Shankara Co-Op. Housing Society Ltd vs M. Prabhakar & Ors on 5 May, 2011
13. Mr. Y. V. Giri, learned Senior Counsel, in his
submission, has laid great emphasis on the failure, on the part of
respondent Nos. 12 to 13, to file objection against their non selection
within a reasonable time. He has submitted that they did not raise
any objection after selection and appointment of the appellants
herein either before the selection committee or before the statutory
Appellate Authority immediately after the appellants were
appointed. He has submitted that for the first time, they raised their
grievance before the Appellate Authority after the matter was
remanded by an order of this court dated 09.04.2012 passed in
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CWJC No. 194 of 2011. He, therefore, submits that the Appellate
Authority, by the impugned order, dated 18.07.2012, had rightly
refused to consider the case of respondents 2nd set, their claim being
time barred. He has placed reliance upon Supreme Court's decisions,
reported in 2009 (2) PLJR 929 (Alok Kumar v. the State of Bihar,
(2011) 5 SCC 607 (S. Co-operative Housing Society Ltd. v. M
Prabhakar & Ors) and (2012) 7 SCC 610 (Vijay Kumar Kaul &
Ors. v. Union of India & Ors) in support of his submission that
delay and laches is an important factor to be borne in mind, while
deciding the dispute between the parties. He has contended that in
the facts and circumstances of the case learned single Judge
committed an error, while interfering with the order of the Appellate
Authority. He has submitted that the respondents 2nd set had not
raised their claim before the appropriate forum/authority/ court
within a reasonable time and their claims ought to have been refused
as they were guilty of unexplained delay and laches. He has referred
to Annexure-2 to the writ application, which has been described as
"counter affidavit on behalf of respondent No.8" in CWJC No. 194
of 2011. It seems from the said affidavit that Mukhiya of Matiaria
Gram Panchayat was respondent No. 8 in CWJC No. 194 of 2011.
However, the said counter affidavit appears not to have been filed by
the Mukhiya of the Gram Panchayat, rather, by defeated Mukhiya of
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the Gram Panchayat. The said affidavit is said to have been filed by
her as the matter related to her tenure as Mukhiya of the Gram
Panchayat in question. She has stated that it was a false statement
that any force was used by the husband of present deponent over
then Panchayat Secretary and his signature was obtained on
appointment letters forcibly.