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1998 Supreme(SC) 584

1998(4) Supreme 653
Supreme Court of India
(From Punjab & Haryana High Court)
Sujata V. Manohar & G.B. Pattanaik, JJ.
Gurmesh Prakash Bishnoi -Appellant
versus
State of Haryana & Ors. -Respondents
Civil Appeal No. 2723 of 1998
Decided on 5-5-1998
Counsel for the Parties :
For the Appellant : B.S. Malik, Sr. Advocate, K.S. Chauhan, Advocate.
For the Respondents : Ms. Nandini Gore, Prem Malhotra, Advocates.

Important Point
The appellant is entitled to get pension for both periods as a Member of HPSC and as its Chairman under Regulation 9A of HPSC (Conditions of Service) Regulations, 1972 but in both period it will be subject to a maximum as laid down in Regulation 9A.

Headnote:Haryana Public Service Commission (Conditions of Service) Regulations, 1972-Regulation 9A(1)-The quantum of pension for a member and for Chairman of Haryana Public Service Commission-Appellant was Member for 4 years and 5 months and 24 days of HPSC thereafter became Chair­man for six years-He was granted pension only for tenure of chairman­ship-Appellant contends that in addition, he is also entitled to pension for his services as a Member of HPSC-Whether correct? (Yes)-Appeal allowed.

       Held : Under Rule 9A(1) two separate ceilings are provided; one for the pension of a Chairman and the other for the pension of a member. The question is whether a person who has acted both as a member and subse­quently as a Chairman, will be entitled to a pension only on the basis of his services as a Chairman or whether he will also be entitled to a separate pension on the basis of his services as a member of the Haryana Public Service Commission. Under the Union Public Service Commission (Members) Regulations 1969, there is an express provision contain­ed in Explanation (II) to Regulation 9 which provides that when the total service for pension is rendered by a person, partly as a member and, partly as a Chairman, the pension admissible to such person shall be the aggregate of the pension calculated separately for each such term as a member and as a Chairman. In the Haryana Public Ser­vice Commission (Regulations), 1972 there is no such express provi­sion. However, the proviso to Rule 9A throws some light on the manner in which the pension is to be calculated. Under the proviso, when a member of the Haryana Public Service Commission retires as a member, he would be entitled to pension as a member. However, if he thereaf­ter holds office (inter alia) as the Chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission, he will not get any pension during the period for which he holds office as Chairman. There is an embargo on his receiving pension as a member during the period he functions as a Chairman. Once he ceases to func­tion as a Chairman the embargo is lifted and he would be entitled to get pension as a member for the period during which he serv­ed as a member of the Haryana Public Ser­vice Com­mission. This of course, will be sub­ject to the ceiling prescribed under Regu­la­tion 9A. At the same time as the Chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission, for the period of service rendered by him as Chairman, he would also get pension at the rate prescri­bed under Regulation 9A subject to the maxi­mum. The appellant is, therefore, entitled to pension as a member for the service he rendered as a member prior to his appointment as Chairman subject to the maximum, as also pension as Chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission calcu­lated on the basis of the period during which he held office of the Chairman, subject to a maximum as laid down in Regulation 9A. The appeal is allowed accordingly. The impugned order of the High Court is set aside. (Para 6)

       

Order

Special leave granted.

2. Heard both sides.

3. The appellant was appointed as member of the Haryana Public Service Com­mission with effect from 4.3.80. He continued as a member of the Haryana Public Service Commission till 28.8.84 when he was appointed as Chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission. He continued as Chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission for a period of six years up to 27.8.90. The appellant was granted pension at the rate of Rs. 1,800/- per month for his services as Chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission.

4. The appellant contends that in addition, he is also entitled to pension for his services as a member of the Haryana Public Service Commission for a period of 4 years, 5 months and 24 days. The relevant Regulation of the Haryana Government known as the Haryana Public Service Commission (Conditions of Service) Regulations, 1972 is Regu­lation 9A(1). The relevant portion of Regulation 9A is as follows:

9A(1) : “Subject to the provisions of these regulations, every person, who, on or after the 1st day of November, 1966, ceases to hold the office of the Chairman or the Member, shall, with effect from the 1st December, 1973 or the date of his ceasing to hold the office, whichev­er is later, be entitled to pension for his life at the rate of two hundred rupees for month for each completed year of service as the Chairman or the Member, as the case may be, rendered after the 31st day of October, 1966, subject to a maximum of eight hundred and fifty rupees and seven hundred and fifty rupees per month respectively:

..........................

Provided further that no pension shall be payable during the period for which .....the Member may, after his retirement as such, hold office as.........the Chairman of HPSC or of any other State Public Service Commission.”

5. The quantum of pension has since been revised to Rs. 250/- per month for a member and Rs. 300/- per month for the Chairman. The maximum quantum of pension has also been revised to Rs. 1,800/- per month in the case of the Chairman and Rs. 1,500/- per month in the case of a member. The appellant is entitled to the benefit of the revised amount.

6. Under Rule 9A(1) two separate ceilings are provided; one for the pension of a Chairman and the other for the pension of a member. The question is whether a person who has acted both as a member and subse­quently as a Chairman, will be entitled to a pension only on the basis of his services as a Chairman or whether he will also be entitled to a separate pension on the basis of his services as a member of the Haryana Public Service Commission. Under the Union Public Service Commission (Members) Regulations 1969, there is an express provision contained in Explanation (II) to Regulation 9 which provides that when the total service for pension is rendered by a person, partly as a member and, partly as a Chairman, the pension admissible to such person shall be the aggregate of the pension calculated separately for each such term as a member and as a Chairman. In the Haryana Public Service Commission (Regulations), 1972 there is no such express provi­sion. However, the proviso to Rule 9A throws some light on the manner in which the pension is to be calculated. Under the proviso, when a member of the Haryana Public Service Commission retires as a member, he would be entitled to pension as a member. However, if he thereaf­ter holds office (inter alia) as the Chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission, he will not get any pension during the period for which he holds office as Chairman. There is an embargo on his receiving pension as a member during the period he functions as a Chairman. Once he ceases to function as a Chairman the embargo is lifted and he would be entitled to get pension as a member for the period during which he served as a member of the Haryana Public Service Commission. This of course, will be subject to the ceiling prescribed under Regu­lation 9A. At the same time as t





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