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2014 DIGILAW 1075 (PAT)

Dhirendra Prasad Shrivastava v. State of Bihar

2014-10-17

ANJANA MISHRA

body2014
ORDER : Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and the State. 2. Interlocutory application bearing I.A. No.7514 of 2014 has been filed pursuant to the filing of a document bearing Annexure-C by which a decision to reject the case for grant of second A.C.P. which had been taken by the Scrutiny Committee in proceeding dated 18.8.2010. Vide Annexure-B of the earlier petition filed by the State of Bihar a decision had been taken in the case of the petitioner to keep the matter regarding grant of 2nd ACP pending on 12.11.2007 but now the same has been rejected. 3. It is submitted on behalf of the petitioner that while earlier the petitioner’s case had been considered and the authorities had found him eligible to be granted 2nd A.C.P. w.e.f.9.8.1995 but it had been kept pending on account of pendency of the departmental proceeding. The statement of the respondents that it could not be granted, as he had been inflicted with the order of punishment is misconceived. Learned counsel for the petitioner further submits that the same cannot be formed the basis of final decision of 2nd A.C.P. to the petitioner as proceeding against the petitioner commenced in the year 2006 whereas he became entitled to be granted the same w.e.f. 9.8.1999 and on that date there was no proceeding which could have been used for denial the said benefit. 4. In view of the aforesaid submission I.A. No.7514 of 2014 is allowed and the petitioner is permitted to challenge the said decision in so far as it relates to proceeding with regard to himself. 5. The contention of the State in this regard is that the petitioner joined the service in the month of April, 1975 and was promoted from the post of Assistant Engineer to Executive Engineer in 1995.The petitioner having been granted promotion during his service tenure was, thus, ineligible according to the A.C.P. Scheme Rules, 2003 for grant of the 1st A.C.P. but came to be eligible for being considered for the 2nd A.C.P. only after 12 years of the first promotion, i.e. in the year 2007, on which date the petitioner had already superannuated. The further contention of the State was that in view of the fact that the petitioner could have been granted 2nd ACP only in the year 2007 as per the existing rules, on which date the petitioner had already superannuated. The further contention of the State was that in view of the fact that the petitioner could have been granted 2nd ACP only in the year 2007 as per the existing rules, on which date the petitioner had already superannuated. The further contention of the counsel for the State is that the petitioner was facing a departmental proceeding for an occurrence relating to the year 2001 and, as such, when his case was being considered, the same was kept pending and finally on the conclusion of the departmental proceeding the petitioner was given a punishment of denial of 50% pension, the question of grant of 2nd A.C.P. did not arise. 7. In this context it is relevant to refer to the Rules relating to grant of A.C.P. which are contained in Rule. Eligibility contained in Rule IV of the Bihar State Employees Condition (Assured Career Promotion Scheme), Rule, 2003. 7. In this context it is relevant to refer to the Rules relating to grant of A.C.P. which are contained in Rule. Eligibility contained in Rule IV of the Bihar State Employees Condition (Assured Career Promotion Scheme), Rule, 2003. As per Rule IV eligibility under this Scheme shall be regulated by Rule IV:- ^^4- ik=rk vkSj 'krsZ& Ldhe ds v/khu ik=rk fuEufyf[kr 'krksZ }kjk fofu;fer gksxh %& ¼1½ Ldhe ds v/khu foŸkh; mUu;u dh eatwjh dk ewy ekunaM ¼fdfjVsfj;u½ ;g gS fd lEcaf/kr deZpkjh] iqujhf{kr osrueku lfgr ,d gh osrueku es 12@24 o"kksZ ls dke djrk vk jgk gksA ,slh fLFkfr esa mPprj osruekuksa dh eatwjh nh tk;sxh Hkys gh mlus fofHkUu inks ij] ,d gh osrueku esa] dk;Z fd;k gks % ijUrq ;fn ewy fu;qfDr ds in ls fHkUu in ij fu;qfDr mPprj osrueku esa dh x;h gks mls lh/kh fu;qfDr ekuk tk;sxk vkSj ,-lh-ih- ;kstuk ds v/khu foŸkh; mUu;u ds ykHk dks eatwjh ds iz;kstukFkZ iwoZ dh lsok dh x.kuk ugha dh tk;sxhA mnkgj.k] ¼1½ ;fn Lohij ds :i ls dk;Z djus okys O;fDr dh HkrhZ vkns'kiky ds in ij dh tkrh gS ftldk osrueku ogh gS rks iwoZ dh lsok dh x.kuk dh tk;sxhA ¼2½ vkns'kiky ds in ls pkyd ds mPprj osrueku ds in ij HkrhZ ds ekeysa esa ^^vkns'kiky^^ ds in ij dh x;h lsok dh x.kuk ugha dh tk;sxhA ¼2½ lhfer izfr;ksfxrk ijh{kk ds ek/;e ls fd;s x, p;u ds vk/kkj ij mPprj in ij dh x;h fu;qfDr Ldhe ds v/khu foŸkh; mUu;u dh eatwjh ds iz;kstukFkZ] lh/kh fu;qfDr ekuh tk;sxh vkSj fuEurj osrueku esa dh x;h lsok dh x.kuk ugha dh tk;sxh] vxj lqlaxr HkrhZ fu;ekoyh esa lh/kh fu;qfDr dk izko/kku fd;k x;k gks % ijUrq ;fn lqlaxr HkrhZ fu;ekoyh esa fuEurj osrueku ds dfeZ;ksa ds fy, izksUufr dk dksVk fu;r fd;k x;k gks] rks ,slh fu;qfDr dks Ldhe ds v/khu foŸkh; mUu;u ds ykHk dh eatwjh ds iz;kstukFkZ izksUufr ekuk tk;sxk vkSj foŸkh; mUu;u ds ykHk dh eatwjh ds fy, iwoZ lsok dh x.kuk dh tk;sxhA Li"Vhdj.k & ¼1½ mnkgj.kkFkZ ;fn mi&,ekgrkZ laoxZ dh fu;qfDr;ksa dks Hkjus ds fy, lqlaxr HkrhZ fu;ekoyh esa dsoy lh/kh fu;qfDr dk izko/kku gS vkSj fdlh lfpoky; lgk;d dh fu;qfDr mDr Js.kh es lhfer izfr;ksfxrk ijh{kk ds ek/;e ls gksrh gS rks bls ,-lh-ih- ;kstuk ds v/khu foŸkh; mUu;u ds ykHk ds iz;kstukFkZ lh/kh fu;qfDr ekuk tk;sxkA ,sls ekeyksa esa fuEurj osrueku esa dh x;h lsok dh vof/k dh x.kuk ,-lh-ih- ;kstuk ds v/khu ykHk dh eatwjh ds fy, ugha dh tk;sxhA nwljh vksj xzqi ^^Mh^^ ds :Ik esa dh x;h lsok dh x.kuk izksUufr dksVk ds v/khu jgrs gq,] ,-lh-ih- ;kstuk ds v/khu foŸkh; mUu;u dh eatwjh ds fy, dh tk;sxh ,oa mUgsa ,d foŸkh; mRØe.k izkIr ekuk tk;sxkA ¼2½ lgk;d vfHk;ark ds laoxZ esa duh; vfHk;ark dks izksUufr dk dksVk fu;r fd;k x;k gS] gkykfd bl izksUufr gsrq izfr;ksfxrk ijh{kk dk dksbZ izko/kku ugha gS lkFk gh duh; vfHk;rkvksa ds fy,] vfHk;a=.k fMxzh izkIr djus ij] lgk;d vfHk;ark ds in ij gks x;h gks rks ,-lh-ih- ;kstuk ds v/khu mls izksUufr izkIr ekuk tks;xk] Hkys gh nksuksa laoxZ vyx&vyx gSA ,sls dfeZ;ks dks ,d izFke foŸkh; mUu;u izkIr ekuk tk;sxkA ¼3½ fdlh deZpkjh fo'ks"k dks Ldhe ds v/khu foŸkh; mUu;u dk ykHk ns; gS ;k ugha ;k fdruk mUu;u ns; gS] ;k ugha ;k fdruk mUu;u ns; gS] blds vo/kkj.k ds fy, lEcfa/kr deZpkjh ds lsok bfrgkl ds lkFk&lkFk izR;sd osru iqujh{k.k ds ckn eatwj osrueku dh leh{kk iw.kZ :Ik ls vko';d gS rkfd bldk LkR;kiu gks lds fd ewy fu;qfDr ds ckn iqjkus fu;eksa ds rgr foŸkh; mUu;u dk ykHk fn;k x;k gS ;k ugha vkSj ;fn fn;k x;k gS rks fdruk \ Li"Vhdj.k & ;fn fdlh deZpkjh dh fu;qfDr Ldsy 1 es gqbZ gS vkSj og vHkh Ldsy&2 esa gS rks mlds Ldhe ds v/khu ,d vkSj foŸkh; mUu;u Ldsy&3 es fn;k tk;sxkA blh izdkj ;fn Ldsy&1 esa fu;qfDr deZpkjh vHkh Ldsy&3 esa rks mls dksbZ foŸkh; mUu;u ugha fn;k tk;sxkA ¼4½ Ldhe ds v/khu foŸkh; mUu;u ds iz;kstukFkZ dsoy fu;fer lsok dh x.kuk dh tk;sxh ftldh x.kuk fu;fer izksUufr ds iz;kstukFkZ dh tkrh gSA ifj.kker% rnFkZ vk/kkj ij dh x;h lsok&vof/k dh x.kuk Ldhe ds v/khu foŸkh; ykHk dh eatwjh ds fy, ugha dh tk;sxh Hkys gh mls ckn esa fu;fer dj fn;k x;k gks vkSj osruo`f) dh eatwjh nh x;h gksA Li"Vhdj.k & ¼1½ vkdfLed ;k nSfud osru vk/kkj ij ;k lafonk@dk;Z Hkkfjr vk/kkj ij ;k vLFkkbZ vk/kkj ij dh x;h lsok dh x.kuk Ldhe ds v/khu foŸkh; mUu;u ds ykHk dh eatwjh ds fufer ugha dh tk;sxhA ¼2½ ;fn vLFkkbZ lsok vFkok dk;ZHkkfjr LFkkiuk ds v/khu dk;Zjr deZpkjh fu;fer lsok esa izos'k djrk gS rks dsoy fu;ferdj.k dh frfFk ls vkjaHk gksus okyh vof/k ;k fu;fer lsok dh vof/k dh x.kuk Ldhe ds v/khu foŸkh; mUu;u ds ykHk dh eatwjh ds iz;kstukFkZ dh tk;sxhA ¼3½ fdlh yksd miØe ;k Lo'kklh fudk; dk dksbZ deZpkjh ;fn jkT; ljdkj dh fu;fer lsok esa izos'k djrk gS ljdkjh lsok esa mlds izos'k dh frfFk ls dh x;h lsokof/k dh gh x.kuk Ldhe ds v/khu foŸkh; mUUk;u dh eatwjh ds iz;kstukFkZ dh tk;sxhA ¼5½ Ldhe ds v/khu osru mUu;u dh eatwjh dh fufgr v/;is{kk,W ,oa <ax ogh gksaxs tks HkrhZ@lsok fu;ekoyh esa fjfDr;ksa ds fo:) fu;fer izksUufr ds fy, fofgr fd;s x, gksaA ;fn fdlh izksUufr ds fy, foHkkxh; ijh{kk ikl djuk ;k dksbZ vU; vgZrk fofgr dh x;h gS rks Ldhe ds v/khu ykHk dh eatwjh ds fy, Hkh og vfuok;Z 'krZ gksxh ;fn os 'krZ fu;ekoyh@ifji=ks@ldaYIkks ds v/khu fofgr dh x;h gks % ijUrq Ldhe ds v/khu foŸkh; mUu;u 12@24 o"kksZ dh lsok iw.kZ gksus ds ckn ns; gksxk vkSj blds fy, fu;fer izksUufr ds fy, fu/kkZfjr dkykof/k dksbZ ck/kk ugha gksxhA Li"Vhdj.k & ¼2½ fdlh fu;ekoyh esa dfri; Jf.k;ks ds dfeZ;ks dks fu;fer izksUufr ds fy, lsok dh dkykof/k esa f'kfFkyu ds izko/kku varfoZ”V jgus ij Hkh Ldhe ds v/khu foŸkh; mUu;u ds ykHk ds fy, fofgr ik=rk gsrq 12@24 o"kksZ dh dkykof/k esa dksbZ f'kfFkyu ugha nh tk;sxhA ¼2½ ;fn ljdkjh lsod dks vuq'kklfud dk;Zokgh vkfn ds pyrs ;k izksUufr ds ;ksX; ugha ik, tkus ds pyrs ,-lh-ih- ;kstuk ds v/khu izFke foŸkh; mUu;u dk ykHk Bhd 12 o"kZ ds ckn u nsdj foyac ls fn;k tkrk gS rks ,-lh-ih- ;kstuk ds v/khu nwljh foŸkh; mUu;u] izFke foŸkh; mUu;u dh frfFk ls 12 o"kksZ ckn fn;k tk;sxk^^ 8. A bare perusal of Rule IV Sub Rule (i) clearly indicates that for grant and sanction of such promotion under the Scheme is 12/24 years. 9. The petitioner having after promoted from the post of Assistant Engineer to the post of Executive Engineer after having completed 20 years in the same said scale was entitled to the 2nd A.C.P.alone. This fact is not disputed by the learned counsel for the State nor has been claimed by the petitioner. However, the petitioner completed 24 years service in the year 1999 and, accordingly. his case was duly considered and the respondents in their old document contained in Annexure-B, have stated that the grant of 2nd A.C.P. was due to the petitioner w.e.f. 9.8.1999. The said sanction was merely withheld by them due to the pendency of the departmental proceeding and not for any other reason. 10. Learned counsel for the petitioner has strenuously urged that the question of grant of promotion in the first case came to be after 20 years and, therefore, on completion of 24 years service the petitioner was entitled to the sanction of the 2nd A.C.P. as per the present rule. However, the respondents have misread the same rule and presumed that he would be entitled for the said grant only after completion of a period of another 12 years from the year 1995 to the year 2007. This argument can be repelled by their own document vide Annexure-B when the due date for grant of 2nd A.C.P. was 8.9.1999. 11. The second contention of the respondent State that the petitioner having inflicted punishment in pursuance of the finding arrived at in the departmental proceeding the question of grant of 1st A.C.P. could not be availed or claimed by him. 12. In this context learned counsel for the petitioner submits that by any subsequent event the right of the parties cannot be taken away. Hence, the ground mentioned in the Scrutiny Committee is without any legal basis the same cannot be sustained in the eye of law. 13. It is submitted on behalf of the petitioner that during the period the petitioner’s claim for 2nd A.C.P. existed he was not facing any departmental proceeding as the same was started much after in the year 1999, i.e., in the year 2006. 13. It is submitted on behalf of the petitioner that during the period the petitioner’s claim for 2nd A.C.P. existed he was not facing any departmental proceeding as the same was started much after in the year 1999, i.e., in the year 2006. In support of his contention learned counsel for the petitioner has referred to a Division Bench Judgment of this Hon’ble Court reported in 2008 (2) PLJR 346 in which same situation had arisen and this Hon’ble Court in para 11 of the Judgment has clearly stated that subsequent events cannot form the basis of denial of any right to grant of A.C.P. “11. It is not disputed before us that the petitioner was promoted on officiating basis on 19.4.1999 and since then he had not received any further promotion and he had completed five years of service as Sub- Judge or Civil Judge (Sr. Division) on 19.4.1994. Thus when the scheme of Assured Career Progression became effective on 1.1.1996, he became eligible to be considered for Assured Career Progression on 1.1.1996. For the purpose whether he is entitled to Assured Career Progression on 1.1.1996, his service records pertaining to the period prior to 1.1.1996 have to be evaluated, and if the service record is satisfactory during that period, i.e. five years preceding 1.1.1996, he is entitled to get the benefit of Assured Career Progression. Since the Evaluation Committee has not taken this exercise, it is now required that it should take this exercise now and make its recommendations for follow up action.” 14. It is, thus, apparent that when the petitioner came to be eligible for grant of A.C.P. w.e.f. 9.8.1999 itself, the proceeding having been started much later, in the year 2006, could not be the basis of denial of the right of the petitioner. In view of the rationale adopted by the Hon’ble Court and also considering the facts and circumstances of the case along with the relevant rules as contained in the scheme of 2003, this Court cannot sustain the order by which the petitioner has been denied the 2nd ACP to which the petitioner came to be entitled with effect from 9.8.1999. Accordingly, the proceeding of the Scrutiny Committee as contained in Annexure-C to the counter affidavit dated 18.8.2010, in so far as it relates to the present petitioner, can be considered nonest in the eye of law, and cannot be acted upon. Accordingly, the proceeding of the Scrutiny Committee as contained in Annexure-C to the counter affidavit dated 18.8.2010, in so far as it relates to the present petitioner, can be considered nonest in the eye of law, and cannot be acted upon. Any order flowing there from can also be treated as nullity and the denial of the petitioner’s right for grant of ACP cannot be sustained. 15. Considering the aforesaid observation this Court directs the Secretary, Road Construction Department (respondent no.3), to issue necessary orders granting 2nd ACP to the petitioner and as a consequence thereof making payment of all other retiral benefit after reevaluating and recalculating the same within a period of 8 weeks from the date of receipt/production of a copy of this order. 16. This application is disposed of with the aforementioned observations and directions. In substance there shall be no order as to costs.