Karnataka High Court
B Chinnaswamy vs The Management Of Karnataka on 14 March, 2011
Equivalent citations: 2011 LAB. I. C. 2659, 2011 (2) AIR KANT HCR 795, (2011) 3 KANT LJ 27, 2011 (3) KCCR SN 225 (KAR)
Author: A.N.Venugopala Gowda
Bench: A.N.Venugopala Gowda
IN THE HIGH COURT 0? :~<ARNm"m<A AT BANGfi«L€)f§E
mcrab THIS THE 14*' my arr MARCH,
BEFORE
THE H{Z>f\§'BLE MR. JUSTICE AN, \f EVf\b3%J{:§C).?k3;L;*\::§C}"'v*§!Sf3\ " ''
WRIT PETm<::N N0.4484%:2t31;1"}:.LL~»K'3ém'}
i3ETWE§E\3:
B.CH1NNAswmvw', J .
E3/O. LATE 8ASAVARA3AI}'~',.H_,
AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS,' " '-- A}
R/AT E\30.3, KSRTC SENIOR '_ V' ~ .
QFFECERS QL3ARTER.S,:'fB.T.'3g R.:,:zAȣ>V,
BANGALORE :PETLETIONER
(av M/S.%..c,S';.::'%v\f';m;gA;<,¢g':\:;ég*t'r~i: &,.,,AS§3OCIATES, ADVS.)
AND: V % . % . %
1, THE :v:'2;r§:As:3E§ezE.'§e5€ 'O:§§K4ARNATAKA
STATE RG.£§xB'TRAN'SPORT CORPGRATIGN,
,.C§--ENT~RAL OF?7I§:_E, },<Z.H.ROAD_,
"?>AN~.@1?xi;:ORE -- 56:3 027"
» '-.GiVi:vP'ERSC}i\1__NEL xgmcg
" __T.R'E.c:}5¥' {T3 CHIEF LAW CIFFICER.
2.' .._$ TA*:E'::}E'%}:ARmATAs<A,
{§EP')'3gRTMENT 0? TRANSPORT,
RE'F?._E5Y PRINCIPAL $ECRETARY,
' " *E\fi.S.V'BUILm?\J{3S, BANGALORE.
4 cw" .
"'s-EIMAGING EZIERECTQR,
:»<;aR:x;;xm+<A STATE mag
"§§;fi«§'xE§?GRT CmmRm":o;xs§
{Q
CENTRAL GFFECE,
SHANTHINAGAR,
BANGALORE.
4. MANfi\G1NG DIRECTOR,
BANGALQRE METROPOLITAN
TRANSPQRT CQRPGRATION,
CENTRAL OFFICE, SHANTHINAGA~R,._ :
BANGALORE. "
5. gm EVEAHADEVA, %
AGED ABOUT 55 YEARS, ' V
5/02. LATE SUNDARA RAM, ~.
CAO-FA, METROPCLITAN TR~ANF3--PC}~RT
CORPORATION, s<.R.'??~£3A9.;"
BANGALORE ~ 560 0:a--7_T-. '-
(R2 TO R5 W_WE'_: 8E,¥E'i'*'é"ft'/§1i4§i;EzixI;').§'k".> x.!}:f:jV§'
COURT oR:§Ep,.VLL3-ATED 4.;2',2'm__ 1}.' ~»
~ ~ " WRESPONDENTS
(BY sR3:i'3AGA:jL:EE§FA; "r4L}:x§:f)-ARG":';"'A'tfiA FOR R2;
Sm. 5HwETs+~1.4§';xN'AN'i3.,__.:a.z:>v. FDR R1, R3 8: R4;
SR1P,R.,_RAME§5.Ffi«,AD§I';._FgT)R RE)
Ti~i§.S' wR;I"¥7_i2E;?I_T1'€3KE\d IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES
226;»»:W;>L'~227 OP""7m..5_'CONSTITUTION GF mam, PRAYING
V TG.«_?VCgLJ;5{I§A¥E ":""1.HE IMPUGNED ORDER QATED 19.1§2e11,
"'Asm.Ex:_:fF€--f«%.";§ i..:N so FAR AS THE F9E"¥"ETIQNER ES
€:'<:Ars1f<:"E;<2«:x;iE§';._."ri«:ow1a~»;«3 THE SAME AS ELLEGAL, am IN
; LAW44}£1faE{}.¢VA'R"f3ITRARY.
'"»jrH:§ PETITEON COMING om FSR PRELIMENARY
% s--i%:;-:és":e;:{Ar*s<,:@ m: 'B' saws? firms am»; THE mum" MASE THE
T ~»F€}L.L®i?'»JEE\éG:
2.')
ORDER
The cantyoversy in this writ petiizien is to a de.:%_$§0n cf the Managing Director, Karnataka State ReadHj'§"'%éif";§L;:«.é'rt Ccrparatian QKSRTC), tgansferring the petitiovéi' gast of Chief Accaunts Gfficer & 5-i'r1"ar:ci'aAi "g»f8.ci~,'}4i' s:ATe'V:r'4_{V(V:2/»§--'ii3V V FA}. Bangatore Metrogolitarz ;'Frja:i--zsf.A'p'Tert?»"._C0.t'p«0%$i:'i~Q»fi'~._ (3:vm::),. ta the post of CA0' Nérth "9-\!¢';§:tu¥fvéV%:1'a'£aka " V Road Transport Corporatiton Hubali;"--~ 2: The short regime-__efi;_the~--..§;aée,._ reéevant for the purpose of determinatianV--€§.f:the~.c§}n{?c,vVé':9sy"'may be stated thus:
in exercise of the power _c~' "c i :.:C:i14€;2'r"E"::5§. iLs:':d'e:rg SV,3 0: R036} "i"'r'a':'::;;::C:r"L' C0r'p0r*ati0i'a Act, 'sijzvort 'the Act') by issuing a Natification A%"';ast-a'::11is:*ééa;i,,"_the-:"KSRTc with effect from 1.8.1961. The Stafiia C3..gjxke.=€§nie{:t estabiished BMYCK NWKRTC 81 NEKRTC, "wi:r::_ efreét fram 1$.08,:§9?, 11.11499? and 15.08.2900 'rvégpgéttivefyx Er: iermg of 3,14, fiach 9f the Cerpcraiéong ,..réS a MD agsé 3 CA5} 8; ?~",& agpiinéeé $2 the Siam Geveremeeti. Section 1?A{2){<:§) prevides that, subsidiary Cerporetéoe shat! have 3 MD, CAO 8: FA er a CAO»ce.;h--:FA, and such Officers Sealé be apeeéeted by Geverrzmeet. sectioe 25(2) provides that, 'é:.lVr'}_e""-F?f%E9 jshés: b§f 1' ' the executive head of the Cer:Vee}et'Eo.fi"«._an'd.e 'e!EV,_ef§*aef1 Offieere and emmoyees ef, thev4'wCe'rfiora*£3"F¥."'3!':a»3t':. 'i:«sé"'-- eeberdinate to him" Section provi'<:¥_e_s"A*;f5:.at;'el'?1VV!§ ehait V Obtain the views cf CA{3..V_3L Fixer"eg;{j:eA;_gm~FA"'aeVVVthe case may be, an every ?Vinv;e§3'\?E[1,e}"_'_. revenues, er expenditureg §fc"Q'm'V1'-theefund?of-.fEé'ef.Cefperatéon and sheik cause Suck? ,b'e{'j'.-pAt"ec_e:d 'b;efore the Board for its <:GnsEde_rat_Eon7 The pVeV3:EtAiAo_ee~:';nV who hetd the pest of Divisionai «.._ACes=i§f:E:~oi;§'e:r in thex"i<':"§--v----*§*C was promoted and posted as (SAC) <;'f '_E\i'AfE*<vP§_{'E'»iZf"e'eyrx'-..26.1{),2004. The State Government by Eestgfeg e."§L§J'iefi§:ff:ation eated 05.88.2009, transferred and ",_p0ste<:* fine eetétioeer as CAO 8; PA of E5MTC* The saie pest;
":. '=.n;VE*;:i{':'§*js was e Selection Grade poet was upgraded pursuant 5;; Reeefutien em:?e dated zeeezeee gr KSRTC; ta that 2 ea 'Ji ei" Supertiree Scale. The State Government by issuing a Netificetien dated 06.01.2010, prorrretee' and Contihaied the petrtierier in the upgraded post. The MD,
18.,O1i20:3_, orderee the transfer of petitienVe»r"'-tit) K "
of CA3 & FA, NWKRTC, Hubii. Thefiii respcsiid-:enii;_"ii-s_iji.q"s.>%i¢s"1 working as CAQ at PA of NWKRTC,4t'sJAEZiS._iir€i3%'if;3§E§'Ti'f€G"
post, which the petitioner BMTC.._V_ "A;i's;irEV'e?ji/eti, the V petitioner has filed thisiwréit pehtiitibgik 4; Learned (ZO[7i_f1V_S:€!._<Ir§§i3é*ai'§'r*i§">.§'Qit.V--'thfi' petitioner azcmteedee the't;"triee§fin.g3._i'eiga"rr:i .'tC>:ti5ie..ertier passed by the State C3'tj4§?Vei'rrihivi.erzter: eppoihting the petitioner te the ecpst «0fVCAVO'j& and the Notification dated 06.01,,2{}1C)4"'prt3inei;inr;;_arse ctmténuing the petitioner in the eest eVr're'""**the provisions tinder S5. 15(1) and *C:?i€3..ACiZ, it must be heici that, the appeiritment te' pQ.Stn:'?.i:f:: CAO 8i FA er Cfi\O"*Ci§FY}~§:A, shaii be by the '<._State 'f5e':xerement end it is the State Government atone has; the tjzevrer ta transfer CAO 8: §-"A or CAO«cui'i"i~FA et a Ceteeretiee and it ie the State iaeverhment which here Z", > 6 been exercising the Said power $iE'tCE3 the eetabiéehment of the fear COr';3€}r'at%OfE$ and hence, the impugned aciiehfprder of the MQ pf KSRYC is iitegai. Learned Cpuheet eehtehds that, the MD pf KSRTC has usurpe§§.:t'E=;e pewer of State Governmeht; in purperted exe-r"5;:iS'e:' pewer under 315(1) ef the Act: er...the d_--é'ree't'Ee_:}.éV'''iwsV$a;;edv_ '"
under $.34 of the Act; which are pzéiy fhr r.!'r'mié:ed~
5. Smt. Shwethe Ananci', "*Eearh»e'a':,: e0u:;§s.eE appearing for KSRTC, an the _harrVéii'-r::{5h'ii:er"s'<:;i:;e<3' that, the MD has the heCes'a:e'§'r,z acfm{hAiv§t«r;:»£:§'ve% control" over the CA0 the"_bf'e§}isiehs under 315(1) of the Ac;:§_a:h_&' aiee."fifVhe«_:V.'['d§p§f'3.:tEohs issued by the State Gpver_:§me:€f:'..En" £«2>V<ere':':;:e"'xi'>:f the pewer under 8.34 of the ._,_ACtv;f;?~e$§i:r1g.e_ pev\rers------§--h"the MD 0? KSRTC, rm the Cadre and L_'F{eer'uipt%'h;e':"ri"¥§'e*guEations ef the newly estabtished three :e*e*c%*s"a:»e_'réééméied. She eubmitted that, xserc {Cadre & 'V._"Recra:rhfr2'eht) Reguiatiehs, Q82 apply to aii the RTCs, they have pet framed their own Cadre arid ' Recruitment Reguiaiiened Leemee C§*U¥"'tS€§ eehshittee ehet, s? /S, the petitioner has eniy eeen deputed to work as CAO 8: FA, NWKRTC and hence, no interference in the matter _4i.s c:_-;;i'Ee_d for.
6. Sri Puttige R, Rameeh, Ee.a'r":2ve{ii'_Vv t:eu'nVs;e.iu 'V appearing for the 5"' :*espor*:een.:; "th'a"i*_{V.t_the_it Officers; werking in the cadrer'bf«--..f;;i\OV--'&._ in F§t§TCS in the State are interfiehangeiabiie', --VV_V_MereE§r_:tf3eca;eee the petitioner has been g;,.W7¥§,':c;t_ec5V: Scaie, there is no prehibitien tie. p0st:.~hia.€_'V"F\EWKRTC. He submitted t.h;at",4 t¥3:_4e:£a r§\§!é'reitiuctien in the pay and eajvnvaccount of his posting as CAQ' 8; L.-earned counset adopted the stand Anand with regard to the eenjeeteiacy et' MIT}, KSRTC, in the matter of transfer :'a'a.dR ee1'st§ne'«..Qf the petitioner and the 5"' respondent. }"it.e'é:i:"r_'_niAeVC:i' submitted that, in eursuance at the imeagnved wzfder the 5"' reseendem: has reported te duty 3 ,u:an.a:i__ hence the writ petitien hag heconje infrectuous. '*2 rii'
7. Sri Jagadish ¥'v'1um:ia:*gi, teamed Addi.
Gavernment Advocate, agpearing for the State Government contended that, so far as the appointme"h*tTto the Qegts Q1' MD and {LAC} St FA, of the Cor*porat.i..s:/7.}'"4i_{§).' concerned, it is the State Gavernment which Ml')a"s:._Vthé_t.'pdwér:
and authority by virtue of 3,14 of::'tI%é"_Ac:v.'ttme-:'g{§_i't;.%:§:§"é'm'. that, even the KSRTC _.{Cadr4e7.."'a_nd Regisiatiorzs, 1982 aiso make 'i'tg:a"'b~4ndantly'"c!:éar;7tttét the appdintment to the post tertdsl {if 3.14 of the Act. Learned mange! is the State Gcwernment W.;a'i":§t2;jV1'appidinted'thdgfiéatithipidéétér ta the post of CAQ -- issuing Notification dated
05.G8,2O'Gw9L"and' was upgraded to fiupertime Sc:ak;--:;j,"'it.. is a'g;a_éh' tiui; State Cidvernrrsent, by issue of V:I'~2'0«t_»§Vt"r""1Catf'i.%.;€A:;er':.Vidated {)6tC%1.2G1Q, promoted and cczntinued "me?'_péta:§:i't;_n'_e{fag CAO 8L FA (Supertime Scaie) at Bzvm;
tea'tned..._"cjtmsez submitted that, the MD, KSR"§"C has no _f1:;a:u_$r its' stransfet or depute the CA0 8: FA :9 the RTCS in E issued. The main gf"Gi§f}{§ raised aiifi urged is that, a oarson appointed as? CAO & FA in an RTC, cannot be transferred by the MD of a Corporation and the order passed against the petitioner is iiiagai' :10, It is trite that, the Court sham riot A' with the transfer order made in :~g3'é}'bE-isit. 'i:"iiceijra§t'r'an:o=fi5or"g administrative reasons unless; the traonéfer order was in violation of any manoatory.,i4j"§ifiatutor'y 'r'LiJef*_; our-. 'Von 'the grounds of rnaia fides. Tina scopio jodiciai «ravic-viz in the matter of transfer to 'aria'eoLr.i.§raEen't'V:i.goat.' without any adverse'i'€:onsa§;inen§ié'orérfia se'rVi'Ce or career prospects ia very Ein'i'i?jad,. 5>e.ing.'»'CQnfi.ne§4',=:)niy to the grounds of rnaia fides and vioiati'on_:if an_y"5'pec%fic provision.
"fi:"i'ia State Government has eatabiishad the F<Si+2T_{"i1, "'é'§*r_'i.fni_"_€f:~A;.i:'~i§EWi<RTC a NEKRTC, in exerciae of the _ ooxzvé-r o:_ioori:""S.3 of the Ad; The Corporations are being ;rr:.ai3age'o"' or their respective Board of Directors. The State i._'{§o%£ernn*iant has aoooénieo N18,. CAO 8: FA; to each of the rams in are Stiata. ;'5i§§er" oia egragsiisamarir of arvircf, 32':
._w'' , ..
?\JWKR"%"C & NEKRTC, State Gevernmerét issued the Qrderg dated 22.m:i99? and C¥5.£}8,2GOO; in exercise ,;;i'%.i_::s3Ve power §.i§'"%$8i' $.34 of the Act. The pr'ima_i_;""€i'i§--?3'$3§Cii§"r:.iVii'*_ therefsre, which arises for Ccmsideratign is;--i.e¢:fi'.?:€iz--@:r..th£{"
MD, KSRTC can be said to have the gowfzef¥r'4'apf'i and posting sf CA6 8: FA of the C;orpiji'a_iji{:n.
12. Ordinariiy, the .§raii'$f*c_=:_i{ in the empioyer. Such powei,i-._.i£::9xh;e;ifeif_¥ sutijeict to the statutory provisions opzgraiihnig scheme of the Act piaY_$3.":aii;;1ii'i»ifi:pgS':tai:2ii'. ro:_ies...V'".§:'rthe instant case, having ::*ie'g'"a's'i=d;'§io 'prfiwg-ions;"§*:t5'riiiai:':ed under 8. 14(1), 1 am of 1.:i2.e"apErnioVi1':'.i;':§=:at,.QfiiséiMD, KSRTC has ne [newer 01' §rarisfe_;"rEng--i""as':'<:3' V;;3C2siii*:ji'g"~~-Lin Officer as CAO 8: FA. The ""~..,$tat.:';it':'i3,*;»_.,i3xpreséi§'------€a'nfers the power on the State 1iif;§{?\'fTEE'Fif}I'3'§.tf'3;i'ii*.iZ4"¥'Ti:Va--§jpUiflt the MD, CAO & FA 03' CAG*Cum~FA, aitef"V€he_é.e'éi;§i3§is§*3ment of Road Trangpert C(}i"DUE"3Ei0I'iS. 'v._f}'"he A~r:i{jwVa$ amenéed with effect: from 1311,1982, A ..:i_';'.'2isé§'¥:é_.ng Chagter {IA L9,, Sectimi :",?'A, which gmvicied for éé§:abiéshmem*{ sf subsédiagy Cargeratisrif in whim event is 7 afse, ME) anci CAO 8: PA or C1AOwcum~FA, can be appqfhted oniy by the State Government.
13. The State Government in e:><e'rci_s§,_{'fjfi.tE*::é;:'~p§v.r9éz'r*4j ' under S*1rfé{:t_} appointed the 81*/ETC, The MD, as the execwve fiea'é-..of thé«".rC?:fiv'r;i'ora:fi.{3n = and at! other Officers and eréipfijyees €:£f _t'f1e- -IC§§rpVr§Vratren being subordinate to .E'1':h'*.r.1, r§'f~..s.asbw'§é{iti'&§Va (1) of Section 15 of the Act,'VisrAV;§§'rfi§rtefii:¢"£;3~V'.i[r¢_23ve taken the decisren to 'tr2s_g.:";'s'§'%*~V=»_VLr:f'--t:hé=A._At3e§'i§f.%br§t2Ar:'»'Léfu£i.fifeSfmpugned order was igsuedf V'§:;fV'A§.9»vér under $.34 of the Act, a:a:«r:"ri{ét'v:C0:3fer on the MD of a Corgoraivtieh ef agpointment: of a CAO 8:, FA of tr1é'«.Roa,dV'V-T§'e3_%3¥s;:i'rjrt Corporation or a subsidiary 8.3?! not prax/Ede for Such defegation. It 'r§,:.v.'::rzts--:j 'ih:at;"-we-.statutory pgwer can be exerctseé oniy in this rfi«annér7Li;;'rr5vided by the gtatute and wot otherwisey x 3.4}. The resuitant positien fig that, the Managing , $v§fEV"€--C§i}§'" aaminteé $32 the $tat:e Gavemment has rm _,;3§:3}§?§Q?'E§C'y' :3 Etrartsfer ;' daputa an Gffémr §§p§é:2te§ ag CA3 %§;.f"