it is found that the employees are appointed in a temporary unit and on a temporary contractual basis and on a fixed term salary and on closure of the temporary unit, their services are not required. However, the State Government was gracious enough to place the respondents in the Indian Red Cross Society, which the respondents did not accept.10. From the impugned order passed by the Division Bench of the High Court it appears that the High Court has observed hereinabove that in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, it is directed that the order of absorption and regularisation and if necessary, by creating supernumerary posts, will not be treated as a precedent in other cases. Even such a direction could not have been passed by the Division Bench of the High Court as there were no peculiar facts and circumstances which warranted the above observation. No such order of absorption and/or regularisation even if required for creating supernumerary posts and not to treat the same as precedent could have been passed by the High Court in exercise of powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.