2005 Supreme(Gau) 196
GAUHATI HIGH COURT
T.Nanda Kumar Singh, J.
Lalpu Vaiphei -Appellant
Versus
State of Manipur and Ors. -Resopndent
Writ Petition (C ) No. 891 of 2001
Decided On : 08-03-2005
Important Points
Subject
Employment Law - Termination of Temporary Service
Act Referred
POLICE ACT : S.46, S.7
Headnote
Termination - Temporary Service - Assam Police Manual - Section 7, Section 46 of Police Act, 1861 - Rule 66 of Assam Police Manual Part-III - CCS (Temporary Service) Rules, 1965 - Article 311(2) of the Constitution of India
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner, a Rifleman, was terminated from temporary service by the Commandant, 12Bn. Manipur Rifles, citing unauthorized absence. The petitioner challenged the termination on the grounds that the CCS (Temporary Service) Rules, 1965 did not apply to Riflemen, and the termination violated their rights under Article 311(2) of the Constitution of India.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the Assam Police Manual, specifically Rule 66 of Part-III, governed the termination of temporary employees, and the procedures prescribed in Rule 66 should have been followed. The court set aside the termination orders and directed the Disciplinary Authority to hold a fresh enquiry if necessary.
Issues: Applicability of CCS (Temporary Service) Rules, 1965 to Riflemen, Violation of rights under Article 311(2) of the Constitution of India
Ratio Decidendi: The Assam Police Manual, particularly Rule 66 of Part-III, governs the termination of temporary employees, and the procedures prescribed in Rule 66 should be followed. The termination orders were set aside due to non-compliance with the procedures under the Assam Police Manual.
Final Decision: The writ petition was allowed, and the termination orders were set aside. The petitioner was not entitled to back wages, and reinstatement was ordered within three months. The Disciplinary Authority was directed to hold a fresh enquiry if necessary.
Jalal Uddin, G.Khupchinpao
2. The case of the petitioner is that the petitioner was regularly appointed as a Rifleman on temporary basis vide order No.B-1/1/98/12MR (2-IRB) dated 28.5.1999 issued by the Commandant, 12Bn. Manipur Rifles, (2-IRB), i.e. the respondent no.3 in the present writ petition. A copy of the said order dated 28.5.1999 is available at Annexure-A/1 to the writ petition. In that order, the name of the petitioner appears at sl.no.561. But to the utter surprise of the petitioner, the respondent no.3, i.e. the Commandant, 12Bn. M.R. (2-IRB) issued orders being No.B-2/3/98-12MR (2-IRB) dated 6th April, 2000 for terminating the services of the petitioner in exercise of the powers under sub rule (1) of Rule 5 of the Central Civil Services (Temporary Service)Rules, 1965. The said termination order dated 6.4.2000 (Annexure-A/2 to the writ petition) speaks very clearly that the petitioner's service was terminated by the Commandant, 12Bn, MR (2-IRB), the respondent no.3 in the present writ petition, in exercise of his powers under sub rule (1) of Rule 5 of the CCS (Temporary Service) Rules, 1965. Against the said termination order issued by the respondent no.3, the petitioner preferred an appeal before the Dy. Inspector General of Police (Ops-II): Manipur and the Dy. Inspector General of Police (Ops-II), Manipur also passed an order being No.W-4/41/99-DIG (Ops-II)/923 dated 21.3.2001 (Annexure-A/3 to the writ petition) for terminating the services of the petitioner for his unauthorized absence of 143 days. The writ petitioner filed this writ petition only on the, inter alia, reasons that (1) the CCS (Temporary Service) Rules, 1965 is not applicable to the Riflemen of the Manipur Police; (2) according to the amended special rules, i.e. the Assam Police Manual, even for termination of temporary employees procedures prescribed in Rule 66 of A.P. Manual-III shall be followed, and (3) the said termination order was issued in violation of the rights of the petitioners under Article 311(2) of the Constitution of India.
3. It is an admitted fact of both the parties that the Govt. of Manipur issued order being No.7/41/73-Pol. Imphal dated 6th September,1974 to the effect that in exercise of the powers conferred by section 7 read with section 46 of the Police Act, 1861 (V of 1861), the Govt. of Manipur is pleased to order that the rules laid down in the Assam Police Manual parts I to V shall be deemed to be the rules framed by the State Government of Manipur for application to the Manipur Police Force, with such alterations and modifications, not affecting the substances, as may be necessary having regard to the existing Administrative Set-up in the State. Therefore, the Assam Police Manual is the special Act which governs the Riflemen of the Manipur Police.
4. The major penalty is defined in sub rule (a) of Rule 66(2) of the Assam Police Manual Part-III. By a subsequent amendment under the orders of the Govt. of Manipur being No.13 (1)79/89 Imphal the 21st September, 1983 a new clause i.e. (d) (d) had been added to the major penalty, had already been mentioned in sub rule (a) (a) of 1966. Under the said newly added sub-rule, sub clause (d) (d), the termination of service in respect of the temporary hand is also a major penalty. Therefore, the case of the learned counsel for the petitioner is that even for termination of the temporary employees, like the present writ petitioner, the procedure prescribed in Rule 66 of the Assam Police Manual Part-III for imposing major penalty should also be followed. In this regard in order to impress his submissions, the learned counsel for the petitioner has drawn the attention of this court to a decision of this court in Sangamsel Maring - Vs. - State of Manipur and others reported in 2003(3) GLT 258. In para no.10 of Sangamsel Maring(Supra), the said order of the Go