IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI
S.J. Mukhopadhaya, Dilip Kumar Sinha, JJ.
Kavita Kumari Kandhw and Ors. - Appellants
Vs.
State of Jharkhand and Ors. - Respondent
AND
Seema Kumari Choudhary - Appellants
Vs.
Jharkhand Public Service Commission and Ors. - Respondent
AND
State of Jharkhand and Ors. - Appellants
Vs.
Md. Muslim and Anr. - Respondent
W.P. (S) No. 578, 722 and 4175 of 2004 Alongwith W.P. (S) Nos. 457, 2403, 3099, 3135, 3310, 4363 and 4625 of 2004 and 639 and 4688 of 2005 Alongwith L.P.A. No. 570 of 2005
Decided On : 01.05.2006
Reservation - Appointment of Teachers from Backward Class - Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, Jharkhand Reservation Act, 2001 - The court discussed the applicability of reservation for appointment of teachers from the Backward Class, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, in the State of Jharkhand. It highlighted the amendments made in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, as well as the provisions of the Jharkhand Reservation Act, 2001, to establish that individuals from other states cannot claim reservation in the services of the State of Jharkhand.
Fact of the Case:
The case involved the appointment of Teachers from the Backward Class, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, in the State of Jharkhand. The petitioners, belonging to reserved categories of other states, claimed reservation in the services of the State of Jharkhand. The court addressed the issue of whether candidates from reserved categories of other states can claim reservation in the matter of appointment in the services of another state.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that individuals from other states cannot claim reservation for appointment in the services of the State of Jharkhand. It emphasized the amendments made in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, as well as the provisions of the Jharkhand Reservation Act, 2001, to support its decision.
Issues: The main issues involved in the case were whether candidates from reserved categories of other states can claim reservation in the services of the State of Jharkhand and whether individuals from the combined State of Bihar can be treated as Backward Class, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, for both the successor States of Bihar and Jharkhand.
Ratio Decidendi: The court relied on the decisions of the Supreme Court, including Marri Chandra v. Dean, S.G.S. Medical College, Action Committee on Issue of Caste Certificates to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the State of Maharastra, M.C.D. v. Veena, and U.P. Public Service Commission, Allahabad v. Sanjay Kumar Singh, to establish that individuals from other states cannot claim reservation for appointment in the services of the State of Jharkhand.
Final Decision: The court dismissed the writ petitions of the petitioners who did not belong to the State of Jharkhand and allowed the appeals of those who produced valid certificates issued by the district administration of the State of Jharkhand along with their application forms for appointment.
S.J. Mukhopadhaya, J.
1. As the matter in all these writ petitions and Letters Patent Appeals relates to appointment of Teachers from amongst the members of Backward Class, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, arising out of a common advertisement and common question of law being involved, they have been heard together and are being disposed of by this common judgment.
2. The main questions, involved in these cases, are:
(a) Whether a candidate, belonging to reserved category of the successor State of Bihar has any right to claim reservation in the services of the successor State of Jharkhand, as because it was a part of the erstwhile State of Bihar? and
(b) Whether a candidate, belonging to reserved category of other State, can claim reservation in the matter of appointment in the services of another State
3. Petitioners in the writ petitions and the private respondents of L.P.A. Nos. 722 of 2004 and 570 of 2005 as also the appellant of L.P.A. No. 457 of 2004 claim to be the members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Categories. They belong either to the State of Bihar or Uttar Pradesh or other States. They applied for their appointment as Trained Teachers in the Government Primary Schools under the State of Jharkhand, in pursuance of an advertisement, issued on 28th August, 2002 by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (hereinafter to be referred as 'J.P.S.C.'), which also conducted the written competitive examination on 27th May, 2003, result of which was declared on 20th November, 2003. The writ petitioners, private respondents of L.P.A. Nos. 722 of 2004 and 570 of 2005 and the appellant of L.P.A. No. 457 of 2005 were declared successful.
4. Most of the writ petitioners, including private respondents of L.P.A. Nos. 722 of 2004 and 570 of 2005 having not been provided with the letters of appointment, preferred the writ petitions for a direction on the respondents to consider their cases for appointment as Teachers against the posts, reserved for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Categories. W.P.(S) No. 2423 of 2004, filed by Mohammad Muslim and Ram Pravesh Singh, and W.P.(S) No. 1448 of 2005, filed by Lalita Kumari and Janak Deo Kumar, having been allowed by judgment dated 6th May, 2004 and 4th April, 2005 respectively, L.P.A.Nos. 722 of 2004 and 570 of 2005 have been preferred by the State of Jharkhand against the judgments aforesaid. So far as petitioner Arvind Kumar Prabhat of W.P.(S) No. 4363 of 2004 and appellant Sanju Kumari of L.P.A.No. 457 of 2004 are concerned, after the written competitive test, they having been declared successful, letters of appointment were issued in their favour, pursuant to which they joined the services of the State of Jharkhand. Later on, it having been found that Arvind Kumar Prabhat is not a member of Scheduled Caste of the State of Jharkhand but that of the State of Bihar (District-Chapra) and Sanju Kumari having been found to be a member of Backward Class of the State of Bihar (District-Nawadah), their services have been terminated by two impugned letters, both dated 17th February, 2004. The writ petition being W.P.(S) No. 2587 of 2004, preferred by Sanju Kumari, having been dismissed by the learned Single Judge, she has preferred L.P.A.No. 457 of 2004 against the said judgment.
5. On behalf of the petitioners, it was submitted that many of them being the members of Backward Class of combined State of Bihar, they should be treated as Backward Class, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, for whole territory of the erstwhile State of Bihar even after re-organization of the State and thereby they should be treated as Backward Class, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, for both the successor States of Bihar and Jharkhand.
6. The submission aforesaid can not be accepted in view of the amendment, made in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 as a
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