Judgment

WANCHOO, J. (delivering the judgment on behalf of Sinha C.J.I., Kapur, Gajendragadkar JJ. and himself) : This appeal, on a certificate granted under Art. 132 (1) of the Constitution by the Assam High Court, raises questions regarding the interpretation of certain provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. A writ petition was filed by U. Jormanik Siem (hereinafter called the respondent) in the Assam High Court against the Chief Executive Member of the District Council (hereinafter called the appellant), United Khas and Jaintia Hills District (hereinafter called the District). The case of the respondent was that he was Siem of Mylliem Siemship in the District and was elected as such by the Myntires and the people according to custom in 1951. After the constitution of the District Council for the District, in June 1952, the Siemship was brought under it and the respondent continued to discharge the administrative and judicial functions, for which he was remunerated by a share of the gross income of the Siemship. The Siem once appointed could not be removed from his office except through a referendum of the people according to custom until such custom was changed by legislation passed by the District Council with the concurrence of the Governor. No such legislation had however been passed till the writ petition was made on July 8, 1959. But on account of political differences between the respondent and the then Chief Executive Member an attempt was made after the General Elections of 1957 to harm the respondent. In consequence certain charges were levelled against the respondent and a Durbar was called by the appellant for July 6, 1959, and the respondent was asked to be resent at the Durbar to defend himself. It is not clear whether the Durbar was held or not but an order was issued on July 7, 1959, by the appellant in which it was said that the charges against the respondent had been forwarded to him and he had been given an opportunity to show cause on or before July 17, 1959, why he should not be removed from his office and that he had failed to appear before the appellant on July 7 as ordered. Therefore, the respondent was suspended from his office from July 8, 1959 and was required to make over charge to the acting Siem on the same day. The respondent however filed the writ petition on July 8, 1959 which was admitted the same day and notice was issued to the appellant to show cause why the writ should not be granted. The High Court also passed an order staying the operation of the order of the appellant dated July 7, 1959. The respondent contended that he could not be removed from his office or suspended by the Executive Committee of the District Council and that the order of the appellant suspending him was illegal and ultra vires being against custom and usage relating to that matter. Further the order of the appellant was without jurisdiction as it was passed without the approval of the District Council and there was no emergency justifying the order. The order was also mala fide and was due to political animosity between the respondent and the Executive Committee.

2. The petition was opposed on behalf of the appellant, and its main contention was that the Siem was nominated by an electoral college consisting of the representatives of several clans and that the people in general had nothing to do with it and that nomination of the Siem by the electoral college was subject to approval of the Government. In accordance with that custom, the respondent s nomination by the myntri-electors to the Siemship of Mylliem was approved by the Government and he was appointed to the office of Siem subject to confirmation by the District Council when that body came into existence. After the District Council was constituted in 1952, it approved the provisional appointment made by the Government and confirmed it on certain terms mentioned in the letter of April 9, 1953. Latter these terms were modified by the District Cou