40. So far as judgments cited by learned counsel for opposite parties are concerned, Supreme Court in the case of Shesh Mani Shukla (supra) has held that where appointment is in contravention of statutory provision, it would be illegal and thus void ab initio, the said aspect has clearly been considered by Supreme Court itself in Lalit Kumar Verma (supra) therefore there is a distinction between an appointment which is completely in contravention of statutory provision and where the statutory provision has been substantially complied with and only irregularity is noticed. The aforesaid judgment therefore is clearly distinguishable in the facts and circumstances of the case.
41. Learned counsel has also placed reliance on judgments rendered in the case of R. Viswantha Pillai (supra). However the said judgment is clearly inapplicable since it pertains to appointment being obtained on the basis of fraud claiming the appointee having belonged to a scheduled caste community where it was found that he did not belong to the aforesaid category. The aforesaid case where appointment has been obtained on the basis of submission of a false caste certificate is clearly distinguishable and inapplicable in the present case.
In the case of M.S. Patil (supra) the petitioner therein had been continuing in service only on account of interim orders passed by the court which was held not to confer any substantive right on the person. Evidently the said judgment does not apply where the petitioner has not continued in service on the basis of any interim order passed by this Court.
43. The aspect of fraud vitiating any solemn act as enunciated in the case of Ram Chandra Singh (supra) would apply in cases where fraud is perpetuated but in the considered opinion of this Court, would not be applicable in the present case where there is no allegation of any fraud on the part of petitioner with the only allegation being of suppression of fact.
45. Learned counsel for opposite parties however has placed reliance on judgment rendered in the case of Government of Andhra Pradesh and others (supra) in which paragraph 16 is as follows:-
40. So far as judgments cited by learned counsel for opposite parties are concerned, Supreme Court in the case of Shesh Mani Shukla (supra) has held that where appointment is in contravention of statutory provision, it would be illegal and thus void ab initio, the said aspect has clearly been considered by Supreme Court itself in Lalit Kumar Verma (supra) therefore there is a distinction between an appointment which is completely in contravention of statutory provision and where the statutory provision has been substantially complied with and only irregularity is noticed. The aforesaid judgment therefore is clearly distinguishable in the facts and circumstances of the case.