Legal Document View

Unlock Advanced Research with PRISMAI

- Know your Kanoon - Doc Gen Hub - Counter Argument - Case Predict AI - Talk with IK Doc - ...
Upgrade to Premium
[Cites 12, Cited by 45]

Rajasthan High Court - Jodhpur

Krishna Devi vs State Of Rajasthan on 2 August, 2021

Author: Dinesh Mehta

Bench: Dinesh Mehta

          HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT
                           JODHPUR
                       S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 312/2021

     Krishna Devi W/o Shri Surendra Singh, Aged About 52 Years,
     Resident Of Vill- Kandhran, Teh- Rajgarh, Distt- Churu, At
     Present Working As ANM, CHC - Rajgarh, Teh- Rajgarh, District -
     Churu.
                                                                          ----Petitioner
                                          Versus
     1.       State Of Rajasthan, Through The Secretary, Department
              Of Medical And Health, Secretariat, Jaipur.
     2.       Director, Medical And Health Services, Tilak Marg, Jaipur.
     3.       Chief Medical And Health Officer, District Churu.
     4.       Block Chief Medical And Health Officer, Rajgarh, District
              Churu.
     5.       Principal Secretary, Department Of Rural Development
              And Panchayati Raj, Jaipur, Rajasthan.
                                                                       ----Respondents


     For Petitioner(s)          :     Mr. YP Khileree, Mr. Vikas Bijarniya,
                                      Mr. Rohit Kaswan, Mr. KR Saharan,
                                      Mr. Manish Patel, Mr. Manoj Bohra,
                                      Mr. MP Pareek, Mr. Anil Vyas,
                                      Mr. VS Bhati, Mr. Rishabh Tayal,
                                      Mr. Manjeet Singh, Mr. Shailesh
                                      Agarwal, Mr. DS Motsara,
                                      Mr. Inderjeet Yadav, Mr. Deepak
                                      Nehra, Mr. SK Verma, Mr. ML Deora,
                                      Mr. PD Vaishnava
     For Respondent(s)          :     Mr. KS Rajpurohit, Addl. Advocate
                                      General with Mr. Rajat Arora


                           JUSTICE DINESH MEHTA

                                       Judgment
              Reserved on                         :               27.07.2021
              Pronounced on                       :               02.08.2021
Reportable

     1.   Pursuant to 73rd Amendment in the Constitution of India,

     twenty nine subjects mentioned in the Eleventh Schedule were

     brought under Panchayati Raj Institutions to                        empower the

                           (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM)
                                                (2 of 18)                     [CW-312/2021]



Panchayat Raj in the State.                     The Rural Development and

Panchayati Raj Department passed an order dated 02.10.2010

whereby    activities     including        the     funds      and     staff    of   some

departments     were       transferred         from        their     respective/parent

departments to Panchayati Raj Department. In the spirit of 73 rd

Amendment      in    the       Constitution,         the      State     of     Rajasthan

promulgated the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Transferred Activities)

Rules, 2011 (hereinafter referred to as "the Rules of 2011"), which

specifically lays down the rules and regulations for transfer of the

employees of the State Government.

2.   Rule 8 of the Rules of 2011 provides that a transfer of an

employee shall be made under the transfer policy and directions

issued from time to time.            Rule 12 further provides that in case

the guidelines and directions are not followed, Panchayati Raj

Department    can       initiate     action      against       the    Panchayati      Raj

Institutions/ Office bearers.

3.   By way of the order dated 02.10.2010, issued by the

Principal Secretary Medical & Health Department, all Sub-Centres,

Primary Health Centres (PHC) and Community Health Centres

(CHC) situated in various rural areas, including their staff were

transferred to the Panachati Raj Institutions.

4.   Pursuant to above decision of the State, services of the

employees (including the petitioners) were ordered to be governed

by the Rules of 2011.                 Consequently, though their parent

department continues to be Medical & Health Department, but

their other incidence of service, including transfer are governed by

the Rules of 2011.

5.   The petitioners (enumerated in the Schedule appended with

the present order, which be treated an integral part of this order)

                        (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM)
                                           (3 of 18)             [CW-312/2021]



have challenged transfer orders issued by the Director (Non-

gazetted), Medical & Health Services, Rajasthan Jaipur, being

contrary to Rule 8 of the Rules of 2011.

6.   Learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that impugned

transfers made by the Medical & Health Department are in breach

of Rule 8 of the Rules of 2011 and issue involved is squarely

covered by the judgment dated 15.01.2020 rendered by this Court

in case of Kiran Kumari Vs. State of Rajasthan & Ors. (SB

Civil Writ Petition No.14964/2019).

7.   Mr. K.S. Rajpurohit, learned Addl. Advocate General assisted

by Mr. Rajat Arora could not controvert the legal position that the

issue involved in the present writ petition has been decided by this

Court in the case of Kiran Kumari (supra).                     He, however

submitted that a very important and substantial argument relating

to directory nature of the Rules of 2011 was not advanced, when

the case of Kiran Kumari (supra) was heard and decided by this

Court. He urged that as the issue of rule being directory goes to

the root of the matter, the same be considered and decided in

favour of the State and petitions be dismissed.

8.   Navigating the Court through Rule 8 of the Rules of 2011, he

contended that though expression "shall" has been used in the

opening words of the Rule but the same is directory in nature.

Hence, it is not necessary for the State Government/Medical &

Health Department to seek/take consent of the Panchayati Raj

Department, before effecting transfers from one District to

another and even intra or inter-Panchayat Samiti transfers.

9.   In support of his contention that inspite of use of word

"shall", Rule 8 is directory, learned Addl. Advocate General relied

upon following judgments :-

                   (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM)
                                                  (4 of 18)                 [CW-312/2021]



(i) (2008) 12 SCC 372 (Bachahan Devi & Anr. Vs. Nagar

Nigam, Gorakhpur & Anr.) Para - 17

(ii) (2009) 6 SCC 735 (Ram Deen Mayurya (Dr.) Vs. State of

Uttar Pradesh & Ors.) Para - 43, 49, 52

(iii) AIR 1964 Raj. 223 (Sardar Mal Vs. Smt. Gayatri Devi)

Para-23.

10.     It was also argued that in light of Rule 3 of the Rules of

2011, since the service conditions as also the cadre control of

transferred employees remains with the parent department - the

Medical & Health Department of the State is competent to pass

orders of transfers in relation to a transferred employee within one

Panchayat       Samiti;      from      one      Panchayat         Samiti   to   another

Panchayat Samiti and from one District to another District.

11.     Taking support of Rule 13 of the Rules of 2011, an argument

was advanced that the decision of the Panchayati Raj Department

is    final,   and   if   any      doubt       arises     relating    to   application,

interpretation and scope of these Rules, the decision/order of the

Panchayati Raj Department would prevail. He submitted that the

order dated 16.06.2018 issued by the State Government permits

the Medical & Health Department to transfer one employee from

one District to another without consent of the Panchayati Raj

Department, and the same is having supremacy and even without

consent, the Medical & Health Department of the State can

transfer an employee.

12.     Learned counsel for the petitioners submitted in unison that

this issue has come up before this Court on a number of occasions

and every time State's action has been held illegal, and in-spite of

the settled legal position, the Medical & Health Department of the



                          (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM)
                                              (5 of 18)                 [CW-312/2021]



State is illegally transferring the employees, whose services have

been entrusted to Panchayati Raj Department. They argued that

the Medical & Health Department does not have power to transfer

the employees, who are working under the aegis of Panchayati Raj

Department, as has been held by this Court in the following

judgments :

     (i) (Samleta Vs. State of Rajasthan & Ors.) :
          "3. Concededly no such consent was taken.                        I note
     that vide order dated 20.09.2017 it was directed that
     joining of duties by the petitioner pursuant to impugned
     transfer order dated 15.09.2017 at the place where she
     has been transferred shall be subject to the decision of the
     writ petition.
          4. The respondents have not been able to show to
     the Court as to why consent of the Panchayati Raj
     Department is not warranted."
     (ii) (State of Raj. & Ors. Vs. Samleta) :
          "Sub-rule (ii) of Rule 8 of the Rajasthan Panchayati
     Raj (Transfer Activities) Rules, 2011 clearly postulates that
     when a person is transferred from one District to another,
     there is a prerequisite condition of obtaining prior consent
     of Panchayati Raj Department.                 In the present case, the
     respondent       is   an    employee          of    the      Panchayati   Raj
     Institution and she has been transferred from one district
     to another.      Admittedly, no consent as per Rule 8 of the
     Rules of 2011 was obtained from the Panchayati Raj
     Department and therefore, her transfer is bad and in
     violation of the provisions of Rule 8 of the Rules of 2011.
     Even in the cases of transfer of surplus employees,
     consent has to be obtained from the Panchayati Raj
     Department.
          In view of the above observations, we are not
     inclined to interfere in the order passed by the learned
     Single Judge.
          The appeal is, therefore, dismissed."

                      (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM)
                                           (6 of 18)                    [CW-312/2021]


(iii) (Smt. Bimla Devi Vs. State of Raj. & Ors.) :
      "Sh.    S.K.        Gupta        Additional        Advocate          General
appearing for the respondents submits that in each &
every matter consent as required under Rule 8 of the
Rules, 2011 is not necessary and submits that a circular
dated 16.06.2018 was issued in this regard by the
Panchayati Raj Department.
      After hearing counsel for the parties, the contention
advanced      by      the     counsel       for    the      petitioners      holds
substance for the reasons; firstly according to Rule 8 of
the Rules, 2011 the consent is necessary to be obtained as
required from the Panchayati Raj. Department; secondly a
bare perusal of the order/circular dated 16.6.2018 clearly
shows that it holds that for transfer of an employee the
consent of the Panchayati Raj Department is not necessary
which is violative of Rule 8 of the Rules, 2011.
      In that view of the matter, the writ petitions filed by
the petitioners deserve acceptance and the transfer orders
impugned herein deserve to be set aside.
      Accordingly, the writ petitions are allowed and the
respective    transfer         orders      impugned            in    the   present
petitions are set aside. However, the respondent-State is
at liberty to pass order of transfer afresh, if exigency of
service so require, only after strict compliance of Rule 8 of
the Rules, 2011. Copy of the order be separately placed in
each file."
(iv) (Harish Chandra Katara Vs. State of Raj. &
Ors.) :
      "Learned        counsel       appearing         for      the    respondent
department placed reliance on the order dated 16.06.2018
(Annex.9 in SBCWP No.7212/2019), purportedly directing
under Rule 8 and ordering that the required consent of the
Panchayati Raj Department would not be required and
therefore, the plea raised by the petitioners in this regard
has no substance.
      Learned        counsel       for     the     petitioners        in   SBCWP
No.7212/2019 submits that the circular dated 16.06.2018

                   (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM)
                                               (7 of 18)                 [CW-312/2021]


      relied on by the respondents being contrary to the express
      provisions of Rule 8, the transfer orders without requisite
      consent under Rule 8 has been set aside in Smt. Bimla
      Devi v. State of Rajasthan & Ors. ; SB Civil Writ Petition
      No.16963/2018, decided on 12.11.2018 at Jaipur Bench.
             .........

.........

In view of the express provision of Rule 8 as well as the judgment in the case of Bimla Devi (supra), wherein the circular sought to be relied on by the respondents has been taken into consideration, the action of the respondents in effecting transfers of the petitioners in SBCWP Nos.4214/2019 and 7212/2019 cannot be sustained. The order dated 08.03.2019 (Annex.2 in SBCWP No.4214/2019) and order dated 08.03.2019 (Annex.8 in SBCWP No.7212/2019), qua the petitioners are quashed and set aside."

13. While conceding that Rule 8 of the Rules of 2011 has not been held to be mandatory in express terms by the Single Benches, learned counsel argued that the Division Bench in case of State of Rajasthan & Ors. Vs. Samleta (DB Special Appeal (W) No.736/2018), decided on 11.10.2018 has held Rule 8 of the Rules of 2011 to be mandatory.

14. Reading the relevant part of the Division Bench judgment in case of State of Rajasthan Vs. Samleta (highlighted portion of para 12(ii) above), it was argued that the Division Bench has clearly held that consent has to be obtained from Panchayati Raj Department by the Medical Health Department, while transferring an employee from one District to another. According to the learned counsel for petitioners, such adjudication is unequivocally mandatory.

15. Heard.

(Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM)

(8 of 18) [CW-312/2021]

16. The enunciation made by this Court in case of Kiran Kumari (supra), Samleta (supra) and Bimla Devi (supra) clearly suggests that this Court has found/held the transfers made by Medical & Health Department to be violative of Rule 8 of the Rules of 2011. But as the argument that Rule 8 is directory was not advanced by the State, there was no occasion for this Court to record a finding to this effect. But merely because such finding is absent, it cannot be said that this issue is still alive or undecided.

17. The Division Bench in its judgment in the case of Samleta (supra) has held that Rule 8 is mandatory. The argument advanced by Mr. Rajpurohit that Rule 8 is directory in nature is only a new facet of the consistent stand of the State, which has never found favour from this Court. The fact that the transfers made by the Medical & Health Department sans consent of the Panchayati Raj Department has been held contrary to Rule 8 of the Rules, implies that various Benches of this Court have found the Rule 8 to be mandatory.

18. In the opinion of this Court, the decision to transfer various departments in the Panchayati Raj Department, including Primary Health Services etc. and to assign services of the petitioners and other similarly situated employees was taken in a bid to augment Panchayati Raj Institutions and to ensure their autonomy and empowerment in spirit of 73rd Amendment to the Constitution and Article 243 of the Constitution that mandates endowment of powers and strengthening of the Panchayati Raj Institutions at the root level.

19. A perusal of Rule 8 of the Rules of 2011 reveals that a transferred employee can be transferred from one Gram Panchayat to another Gram Panchayat by the Administration and (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM) (9 of 18) [CW-312/2021] Establishment Committee of a Panchayat Samiti; from one Panchayat Samiti to another Panchayat Samiti within the District by District Establishment Committee of the Zila Parishad concerned; while inter-district transfers can be made by the parent department, however, with the consent of the Panchayati Raj Department.

20. A combined reading of the contingencies enumerated in Rule 8 reveals that in first two situations viz. transfers within the districts, the transfers can be made by the authorities under the Panchayati Raj Department. A simple look at Rule 8 makes it crystal clear that as per the scheme of the Rules, the Panchayati Raj Department is having upper hand if not supremacy. Panchayati Raj Department is the competent department to effect or facilitate transfers within District; whereas its consent is quintessential if the Medical & Health Department proposes to effect inter-district transfer.

21. Argument of Mr. Rajpurohit that expression "shall" used in Rule 8 of the Rules of 2011 should be read or taken as "may", even if accepted for the sake of argument, would hardly serve his cause. Because requirement of consent of Panchayati Raj Department is provided in Clause (iii) of Rule 8 without giving any leeway. If the expression "shall" is substituted by the expression "may", Rule 8 would appear like this :-

"Transfer of such transferred employees may be made under the transfer policy and directions issued by the State Government from time to time, by:-".

22. The change as attempted to by learned Addl. Advocate General would have hardly made any difference. Because then, the discretion would be to transfer the employees or not to (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM) (10 of 18) [CW-312/2021] transfer. But once a decision to transfer an employee is taken, then, the conditions contained in Clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of Rule 8 are required to be complied with, in the manner and by the authority prescribed. This being the position, even if the expression "shall" of Rule 8 is read as "may", it would hardly dilute the requirement of consent of Panchayati Raj Department.

23. True it is, that no consequence has been provided in case of non-observance of mandate of Rule 8 of the Rules of 2011 but if the argument of the State is accepted, then, the public authorities will conveniently flout the mandate of laws framed by the legislature. The Courts cannot afford to countenance such endeavours, as the consequence would be disasterous and would pose threat to the very rule of law.

24. The judgments cited by learned AAG lay down general principles in relation to expression "shall / may" - when despite use of the expression "shall" a provision is to be treated as directory. So far as judgment in case of Bachahan Devi (supra) is concerned, the case in question involved interpretation of Order 41 Rule 25 of the CPC in which both the expression "may" and "shall" have been used. Interpreting the provisions, the Supreme Court carefully examined the use of expression "shall" and "may" in the said provision. However, a perusal of para No.11 of the judgment reveals that the expression "shall" given in the latter part of the provision has been held mandatory inasmuch as the Supreme Court observed : "once the appellate Court directs the lower court to do so, it is incumbent upon the trial Court to take additional evidence required." (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM)

(11 of 18) [CW-312/2021]

25. Paras - 43, 49 and 52 of the judgment in case of Ram Deen Maurya (supra) cited by learned Addl. Advocate General also deals with the general principles. Para 44 of the judgment notices provisions of Rule 4(6) of the Rules concerned, which has four parts. The question before the Supreme Court was whether applications for transfer, which were not submitted through the management along with the consent of both the management, which has been processed by the competent authority was valid or not. In such circumstances, inspite of use of expression "shall" in clause (ii), the Supreme Court held the expression "shall" to be directory. Reasons for doing so have been given in para 52 of the judgment, which reads thus :-

"52. While considering the non-compliance with the procedural requirement, it has to be kept in view that such a requirement is designed to facilitate justice and furthers its ends and, therefore, if the consequence of non-compliance is not provided, the requirement may be held to be directory."

26. Above quoted part of the judgment clearly shows that the Supreme Court has held the provision to be directory, as the same was designed to facilitate justice or it contained procedure of dealing with applications for transfers. And since consequence of non-compliance was not provided in the rule, such requirement was held to be directory. It is in that context the Supreme Court has ruled that if consequence of a requirement is not provided, then, the provision should be held directory.

27. Similar is the situation in the case of Sardar Mal (supra). In the aforesaid case, the Full Bench of this Court was dealing with the provisions of Section 81(3) of the Representation of People Act, 1950 and while dealing with the same, the Full Bench has (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM) (12 of 18) [CW-312/2021] held that provision of requirement of furnishing attested copy is mandatory.

28. The judgments cited by learned Addl. Advocate General relate to such provisions or conditions where the burden of observance of law is cast on citizenry. In those circumstances, the Supreme Court has held that regardless of the use of expression "shall", the provision under consideration was required to be treated as directory. But in the instant case, the duty has been cast upon the public authority to do a particular act in a particular manner. When a duty is cast upon a public authority, it is not necessary for the statute to provide consequence. In the opinion of this Court, merely because the consequence of the breach has not been provided in the Rules, Rule 8 cannot be treated to be directory. All public authorities are bound to follow the mandate of law may be substantive or procedural and they are required to act in tandem with the laws as framed by the law makers.

29. The Supreme Court has time and again held that if a statute requires a particular act to be done in a particular manner, the same has to be done in the manner prescribed. Reference of the following judgments of the Supreme Court would be apt at this juncture : -

(i) Chandra Kishore Jha Vs. Mahavir Prasad & Ors. AIR 1999 SC 3558, relevant para of the judgment is as under:
"12. ... ... ... It is a well-settled salutary principle that if a statute provides for a thing to be done in a particular manner, then it has to be done in that manner and in no other manner. See with advantage : Nazir Ahmad v. King Emperor, Ind App 372 : AIR (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM) (13 of 18) [CW-312/2021] 1936 PC 253(2); Rao Shiv Bahadur Singh and Anr. v. State of Vindhya Pradesh, 1954 SCR 1098 : AIR 1954 SC 322; State of Uttar Pradesh v. Singara Singh AIR 1964 SC 358 : (1964) SCWR 57 ... ... ..."

(ii) Dipak Babaria Vs. State of Gujarat & Ors. : AIR 2014 SC 1792, relevant para is as under:

"53. It is well settled that where the statute provides for a thing to be done in a particular manner, then it has to be done in that manner and in no other manner. This proposition of law laid down in Taylor v. Taylor (1875) 1 ChD426, 431 was first adopted by the Judicial Committee in Nazir Ahmed v. King Emperor reported in AIR 1936 PC 253 and then followed by a bench of three Judges of this Court in Rao Shiv Bahadur Singh v. State of Vindhya Pradesh reported in AIR 1954 SC 322. This proposition was further explained in paragraph 8 of State of U.P. v. Singara Singh by a bench of three Judges reported in AIR 1964 SC 358 in the following words:
"8. The rule adopted in Taylor v. Taylor is well recognised and is founded on sound principle. Its result is that if a statute has conferred a power to do an act and has laid down the method in which that power has to be exercised, it necessarily prohibits the doing of the act in any other manner than that which has been prescribed. The principle behind the rule is that if this were not so, the statutory provision might as well not have been enacted ... ... ..."

This proposition has been later on reiterated in Chandra Kishore Jha v. Mahavir Prasad reported in 1999 (8) SCC 266 : (AIR 1999 SC 3558), Dhananjaya Reddy v. State of Karnataka reported in 2001 (4) SCC 9 : (AIR 2001 SC 1512) and Gujarat (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM) (14 of 18) [CW-312/2021] Urja Vikas Nigam Limited v. Essar Power Limited reported in 2008 (4) SCC 755 : (AIR 2008 SC 1921)."

30. In the opinion of this Court, above principle canvassed by Mr. Rajpurohit is applicable only in the cases when the provisions under consideration deal with performance of public duties under an enactment. Almost all the judgments in which the use of word "shall" has been held as directory are, those, in which the statute provided for time limit of doing a particular thing. In case the time limit was not met by the public authority and consequence has not been given in the enactment, the provision has been held directory. (Re: Nasiruddin Vs. Sita Ram Agarwal (2003) 2 SCC 577).

31. A gainful reference of the judgment of the Apex Court in the case of Hari Vishnu Kamath Vs. Syed Ahmed Ishaque (AIR 1955 (SC) 233) can be made. Para Nos.35 to 37 are reproduced hereinfra :

"35. On the question whether Rule 47(1)(c) is mandatory, the argument of Mr. Pathak is that notwithstanding that the rule provides that the Returning Officer shall reject the ballot papers, its real meaning is that he has the power to reject them, and that on that construction, his discretion in the matter of accepting them is not liable to be questioned. He relies on certain well-recognised rules of construction such as that a statute should be construed as directory if it relates to the performance of public duties, or if the conditions prescribed therein have to be performed by persons other than those on whom the right is conferred. In particular, he relied on the following statement of law in Maxwell on Interpretation of Statutes, 10th Edition, pages 381 and 382 :
"To hold that an Act which required an officer to prepare and deliver to another officer a list of voters on or before a certain day, under a penalty, made a list not delivered till a later day invalid, would in effect, put it in the power of the person charged with the duty of preparing it to disfranchise (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM) (15 of 18) [CW-312/2021] the electors, a conclusion too unreasonable for acceptance".

36. He contended that to reject the votes of the electors for the failure of the polling officer to deliver the correct ballot papers under Rule 23 would be to disfranchise them, and that a construction which involved such a consequence should not be adopted.

37. It is well-established that an enactment in form mandatory might in substance be directory, and that the use of the word "shall" does not conclude the matter. The question was examined at length in Julius v. Bishop of Oxford [1880] 5 A.C. 214, and various rules were laid down for determining when a statute might be construed as mandatory and when as directory. They are well- known, and there is no need to repeat them. But they are all of them only aids for ascertaining the true intention of the legislature which is the determining factor, and that must ultimately depend on the context. What we have to see is whether in Rule 47 the word "shall" could be construed as meaning "may". Rule 47(1) deals with three other categories of ballot papers, and enacts that they shall be rejected. Rule 47(1)(a) relates to a ballot paper which "bears any mark or writing by which the elector can be identified". The secrecy of voting being of the essence of an election by ballot, this provision must be held to be mandatory, and the breach of it must entail rejection of the votes. That was held in Woodward v. Sarsons [1875] L.R. 10 C.P. 733 on a construction of section 2 of the Ballot Act, 1872. That section had also a provision corresponding to Rule 47(1)(b), and it was held in that case that a breach of that section would render the vote void. That must also be the position with reference to a vote which is hit by Rule 47(1)(b). Turning to Rule 47(1)

(d), it provides that a ballot paper shall be rejected if it is spurious, or if it is so damaged or mutilated that its identity as a genuine ballot paper cannot be established. The word "shall" cannot in this sub-rule be construed as meaning "may", because there can be no question of the Returning Officer being authorised to accept a spurious or unidentifiable vote. If the word "shall" is thus to be construed in a mandatory sense in Rule 47(1)(a), (b) and

(d), it would be proper to construe it in the same sense in Rule 47(1) (c) also. There is another reason which clinches the matter against the first respondent. The practical bearing of the distinction between a provision which is mandatory and one which is directory is that (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM) (16 of 18) [CW-312/2021] while the former must be strictly observed, in the case of the latter it is sufficient that it is substantially complied with. How is this rule to be worked when the Rule provides that a ballot paper shall be rejected ? There can be no degrees of compliance so far as rejection is concerned, and that is conclusive to show that the provision is mandatory."

32. As against this, in the present case, Rule 8 is not a provision dealing with the procedural requirement or formality of processing an application etc. As a matter of fact, it is a power given to the State officials to effect transfers - it cannot be equated with a provision, which is meant to facilitate justice and furthers its ends.

33. As as upshot of the discussion foregoing, this Court does not find any merit and substance in the additional argument so zealously advanced by Mr. K.S. Rajpurohit. He has not been able to persuade me to take a view other than what has been taken in Kiran Kumari's case (supra).

34. Following the judgment rendered in case of Kiran Kumari (supra), all these writ petitions are allowed; impugned transfer orders being passed in violation of Rule 8 of the Rules of 2011 are hereby quashed and set aside qua the petitioners.

35. All the interlocutory application(s) also stands disposed of.

(DINESH MEHTA),J 36-91, 35, 98, 221-223 & 280-ArunV/-

(Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM)

                                                    (17 of 18)              [CW-312/2021]



                                                                           SCHEDULE


S.No.    Civil Writ Petition No.                 Petitioner(s)          Respondents

   1.    SB Civil Writ Petition No.10645/2020 Jaswant Singh             State of Rajasthan

   2.    SB Civil Writ Petition No.11723/2020 Dr. Anushansha Saharan    State of Rajasthan
   3.    SB Civil Writ Petition No.197/2021      Ranjeet Karatiya       State of Rajasthan
   4.    SB Civil Writ Petition No.206/2021      Manju Devi             State of Rajasthan
   5.    SB Civil Writ Petition No.267/2021      Gurdeep Singh          State of Rajasthan
   6.    SB Civil Writ Petition No.271/2021      Om Prakash Potliya     State of Rajasthan
   7.    SB Civil Writ Petition No.294/2021      Manju Solanki          State of Rajasthan
   8.    SB Civil Writ Petition No.298/2021      Amar Kaur              State of Rajasthan
   9.    SB Civil Writ Petition No.335/2021      Saroj                  State of Rajasthan
   10.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.344/2021      Smt. Bali Choudhary    State of Rajasthan
   11.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.357/2021      Geeta Devi             State of Rajasthan
   12.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.371/2021      Krishna                State of Rajasthan
   13.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.374/2021      Manju Lata             State of Rajasthan
   14.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.376/2021      Vimla Devi             State of Rajasthan
   15.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.377/2021      Prakash Kaur           State of Rajasthan
   16.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.402/2021      Babita                 State of Rajasthan
   17.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.404/2021      Sunita                 State of Rajasthan
   18.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.423/2021      Sudesh Kumar Garg      State of Rajasthan
   19.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.431/2021      Pawan Kumar            State of Rajasthan
   20.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.471/2021      Bhunesh Kumar Kalla    State of Rajasthan
   21.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.476/2021      Mool Shanker           State of Rajasthan
   22.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.513/2021      Rajesh Bai             State of Rajasthan
   23.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.524/2021      Afsana Banu            State of Rajasthan
   24.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.576/2021      Reena Meena            State of Rajasthan
   25.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.585/2021      Suman                  State of Rajasthan
   26.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.591/2021      Sunil Kumar            State of Rajasthan
   27.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.592/2021      Radha Meena            State of Rajasthan
   28.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.597/2021      Sushila Devi           State of Rajasthan
   29.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.599/2021      Pushpa Chopra          State of Rajasthan
   30.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.600/2021      Sudershana             State of Rajasthan
   31.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.618/2021      Leela Meena            State of Rajasthan
   32.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.627/2021      Bharpai Devi           State of Rajasthan
   33.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.676/2021      Kusumlata              State of Rajasthan
   34.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.684/2021      Vidya                  State of Rajasthan
   35.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.685/2021      Munesh Kumari          State of Rajasthan
   36.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.691/2021      Thana Ram              State of Rajasthan
   37.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.702/2021      Sulochana              State of Rajasthan
   38.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.703/2021      Pradeep Kirodiwal      State of Rajasthan
   39.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.714/2021      Kaushalya              State of Rajasthan
   40.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.715/2021      Rose Janet             State of Rajasthan
   41.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.716/2021      Sunita Kumari          State of Rajasthan
   42.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.724/2021      Suman Kumari           State of Rajasthan
   43.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.725/2021      Suman Verma            State of Rajasthan
   44.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.739/2021      Ambika Kumari          State of Rajasthan
   45.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.744/2021      Sangeeta Aseri         State of Rajasthan
   46.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.884/2021      Manju                  State of Rajasthan
   47.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.915/2021      Hanumana Ram Dhaka     State of Rajasthan
   48.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.919/2021      Jitender Mangoliya     State of Rajasthan


                            (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM)
                                                                                  (18 of 18)               [CW-312/2021]

                                   49.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.1124/2021   Kiran Depan             State of Rajasthan
                                   50.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.1167/2021   Anchal                  State of Rajasthan
                                   51.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.1572/2021   Smt. Asha               State of Rajasthan
                                   52.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.1786/2021   Smt. Rama Devi          State of Rajasthan
                                   53.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.1794/2021   Mamta                   State of Rajasthan
                                   54.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.2454/2021   Devi                    State of Rajasthan
                                   55.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.2771/2021   Madan Lal Dahwal        State of Rajasthan
                                   56.   SB Civil Writ Petition No.308/2021    Rajbala                 State of Rajasthan

57. SB Civil Writ Petition No.5991/2021 Himmat Singh Garasiya State of Rajasthan

58. SB Civil Writ Petition No.832/2021 Pawan Kumar Arya State of Rajasthan

59. SB Civil Writ Petition No.1035/2021 Rekha State of Rajasthan

60. SB Civil Writ Petition No.1054/2021 Sobharam State of Rajasthan

61. SB Civil Writ Petition No.8090/2021 Ashok Kumar Legha State of Rajasthan (Downloaded on 02/08/2021 at 08:59:17 PM) Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)