Meghalaya High Court
M/370385 Naib Sub/Na Ram Prasad Dutta ... vs The Union Of India on 5 September, 2013
Author: T. Nandakumar Singh
Bench: T. Nandakumar Singh
THE HIGH COURT OF MEGHALAYA
AT SHILLONG.
WP(C)[SH] No. 162 of 2013
1. M/370385 Naib Sub/NA Ram Prasad Dutta,
S/o. (L) P.C. Dutta, 20 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
2. M/371024 Hav/NA M.S. Riar,
S/o. Kashmir Singh, 36 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
3. M/371472 Rfn/NA Krishna Gopal,
S/o. Faujdar Yadav, 37 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
4. M/371076 Hav/NA Dani Chand,
S/o. Nari Chand, 9 Dental Unit Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
5. M/370800 Hav/NA Birendra Prasad,
S/o. (L) Jutha Ram, 11 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
6. M/370994 Hav/NA Milkhi Ram,
S/o. Bakshi Ram, 27 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
7. M/371482 Rfn/NA Suraj Sarwar Chetri,
S/o. G.D. Chetri, 25 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
8. M/371045 Hav/NA Kuldeep Chand,
S/o. Kishori Lal, 3 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
9. M/371466 Rfn/NA Sunil Kumar Rai,
S/o.Indra Dev Rai, 32 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
1
10. M/370681 Hav/NA R.K. Singh,
S/o. Nathani Singh, 43 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
11. M/370473 Naib Sub/NA Bhushan Viswakarma,
S/o. (L) P.L. Viswakarma, 17 Assam /rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
12. M/371249 Hav/NA Amrit Mengar,
S/o. C.K. Mengar, 32 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
13. M/370686 Hav/NA D.C. Barman,
S/o. L.K. Barman, 13 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
14. M/371062 Hav/NA Mohan Ram,
S/o. (L) Johar Ram, 4 Dental Unit Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
15. M/371288 Efn/NA Metchei Phom,
S/o. T. Shwnba Phom, 13 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
16. M/370780 Hav/NA Sathi kumar,
S/o. K.K. Nair, 17 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
17. M/370969 Hav/NA A.S. Suresh,
S/o. (L) A.R. Shiva Shankaran, 28 AssamRifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
18. M/370347 SM/NA B.S. Bisht,
S/o. (L) N.S. Bisht, Inspector General Assam Rifles (S),
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN - 793011.
19. M/371238 Hav/NA Mukesh Chauhan,
S/o. B.S. Chauhan, 17 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
2
20. M/371297 Hav/NA N.S. Moorthy,
S/o.P. Narayan Swami, 40 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
21. M/370476 Naib Sub/NA Kamal Kishor,
S/o. Kunju Lal, 32 Assam Rifles,
C/o.Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
22. M/371012 Hav/NA Subhas Singh,
S/oRam Lakhan Singh, 26 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
23. M/370591 Hav/NA L.P. Baruah,
S/o. Thar U. Ram, 15 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Meghalaya Shillong PIN 793011.
24. M/371409 Rfn/NA Panam Tamat,
S/o. Orin Tamat, 2 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Meghalaya, Shillong PIN 793011.
25. M/370694 Hav/NA Satish Kumar,
S/o. L.Keshar Singh, 28 Assam Rifles,
C/o.Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
26. M/370668 Hav/NA Sashi N.
S/o. Narayan N.K., 41 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
27. M/371405 Rfn/NA Talona Tamin,
S/o. Patong Tamin, 41 Assam Rifles,
C/o.Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
28. M/371259 Hav/NA T.H. Ashok Singh,
S/o. Labanga Singh, 28 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
29. M/370579 Hav/NA P. Talukdar, S/o.
(L) K.N. Talukdar, 28 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
30. M/370996 Hav/NA C.V. Raghunatahan,
S/o. L.K. Kannan Nandial, Inspector
General Assam Rifles (S), C/o. Directorate
General Assam Rifles, Shillong Meghalay
PIN 793011.
3
31. M/371240 Hav/NA Hari Mitter,
S/o. (L)Harbansh Lal, Inspector General Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
32. M/371484 Rfn/NA J.B. Bhujel,
S/o. D.B.Bhujel, 30 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
33. M/371382 Rfn/NA Bijendar Singh,
S/o. Jagdish Chandra, 32 Assam Rifles,
C/o.Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
34. M/371383 Rfn/NA Rajesh,
S/o. Mange Ram, 32 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
35. M/370572 Hav/NA Ajay Kumar Kundu,
S/o. Surat Singh, 11 SRG,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
36. M/370968 Hav/NA Madhu M,
S/o. (L) S.K. Menon, 11 SRG,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya, PIN 793011.
37. M/370559 Naib Sub/NA Sameer Kumar Das,
S/o. (L) A.C. Das, 28 Assam Rifles,
C/o.Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
38. M/371174 Hav/NA Asutosh Kumar,
S/o. Umed Prasad Singh, 3 MGAR,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
39. M/370744 Hav/NA Josh Kutty
S/o. Baby P.M. , 37 Assam Rifles,
C/o.Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
40. M/371085 Hav/NA Bimal Kumar Mitra,
S/o. (L) Nagendra Nath Mitra, 9 Dental Unit Assam,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya, PIN 793011.
41. M/371224 Hav/NA Sujan Singh,
S/o. Chandra Singh, 28 Assam Rifles,
C/o.Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
4
42. M/370633 Hav/NA Sushil Gohain,
S/o Keshav Gohain, 13 Assam Rifles,
C/o.Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
43. M/371391 Rfn/NA Arvind Mohan,
S/o.Kedar Dutta, 30 Assam Rifles,
C/o.Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
44. M/371483 Rfn/NA Krishna Kumar Thapa,
S/o. Chandra Lal Thapa. 2 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
45. M/371364 Rfn/NA Pankaj Kumar,
S/o.Jugal Kishor, 39 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
46. M/370602 Hav/NA B. Acharyaji,
S/o.(L) S.M. Acharyaji, 5 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
47. M/371471 Rfn/NA Rajnesh Kumar,
S/o.Munna Lal, 36 Assam Rifles,
C/o. Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong Meghalaya PIN 793011.
48. M/371494 Rfn/NA Adeep Tamang,
S/o M.K.Tamang, 15 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
49. M/370314 Sub/NA Promoth Paul,
S/o Late P.C.Paul, 42 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
50. M/371067 Hav/NA Rati Ram,
S/o Late Dhola Ram, 42 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
51. M/370701 Hav/NA Balakrishnan,
S/o Late Chhtkka, 19 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
52. M/371397 Rfn/NA Sunil Singh,
S/o Late Jeet Singh, 9 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
5
53. M/371446 Rfn/NA R.K.Chandrakar,
S/o P.S. Chandrakar, 9 Dental Unit Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
54. M/371295 Hav/NA Ravi Kumar,
S/o Bodhraj Sharma, 14 AssamRifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
55. M/370801 Rfn/NA Diwakar Rai,
S/o Late Surendra Rai, 22 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
56. M/370849 Hav/NA V.K. Prakashan,
S/o Late P.V. Madhavan, 8 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
57. M/370838 Hav/NA Murali Kumar,
S/o Rama Kutty, 8 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
58. M/371283 HAv/NA Shanti Kumar Singha,
S/o J.K.Singha, 13 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
59. M/370626 Hav/NA S. Radhakrishnan,
S/o K.A. Suppiah PIllai, 11 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
60. M/370844 Hav/NA Birendra Kumar Singh,
S/o Banarash Prasad,11 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
61. M/370825 Hav/NA Sathya Rajan,
S/o V. Appu, 6 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
62. M/371233 Hav/NA Vijay Pal Singh,
S/o Jaya Ram Singh, 6 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
63. M/371296 Hav/NA Siva Prasad,
S/o K.V.Purushothaman, 6 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
6
64. M/371251 Hav/NA Doren Singh
S/o Late N. Ibobi Singh, 6 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
65. M/371454 Rfn/NA Prakash Chandra Dey,
S/o P.C.Dey, 5 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
66. M/370671 Hav/NA Prabin Gogoi,
S/o Someswar Gogoi, 41 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
67. M/371407 Rfn/NA Lugri Rime,
S/o Rinuk Rime, 6 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
68. M/371315 Rfn/NA Joseph Rexin,
S/o Late R. Susruthan, 1 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
69. M/371305, Rfn/NA Sarathi G,
S/o Late B.K. Gangadharan, 1 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
70. M/371485 Rfn/NA D.T. Bhutia,
S/o Dawa Bhutia, 38 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
71. M/371146 Hav/NA Y.I.Singh,
S/o Late Dhananjay Singh, 11 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
72. M/371207 HAV/NA Kingkar Choudhury,
S/o Sunil Choudhury, 43 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
73. M/370354 NUB/SUB/NA C Chacko,
S/o Late Chacko, 7 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
74. M/371057 Hav/NA Ganesh Chand,
S/o Kharat Chand, 16 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
7
75. M/371186 Rfn/NA Ramashraya Yadav,
S/o Baban Yadav, 14 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
76. M/371202 Hav/NA Ratan Das,
S/o Sunil Das, 30 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
77. M/371420 Rfn/NA N. Ahlem Konyak,
S/o Noke Kanyak, 43 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
78. M/371356 Rfn/NA Pushpa Kumar Basnat,
S/o Phanidhar Basnat, 28 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
79. M/370598 Hav/NA R.U.Barbhuiya,
S/o Late Hazi Majahid Barhuiya, 16 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
80. M/371291 Hav/NA Yaspaul,
S/o Thoru Ram, 1 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
81. M/371289 Hav/NA M.D.Chang,
S/o M. Dansangba Chang, 7 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
82. M/371262 Hav/NA Harendra Singh,
S/o Rajendra Singh, 11 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
83. M/371443 Rfn/NA Dheerendra Singh,
S/o Digpal Singh, 16 Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
84. M/370669 Hav/NA B.K. Sewa,
S/o Govind Sewa, 43 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
85. M/371493 Rfn/NA Sudhir Kumar Singh,
S/o Ram Kishor Singh, 30 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
8
86. M/371490 Rfn/NA S.K. Chaturvedi,
S/o R.K. Chatruvedi, 30 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
87. M/371326 Rfn/NA Byas Dev,
S/o Hari Chand, 30 Assam rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
88. M/370905 Hav/NA PShree Prakash,
S/o D.Ram, Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
89. M/370739 Hav/NA Suresh Rai,
S/o Late Mukh Lal Rai, 40 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
90. M/370706 Hav/NA Sukhwindar Singh,
S/o Late Gurdayal Singh, IGAR(S),
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
91. M/371301 Hav/NA Venkata Chalamn,
S/o Nallappan, 22 Assam Rifles,
C/o Directorate General Assam Rifles,
Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN - 793 011.
......Petitioners
(The petitioners are pursuing a common cause
and are therefore approaching this Hon'ble Court
by a joint petition).
-VERSUS-
1. The Union of India, Represented by the
Secretary to the Government of India,
Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi - 110001.
2. The Director General, Assam Rifles,
HQ DGAR Assam Rifles, Shillong,
793 011, Meghalaya.
3. The Deputy Inspector General,
Medical Branch,
HQ DGAR, Assam Rifles,
Shillong - 79 3011, Meghalaya.
....Respondents
9
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE T. NANDAKUMAR SINGH,
CHIEF JUSTICE (ACTING)
For the petitioner : R.Mazumdar, Adv.
: H. Bezbarua, Adv
: A.Kumar, Adv
For the respondents : R. Deb Nath, CGC
Date of hearing : 05-09-2013
Date of Judgment and Order : 05-09-2013
JUDGMENT AND ORDER (ORAL)
Heard Mr. R. Mazumdar, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners and also Mr. R. Deb Nath, learned CGC appearing for the respondents.
2. The only case of the petitioners is that the present writ petition is squarely covered by the earlier decision of the erstwhile Guwahati High Court (Division Bench) dated 25-5-2012 passed in writ appeal No. [SH] 1 of 2011 filed against the Judgment and Order of the learned Single Judge allowing the writ petition i.e. WP(C) No. [SH] 279/2009 filed by the 51 nursing assistants of the Assam Rifles.
3. Mr. R. Deb Nath, learned CGC appearing for the respondents i.e. the appellants in writ appeal No. [SH] 1/2011 contended that the Court needs the interpretation or clarification of the meaning of the "Nursing Assistant" working in the Assam Rifles, inasmuch as the appellants received a letter from the MHA (Police Finance) regarding the meaning of "Nursing Assistants".
4. It is a well settled principle of interpretation that the judgment and decision of the Court is to be understood in the light of the fact of the case. The writ appeal No. [SH] 1/2011 is admittedly in relation with the nursing assistants serving in the Assam Rifles. It is nobody's dispute that the present writ petitioners are also nursing assistants serving in the Assam Rifles. The Court is not interpreting the judgment and order, the Court only interprets the statutes and the 10 words of the judgment cannot be interpreted like that of the statutes. The Court only read the judgment and understood the meaning of the judgment in the light of the words mentioned in the judgment itself. The Apex Court in U.P. State Electricity Board Versus Pooran Chandra Pandey and Others: (2007) 11 SCC 92 held that:
"12. As observed by this Court in State of Orissa v. Sudhansu Kekhar Misra (AIR 1968 SC 647) (vide AIR pp. 651-52, para 13):
"13.....A decision is only an authority for what it actually decides. What is of the essence in a decision is its ratio and not every observation found therein nor what logically follows from the various observations made in it. On this topic this is what Earl of Halsbury, L.C. said in Quinn v. Leathem (1901 AC 495 : (1900-
03) All ER Rep 1 (HL) (All ER p.7 G-I).
„Before discussing Allen V. Flood (1898 AC 1 :
(1895-99) All ER Rep 52 (HL) and what was decided therein, there are two observations of a general character which I wish to make; and one is to repeat what I have very often said before - that every judgment must be read as applicable to the particular facts proved, or assumed to be proved, since the generality of the expressions which may be found there are not intended to be expositions of the whole law, but are governed and qualified by the particular facts of the case in which such expressions are to be found. The other is that a case is only an authority for what it actually decides. I entirely deny that it can be quoted for a proposition that may seem to follow logically from it. Such a mode of reasoning assumes that the law is necessarily a logical code, whereas every lawyer must acknowledge that the law is not always logical at all.‟ "
"13. In Ambica Quarry Works v. State of Gujarat (1987) 1 SCC 213 (vide SCC p. 221, para 18) this Court observed:
"18....The ratio of any decision must be understood in the background of the facts of that case. It has been said long time ago that a case is only an authority for what it actually decides, and not what logically follows from it."
"14. In Bhavnagar University v. Palitana Sugar Mill (P) Ltd [(2003) 2 SCC 111] (vide SCC p. 130, para 59) this Court observed :
"59....It is also well settled that a little difference in facts or additional facts may make a lot of difference in the precedential value of a decision."11
"15. As held in Bharat Petroleum Corpn. Ltd. V. N.R. Vairamani [(2004) 8 SCC 579: AIR 2004 SC 4778] a decision cannot be relied on without disclosing the factual situation. In the same judgment this Court also observed: (SCC pp. 584-85, paras 9-12).
"9. Courts should not place reliance on decisions without discussing as to how the factual situation fits in with the fact situation of the decision on which reliance is placed. Observations of courts are neither to be read as Euclid's theorems nor as provisions of a statute and that too taken out of their context. These observations must be read in the context in which they appear to have been stated. Judgments of courts are not to be construed as statutes. To interpret words, phrases and provisions of a statute, it may become necessary for judges to embark into lengthy discussions but the discussion is meant to explain and not to define. Judges interpret statutes, they do not interpret judgments. They interpret words of statutes; their words are not to be interpreted as statutes. In London Graving Dock Co. Ltd. V. Horton [1951 AC 737 : (1951) 2 All ER 1 (HL) (AC at p.761) Lord MacDermott observed: (All ER p. 14 C-D) „The matter cannot, of course, be settled merely by treating the ipsissima verba of Willes, J. as though they were part of an Act of Parliament and applying the rules of interpretation appropriate thereto. This is not to detract from the great weight to be given to the language actually used by that most distinguished judge,....‟
10. In Home Office v. Dorset Yatch Co. Ltd [1970 AC 1004 : (1970) 2 WLR 1140 : (1970) 2 All ER 294 (HL)] (All ER p. 297 g-h) Lord Reid said, „Lord Atkin‟s speech .... Is not to be treated as if it were a statutory definition. It will require qualification in new circumstances,‟ Megarry, J. in Shepherd Homes Ltd. V. Sandham (No.2) (1971) 1 WLR 1062 : (1971) 2 All ER 1267, observed : (All ER p.1274d) „One must not, of course, construe even a reserved judgment of even Russell, L.J. as if it were an Act of Parliament;‟ And, in Herrington v. British Railways Board (1972 AC 877 : (1972) 2 WLR 537 : (1972) 1 All ER 749 [HL (E)] Lord Morris said : (All ER p. 761c) „There is always peril in treating the words of a speech or a judgment as though they were words in a legislative enactment, and it is to be remembered that judicial utterances are made in the setting of the facts of a particular case.‟
11. Circumstantial flexibility, one additional or different fact may make a world of difference between conclusions in two cases. Disposal of cases by blindly placing reliance on a decision is not proper.
12. The following words of Lord Denning in the matter of applying precedents have become locus classicus:12
„Each case depends on its own facts and a close similarity between one case and another is not enough because even a singly significant detail may alter the entire aspect, in deciding such cases, one should avoid the temptation to decide cases (as said by Cardozo) by matching the colour of one case against the colour of another. To decide therefore, on which side of the line a case falls, the broad resemblance to another case is not at all decisive.
* * * Precedent should be followed only so far as it marks the path of justice, but you must cut the dead wood and trim off the side branches else you will find yourself lost in thickets and branches. My plea is to keep the path of justice clear of obstructions which could impede it.‟ " "
5. In para No. 32, 33 and 34 of the earlier judgment and order of the Division Bench dated 25-5-2012 in writ appeal No. [SH] 1/2011 filed by the present respondent clearly mentioned "who are the nursing assistants". For easy reference, paragraph 32, 33 and 34 of the said judgment are quoted hereunder:
"32. We may note here that on making an assessment of the Memoranda, aforementioned as well as the Recruitment Rules, referred to above, we have found that if any distinction between the Nursing Staff vis-à-vis the entailment to N.A needs to be made, then such distinction cannot be made on the basis of educational qualification alone rather it needs to be made basically on the basis of duty entrusted to the various Nursing Staff. Opinion, rendered in judgment dated 12.04.1999 in O.A. No. 122/1989 doubly confirms the above proposition.
33. On a careful reading of the duties of Nursing Assistant, it would appear clear that Nursing Assistant ---- who are admittedly integral part of the Nursing Staff---- are basically entrusted with the duties of nursing the patients and therefore, the duties, they discharge, are very much like the duty, discharged by the other Nursing Personnel, such as, Assistant Matron, Sister Staff Nurse and Auxiliary Mid-wife Nurse (AMN).
34. A perusal of various duties entrusted to Nursing Assistant, so mentioned in the Annexure-R-I, particularly, item Nos. No. 9,10,14,16 & 17, makes it more than clear. In above view of the matter too, the writ petitioners, who are already held to be the Nursing Personnel, are well entitled to claim Nursing Allowance (N.A.), aforementioned and their claim to Nursing Allowance (N.A), therefore, cannot be rejected only for their not possessing special professional 13 qualification as contended by the appellants herein."
6. The learned counsel appearing for the parties also fairly submits that the judgment and order of the said Division Bench dated 25-5-2012 passed in writ appeal No. [SH] 1/2011 had been complied with and the nursing assistant 51 (fifty-one) in number who are the respondents in writ appeal No. [SH] 1/2011 are allowed to enjoy the allowance under the said government notification. As the judgment and order of the said Division Bench dated 25-5-2012 passed in the writ appeal No.[SH] 1/2011 filed by the present respondents had attained finality, there is no scope for re-opening the said judgment and order of the learned Division Bench.
7. In view of the matters, this writ petition is disposed of with the direction that the benefit of the earlier judgment and order of the Division Bench dated 25- 5-2012 passed in writ appeal No.[SH] 1/2011 shall also be extended to the present writ petitioners. In other words, the present writ petitioners shall be allowed to enjoy the same benefits as granted to the respondents of the writ appeal No. [SH]1/2011 within a period of 4(four) months from the date of receipt of the certified copy of this judgment and order.
8. Writ petition is allowed.
CHIEF JUSTICE (ACTING) S.Rynjah 14