Calcutta High Court (Appellete Side)
Hiranand Sharma vs Union Of India & Ors on 14 September, 2011
Author: Ashim Kumar Banerjee
Bench: Ashim Kumar Banerjee
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Form No. J.(2)
IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA
Constitutional Writ Jurisdiction
Appellate Side
Present :
The Hon'ble Mr. Justice Ashim Kumar Banerjee
And
The Hon'ble Justice Dr. Mrinal Kanti Chaudhuri
W.P.C.T. No.212 of 2011
Hiranand Sharma
-VS-
Union of India & Ors.
For the Petitioners : Mr. Bhubaneswar Sinha Roy
For the Respondents : Mr. Priyabrata Mukherjee
Heard on : September 7, 2011.
Judgment on : September 14, 2011.
ASHIM KUMAR BANERJEE.J:
The petitioner claimed that he had rendered voluntary service to the Railways
acting as a Ticket Collector at Burdwan Railway Station for years together.
Hence, he should be considered for regular appointment. He approached the
Tribunal. The Tribunal rejected his case. Hence, this petition.
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Mr. Roy, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner filed a written
argument inter alia raising the following issues -
i) It was not possible for the petitioner to arrange for proof for the service
rendered by him voluntarily. Hence, the Railway should be asked to
produce records to find out veracity of such claim.
ii) The Railway Board Circulars referred to in the judgment would have no
application in the instant case.
iii) The fact that the petitioners served the railway voluntarily, must carry
weightage while considering his prayer for regularisation.
iv) Once the railway recognised the volunteers and shortlisted them there
was no scope to ignore the petitioner.
v) The Tribunal did not discuss in detail before coming to conclusion that
the petitioner had not been able to justify his claim
While elaborating his submission, Mr. Roy relied on the Railway Board
Circular No.220 of 1986 dated November 17, 1986 that would recognize
voluntary service being given to the Railway Administration. The Railway
Administration was cautioned that in future they should not engage any
person on "daily" or "voluntary" or "rate" basis. He relied on Section 22 of
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the Administrative Tribunal Act, 1985 wherein the Tribunal was given power
as a Civil Court to appoint Commissioner to find out a state of fact. Mr. Roy
contended that it was a fit and proper case where this Court should appoint
an independent agency to find out the veracity of the claim. Mr. Roy also
vouched the claim of the petitioner as and by way of his special knowledge,
rather he was prepared to be the witness to support the claim of his client.
On the issue of judicial activism, Mr. Roy relied on a passage from the article
titled "role of judiciary in the present day context" by Binod Kumar Roy, J.
wherein Lord Denning was quoted as under :-
"every new decision or every new situation is a development of law. Law does not stand still. It moves continually. Once this is recognized, then the task of the judge is put on a higher plane. He must consciously seek to mould the law so as to serve the needs of the time. He must not be a mere mechanic, a mere working mason laying brick on brick, without thought to the overall design. He must be an architect thinking of the structure as a whole building for the society, a system of law, which is strong, durable and just. It is on his work the civilised society depends."
Mr. Roy lastly contended that all other similarly circumstanced persons were considered for regular appointment in terms of earlier orders passed from 4 time to time by the Tribunal. Hence, the identical benefit should be extended to the petitioner. Mr. Roy relied on the Apex Court decision in the case of Sri-la Sri Subramania Desika Gnanasambanda Pandarasannidi -VS- State of Madras and Another reported in All India Reporter 1965 Supreme Court Page- 1578.
Opposing the application Mr. Priyabrata Mukherjee, learned counsel appearing for the Railway contended that the claim of the petitioner could not be considered in absence of evidence. Moreover even if his claim is given full credence there would be no law which could support his claim after the Apex Court decision in the case of Secretary, State of Karnataka - VS- Uma Devi reported in 2006 Volume-IV Supreme Court Cases page-1. Mr. Mukherjee contended that the voluntary service, if any, rendered by the petitioner could not give any right to him to claim appointment or regularisation. To become a railway employee, the petitioner would have to compete for a regular recruitment process along with all eligible candidates and become successful for the same. His past service, if 5 any, rendered to the Railway on voluntary basis or otherwise would have no role to play. Mr. Mukherjee prayed for dismissal of the writ petition. Law is settled by Uma Devi (Supra). The public authority are not entitled to give appointment to any one without following a regular recruitment process and without giving opportunity to the eligible candidates to compete for the post in a suitable level playing field. The petitioner claimed that he served the railway voluntarily. Assuming his claim was correct that would not, per se, give any right to the petitioner.
Compassionate appointments are not unknown. However, such appointments could only be given in case of an employee dying in harness or someone loses his means of livelihood by losing his landed property acquired for public purpose. Rendering voluntary service does not come within the scope of compassionate appointment. Except compassionate appointment there is no other mode of appointment ignoring the regular recruitment process.
There is no law to support the claim of the petitioner for regularisation. If the petitioner is otherwise eligible he may compete for the post in a regular 6 recruitment process. While doing so, he would have no benefit for his voluntary service, if any, rendered to the railways. He would be treated at par with all eligible candidates and the best one is to be selected for the post. The Tribunal very rightly rejected his prayer that does not call for any interference.
The application fails and is hereby dismissed.
There would be however no order as to costs.
Urgent Photostat copy will be given to the parties, if applied for. Dr. Mrinal Kanti Chaudhuri, J:
I agree.
[ASHIM KUMAR BANERJEE,J.] [DR. MRINAL KANTI CHAUDHURI,J.]