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Rajasthan High Court · body

2005 DIGILAW 2394 (RAJ)

RSRTC v. .

2005-09-08

R.S.CHAUHAN

body2005
Judgment 1. Heard learned Counsel for the parties. 2. These two special appeals raise a common issue about the postings of Booking Clerks at the Bus Stands managed by the Rajasthan State Roadways Transport Corporation (RSRTC). 3. The dispute raised in these two appeals is in respect of two separate petitioners, though the controversy is not first of its kind and there are chain of decisions earlier thereto dwelling on the same controversy. As the reply has been submitted by the Corporation only in S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 2679/2004 (decided on 20.07.2004), out of which D.B. Civil Special Appeal No. 543/2004 has arisen, we may first notice the facts whose averments have been made in the Writ Petition No. 2679/2004. 4. Facts about D.B. Special Appeal (Writ) No. 543/2004 (S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 2679/2004, Babula Sharma vs. State & Ors. 5. The petitioner was appointed as a Conductor under the Corporation on 01.04.1977 in the regular pay scale. Until 1984-1985, he worked as Conductor on different routes. Under Service Regulation Chapter 20, was included a post by nomenclature “Adda Conductor” (Parichalak) which name was re-designated as Booking Clerk. The Nomenclature was changed by the Board vide Circular dated 13.03.1980 which was issued in pursuance of Resolution of the Board dated 16.04.1979 affirming the settlements arrived at between different Unions working amongst the different Departments of the Corporation. In respect of the Charter on 21.02.1979 minutes were drawn on 22.02.1979. The said Circular dated 13.03.1980 has been placed on record as Annexure R/1. 6. The significant conditions of Annexure-R/1 were firstly that apart from changing the Nomenclature of post of “Adda Conductor” to the Booking Clerk, it was envisaged that a State Level Seniority list shall be prepared of all the Conductors working under the Corporation and they shall be appointed in order of their seniority as Booking Clerks. It was given out that no new posts shall be created. As a matter of fact, the post of Booking Clerk which was earlier post of Ministerial Staff be treated as a dying cadre in other words new recruitment to the original post of Booking Clerk was stopped and in its place the need of filling up the post of Booking Clerks at various Bus stands was to be fulfilled by manning the post from amongst senior conductors on the post of Booking Clerk in order of their seniority. It was also envisaged in the Order dated 13.03.1980 that those conductors who were not interested to discharge the duties or the responsibilities of Booking Clerk, they may continue to work as Conductors, but they will be deprived of promotion in future. 7. Another Circular dated 112.1980 (Annexure R/2) was issued as a policy matter by the Corporation in pursuance of the settlement arrived at between the workmen and the employer through a committee constituted in terms of settlement dated 21.02.1979. Thereafter, the embargo on promotion that “unless a Conductor is appointed and discharging his duties of Booking Clerk”, was removed. These conditions were reiterated in later Circular dated 21.08.1981 (Annexure R/3). The embargo against the promotion on “Adda Conductor” was removed by Circular dated 210.1991(Annexure R/4). 8. These Circulars clearly gave out that primarily it was the necessity of the Corporation to fill up the post of Booking Clerks from amongst the Senior Conductors who are brought on the post of Booking Clerk, which otherwise could not be filled by Booking Clerks cadre, which had been declared as dying cadre. This also cannot be disputed and denied that for advance booking of tickets for bus journey and booking of seats at Bus Stand itself , there has to be some man at the Booking Counter. It is not the case of the Corporation that there is no advance booking of seats for any journey or that all tickets are required to be issued by the Conductor to passengers on Board only. .9. Therefore, this alternative arrangement was necessity of the Corporation, which brought about change in the policy that instead of having a direct recruitment to the post of Booking Clerk as a part of Ministerial Staff of the Corporation as it was earlier, it came to be filled up from amongst Conductors in order of their Seniority. To call it otherwise, it was a parity of giving Senior Conductors an office parity to discharge the work of Booking Clerk at Bus Stand. Bus Stand is colloquially known as “Bus Adda”. That explains earlier nomenclature of “Adda Conductors”. .10. It was in this scenario, the petitioner came to be posted as Booking Clerk. .11. To call it otherwise, it was a parity of giving Senior Conductors an office parity to discharge the work of Booking Clerk at Bus Stand. Bus Stand is colloquially known as “Bus Adda”. That explains earlier nomenclature of “Adda Conductors”. .10. It was in this scenario, the petitioner came to be posted as Booking Clerk. .11. From 1984-1985, the appellant-petitioner was appointed as Booking Clerk which was a post encadred under the Conductor Staff and since then he was continuing working as Booking Clerk until by order dated 29.06.2004, which has been passed purportedly in compliance of the directions issued by Corporation on 02.07.2003 directing the petitioner that with immediate effect he be reverted to the post of conductor on route. .12. This led to filing of S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 2679/2004 (D.B. Special Appeal (Writ) No. 543/2004 13. The petitioner has referred to in his petition two decisions of the Rajasthan High Court, one a Single Bench Decision in Rajasthan State Roadways Employees Union (AITUC) & Ors. vs. Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation & Ors., reported in 2002 (2) WLC page 166 (Rajasthan) and second in Bhagwan Singh & 5 Ors. vs. RSRTC & Anr., reported in 2002 (1) WLC page 554 (Rajasthan). In which certain directions were issued by the Court to deal with the controversy arising out of reversion of the Booking Clerk (Formerly known as “Adda Clerks”) in the background noticed above. For regulating the circumstances in which incumbents were brought as Booking Clerk who were reverted back to be posted as conductor. 14. Adverting to the reply submitted by the respondents, it is also apposite to notice that a conductor on route is required to have a license of conductor and is also required to carry with him a Conductors badge under the Motor Vehicles Act. Keeping in view this requirement for a Conductor on route, the Corporation by another order has directed that the conductors who are posted as Booking Clerks shall not be required to get their Conductors license renewed, nor they will be required to carry Conductors badge. .15. Keeping in view this requirement for a Conductor on route, the Corporation by another order has directed that the conductors who are posted as Booking Clerks shall not be required to get their Conductors license renewed, nor they will be required to carry Conductors badge. .15. The primary contention of the petitioner, apart from the aforesaid background emerging from the pleadings and the proceedings, which we shall presently refer to, was founded on the basis that the .impugned order is contrary and in violation of the terms and conditions imposed by this Court by the aforesaid two decisions referred to in the memo of petition in dealing with the situation where a Senior most conductor amongst the persons who have been posted from the post of Conductor to the post of Booking Clerks, if there are surplus Booking Clerks, the junior most conductor posted as a Booking Clerk, can be reverted back to be posted as a conductor in the first instance. 16. While the facts noticed by us above, including the existence of two Judgment s, are not a matter of contentions between the parties, the principal burden of the reply is that the petitioner was not initially appointed on the post of Booking Clerk and there is no post with the nomenclature of the Booking Clerk in the Schedule-I to the Rajasthan State Transport Employees Service Regulations, 1965 and, therefore, it is absolutely incorrect to state that the petitioner was ever absorbed on the post of Booking Clerk. However, the fact is not disputed that under the Heading Traffic Staff post of “Adda Conductor,” which post is re-designated as “Booking Clerk” in the circumstances noticed above, and Conductor are mentioned and exists which carry same pay scale. 17. Apparently, the reply is contradictory in terms which denies the existence of the post of Booking Clerk under the Regulation and on the other hand, it admits in re-nomenclature of post of Adda Clerk as Booking Clerk. However, we can say that the post of Booking Clerk was existed in original in Ministerial Clerical cadre and amongst Traffic Cadre existed a post of “Adda Conductor”. “Adda Conductors” posts under the Traffic Staff was re-designated as Booking Clerk as aforesaid, and was envisaged to be manned from amongst conductors in order of their seniority. 9.18. However, we can say that the post of Booking Clerk was existed in original in Ministerial Clerical cadre and amongst Traffic Cadre existed a post of “Adda Conductor”. “Adda Conductors” posts under the Traffic Staff was re-designated as Booking Clerk as aforesaid, and was envisaged to be manned from amongst conductors in order of their seniority. 9.18. It is difficult to understand the argument that merely because change of nomenclature by which the post of Booking Clerk was filled up under the new arrangement, could effect the existence of post of Booking Clerk. To run the booking counters for the public traveling at the Bus Stands, cannot be said to be a non-existing post. It is not difficult to envision issuance of tickets at booking windows by a person, in whatever manner may be he designated. 10.19. Be that as it may, that dispute is not really the bone of contention. The bone of contention is findings by the learned Single Judge that the post of Booking Clerk and Conductor as is now in existence are interchangeable post in the same pay scale and transfer from one duty to another duty namely from the booking window to the on route conductor is not a transfer; nor it affects the rights of the petitioner ever adversely in the matter of promotion or in the service conditions; or no injury is caused to the petitioner which warrants interference. 120. The second burden of the respondents reply is that after giving some details about the background in which the settlement arrived at in the Circular dated 13.03.1980, which has been referred to above, is that in pursuance of requirement of preparing a seniority list of conductors, Adda Clerk/ Booking Clerks seniority was also prepared and Adda Clerk appointed up to 312.1975 only, which accounted for 1998 were included in the said list. No one appointed after 312.1975 has been included in the seniority list. The seniority list was prepared vide order dated 21.08.1981. It has also been brought on record by the respondents that 540 conductors have been retained as Booking Clerk on various Bus Stands or Booking Windows in the State. No one appointed after 312.1975 has been included in the seniority list. The seniority list was prepared vide order dated 21.08.1981. It has also been brought on record by the respondents that 540 conductors have been retained as Booking Clerk on various Bus Stands or Booking Windows in the State. Reference was also made to the Circular dated 17.07.1999 (Annexure R/5) stating that 540 conductors are discharging office duties which is affecting the conduction of the vehicles on the routes and, therefore, directions were issued that leaving aside (i) the conductors who are working as Booking Clerk under the directions of the Court, (ii) the conductors who are physically handicapped or (iii) who has obtained interim orders from the Court, may only be appointed/retained in office duties and lady conductors may be appointed only on enquiry windows and not in the office. Rest all may be redeployed as conductors. 121. Yet another Circular issued on 18.09.2000 (Annexure R/6) referring to the decision of Single Bench decision in S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 5737/1996, appeal against which was dismissed on 18.09.1998, opined that in terms of the aforesaid Judgment , the Corporation has right to take the work of conductors from the persons appointed as Booking Clerk, therefore, the Corporation is free to redeploy the Booking Clerk working on various booking windows as conductors. In other words by this order, the Corporation issued instructions not to deploy the conductors as Booking Clerk and those who are already deployed should be withdrawn except those who are working under the orders of the Courts or physically handicapped or lady conductors. 122. Finally a Circular was issued on 02.07.2003 (Annexure R/7) whereby the Chief Managers of various depots of the Corporation have been directed that only the conductors appointed up to 312.1975 should be kept on the post of Booking Clerk and all the conductors who are appointed on or after 01.01.1976, if they are working on the post of Booking Clerk, may be removed immediately and they may be sent on the route to discharge the duties of the Conductor. In special circumstances, if the work of booking clerks required to be taken from the conductors, then the same may not be taken except with the prior permission of the Head Quarter and the intention was also given out to make appropriate application in pending cases for vacating the interim orders at various stages of pending litigation. .23. On these premises, about the Division Bench decision issuing directions in this regard in Bhagwan Singhs case referred to in the petition, it has been stated in return that the Division Bench in Bhagwan Singhs case (Supra), has not taken notice of the Judgment of the learned Single Judge in S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 5737/1996 decided on 03.08.1998, Surendra Singh Chauhan vs. RSRTC & Ors., In other words, the reply conveys that in the opinion of the Corporation, since the Division Bench in Bhagwan Singhs case having been founded without noticing the earlier decisions in Special Appeal No. 755/1998 affirming the Judgment of the learned Single Judge in S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 5737/1996 decided on 03.08.1998 in Surendra Singh Chauhans case, directions issued by the Court are not binding on the Corporation and it may not be binding precedent, without expressing in so many words. .Facts about Om Prakash (DB Civil Special Appeal (Writ) No. 166/2004 (SB CW No. 4067/2004). 14.24. We may now notice the facts of D.B. Civil Special Appeal No. 166/2004 arising out of the Judgment dated 25.02.2003 passed by learned Single Judge in S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 4067/2002. In this case, the petitioner Om Prakash was appointed on the post of Conductor under the Corporation w.e.f. 01.01.1980 and he was working on the Booking Office since 110.1988. He was transferred to Manpur Booking Window vide order dated 07.02.2002. Thereafter, vide order dated 23.08.2002, the petitioner was ordered to be posted on route for operation of booking window Manpur, which according to the petitioner was contrary to the Circular dated 10.05.1996 issued by the Corporation, and contrary to prevailing policy that the senior conductors are to be posted at booking windows and junior conductors are to be posted on the route. Namely the policy has been envisaged firstly by Circular dated 13.03.1980 and continued vide Circular dated 10.05.1996. Namely the policy has been envisaged firstly by Circular dated 13.03.1980 and continued vide Circular dated 10.05.1996. The petitioner in this case pointed out that at least four persons junior to him namely (1) Nisar Mohammed (2) Dilip Baroth, (3) Mahender Singh and (4) Mahesh Soni were retained as Booking Clerk and has not been asked to go on field. He has challenged the said re-deployment as Conductor on route against the policy of posting senior conductors at the booking windows and only the junior conductors on route. 125. No reply was filed in the writ petition. However, the learned Single Judge vide Judgment under appeal held that the petitioner is not adversely affected and there being no statutory right according to which he was required to be continued as Booking Clerk, the petition was dismissed. However, the respondent was directed to consider the representation/legal notice within a period of two weeks from the date of filing the certified copy of the order about re-considering his case i.e., his transfer on personal reasons pointed out by him. 126. It appears that none of the chain of the Judgment s which we shall presently notice, and which were very much in existence to be referred to at the relevant time before the learned Single Judge have not been brought to the notice of the Court in either case. 127. In S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 1837/1988 Mohan Lal Sharma & 3 Ors. vs. The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation & Anr., the issue was first considered by a learned Single Judge. 128. This was a case in which the petitioner and three others were appointed as conductors in the year 1975. The aforesaid Judgment is referred in four separate writ petitions, in which the petitioners were appointed as conductors in the year 1975. After referring to the chain of events relying on the settlement arrived at between the parties on 21.02.1979 which was approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation vide resolution dated 16.04.1979, the Court noticed that in pursuance of the policy, a State wise seniority list of the conductors was prepared, both the petitioners were earlier assigned the duties of Booking Clerks notwithstanding their appointments as conductors and they continued to work as Booking Clerks in pursuance of the Circular issued by the Corporation. 19.29. 19.29. The Court also noticed that since their appointments were made as Booking Clerk, they did not get their license renewed as per the rules and they did not have in present time valid license under the Motor Vehicle Act, such license must subsist till they hold the posts of Conductor. The petitioners have stated that they did not get their licenses renewed after their posting as Booking Clerks. In first two cases such renewal was not got done for last six years and in other two cases for over four years. In these circumstances, when on 02.06.1988, the Depot Manager, Jaipur (West) issued order and directed the petitioners to report for duty as conductors, it was challenged. The plea of Corporation that cadre of Conductors and Booking Clerks is common and do not exist independently was negatived by the Court. The Court said after noticing the reply submitted in writ petition filed by Shiv Dayal and another that:- “although pay scales of the two posts are identical, their duties are vastly different and that procedure prescribed is to be followed for conversion of a Conductor to a Booking Clerk. In the face of averments made in the reply, it is not possible to accept the submissions made by the learned Counsel for the respondents that cadre of Conductors and Booking Clerks is common. This conclusion is fortified by the fact that the Corporation itself issued circular in the year 1932 and called for option from the existing Conductors to be posted as Booking Clerks. If there had been a common cadre of Conductors and Booking Clerks with interchangeability in their postings, there was no occasion for the Corporation to have invited options from existing Conductors to be posted as Booking Clerks. If the cadre was common, it was open to the Corporation to post a Conductor as a Booking Clerk and vice-versa. Another important factor which makes the two cadres distinguished and independent, is that a person holding the post of Conductor is required to possess a license under the Motor Vehicles Act and such license must subsist till he holds the post of Conductor. All the petitioners have stated that they did not get their licenses renewed after their posting as Booking Clerks. In first two cases such renewal was not got done for six years and in other two cases for over four years. All the petitioners have stated that they did not get their licenses renewed after their posting as Booking Clerks. In first two cases such renewal was not got done for six years and in other two cases for over four years. Their statement has not been controverted by the respondents. If the petitioners did not hold a valid license to act as Conductors, they were liable to be prosecuted if they were treated as part of the cadre of Conductors and could be posted by the Corporation as conductors according to Corporations sweet will. I am not prepared to accept submission of the respondent Corporation and its authorities that the petitioners are to blame themselves if they did not get their licenses of Conductor renewed. It is not possible to comprehend that a public authority like the Corporation would allow in its service those Conductors who do not hold valid license. All this goes to show that the petitioners had become member of the cadre of Booking Clerks” On this premise, the Court held that:-“once the petitioners stood absorbed as Booking Clerks and they have become member of the cadre of Booking Clerks, the Corporation could not have transferred/posted them as Conductors except with their consent. Transfer of an employee outside his cadre indirectly results in termination of his service in the existing cadre and that cannot be done unilaterally by the employer. This principle has been enunciated in State of Rajasthan vs. Kailash Chandra Jain & Ors., 1972 WLN 533. It is thus held that the transfer/posting of the petitioners as conductor is without jurisdiction and is arbitrary.” 30. Thus, the transfer was held to be not maintainable and posting as Booking Clerk, appointed to the different cadre, notwithstanding in the same pay scale, was also set aside. 2.31. In yet two S.B. Decisions of this Court in S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 4122/2000, Radhey Shyam Sharma & Ors. vs. RSRTC, S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 3126/1991, Mohan Lal Soni vs. RSRTC & Ors., did not consider the post of Booking Clerk to be a different cadre post. 3.32. 2.31. In yet two S.B. Decisions of this Court in S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 4122/2000, Radhey Shyam Sharma & Ors. vs. RSRTC, S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 3126/1991, Mohan Lal Soni vs. RSRTC & Ors., did not consider the post of Booking Clerk to be a different cadre post. 3.32. However, the other two learned Single Judges still found that the petitioner in each case was entitled to relief because of the settlement arrived at between the petitioners Union and the Corporation by its own actions and omissions in making the appointment to the post of Adda Clerk, re-designated to Booking Clerk was not a post of direct recruitment from the open market, but from the appointment amongst senior most Conductors and Booking Clerk and, therefore, the petitioners were held entitled to relief to continue on the post so long as no person junior to him has been left out, if he was otherwise senior and willing to serve as Booking Clerk. 4.33. Then matter was considered by Division Bench in Bhagwan Singh & 5 Ors. vs. RSRTC & Anr., reported in 2002 (1) WLC page 554, wherein all the aforesaid decisions were referred to and though the Court was of the opinion that primarily because of the fact that the post of Booking Clerks was to be filled in by the direct recruitments under the Subordinate Ministerial Services and under the direct staff cadre, but under the traffic staff cadre, Adda Conductors were considered as two posts carrying the same pay scale and appointment to the Conductor/Adda Conductor as well as the Booking Clerk was 100% by direct recruitment in all cases where conductors claiming to be continued as Booking Clerk. Those who had been given the duties of “Adda Conductor” were held to be not part of two different independent cadres. 5.34. The Division Bench in Bhagwan Singhs case (Supra), found that the post of Adda Conductors are falling within different name on the basis of the nature of work carried out by them. Those who had been given the duties of “Adda Conductor” were held to be not part of two different independent cadres. 5.34. The Division Bench in Bhagwan Singhs case (Supra), found that the post of Adda Conductors are falling within different name on the basis of the nature of work carried out by them. However, in the end result, the Division Bench also referred to the settlement entered into between the parties and respondents Corporation on 22.03.1979 under which it was agreed that the nomenclature of “Adda Clerk” shall be changed as “Booking Clerk” and directed the respondent Corporation to prepare a seniority list of Conductors and according to depot-wise seniority they shall be posted on the post of Booking Clerk. It has been specifically mentioned that:- “the post of Booking Clerk is not a new creation but only a change of nomenclature from the post of “Adda Conductor” to Booking Clerk. The employees who have been posted on the post of Booking Clerk i.e., the old post of “Adda Conductor” shall only be entitled for promotion. The Conductors who are not willing discharge to work of the post of Booking Clerk, although senior, may remain on the post of Conductor but they shall not be entitled for further promotion. The conductors, who want to be posted as per their seniority on the post of Booking Clerk, shall submit their option to that effect in a prescribed option form. The matter regarding giving of additional allowance for working on the post of Booking Clerk is under consideration. The option from which has been supplied to the Conductors shows that if the option is not exercised within the time stipulated then it shall be deemed that, according to the seniority of Conductor, they are willing to be posted on the post of Booking Clerk. The Conductor according to his seniority is not willing to be posted as Booking Clerk may fill his option expressing his unwillingness to join on the post of Booking Clerk.” The Court also noticed that:-“by order dated 02.08.1981, it is clarified that in the respondent Corporation there are 1740 sanctioned posts in Adda Conductor, out of them 1576 post are permanent and 164 posts are temporary. As per the seniority list prepared by the respondent Corporation, 1750 conductors are being posted on the post of Booking Clerk. As per the seniority list prepared by the respondent Corporation, 1750 conductors are being posted on the post of Booking Clerk. The Conductors who have given their option not to work on the post of Booking Clerk, shall not be posted on the post of Booking Clerk. Thereafter, the respondent Corporation has issued an order dated 210.1991 whereby the respondent Corporation has withdrawn the condition that the employees who have not been posted on the post of Booking Clerk shall not be entitled for promotion on the higher post.” 35. On this premise, the Court found that the respondent Corporation cannot straightway ask the employees, who are working on the post of Booking Clerk for all these years and that too under the agreement entered into between the Union and the respondent Corporation, to work on the post of Conductor without taking into consideration the length of service they have carried on the post of Booking Clerk. It was observed by the Court as under:- “Having considered all the aspects of the matter, particularly the agreement arrived at between the Union and the respondent Corporation, we are of the view that similar nature of directions were issued to the respondent Corporation by the learned Single Judge in S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 3126/1991 Mohan Lal Sharma & 3 Ors. vs. RSRTC & Ors., decided on 22.01.1997 alongwith batch of petitions, shall meet the ends of justice and, thus, we set aside the impugned Judgment of the learned Single Judge and direct that .(i) The appellants, who are working on the post of Booking Clerk on a clear vacancy, shall not be posted as Conductors on transfer; .(ii) If the posts of Booking Clerk, on which the appellants are working, are not available, the respondent Corporation shall first adjust the appellants in their order of seniority on vacant posts of Booking Clerk at any other Depot of the respondent Corporation in the State of Rajasthan and the appellants shall give their option to work, at any such Depot where the vacancies of Booking Clerk are available, within a period of four weeks from today. While exercising the option, the appellants may give the name of three places of their preference where the posts of Booking Clerk are vacant at any other Depot of the respondent Corporation in the State of Rajasthan. While exercising the option, the appellants may give the name of three places of their preference where the posts of Booking Clerk are vacant at any other Depot of the respondent Corporation in the State of Rajasthan. The respondent Corporation shall see that the preference given by the appellants is given due weightage, if it is administrative possible. (iii) After above mentioned adjustments it is found that the number of posts of Booking Clerk available with the respondent Corporation are less than the number of the Conductors occupying the posts of Booking Clerk, then the junior most Booking Clerk shall first to be posted on the post of Conductor and so on; (iv) In the eventuality of post/posts of Booking Clerk becoming available later on, then senior most Conductor amongst the persons who have been posted from the post of Booking Clerk to the post of Conductor, shall be posted first as Booking Clerk and that shall be followed till all those persons are not adjusted on the post of Booking Clerk, subject to their giving consent for such posting. 1.36. In view the aforesaid decision of the Division Bench in Bhagwan Singhs case (Supra), it is apparent that while the Court found that though the post of Conductor and Booking Clerk belonging to the same cadre, but nonetheless since the appointment as “Adda Clerk” was to be made only from the Senior Conductors as per the settlement and the subsequent development that has taken place in respect of the settlement, it would be unjust to transfer the persons working on the post of “Adda Clerk” re-designated as “Booking Clerk”, therefore, it needs to safeguard their position. 2.37. It is significant to notice that the order dated 02.08.1991 issued by the Corporation clearly indicated requiring the senior Clerks to discharge the duties of Booking Clerks in view of Booking Clerks post declared in the nomenclature as dying post. There was necessity to post the Booking Clerk at various Bus stands throughout the State that notwithstanding closing the fresh recruitment of the Booking Clerk as a Ministerial Staff , the same were taken from the Senior Conductors by giving them the duties of the Booking Clerks. It was to fulfill this need and to make up other existing posts of the Conductors, they were taken to work at the Bus Stands. It was to fulfill this need and to make up other existing posts of the Conductors, they were taken to work at the Bus Stands. It was given out that unless a conductor has worked as Booking Clerk in pursuance of the settlement he shall not be eligible to be considered for promotion on the next higher post and if that were so, it must be held that it was not merely on account of administrative exigency but on account of basic need. The work of Booking Clerk which was heitherto separated from Ministerial Staff was to be entrusted to the Conductors by making up a separate procedure of appointment, assigning the duties of the Senior conductors by withdrawing them from field duties. 3.38. It may be true that the post of Conductor/Adda Clerk or Booking Clerk falls within the same bracket. The Senior Conductors are called Adda Conductors to whom new nomenclature have been given as Booking Clerk carrying the similar pay scale, but the distinction was clearly made out between the persons who could be appointed to take the field duties and who could only be appointed as Booking Clerk and it was being made clear by the settlement entered into between the Union and the respondent Corporation by the aforesaid orders dated 02.08.1981 and 22.03.1979 that only the senior conductors will be assigned duties of Booking Clerk, they could opt for Booking Clerks jobs voluntarily but otherwise it was a compulsory exercise for the senior most conductors to come to the B