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2002 Supreme(All) 1162

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
G. P. Mathur and Vineet Saran, JJ.
RAJENDRA LAL SRIVASTAVA - Appellant
Versus
SECONDARY EDUCATION SERVICE COMMISSION - Respondents
C. M. W. P. 22972 Of 1995
Decided On : 09/04/2002

Advocates Appeared:
AMICUS CURIAE, R.G.PADIA, RAMESH CHANDRA SRIVASTAVA, Ramesh Upadhayay, Shyam Narain

The Commission, while accepting the report of the sub-committee, is not required to give reasons. In case it does not accept the report of the subcommittee and differs from it, then reasons, which need not be very elaborate, have to be recorded.

Headnote:

DELEGATION - DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS - U. P. SECONDARY EDUCATION SERVICES COMMISSION AND SELECTION BOARDS ACT, 1982 - Section 21

Fact of the Case:

Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against the petitioner, the Principal of an intermediate college, leading to a writ petition for quashing the order of the U. P. Secondary Education Services Commission (the Commission) for dismissing the petitioner from service.

Finding of the Court:

The Court held that the Commission, while accepting the report of the sub-committee, is not required to give reasons. It also ruled that the Commission can validly direct a single member sub-committee to hear the parties and submit a report and then take a final decision without affording any further opportunity of hearing to the concerned parties.

Issues: Conflict of opinions in two decisions rendered by learned single Judges of the Court regarding the requirement for the Commission to give reasons while considering the report of the subcommittee.

Ratio Decidendi: The Commission, while accepting the report of the sub-committee, is not required to give reasons. In case it does not accept the report of the subcommittee and differs from it, then reasons, which need not be very elaborate, have to be recorded.

Final Decision: The Court overruled the previous decision and held that the Commission is not required to give reasons while accepting the report of the sub-committee. It also clarified that the Commission can validly direct a single member sub-committee to hear the parties and submit a report and then take a final decision without affording any further opportunity of hearing to the concerned parties.

G. P. MATHUR, J.

( 1 ) THIS matter has come before us in order to resolve the conflict of opinions in two decisions rendered by learned single Judges of this Court.

( 2 ) DISCIPLINARY proceedings were initiated against the petitioner who was Principal of an intermediate college. A charge-sheet was served upon him on 15. 7. 1993 and he was required to appear before the enquiry committee constituted by the Committee of Management of the institution. After conclusion of the enquiry, the Committee of Management of the Institution passed a resolution proposing his dismissal from service. The resolution was sent to U. P. Secondary Education Services Commission (hereinafter referred to as the Commission) for grant of approval. The Commission sent a notice to the petitioner requiring him to send his reply. He was afforded an opportunity of hearing by a single member subcommittee of the Commission. Thereafter, the Commission passed an order on 17. 7. 1995 approving the proposal of the committee of Management of the Institution for dismissing the petitioner from service. The writ petition has been filed for quashing of the aforesaid order.

( 3 ) DURING the course of hearing before a learned single Judge, it was contended that the impugned order of the Commission being a non-speaking order, it is wholly illegal. Reliance was placed on a decision by a learned single Judge in Awadh Narain Tripathi v. U. P. Secondary education Services Commission and Ors. , 1995 (3) UPLBEC 1891, wherein it has been held that the Commission should have given reasons for not accepting the pleas set up by the teacher in his reply to the show cause notice and it should have also addressed itself to the quantum of punishment having regard to the nature of charges before expressing agreement with the report of single member sub-committee and it having not done so, the decision of the Commission was liable to be set aside. On behalf of the contesting respondents, reliance was placed on another decision of a learned single Judge in Committee of Management of D. A. V, Inter College, aligarh v. U. P. Secondary Education Services Commission, 1998 (2) AWC 1556 : 1998 (2)UPLBEC 1532, wherein it has been held that the Commission being in agreement with the report of the sub-committee, it was not necessary for it to give reasons which impelled it to agree with the findings of the subcommittee and it was more than enough if the Commission mentioned that after due consideration of the report of the sub-committee, it has taken a decision in accordance with findings of the sub-committee. The learned single Judge who heard the writ petition has made the present reference to decide the question as to whether the Commission, while considering the report of the subcommittee, is required to give its reasons for either approving or disapproving the report or without giving any reason, it can approve or disapprove the same.

( 4 ) THE State Legislature enacted the U. P. Secondary Education Services Commission and selection Boards Act, 1982 (U. P. Act No. 5 of 1982) (hereinafter referred to as the Act) with the object of constituting Secondary Education Services Commission at the State level to select the principals, lecturers, headmasters and L. T. grade teachers and Secondary Education Services selection Boards at the regional level to select and make available suitable candidates for comparatively lower position to C. T. /j. T. C. / B. T. C. grade for such institutions. Another object for making the Act was that Section 16g (3) of U. P. Intermediate Education Act, 1921, wherein the managements were authorised to Impose punishment with the approval of District Inspector of Schools for matters pertaining to disciplinary actions, was found to be inadequate. It was, therefore, considered necessary that this power should be exercised subject to prior approval of the Commission or the Selection Boards, as the case may be, which would function as an independent and impartial body. The pre













































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