SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
State of Uttar Pradesh
Vs
Section Officer Brotherhood
Civil Appeal No. 1980 of 2000 (with C.A. Nos. 1260/2001, 1528-29/2004 and 2732 of 1999)
(N. Santosh Hegde and S.B.Sinha)
27/09/2004
S.B. SINHA, J.
1. These appeals arising out of the judgments and orders dated 22.11.1999,
16.11.2000 (as corrected on 11.12.2000), 20.5.2003 and 29.7.1998 passed by the
Allahabad High Court in Civil Misc. Writ Petition Nos. 18979 of 1998, 970 of
2000, 30234 of 2001 and 17885 of 1996 respectively involving similar questions
of law and fact were taken up for hearing together and are being disposed of by
this common judgment.
FACTS:
2. The Respondents herein are Section Officers, Private Secretaries, Bench
Secretaries and Assistant Registrars working in the High Court of Judicature at
Allahabad. They filed several writ petitions praying inter alia for issuance of
a writ of or in the nature of mandamus inter alia directing the State of Uttar
Pradesh to fix higher scale of pay. Such scales of pay were claimed purported
to be on the basis of scales of pay paid to their counterparts i.e. Section
Officers, Private Secretaries, Bench Secretaries or Assistant Registrars of
Delhi High Court. The Private Secretaries / PAs. Bench Secretaries filed writ
petitions bearing No. WP No. 1408/93 and WP No. 26550/95 respectively before
the Allahabad High Court which were allowed by judgments and orders dated
21.12.1993 and 1.11.1996. The Special Leave Petitions filed against the said
judgments and orders were said to have been dismissed by orders dated 26.3.1996
and 7.7.1997. Both the aforementioned categories of employees thereafter had
been getting the pay-scale of Rs. 3000-4500 with effect from 1.1.1986.
3. It is not in dispute that the Chief Justice of the High Court of Allahabad
in exercise of his power conferred upon him by Article 229 of the Constitution
of India made rules known as Allahabad High Court Officers and Staff
(Conditions of Service & Conduct) Rules, 1976. The Section Officers, Bench
Secretaries Grade I and Private Secretaries are holders of Class II posts
referable to Rule 16 of the said Rules. The posts of Deputy Registrar is a
Class I post and allegedly Class II officers are entitled to be considered for
promotion to Class I post.
4. It is not in dispute that Rule 36 of the Rules provides that the scales of
pay admissible to various categories of posts in the establishment of the High
Court are to be determined by the Chief Justice from time to time with the
approval of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. Rule 40 while conferring power of
superintendence and control on the Chief Justice provides that in financial
matters, the orders containing modifications or variations relating to the
salary etc. shall be made by the Chief Justice with the approval of the
Governor. However, sub-rule (3) of Rule 40 postulates that in case of any doubt
as regards equivalence of a post of an officer in the High Court vis-a-vis
posts in the State Government, the matter should be decided by the Chief
Justice.
Writ Proceedings:
Contention of the Writ Petitioners / Respondents:
5. The contention of the Respondents in the said writ petition appears to be
that the State of Uttar Pradesh as a matter of policy adopted in the year 1988
decided to grant central pay scales to the employees of the High Court and,
therefore, the Chief Justice has the final say as regard equivalence of the
employees of the High Court vis-a-vis the employees of the Central Government
and / or Delhi High Court for the purpose of determination of consequent scale
of pay applicable thereto.
6. The claim for higher scales of pay for Class II and Class I officers
indisputably was made in view of the decisions of Delhi High Court in A.K.
Gulati and another vs. Union of India and others 1991 (44) DLT 590) and
Shri Madan Lal vs. Registrar, Delhi High Court and others 1992 (46) DLT
133).
7. It was further contended that although the posts of Private Secretaries,
Court Masters and the Superintendents of Delhi High Court were found to be of
same status and the employees were inter-transferable, such slight difference
in the recruitment process of Allahabad High Court would be of no relevance as
all the three relevant posts in the High Court of Allahabad form a common
feeder cadre for promotion to the post of Class I.
8. Section Officers of the High Court in their writ petition prayed for
issuance of a writ of or in the nature of mandamus directing the Appellant
herein to fix their salary in the scale of pay of Rs. 3000-4500 with effect from
1.1.1986; whereas Bench Secretaries and Private Secretaries in their writ
petitions prayed for fixation of their salary in the scale of pay of Rs.
3000-4500 with effect from 1.1.1996. The Assistant Registrars in their writ
petition prayed for issuance of a writ of or in the nature of mandamus
directing the Appellant herein to fix their salary in the pay scale of Rs.
10650-15850/- being the next higher pay scale payable for Class I Post.
Contention of the Respondents in the Writ Petitions / Appellant herein:
9. The contention of the Appellant herein was that in view of the resolution
adopted in the Chief Justices' Conference held at Bombay in 1962 the staff of
the High Court be equated with the corresponding staff of the State
Secretariat. The employees of the Allahabad High Court have been granted scales
of pay in parity with the corresponding employees/ officers of the U.P.
Secretaries in the matter of pay scales and allowances etc. on the
recommendations of the Chief Justice of the High Court made in exercise of the
powers conferred under Article 22(2) of the Constitution by a government order
dated 20th March, 1968.
10. In view of the resolution adopted in the Chief Justices' Conference in the
year 1962, the staff and officers of the Allahabad High Court were being paid
the same salaries which were being paid to their counterparts working in the
U.P. Secretariat. However, as a higher pay scale was directed to be paid by the
High Court on its judicial side in writ petition No. 643 of 1983 (J.P. Upadhyay
and others vs. State of U.P. and others) the Private Secretaries attached to
the Judges of the High Court had been granted the same scale of pay which was
being paid to their counterparts of the U.P. Secretariat. Any claim for a
higher scale of pay, according to the Appellants, thus, would be contrary to
the government order dated 20th March, 1968 which was made in terms of the
recommendations of the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court in exercise of
his power under Article 229 of the Constitution. The Chief Justice of the High
Court having not made any recommendation that there is no further need of
continuance of the government order dated 20th March, 1968 nor any
recommendation had been made for withdrawal thereof, no relief can be granted
to the writ petitioners. No decision has been taken by the State Government to
grant parity in the matter of pay scales and other conditions of service to the
employees of the High Court with the employees of the Delhi High Court nor any
such proposal had ever been received by it from the Chief Justice of the
Allahabad High Court. Furthermore, no Pay Commission or Pay Committee or any
other expert body was ever constituted for the said purpose. Even the High
Court itself had not examined various relevant aspects of the demand of the
Respondents. In absence of any recommendation of any Pay Commission or Pay
Committee or any other expert body, the High Court in exercise of its
jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India cannot issue a writ
of mandamus.
11. The writ petitioners - Respondents cannot claim any parity as regard
conditions of service with the employees of Delhi High Court who are enjoying
the benefits of common seniority (Court Master, Superintendent and Private
Secretaries) under the rules framed by Delhi High Court under Article 229 of
the Constitution of India in terms whereof the said posts have been held to be
equated or interchangeable which aspects are absent in the case of the
Respondents in terms of 1976 Services Rules. Even the source of recruitment of
the posts of Superintendent in Delhi High Court was different inasmuch as the
eligibility criteria laid down therefor are as under:
"(2) 26% of the vacant post by promotion on the basis of
seniority-cum-merit for joint seniority list of Assistant, Senior Translators
and Proof Reader and Caretaker.
(b) 75% of the vacant post by selection on merit on the basis of written test
& interview from the categories of Senior Assistant. Assistant, Senior
Translator, Proof Reader, Junior Reader, Personal Assistant to Registrar,
Senior Stenographer and Caretaker"; whereas in Allahabad High Court only
permanent U.D. As can be promoted as Section Officers and there is no provision
for direct recruitment." *
High Court Judgment:
12. The High Court by its impugned judgment, however, issued a writ of or in
the nature of mandamus commanding the Appellant to fix the salary of Section
Officers of the Allahabad High Court in the same scale of pay as payable to the
Superintendent of Delhi High Court with effect from 3rd June, 1994 when the
recommendations of the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court were allegedly
communicated to the State Government. It, however, directed:
"However, it is provided that the scale of pay of the Section Officers
along with one half of the arrears (being the difference in the scale of
Section Officers of Allahabad High Court and Superintendent of Delhi High
Court, shall be paid on 1st January, 2000 but the remaining half of such
arrears shall be deposited in the provident fund account of the Section
Officers on 1st July, 2000." *
13. It was observed:
"The State Government failed to delve into the matter by examining itself,
the nature of work, work load and area of functioning of the Section Officers
of this Court, which is more onerous, difficult and responsible in comparison
to the duties of the superintendent of the Delhi High Court inasmuch as the
High Court at Allahabad is much larger in comparison to Delhi High Court."
*
Submissions:
14. Mr. P.P. Rao and Mr. Ravi Prakash Mehrotra, learned counsel appearing on
behalf of the State of Uttar Pradesh would submit that the High Court had no
jurisdiction to issue a writ of or in the nature of mandamus directing the
State to pay such scales of pay to the Superintendents, Private Secretaries and
Assistant and Deputy Registrars which are payable to the counterparts of Delhi
High Court.
15. The learned counsel would contend that the High Court at best could have
directed the State to constitute a Pay Commission or Pay Committee or refer the
matter to an expert body.
16. The learned counsel appearing on behalf of the Respondents supported the
judgment of the High Court.
ANALYSIS:
17. There cannot be any doubt or dispute whatsoever that determination of different
scales of pay for different categories of employees would ordinarily fall
within the realm of an expert body like the Pay Commission or Pay Committee.
The Chief Justice of a High Court exercises constitutional power in terms of
Article 229 of the Constitution of India which reads as under:
"229. Officers and servants and the expenses of High Courts -- (1)
Appointments of officers and servants of a High Court shall be made by the
Chief Justice of the Court or such other Judge or officer of the Court as he
may direct:
Provided that the Governor of the State may be rule require that in such cases
as may be specified in the rule no person not already attached to the Court
shall be appointed to any office connected with the Court save after
consultation with the State Public Service Commission.
* (2) Subject to the provisions of any law made by the Legislature of the
State, the conditions of service of officers and servants of a High Court shall
be such as may be prescribed by rules made by the Chief Justice of the Court or
by some other Judge or officer of the Court authorised by the Chief Justice to
make rules for the purpose:
Provided that the rules made under this clause shall, so far as they relate to
salaries, allowances, leave or pensions, require the approval of the Governor
of the State.
(3) The administrative expenses of a High Court, including all salaries,
allowances and pensions payable to or in respect of the officers and servants
of the Court, shall be charged upon the Consolidated Fund of the State, and any
fees or others moneys taken by the Court shall form part of that Fund." *
18. Such a provision has evidently been made to uphold the independence of the
judiciary.
19. A bare perusal of the aforementioned provision would clearly go to show
that laying down the conditions of service applicable in the case of staff and
officers of a High Court is within the exclusive domain of the Chief Justice
but in case of any financial implication involving therein the approval of the
State Governor is imperative. #
20. In State of H.P. vs. P.D. Attri and others ), it is stated:
"5. The case of the respondents is not based on any constitutional or any
other legal provisions when they claim parity with the posts similarly
designated in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and their pay scales from the
same date. They do not allege any violation of any constitutional provision or
any other provision of law. They say it is so because of 'accepted policy and
common practice' which, according to them, are undisputed. We do not think we
can import such vague principles while interpreting the provisions of law.
India is a union of States. Each State has its own individualistic way of
governance under the Constitution. One State is not bound to follow the rules
and regulations applicable to the employees of the other State or if it had
adopted the same rules and regulations, it is not bound to follow every change
brought in the rules and regulations in the other State." *
21. In State of Maharashtra vs. Association of Court Stenos, P.A. P.S. and
another , Pattanaik, J. (as the learned Chief Justice then was) noticed
this Court's earlier decision in Supreme Court Employees' Welfare Asson. Vs.
Union of India ) and stated the law in the following terms:
"On a plain reading of Article 229(2), it is apparent that the Chief
Justice is the sole authority for fixing the salaries etc. of the employees of
the High Court, subject to the Rules made under the said article. Needless to
mention rules made by the Chief Justice will be subject to the provisions of
any law made by the legislature of the State. In view of proviso to sub-article
(2) of Article 229, any rule relating to the salaries, allowances, leave or
pension of the employees of the High Court would require the approval of the
governor, before the same can be enforced. The approval of the governor,
therefore, is a condition precedent to the validity of the rules made by the
Chief Justice and the so-called approval of the Governor is not on his
discretion, but being advised by the Government. It would, therefore, be
logical to hold that apart from any power conferred by the rules framed under
Article 229, the Government cannot fix the salary or authorise any particular
pay scale of an employee of the High Court. It is not the case of the employees
that the Chief Justice made any rules, providing a particular pay scale for the
employees of the Court, in accordance with the constitutional provisions and
that has not been accepted by the governor. In the aforesaid premises, it
requires consideration as to whether the High Court in its discretionary
jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution, can itself examine the
nature of work discharged by its employees and issue a mandamus, directing a
particular pay scale to be given to such employees. In the judgment under
challenge, the Court appears, to have applied the principle of 'equal pay for
equal work' and on an evaluation of the nature of duties discharged by the
Court Stenographers, Personal Assistants and Personal Secretaries, has issued
the impugned directions. In Supreme Court Employee's Welfare Asson. Vs. Union
of India this Court has considered the powers of the Chief Justice of India in
relation to the employees of the Supreme Court in the matter of laying down the
service conditions of the employees of the Court, including the grant of pay
scale and observed that the Chief Justice of India should frame rules after
taking into consideration all relevant factors including the recommendations of
the Pay Commission and submit the same to the President of India for his
approval. What has been stated in the aforesaid judgment in relation to the
Chief Justice of India vis-a-vis the employees of the Supreme Court, should
equally apply to the Chief Justice of the High Court vis-a-vis the employees of
the High Court. Needless to mention, notwithstanding the constitutional
provision that the rules framed by the Chief Justice of a High Court, so far as
they relate to salaries and other emoluments are concerned, require the prior
approval of the Governor. It is always expected that when the Chief Justice of
a High Court makes a rule, providing a particular pay scale for its employees,
the same should be ordinarily approved by the Governor, unless there is any
justifiable reason, not to approve the same. The aforesaid assumption is on the
basis that a high functionary like the Chief Justice, before framing any rules
in relation to the service conditions of the employees of the Court and
granting any pay scale for them is expected to consider all relevant factors
and fixation is made, not on any arbitrary basis." *
22. It was furthermore stated:
"The Chief also expressed the view in the aforesaid case that the Chief
Justice of India is the appropriate authority to consider the question as to
the distinctive nature and personality of the employees of the Supreme Court
and before laying down the pay scales of the employees, it may be necessary to
ascertain the job contents of various categories of employees and nature of duties
which are performed by them. Further, at the time of preparing the rules for
prescribing the conditions of service, including the fixation of the pay
scales, the Chief Justice of India will consider the representations and
suggestions of the different categories of employees of the Supreme Court, also
keeping in view the financial liability of the Government. In view of the
aforesaid decision of this Court, it is difficult for us to sustain the
impugned judgment, where under the High Court in exercise of its jurisdiction
under Article 226, has issued the mandamus, directing a particular pay scale to
be given to the Court Stenographers, Persons, Assistants and Personal
Secretaries attached to the Hon'ble Judge of the Court." *
23. In the instant case, the Chief Justice did not frame any rules except in
the case of Private Secretaries. Such rules have only been framed on or about
15th November, 2001. Thus, at the relevant time i.e. when the writ petition was
filed and the impugned judgment was passed, there existed no such rule. #
24. The jurisdiction of the High Court to exercise its power of judicial review
is required to be examined in the aforementioned situation.
25. For our purpose, it is not necessary to refer to a large number of
decisions on this question as the matter has been considered by a 3-Judge Bench
of this Court in Union of India and another vs. S.B. Vohra and others
wherein, one of us (S.B. Sinha, J.), speaking for the Bench opined that
judicial review lies inter alia when public law element is involved and the
question as to whether public law remedy enforceable under Article 226 of the
Constitution of India is available or not is required to be determined in each
case. It was held:
"30. Judicial review is a highly complex and developing subject. It has
its roots long back and its scope and extent varies from case to case. It is
considered to be the basic feature of the Constitution. The Court in exercise
of its power of judicial review would jealously guard the human rights, fundamental
rights and the citizens' right of life and liberty as also many non-statutory
powers of governmental bodies as regards their control over property and assets
of various kinds which could be expended on building hospitals, roads and the
like, or overseas aid, or compensating victims of crime.
32. It is not possible to lay down the standard exhaustively as to in what
situation a writ of mandamus will issue and in what situation it will not. In
other words, exercise of its discretion by the Court will also depend upon the
law which governs the field, namely, whether it is a fundamental law or an
ordinary law.
33. It is, however, trite that ordinarily the Court will not exercise the power
of the statutory authorities. It will at the first instance allow the statutory
authorities to perform their own functions and would not user the said
jurisdiction itself." *
26. The Court noticed that fixation of scale of pay in favour of one class of employees
have a spiralling effect and in that view of the matter it is important that
the matter as regard fixation of scale of pay of officers working in different
High Courts must either by examined by an expert body like the Pay Commission
or any other body and in absence thereof the High Court itself should undertake
the task, keeping in view the special constitutional provisions contained in
Article 229 of the Constitution of India.
27. Having regard to the high position and status enjoyed by the Chief Justice,
it was observed, his recommendations should ordinarily be approved by the State
and refusal thereof must be for strong and adequate reasons.
28. It was opined:
"52. The High Court, however, should not ordinarily issue a writ of or in
the nature of mandamus and ought to refer the matter back to the Central /
State Government with suitable directions pointing out the irrelevant factors
which are required to be excluded in taking the decision and the relevant
factors which are required to be considered therefor. The statutory duties
should be allowed to be performed by the statutory authorities at the first
instance. In the event, however, the Chief Justice of the High Court and the
State are not ad idem, the matter should be discussed and an effort should be
made to arrive at a consensus.
* 5.3 we are further of the opinion that only in exceptional cases the High
Court may interfere on the judicial side, but ordinarily it would not do so.
Even if an occasion arises for the High Court to interfere on its judicial
side, the jurisdiction of the High Court should be exercised with care and
circumspection." *
29. The scope of judicial review has also been considered recently by this
Court State of U.P. and another vs. Johri Mal) wherein it was opined:
"28. The Scope and extent of power of the judicial review of the High
Court contained in Article 226 of the Constitution of India would vary from
case to case, the nature of the order, the relevant statute as also the other
relevant factors including the nature of power exercised by the public
authorities, namely, whether the power is statutory, quasi judicial or
administrative. The power of judicial review is not intended to assume a
supervisory role or done the robes of omnipresent. The power is not intended
either to review governance under the rule of law nor do the courts step into
the areas exclusively reserved by the suprema lex to the other organs of the
State. Decisions and actions which do not have adjudicative disposition may not
strictly fall for consideration before a judicial review court. The limited
scope of judicial review succinctly put are:
(i) Courts, while exercising the power of judicial review, do not sit in appeal
over the decisions of administrative bodies;
(ii) A petition for a judicial review would lie only on certain well-defined
grounds.
(iii) An order passed by an administrative authority exercising discretion
vested in it, cannot be interfered in judicial review unless it is shown that
exercise of discretion itself is perverse or illegal.
(iv) A mere wrong decision without anything more is not enough to attract the
power of judicial review, the supervisory jurisdiction conferred on a Court is
limited to seeing that Tribunal functions within the limits of its authority
and that its decisions do not occasion miscarriage of justice.
* (v) The Courts cannot be called upon to undertake the Government duties and
functions. The Court shall not ordinarily interfere with a policy decision of
the State. Social and economic belief of a Judge should not be invoked as a
substitute for the judgment of the legislative bodies. (See Ira Munn vs. State
of Ellinois, 1876 (94) US (Supreme Reports) 113)". *
30. The High Court in its impugned judgment, however, did not adequately
address itself to the said issue.
31. In this case, the Chief Justice merely forwarded the representation of the
Respondents dated 15th March, 1994 for grant of a higher scale of pay with
effect from 1.1.1986 directing the Registry to forward the same to the State
Government with recommendations to consider the same on the ground of parity.
Such forwarding of recommendations to the State Government did not involve any
application of mind on the part of the Chief Justice as was required under
Article 229 of the Constitution of India. The Chief Justice on his own did not
arrive at any decision that the jobs performed by the concerned officers were
comparable to their counterparts in the Central Secretariat or Delhi High
Court. No rule was framed fixing the terms and conditions of service or the
scale of pay for different categories of the employees of the High Court. Only
because in the forwarding letter, the State Government was asked to consider
the demand of the concerned officers favourably, the same by itself would not mean
that the requirements of Article 229 of the Constitution stood complied with.
Unless the Chief Justice of the High Court exercises his constitutional power
or acts on the basis of the recommendations of a committee constituted by him
for the purpose of fixation of scale of pay and laying down other conditions of
service; only forwarding of a representation to the State Government to
consider the same favourably without anything more would not amount to exercise
of the constitutional jurisdiction under Article 229 of the Constitution.
32. In this case, our attention has been drawn to a decision of this Court in
Union of India vs. Kishan K. Sharma and others wherein this Court
despite holding that the High Court was not correct in issuing a writ of or in
the nature of mandamus directing the Central Government to pay a scale of Rs.
1640-2900 with effect from 1.1.1986 in favour of the Respondents, did not
interfere in the matter considering the same to be old one and having regard to
the fact that the direction of the High Court had already acted upon. Such is
not the position here.
33. This Court granted stay of the operation of the judgment regarding
enhancement in Civil Appeal No. 1260 of 2001 and granted an ad interim stay of
the payment of first installment of arrears which was going to fall on 1.1.2000
in Civil Appeal No. 1980 of 2000.
Conclusion:
34. We, therefore, are of the opinion that the impugned judgments cannot be
sustained which are set aside accordingly. However, this order shall be subject
to the rules framed by the Chief Justice in the case of the Private Secretaries
of the High Court. It will, however be open to the Chief Justice of the
Allahabad High Court to frame appropriate rules as has been done in the case of
the Private Secretaries or constitute an appropriate committee for the said
purpose. We have no doubt in our mind that if such committee is constituted and
any recommendation is made for enhancement of the scale of pay for the
concerned officers by the Chief Justice, the same would be considered by the
State Government in its proper perspective and in the light of the observations
made hereinbefore expeditiously. #
35. For the reasons aforementioned, these appeals are allowed with the
aforementioned observations. No costs.