The court emphasized the necessity of a fact-finding enquiry to determine salary and pension claims for petitioners not originally part of the appeal, directing proper adjudication by university authorities.

Headnote:(A) Civil Appeal No. 2703 of 2017 - Contempt of Court - Allegation of non-compliance with the order directing payment of salary and pension to petitioners - Petitioners were not parties to the original appeal, thus no specific direction was issued to them - Necessity for fact-finding enquiry emphasized. (Paras 1, 3, 4)

(B) Directions issued for petitioners to submit claims for salary and pension, with timelines for adjudication and payment, ensuring due process is followed. (Paras 5, 6)

Facts of the case:
Petitioners alleged non-compliance with a court order regarding salary and pension despite recommendations from the J. Sinha Commission, claiming actual work during the absorption period was disputed by the respondents.

Findings of Court:
The court found no specific direction regarding salary and pension payments to the petitioners and emphasized the need for a fact-finding enquiry.

Issues: Whether the petitioners were entitled to salary and pension despite not being parties to the original appeal and the nature of the orders regarding their employment status.

Ratio Decidendi: The court ruled that the petitioners must submit claims for salary and pension, which will be adjudicated by the university authorities, reinforcing the need for due process in employment matters.

Result: Contempt petitions disposed of with directions for further proceedings.

ORDER :

1. The present petitions have been filed alleging non-compliance of the order dated 31.08.2017 passed by this Court in Civil Appeal No. 2703 of 2017 and batch titled as Krishna Nand Yadav and Others vs. Magadh University and Others, whereby, this Court approved the order of Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.B. Sinha (Retd.) One Man Commission (hereinafter referred to as ‘J. Sinha Commission’), directing the State to comply with the order within a period of three months, subject to furnishing declaration of petitioner that he had been continuously working and attending the college regularly since the date of appointment till date or in case of retirement, till the date of retirement and that he did not work anywhere else.

2. It is now the grievance of the petitioners that even after recommendation of J. Sinha Commission and orders passed in their favour, as accepted by this Court, the benefit of arrears of salary and pension have not been granted by the authorities in view of the orders passed in subsequent proceedings.

3. We have heard learned counsel for the parties and considered the submissions. In the facts, it is not in dispute that the petitioners in these contempt petitions were not a party in Civil Appeal No. 2703 of 2017 and batch titled as Krishna Nand Yadav (supra). While the petitioners contend that during absorption period they have actually worked, the said fact has been disputed by the respondents in their counter affidavit, inter-alia, submitting that the arrears of salary of such period is not payable as they have not worked.

4. In this view of the matter and after perusal of the nature of the directions issued in Civil Appeal No. 2703 of 2017 and batch titled as Krishna Nand Yadav (supra), no specific direction in personam to petitioners regarding payment of salary and arrears have been issued. Further, considering the counter affidavit of the State and the tenor of the orders passed in subsequent proceedings in Contempt Petition (C) No. 1188 of 2018 titled as Baidya Nath Choudhary vs. Dr. Sree Surendra Kumar Singh, we find that the issue regarding actual working of the petitioners, payment of salary and arrears thereof requires adjudication after fact-finding enquiry which we are not inclined to decide in these Contempt Petitions. So far as stoppage of pension is concerned, we make it clear that in the orders dated 11.07.2019, 07.08.2019 and 12.02.2021, the issue regarding payment of pension was not an issue. These orders relate to the fact that the absorbed employees have received the salaries for the period in which they have not actually worked. Therefore, the Court directed for no further payment even for pension. It is not reported that affording opportunity enquiry has been completed, however, we do not deem it appropriate to keep these matters pending.

5. It is seen that in the case of the petitioners, the orders of absorption have been passed by the respective universities after the orders of J. Sinha Commission, hence, it would be appropriate to direct the authorities to adjudicate all the said issues through Registrar/Vice Chancellor in view of the judgment of State of Bihar and Others vs. Bihar Rajya M.S.E.S.K.K.M. and Others, (2005) 9 SCC 129 and accordingly, we dispose of these petitions with the following directions:

(ii) On receiving the claim of salary, a discrete enquiry be held affording due opportunity to the employee, college concerned and the representative of the State if required, and a reasoned order be passed regarding payment of salary and arrears, if any, within a period of three months thereafter.

(iii) The claim regarding pension of petitioner which has been withheld be decided counting the

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