2003 Supreme(All) 1296
IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
B. S. Chauhan, Rajesh Kumar
ANIMESH JAM - Appellant
Versus
THE HOME SECRETARY V. P. THROUGH STATE OF U. P. - Respondents
Criminal Misc. Writ Petition 3305 Of 2003
Decided On : 06/20/2003
C.B.Shukla, C.M.Shukla, R.S.Maurya
Headnote:
writ petition - transfer of investigation - Section 302 IPC - Article 226 - Rule 1 of Order 27 - maintainability of writ petition against government officers or employees
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner sought the transfer of investigation to the C.B.C.I.D. due to lack of faith in fair investigation by the police, citing pressure from a dominant community. The petition was challenged on the grounds of maintainability due to non-impleading of necessary parties.
Finding of the Court:
The court found the writ petition not maintainable due to non-impleading of necessary parties, casual filing, and lack of proper disclosure.
Issues: Maintainability of the writ petition due to non-impleading of necessary parties and casual filing.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that a writ petition is not maintainable against government officers or employees, and it lies only against the State. Non-impleading of necessary parties can lead to the dismissal of the petition.
Final Decision: The writ petition was dismissed as not maintainable, but the dismissal would not prejudice the petitioner's right to file a properly maintainable writ petition in the future.
( 1 ) THE writ petition has been filed for seeking a direction to the Home Secretary of the State of Uttar Pradesh to transfer the investigation to the C. B. C. I. D. in Case Crime No. 92 of 2003 under Section 302 I. P. C. relating to Police Station Adarsh Mandi. Muzaffarnagar.
( 2 ) THE present writ petition has been filed on the ground that the petitioner does not expect a fair investigation by the police for the reasons that the Area is dominated by the Jats and they are pressurising the investigating Agency to involve the petitioner. Therefore, the investigation may be transferred to the C. BC. I. D.
( 3 ) THE Learned AG. A has raised preliminary objection regarding the maintainability of the writ petition as it has been filed impleading only respondent No. 1 i. e. The Home Secretary, U. P. Lucknow, through State of U. P. It has been submitted by him that the State has not been impleaded as a respondent and the writ cannot be entertained against the officer of the State without impleading the State as has been held by the Courts time and again.
( 4 ) IN Ranjeet Mal v. General Manager, Northern Railway, New Delhi and Anr,1 the Honble Apex Court considered a case where the writ petition had been filed challenging the order of termination from service against the General Manager of the Northern Railways without impleading the Union of India, The Apex Court held as under: the Union of India represents the Railway Administration. The Union carries administration through different servants. These servants all represent the Union in regard to activities whether in the matter of appointment or in the matter of removal. It cannot be denied that any order which will be passed on an application under Article 226 which will have the effect of setting aside the removal will fasten liability on the Union of India, and not on any servant of the Union. Therefore, from all points of, view, the Union of India was rightly held by the High Court to be a necessary party. The petition was rightly rejected by the High Court.
( 5 ) WHILE considering the similar view in Chief Conservator of Forests, Government of A. P. v. Collector and Ors. the Honble Supreme. Court accepted the submission that writ cannot be entertained without impleading the State if relief is sought against the State. The Honble Apex Court had drawn the analogy from Section 79 of the Code of Civil Procedure. 1908. which directs that the State shall be the authority to be named as plaintiff or defendant in a suit by or against the Government and Section 80 thereof directs notice to the Secretary of that State or the Collector of the district before the institution of the suit and Rule 1 of Order 27 lays down as to who should sign the pleadings. No individual officer of the Government under the scheme of the constitution nor under the Code of Civil Procedure can me a suit nor initiate any proceeding in the name and the post he is holding, who is not a juristic person.
( 6 ) THE Court also considered the provisions of Article 300 of the Constitution which provide for legal proceedings by or against the Union of India or State and held that in a suit by or against the Government the authority to be named as plaintiff or defendant as the case may be in the case of the Central Government the Union of India and in the Case of State Government the State, which is suing or is being sued.
( 7 ) RULE 1 of Order 27 only deals with suits by or against the Government or by officers in their official capacity. It provides that in any suit by or against the Government the plaint or the writ ten statement shall be signed by such person as the Government may like by general or special order authorise in that behalf and shall be verified by any person whom the Government may so appoint. The Court further held as under: it needs to be noted here that a legal entity a natural person or an artificial person can sue or be sued in his/its own name in a court of law or a tribunal. It