KRISHANLAL v.

STATE OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR

FEBRUARY 25, 1994

(B.P. JEEVAN REDDY AND B.L. HANSARIA, JJ.]

Service Law: Jammu & Kashmir (Government Servants) Prevention of Com1ption Act, 1962: ~tions 17(5) and 20.

Employee-Enquiry-Non-supply of Inquiry Proceedb1g;---Dismissa/ C order passed in violation of mandatory provision of Section 17(5)---Writ challenging dismissal-Dismissal of writ-No decision on merit-Suit challenging dismissal-Suit held not barred by res-judicate-Held jurisdiction of Civil Court was not ousted-Requirement of supplying copy of inquiry proceedings under Section 17(5) is for benefit of individual concerned and not relatable to public purpose--Sucl1 a requireme11t can be waived-Where D requiremellt was not waived order of dismissal held invalid in law but not liable to be set aside-Employer directed to furnish copy of inquiry proceeding;---Direction to High Court to ascertain whether non-ft1rnishing of inquiry proceedings prejudiced the appellallt and if so to set aside the dismissal order.

Violation of Mandatcry Provision--wJ1ether render a nullity in all cases-No.

Maxin,...._!'Quilibet polest rezmtiare juri prose introducto"-Meaning and applicablity of

Words and phrase5'-''Irregularity" and "Nullity"-Meaning of

Civil procedure Code, 1908: Section 9-Finality clause-lurisdictio11al errOl'-Null and void order-Effect of-Ouster of jurisdiction.

Section 11-:R.es-judicata-What is.

The appellant was working as a Clerk in the Office of Commandant, Home Guards at Poonch. Pursuant to n inquiry conducted against him by the Anti-Corruption Commission, it was recommended that he should be dismissed from service and accordingly a show cause notice was issued

to him. He requested for supply of copy of the Inquiry Proceedings includ- H 149

A ing report of the Commission but that was not made available to him. He filed a writ petition in the High Court which directed the authorities concerned to make arnilable to him a copy of the inquiry proceedings. In the meantime, he was dismissed from scrvke. The appellant filed a petition challening the dismissal and it was dismissed. The Letters Patent Appeal

B tiled by him was also dismissed.

Thereafter 1he appellant tiled a suit challenging the order of dis missal. The trial court decreed the suit on the ground that the appellant was not supplied with a copy uf the inquir~ procl'.edings and the dismissal order was 1mssed in violation oftl1e mandatory provisions of Sdion 17 of C the .J& K (Government Servants) Prevention of Corrruption Act, 1962. On

appeal, tlw appellate court upheld till' orde.--of the trial court. On second a weal the High Court dismissed l:hesuit holding that <ii the civil court's jurisdiction to entertain tht' suit was barrl'd under Stet ion lO; and (ii) the suit \\a~ burred IJ.} res-judicata. Ag1, inst the judgn1rnf of the High Court I) an appt al was preferred in this Court. A connected writ petition was also

lilcd for seeking a decluratiou that disrnissal was void and non-est on the ground that the termination of st'rvice "as illegal.

In appeal to this Court it was contended on behalf of the appellant petitioner that (i) the dismiss(1l order should be regarded as null and void r: because it nas passed in violation of the mandatory provi!-iions contained in Section 17t5) of the Act; (ii)the dismissal order being a nullity, the civil court's jurisdiction was not barcrd under ection 20 of' tlu Act; and (iii) the decision of this Court in Managing Director, F.CIL, flwkrabad v. 8.

Karwtakar; JT (1993) 6 SC I was inapplicable to the ttds of the case f' inaslllUCh ; IS the re<JUiremcnt to serve U COp)· of tht• if1Qllil'"y J1rOCCCdings i:annnt be Said to be part of natural juli<.:t hut owes Hs origin to a Stlllutory 11rovision i.e. Section 1715) orthe <\<1.

Allowing the appeal and the "lit petition, t11is Court

G llELIJ : I. The High Coul"I erred in law in ®Jdiitg that-th" Ci\il

' {

court's jurb, diction nas barred, i11a~1nu.ch as there. being violatiQn of . ,..andalory provbion as. contai1ml itt section 17(5) of the Jammu & Kash mir (Govcrnienl Servants) Pri:vention of Corruption Act, 1962, it can well

be said tfwt rite r<p0Mde111s d no .iurisdiction to pass the impugned \-\ onkr l\nd b~ doing SO lhej committed :l. "jurisdictioool error", [156-C]

KJrnli,\N I 1\L v. STATE [l!ANSARIA,.l.] 151

Ram Swamop v. Shikar Chand, A.I.R. (1966) SC 893; State of !11111111!1 A & Kashmir v. Abdul Ghani Patwari, A.I.R. (1979) J&K 17; Shiv Kumar Chad/ta v.Municipal C01rporatiOI! of Delhi, (1993) 3 S.C.C.161 andDhulabhai ,., State of M.P., A.I.R. (1%9) SC 78, referred to.

1. The rnnclusion of the High Court on res-judicata is indeed barning hecause for res-judicata to operate the involved issue must have beer. "heard and finally decided". There was.no decision at all on the merit of the grievance of the petitioner in his writ petition and, therefore, to take a view that the decision in earlier proceeding operated as resjudicate was absl>lutely erroneous, not to spek of its being uncharitable. Since there

was no decision on merits as regards the grievance of the appellant the C principle of res-judicate had no application. [156-D-G)

3. Violation of the mandatory !'•ovl ,.ul'. al and cannot be said to have per se rendered the order of nullity. The requirenent of giving copy of the proceedings of the in<Juiry mandated by section 17(5) of the Act is D for the benefit of the person concerned which is to enable him to know as

~ to what had taken place during the course of the proceeding so that he is better situated to show his c 0 •1se as to why the proposed penalty should not be imposed. Such a requireutent cannot be said to be relatable to puhlic policy or one coneerned with public interest or to serve a public purpose. Therefore, the re<1uirement mentioned in section 17(5) of the Act E despite being mandatory is one which can be waived. If, however, such a requirement is not waived, any act or action in violation of the same would be a nullity. In the present case as the appellant had far from waiving the benefit, asked for the copy of the proceeding despite which the same was not made available, it has to be held that the order of dismissal was invalid F in law. [158-A, 161-C-E]

4. The aforsaid, however, is not sullicient to demand setting aside of the dismissal order in this proceeding itselr because what has been stated in EC/L's case in this context would nonthe-less apply. This is for the G reason that violation of natural justice which was dealt with in that case, also renders an order invalid despite which the C unstitution Bench did not concede that the order of dismissal passed withou: furnishing copy of the inquiry officer's report would be enough to set aside the order. Therefore, the legal and proper order to be passed in the present n"c also, despite a mandatory provision having been violated, is lo 1cquire the H

A employer to furnish a copy of the ]proceeding and to call upon the High Court to decide thereafter as to whether non-furnishing or the copy <' prejudiced the appellant/petitioner and the same has made any difference to the ultimate finding and punishment given. It this question is answered in affirmative, the High Court would set aside the dismissal order by

B granting such consequential reliefs as deemed just and proper.

[161-F, 162-B-C] Managing Director, ECIL, Hyderabad v. B. Kamnakar, JT \1993) 6 SC 1, explained and applied.

\ Vellayan Chettier v. The Government of the Province of Madras, AIR c (1947) PC 197; Bhagchand v. Secretary of State, 54 lA 338; Dhirendra Nath

v. Shud/1ir Chandra: AIR (1964) SC 1300; Ashutosh Sikdar v. Behari Lal Kirtania, I.L.R. 35 Cal. 61; Lachoo Mal v. Radhaye Shyam, A.I.R. (1971) SC 2213; Indra Bai v. Nand Kishor, [19~0] Supp. 1 S.C.R. 349; Toronto Carporation v. Russel, (1908) AC 493; Stylo Shoe Ltd. v. Prices Tailors Ltd.,

(1960) Ch. 396; Wells v. Minister of Housing and Local Government, (1967) D 1 WLR 1000; Nawab Khan v. State of Gujrat, A.l.R. (1974) SC 1471; Union

of India v.Tulsiram Patel, A.I.R. (19:~5) SC 1416 and Charan Lal Sahu v.

Union of India, A.I.R. (1990) SC 1480, referred to. ,

Maxwell's "The Interpretation of Statutes" 12th Edn. page 328-330; Craies "Statute Law" 7th Ed11. page 269; Crawford "Interpretation of Laws"

(1989) Reprint pages 540-542; Francis Bennion "Statutory Interpretation" (1984); HWR Wade Administrative LG1w, 6th Edn. page 267; B.L. Hansaria's 'Writ Jurisdiction under the Constitution' (1992) Pages 198-191, referred te.

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil appeal. No. 964 of F 1991.

From the Judgment and Order dated 19.4.1990 of the High Court at Jammu & Kashmir in Second Appeal No. 1/89.

J- S.K. Mehta and' Dhruv Mehta for the Appellant.

Ashok Mathur for the Respondent. ... ...

The Jugdment of the Court was delivered by ..

HANSARIA, J. Procedure is hand-maid of justice. That is a trite H saying. By the same token, procedural safeguard cannot be placed at such

KRISHANLAL v. STATE [HANSARIA, J.] 153

high a pedestal as always to knock down an order passed in violation of A

•1 the same, if it be otherwise legal. This is due to legal maxim "Quilibet palest reuntiare juri prose introducto', meaning, an individual may renounce a law made for his special benefit.

2. The above is the keynote thought which would pervade in the

~ present cases, one of which is an appeal by special leave against the judgment of Jammu <l\: Kashmir High Court in CSA No.l of 1989 rendered on 19.4.90 by which the High Court allowed the appeal of the respondent- ' State and set aside the judgment of District Munsiff, Poonch by which a ' suit of the appellant challengin!': the order of dismissal passed on 31.1.78 had been decreed, which order had come to be upheld by District Judge, c feeling aggrieved at which the High Court had been approached by way of second appeal. Another is a writ petition filed directly in this Court making , a grievance about illegal terminati<'" of S<rvice and seeking a declaration that dismissal was void and 1:011 est.

3. The High Court dismissed the suit of the appellant on two D grounds: (1) the civil court had no jurisdiction to entertain the suit; and

(2) the suit was barred by resjudicata.

4. Shri Mehta appeanng for the appellant contends that as the order of dismissal had come to be passed in violation of a mandatory require- E ment, the view taken that the rh; l court had no jurisdiction is untenable in law. As to resjudicata it is urged that the stand taken by the High Court that this principle applied, because of earlier proceedings in the High Court in Writ Petition No. 23 of 1978 which gave rise to LPA 43 of 1979 was misconceived. : F

5. Let us first deal with the question of jurisdiction. To decide this reference may be made to skeletal facts. These are that the. conduct of the appellant while serving as a clerk in the office of Commandant, Home Guards at Poonch came to be enquired in the year 1972 by Anti-Corruption Commission setup under the provisions of Jammu & Kashmir G (Government Servant) Prevention of Corruption Act, 1962 (hereinafter referred to as the 'Act'). The Commission vide• its order dated 143.74, recommended to the Governor the dismissal of th~ appellant from service.

After receipt of this recommendation the appellant was called upon on 4.7.74 to show cause as to why he should not be dismissed from service. By communications of 13.8.74 and 4.1.76 the appellant approached the con- H

A cerned officer to supply' copy of l:he proc:eedings of the inqury including the report of the Commission to enable him to submit his explanation. This not having been done, the appellant chalfonged the action by approaching the High Court in W.P. No.413 of 1978 which came to be disposed of on 15.3.78 with the direction to the authorities to make available a copy of the B proceedings of the inquiry. Before that order had come to be passed, the appellant had been dismissed from service by an order dated .31.1.78 which came to be challenged in Writ petition No. 23 of 1978. That petition was dismissed by judgment dated June 1, 1979 on the ground that a very complicated question of fact was involved. A Letters Patent Appeal being preferred the Bench also took the view that 'a disputed question of fact of C complicated nature was involved.' The Bench. however, observed that its order will not "prevent the appellant from pursuing whatever other remedy may be available to him under law'.

6. Thereaftr started the present proceeding which consists of filing of a suit by the appellant on 26.7.80 challenging the order of dismissal as D void and illegal. The trial court decreed the suit principally on the ground that the appellant had not been supplied with a copy of enqiry procedings and the dismissal order was pass, ed in violation of the mandatory provision of section 17(5) of the Act. The District Judge dismissed the State's appeal as being barred by limitation. The High Court dismissed the revision E application, whereupon this Court was approached and it directed the District Judge to hear the appeal on merits by its order dated 25.4.85. The District Judge thereafter took the appeal on his file and upheld the decree of the trial court on the ground that dismissal order having been passed in violation of section 17(5) of the Act was null and void. On the High Court F being approached in second appeal, it allowed the same on the grounds mentioned above.

7. Let us now examine whether the: view taken by the High Court that civil court's jurisdiction was barred is te, nable. In taking this view the High Court has relied on section 20 of the Act which has provided that 'Nothing G done or purporting to have been done: under this Act shall be called in question in any Court.'

8. Shri Mehta urges that the finality given by section 20 of the Act could not have ousted the jurisdiction of civil court in the present case H inasmuch as the dismissal order being a nullity, court's jurisdiction did not

• *"" ,, r.r,

KRJSHAN LAL v. STATE [HANSARIA, J .] 155

get barred because of the aforesaicl provision. To bring home this submis- A sion of law, we are referred by the learned counsel to the Constitution Bench decision" of this Court in Ram Swantp v. Shikar Chand, AIR (1966) SC 893 in which ase the Bench while considering the effect of section 3(4) of the U.P. (Temporary) Control of Rent and Eviction Act, 1947 which had provided that "the order of the Commisioner under sub-section (3) B shall, subject to any order passed by the Commissioner under section 7(F), be. final" opined in paragraph 13 that the bar created by the aforesaid provision would not operate in cases where the plea raised before the civil court goes In the root of the matter and this would be so where the impugned order be a nullity.

9. Shri Mehta contends that as provision of section 17(5) of the Act was held to be madatory by a Full Bench of Jammu & Kashmir High Court in State of Jamnm & Kashmirk v. Abdul Gilani Patwari, AIR (1979) J & K

17, the dismissal order has to be regardedas nullity. This sybmission is buttressed by referring to one of the illustrations given in paragraph 13 of Shikar Cltand's case which is that if a statute were to grant permission to D a landlord to sue tenant after issuance of notice, non-issuance of the notice would render the impugned order completely invalid. It is urged that section 17(5) of the Act having provided:-

"After the Commission submits its recommendation and after the E Governor arrives at a provisional conclusion in regard f o the penalty to be imposed, the accused shall be supplied with the copy of proceedings of the inquiry and called upon to show cause by a particular date why the proposed penalty should r.; it be imposed upon him.

(Emphasis supplied)

the order of dismissal passed without supplying copy of the proceedings of

the inquiry, which provision was held as mandatory in the aforesaid Full Bench, has to be regarded a invalid; and so, because of what was stated by G the Constitution Bench in Ram Swamp's case, civil court' jurisdiction cannot be held to have been barred.

10. In support of his submission, Shri Mehta has also relied on Shiv Kumar Chad/ta v. Municipal Coporation of Delhi, [1993] 3 SCC 161, in which a three-judge Bench of this Court speaking through N.P. Singh, J., H

A while examining the question of bar of civil courts' jurisdiction because of the provision contained in Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, J.957, held that the order being nullity in the eye of law, the same amounted to "jurisdictional error" because of which civil courts' jurisdiction was not barred as the impugned order was outside the Act.

11. We may not labour much on this point because of the aforesaid legal proposition and also. because of what was pointed out by a Comtitution Bench in Dhulabhai v. State of MP., AIR (1969) SC 78 that exclusion of jurisdiction of the civil cowt should not be readily inferred. So we agree with Shri Mehta that the High Court erred in law in holding that the civil C courts' jurisdiction was barred, in asmuch there being violation of mandatory provision as contained in section 17(5) of the Act, it can well be said that the respondents had no juriistiction to pass the impugned order and by doing so they committed a "jurisdictional error'.

12. In so far as the second grou1nd given 'Y the High Courtthe same D being bar of resjudicata - it clear from what bas been noted above, that. there was no decision on merits as re, gards the grievance of the appellants; and so, the principle of resjudicata had. no application. The mere fact that the learned single judge while disposing of thr Writ Petition No. 23 of 78 had observed that:- E "This syndrome of errors, omissions and oddities, cannot be explained any hypothesis other than th" one that there is something fishy in the petitioner's version ...... '

which observations have been relied upon by the High Court in holding F that the suit was barred by resjudicata do not at all make out a case of applicability of the principle of resjudicata. The conclusion of the High Court on this score is indeed baffling to us, because, for resjudicata to operate the involved issue must hav1~ been "heard and final!~ decided".

There was no decision at all on the merit of the grievance of the petitioner in the :.uoresaid Writ Petition and, therefore, to take a view that the G decision in earlier proceeding operated as resjudicata was absolutely erroneous, not speak of its being uncharitable.

13. In view of the aforesaid, the judgment of the High Court cannot be sustained. The cases have presented no difficulty to us so far. The bead H scratching important question is what consequential order is required to

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KRISHANIAL v. STATE [HANSARIA, J.) 157

be passed, keeping in view the Constitution Bench decision in Managing A Director ECIL, Hyderabad v. Kmunakar, JT 1993 (6) SC 1, in which case it was held that non-furnishing of a copy of inquiry officer's report would not make an order of dismissal per se bad if that order had came to be passed before 20.11.90, which is the date of the decision of this Court in Ramzan Khan's case. The dismissal order in present case had been pased long B before the aforesaid date. As per the decision in ECIL, in such a case the matter has to be referred back as indicated in paragraph 31 of the judgment according to which on the matter being taken up again the employee would be served with copy of the report and would be given an opportunity to show as to how his or her case was prejudiced because of the non-supply of the report. Then, if after hearing the parties, the Court/Tribunal were C to come to conclusion that the non-supply of the report had made no difference to the ultimate finding and the punishment given, the Court/fribunal should not interfere with the order of punishment. The Court/fribunal should not mechanically set aside the order of dismissal on the ground that the report was not given; resorting to short cuts were D desired to be avoided.

14. Shri Mehta has strenuously urged that this part of ECIL's decision would not apply to the facts of the present case inasmuch as requirement to serve a copy of the proceedings of the inquiry cannot be said to be part of natural justice here, which was the view taken in Ramzan E , Khan's case and which aspect had come to be principally examined in ECIL 's case. The aforesaid requirement in case at hand owes its origin to a statutory provision-the same being section 17(5) of the Act. Learned counsel has drawn our attention to what has been stated in parapraph 33 of the ECIL's case in which the Bench accepted that the law laid down in F Ramzan Kllan's case stating that the decision in that case was prospective would not apply to those cases where the service rules with regard to disciplinary proceedings has made it obligatory to supply a copy of the report to the employee. The present being such a case, Shri Mehta urges that the dismissal order has to be set aside by us in this proceeding itself, as the dismissal having been passed in violation of mandatory provision G was null and void and a void order has no legs to stand.

15. We have duly considered the aforesaid submission and because of what is being stated later we would having to disappoint the learned counsel because, according to us, a view different from the one expressed H

A lit paragraph 31 of ECIL cannot he taken even in a case of the prsent nature. This is for the reason that violation of the mandatory provision at hand cannot be said to have per se rendered the order a nullity.

16. As to when violation of a mandatory pro, ision makes an order nullity has been the subject matter of various decisions of this Court as well as of courts beyond the seven seas. This apart, there are views of reputed text writers. Let us start from our own one time highest Court, which used to be Privy Council. This question came up for examination by that body in Vel/ayan Chettiar v. 17ie Govemment of the Provi11ce of Madras, AIR(1947) PC 197, in which while accepting that section 80 of the Code of Civil C Procedure is mandatory, which was the view taken in Bhagcha11d v.

Secretary of State, 54 IA 338, it was hdd that even if a notice under section 80 be defective, the same would not per se render the suit requiring issuance of such a notice as a pre-condition for instituting the same as bad in the eye of law, as such a defect can be waived. This view was taken by D pointing out that the protection provided by the secti• >n 80 is a protection given to the concerned person and if in a particular case that person doe; not require the protection he can lawfully waive his right. A distinction was made in this regard where the benefit conferred was to serve "an important purpose", in which case there would not be waiver (see paragraph 14).

17. This point had come up for examination by 1his Court m Dhire11dra Nath v. Shud!iir Cl1a11dra, AIR (1964) SC 1300 and a question was posed in paragraph 7 whether an act done in brnach of a mandatory provision is per force a nullity. This Court referred t•J what was stated in this regard by Mookherjee J. in Ashutosh Sikdar v. Behaii Lal Kirtania, F !LR 35 Cal 61 at page 72 and some othBr decisions of the Calcutta High Court alongwith one of Patna High Court and it was hdd that if a judgment debator, despite having received notice of proclamation of sale, did not object to the non-compliance of the requi1ed provision, he must be deemed to have waived his right conferred by that provision. It was observed that a mandatory provision can be waived if the same be aimed to safeguard •G the interest of an individual and has not been conceived in the public interest.

18. The aforesaid view was reiterated in Laclwo Mal v. Radhye Shyam, AIR (1971) SC 2213, in which it was stated, qua section 1-A of it-I U.P. (Temporary) Control of Rent and Eviction Act, 1943, that the same

KRISHAN LAL v. STATE [HANSARIA, J.] 159

being meant for th~ benefit of owner of buildings, if a particular owner did A not wish to avail of the benefit of the section, there was no bar in his waiving the benefit. It was further observed in this connection in paragraph 8 that no question of policy, much less public policy being involved, the benefit or advantaf'e could always be waived.

19. What has been held in Indra Bai v. Na11d filsl1or, [1990] Supp 1 B SCR 349, by a three, Judge Bench speaking through Sahl, J. of this Court is still more clinching inasmuch as in that case the right conferred on a pre-emptee by section 8 of the Rajasthan Premption Act, 1%6 requiring a vendor to serve notice on persons having right of pre-emption as a condition of validity of transfer was held as amenable to waiver. It was pointed C out that the nature of the interest created by the aforesaid section was a right of the party alone and not of the public as such. It was then observed that if it be a right of the party alone it is capable of being abnegated, as such a right cannot be said to involve any interest of community or public welfare so as to be in mischief of public policy.

20. Having seen the pronouncements of judicial fora, we can now inform ourselves as to the view of the reputed authors on interpretation of statutes as well as administrative law. We may start with what has been stated in Maxwell's "The I11terpretatio11 of Statutes". This aspect has been dealt at pages 328-330 (12th Edition) and it has been stated that if the E benefit be for the protection of an indi\idual in his private capacity the same can be waived. To illustrate, reference has been made about waiver of the benefit of the Limitation Act. This is on the maxim of law "Quilibet potest reuntiare juri prose introducto'~ meaning 'an individual may renounce a law made for his special benefit.' Maxwell then says that if the benefit be F one which has been imposed in public interest there can be no waiver of the same.

21. Craies in his "Statute Law" has opined the same, as would appear from what has been stated at page 269 of 7th Edition. By drawing attention to the aforesaid maxim, it has been observed that if the object of a statute C is 'not one of general policy, or if the thing which is being done will benefit only a particular person or class of persons, then the conditions prescibed by the statute are not considered as being indispensable". To illustrate this principle, it has been stated that if the statutory condition be imposed simply for the security or the benefit of the parties to the action themselves, f

A such condition will not be considered as indispensable and either party may waive it.

22. Crawford in his ""Interpretation of Laws"_ takes the same view as would appear from pages 540-5412 (1989 Reprint). The learned author while quoting the aforesaid maxim states at page 542 that requirement like B giving of notice may be waived as the same is intended for the benefit of the concerned person.

23. We may also refer to the views expressed by F<ances Bennion in his "Statutory Interpretation" (1984), wherein this aspect has been dealt C with at pages 27 etc. seq and it has, been stated that if the performance of statutory duty be one which would come within the aforesaid maxim, the person entitled to the performance can effectively waive performance of the duty by the person bound. As an illustration mention has been made (at page 29) of decisions in Toronto Corporation v. Russel,(1987)AC 493 and Stylo Shoe Ltd. v. Prices Tailors Ltd.(1960)Ch. 396 wherein it was held D that a duty to give notice of cert.ain matters can be waived by the person entitled to notice, if there is no express or implied indication !Ml absence of notice would be fatal.

24. HWR Wade's name is will known in the world of administrative E law. He has dealt with this aspect at page 267 of the sixth edition of his treatise wherein he has quoted waat Lord Denning, MR said in Wells v.

Minister of Housing-and Local Government, 1967 (1) WLR 1000, which is as below:-

F "I take the law to be that a defect in procedure can be cured, and and irragularity can be waivc:d, even by a public authority, so as to render valid that which would otherwise be invalid."

25. We may end this journey into the field of law by referring to .e meaning of the words "irregularity'' as given at page 469 of Volume 22A of "Words and Phrase&" (Permanent Edition) and of 'nullity' at pages 772 and G 773 of Volume 28A of the aforesaid book. As to 'irregularity" it has been stated that it is "want of adherence to some prescribed rule or mode of proceeding"; whereas "nullity" is "a void act or an act having no legal force or validity" as stated at page 772. At page 773 it has been mentioned that the safest rule of distinction between an "irregularity" and a "nullity" is to H see whether "a party can waive the objection: if he can waive, it amounts

KRISHANLAL v. STATE [HANSAR!A, J.] 161

to irregularity and if he cannot, it is a nullity.

26. Let it now be seen whether the requirement of giving copy of the proceeding of the inquiry mandated by section 17(5) of the Act is one which is for the benefit of the individual concerned or serves a public purpose. If it be former, tt is apparent, in view of the aforesaid legal B position, that the same can 1'e waived; if it be latter, it cannot be. Though Sliri Mehta has urged thN this requirement serves a public purpo>e, we do not agree. According to us, the requirement is for the benefit of the person concerned which is to enable him to know as to what had taken place during the course of the proceedings so that he is better situated to show his cause as to why the proposed penalty should not be imposed. Such a c requirement cannot be said to relatable to public policy or one concerned with public interest, or to serve a public purpose.

27. We, therefore, hold that the requirement mentioned in section 17(5) of the Act despite being mandatory is one which can be waived. If, D however, the requirement has been waived any act or action in violation of the same would be a nullity. In the present case as the appellant had far from waiving the benefit, asked for the copy of the proceeding, despite which the same was not made available, it has to be held that order of dismissal was invalid in law.

28. The aforesaid, however, is not sufficient to demand setting aside of the dismissal order in this proceeding. itself because what has been stated in EC/L's case in this context would none-the-less apply. This is for the reason that violation of natural justice which was dealt with in that case, also renders and order invalid despite which the Constitution Bench did F not concede that the order of dismissal passed without furnishing copy of the inquiry officer's report would be enough to set aside the orc; ler. Instead, it directed the matter to be examined as stated in paragraph 31. (Th9ugb there is some controversy, as has been noted at pages 189 to 191 of B.L.

Hansaria's 'Writ Jurisdiction under the Constitution" (1992), on the ques- G tion as to whether violation of natural justice makes an order void or voidable, it has been accepted by this Court in paragraph 18 of Nawab Khan v. State of Gujarat, AIR (1974) SC 1471 that (t) he only safe course >~ until simple and sure light is shed is to treat as void ...... any order made without hearing the parties affected if the injury is to a constitutionally guaranteed right. In other case ..... " As natural justice hJs since been H

A regarded as a part of Article 14 by two Constitutionaj Benches-see Paragraph 72 of Union of India v. Tulsiram Pate4 1'JR(1985)SC 1416; and paragraphs 109 and 110 of Chal'an Lal Salm v. Union of India, A1R(l990) SC 1480 - it can be stated as on today that an order made in violation of natural justice is void.

29. According to us, therefore, the legal and proper order to be passed in the present case also, despite a mandatory provision having been violated, is to require the 'employer to furnish a copy of the proceeding and to call upon the High Court to decide thereafter as to whether non-furnishing of the copy prejudiced the appellant/petitioner and the same has C made difference to the ultimate finding and punishment given. If this question would be answered in affirmative, the High Court would set aside the dismissal order by granting such consequential reliefs as deemed just and proper.

30. The appeal and Wril Petition are allowed accordingly. As the D dismissal order relates back to 1978, we would request the Division Bench ' of the High Court to dispose of the matter within a period of three months from the date of the receipt of this or Cler. In so far as the present " proceeding is concerned, we make no order as to costs.

T.N.A.

Appeals & Writ petition allowed.