High Court Of Madhya Pradesh
V. R. Newaskar and H. R. Krishnan, JJ.
NARAYAN KESHAV DANDEKAR - Appellant
Versus
R.C.RATHI - Respondents
Misc. Civil Petn. 57 Of 1960
Decided On : 10/03/1961
It is clear from the proviso (1) to section 58 that the power of appointing any person on a municipal post which carries a maximum monthly salary exceeding Rs.150 vests in the Standing Committee. But in making such appointment the Standing Committee has, under the Second Proviso, to consult the State Public Service Commission in the manner prescribed. On consulting in this manner if a difference of opinion arises between the Standing Committee and the State Public Service Commission the matter has to be placed before the Corporation. Where the Corporation agrees with the State Public Service Commission the appointment is to be made accordingly. However, if there is difference of opinion between the Corporation and the State Public Service Commission then in that case a reference has to be made by the Corporation to the Government and the decision of the Government becomes final in the matter of such appointment. Thus it is plain that consultation with the State Public Service Commission is not a matter of mere form but has other consequences. Where the State Public Service Commission is not agreeable with the Standing Committee and the Corporation the appointment ca n only be made on reference to the Government, [Para 6]
The provision contained in section 442 (2) is transitory in its nature. All that it provides is that all the Municipal Officers and servants in the employment of the Municipality as it existed when the provisions of the Madhya Bharat Municipal Corporation Act was made applicable to the City of Indore automatically became Officers and servants employed by the Corporation under the latter Act and there is a statutory fiction that in their cases section 58 has been com plied with. If an appointment is made on a post carrying salary exceeding Rs.150 per month without consulting the Public Service Commission, such appointment is illegal and contrary to section 58 of the Act. [Para 7]
(2) Constitution of India - Arts. 12 and 16 - word 'State' in Art. 16 - is defined in Art. 12 -includes the local authorities.
Article 16 of the Constitution requires that there shall be equality of opportunity for all citizens in the matters relating to employment or appointment in any office under the State. The word 'State' as used in this Article is defined in Article 12. According to that Article the term 'the State' includes the Government and Parliament of India and the Government and the Legislatures of each of the States and all local and other authorities within the territory of India or under the control of the Government of India. The Municipal Corporation is certainly a local authority and its Assessment and Estate Officer in the employment of the City Municipal Corporation is necessarily for that reason is a person holding an office under the State. AIR 1953 Bom. 311 distinguished. [Para 9]
( 1 ) THIS is a petition under Article 226 of the Constitution for the issue of a writ of quo-warrato submitted by the petitioner who is a registered voter in the electoral roll maintained by the Municipal Corporation, Indore, owns House No. 13 in Jati colony Indore and is a tax-payer paying annual taxes to the Indore City Municipal corporation. The petition is directed against one Radha Krishna Champalal Rattii who nas oeen appointed as the Assessment and Estate Officer in the indore City municipal Corporation. Indore City Municipal Corporation is impleaded as the second opponent.
( 2 ) THE petitioner's case is that opponent Radha-Krishna Rathi had been employed in the Indore Municipality as a Personal Assistant to the Commissioner when the madhya Bharat Municipalities Act, 1954, was in force and was applicable to the city Municipality of Indore, on 28-10-1955 Madhya Bharat Municipal Corporation act of 1956 came into force and this Act was applied to the city of Indore on 3110-1956. Prior to this application and while the Madhya Bharat Municipalities Act, 1954, was in force the Municipal Council of the Indore Municipality passed a resolution on 10-10-1958 calling applications for posts of four Assessment officers for the Indore City Municipality as the assessment of the House-tax for the entire city was to be taken in hand. Opponent No. 1 Radhakrishna Rathi was one of the applicant and he was appointed as Assessment Officer on 29-10-1956 on a salary of Rs. 250/- per month with dearness allowance and an additional Conveyance allowance of Rs. 75a per month. His appointment was temporary and officiating. There was extension of his term from time to time upto 31-3-1959. There was however no change of designation nor any alteration in the temporary and officiating character of the post. On 9-12-1958 the Municipal Commissioner submitted certain proposals to the standing Committee of the Corporation. Amongst the said proposals was a proposal that there should be a permanent assessment section under the charge of an Assessment Officer to be designated as Assessment and Estate Officer and that this Officer should look after not only the business of assessment and reassessment but also should maintain a record and look after the immoveable properties of the Corporation and from time to time draw the attention of the engineering Department to any repairs etc. , which might appear necessary. In accordance with this proposal of the Commissioner a provision was made in the budget for the financial year 1959-60 in respect of the aforesaid post. The municipal Corporation by its Resolution No. 181 dated 31-8-1959 sanctioned the creation of the said post while sanctioning the budget proposals. This provision in the budget for the year 1959-60 only constituted a non-recurring item of expenditure. Opponent No. 1 who was then working as Assessment Officer, became Assessment and Estate Officer by the change in his designation. He, however, continued to draw the same salary and allowances throughout the financial year 1959-60. For the next financial year 1960-61 the Assessment and Estate Officer was made permanent with a revised grade of Rs. 300-20-500 in pursuance of the Standing committee Resolution No. 869 dated 15-1-1961 and the Municipal Corporation's resolution No. 616 dated 19-3-1960. It was thereafter that opponent No. 1 was confirmed on this. , post by the Standing Committee's Resolution No. 243 dated 205-1960. Petitioner's compfaint is that upon a provision for a permanent municipal Post having been made by opponent. No. 2 it was incumbent upon the standing Committee of the Corporation to follow the normal procedure ofseeking applications by giving public advertisement and providing equal opportunity to all who would have been eligible for the said appointment and that it was further incumbent upon the said Standing Committee to make the appointment in consultation with the State Public Service Commission; the appointment of
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