IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI
Yashwant Varma, J.
Suresh Kumar - Appellant
Versus
Sports Authority of India - Respondent
W.P.(C) 10466 of 2019, CM Appls. 43279 of 2019, 50759 of 2019 and 11833 of 2021
Decided On : 11-01-2022
Important Points
Subject
Administrative Law - Public Employment
Act Referred
EVIDENCE ACT: S.115
PUBLIC PREMISES EVICTION OF UNAUTHORISED OCCUPANTS ACT: S.5
Headnote
(B) Prerogative writ - Article 226 of the Constitution - A prerogative writ should not issue to perpetuate a manifest illegality. The court finds no merit in the petitioner's claims as he is ineligible for accommodation under the relevant regulations. (Paras 6-10)
Facts of the case:
The petitioner challenged the cancellation orders of 12 April 2019 and 18 September 2019 regarding the allotment of residential accommodation, claiming improper grounds for cancellation. The respondents stated that the petitioner was ineligible for such allotment as an employee of the Sports Authority of India and that he had misused the portal for the application process.
Findings of Court:
The allotment was deemed invalid due to the petitioner’s ineligibility, and the misuse of a Ministry portal for application completion was acknowledged. Consequently, the allotment cancellation was upheld as lawful.
Issues: The key issues addressed included the legality of the allotment based on the petitioner’s status as an employee of the SAI and the applicability of estoppel against the respondents in light of the alleged administrative error.
Ratio Decidendi: The court ruled that the original allocation of accommodation was invalid due to the petitioner's ineligibility and fraudulent behavior in manipulating the application process. The ruling emphasized that legal principles prevent perpetuating manifest illegality.
Result: Writ petition dismissed.
| Table of Content |
|---|
| 1. challenge to cancellation of residential accommodation. (Para 1 , 2) |
| 2. notice of unauthorized occupation issued. (Para 3) |
| 3. petitioner's arguments against cancellation. (Para 4 , 5) |
| 4. court's acknowledgment of ineligibility. (Para 6 , 7) |
| 5. misuse of application portal fortifies illegality. (Para 8 , 9) |
| 6. writ petition dismissed. (Para 10) |
JUDGMENT
Yashwant Varma, J. (Oral)--The challenge in the present writ petition is to the orders of 12 April 2019 and 18 September 2019. In terms of the first order of 12 April 2019, the respondents have proceeded to cancel the allotment of the General Pool Residential Accommodation, 1 , being occupied by the petitioner here. Consequential directions for his eviction were also framed. By the second order of 18 September 2019, the respondents have conveyed their decision to refuse the prayer for regularization as made by the petitioner here.
2. Undisputedly, the accommodation in question forms part of premises falling in the GPRA pool of the respondents. The petitioner was appointed as a Lifeguard with the Sports Authority of India, 2 - respondent No.1 here. It is his case that pursuant to an application which was made by him, the Directorate of Estate by an order of 29 April 2015, allotted the premises in question. It is also borne out from the record that the deductions towards rent and other statutory dues payable in respect of the premises were initially deducted from the salary of the petitioner by the respondent No.1 and duly transmitted. However, and is apparent from the record, the deductions after a particular period of time could not be deposited by the SAI consequent to it being found that the original allotment as made was invalid. The respondents essentially take the position that employees of the SAI, which is an autonomous body, would not be eligible for allotment of premises forming part of the GPRA.
3. The notice which came to be issued and pursuant to which the proceedings impugned commenced proceeded on the premise that the petitioner has failed to make deposits of license fee on the online portal of the Department of Estates. It further records that the license fee has not been uploaded by the DDO on the website of the Directorate of Estates so as to establish the eligibility of the petitioner to be allotted the accommodation. Ultimately and pursuant to the notice which had been issued, the Estate Officer proceeded to pass the impugned order of 12 April 2019 noting that the petitioner was an unauthorized occupant in the public premises.
4. The challenge to the aforesaid orders is addressed by Mr.Arputham, learned counsel for the petitioner, who submits that the application for allotment had been validly made and since it was duly scrutinized and accepted by the respondents, it cannot now be challenged by them or questioned in the present proceedings. According to Mr.Arputham, once the respondent No.1had made the necessary deductions from the salary of the petitioner, no further penal action was warranted since no wrongdoing could have possibly been fastened upon the petitioner here. Referring to the decision of the Supreme Court in Mohinder Singh Gill vs. Chief Election Commissioner, (1978) 1 SCC 405, learned counsel also submitted that the grounds which are now taken in the counter affidavit cannot possibly be countenanced or be read against the petitioner since the notice rested solely on the allegation of non-payment of license fee. It was further submitted that the respondents cannot attack their own orders which were passed in favour of the petitioner, collaterally in these proceedings. Mr. Arputham relies upon the decision of the Supreme Court in State of Assam vs. Raghava Rajgopalachari, (1972) 7 SLR 44 (SC) and of the Calcutta High Court in Calcutta Municipal Corp. vs. Debu Bhatacharjee, (1992) 2 CLJ 1, in support of the afore noted contention.
5. Before this Court, learned counsel appearing for the respondent No.1 has candidly admitted tha