2006 Supreme(MP) 1132

2006(3) JLJ 386
S.K. Gangele, J.
Sanjeev Yadav and others v. Lakshmibai National Institute of
Physical Education and others
Writ Petition(S) No. 3887 of 2005; Decided on 9.10.2006.

Headnote:(1) Civil Servant -- recruited by illegally constituted selection committee -- recruitment is not valid -- being ab initio void, cannot be cured subsequently.

       (2) Rules of Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (Deemed University) -- Rr. 12(ii)(b), 15(c)(ii), 5(a)(ii)(iii) and 5(b) -- selection of lecturers -- selection committee not constituted according to R. 12(ii)(b) -- recruitment is ab initio void -- cannot thereafter be cured.

       In pursuance to the advertisement the petitioners applied for the posts of lecturers. A selection committee was constituted in terms of rule 13 of the Rules of the Institute. [Para 4

       The Vice-Chancellor suo motu inducted Dr. T.C. Kundu in place of Mrs. Sudarshan Pathak and Prof. R.K. Bangad without taking permission from the Board of Management or from the President of the Institute. The meetings of the Committee were held on 16th and 17th of March 2002 and the selection committee selected the petitioners on the basis of interview only. Consequently, on 8th May 2002 the appointment orders of the petitioners have been issued appointing them as lecturers in the Institute on the pay-scale of Rs.8,000-13,500 on temporary basis. [Para 5

       Mr. Rajendra Tayal submitted a representation to the Institute and higher authorities for cancellation of appointments of the petitioners and thereafter the matter was reconsidered by the Board of Management ... The Board of Management considered the reply of the petitioners, show cause notice and also the record and found that the selection committee which selected the petitioners on the posts of lecturer was illegal, contrary to rule 23 of MOA, hence the appointments of the petitioners were illegal and issued termination orders. [Para 7

       Held : It is clear that only Shri Shailendra Sharma and Shri B.S. Rathore were legally appointed members of the selection committee, all three members Dr. Pramod Kumar Pandey, Dr. T.C. Kundu and Prof. R.K. Bangad participated in the meeting of the selection committee unauthorisedly and illegally. [Para 17

       From the above principles of law laid down by Hon‘ble Supreme Court and the legal provisions and the facts discussed above, I hold that constitution of the selection committee, which selected the petitioners, was illegal. [Paras 19 & 18

       The arguments advanced by the learned Senior Counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners that defect of the selection committee was cured cannot be accepted and it is also well settled principle of law that if an act is void ab initio that cannot be cured subsequently. (1990)4 SCC 510, (2004)7 SCC 112, (2000)7 SCC 561 and (1983)4 SCC 582 followed. 2006(5) Scale 273 distinguished. [Para 23

       (3) Natural Justice -- cancellation of appointment being made by illegal selection committee -- show cause notice given -- reply also considered -- principles followed. [Para 24

       (4) Civil Servant -- appointment being by illegally constituted selection committee -- being against law -- petitioner not entitled to any sympathy or sentiment. (2004)2 SCC 130 followed. [Para 26

       ¼1½ flfoy lsod && voS/k :i ls xfBr p;u lfefr }kjk HkrhZ fd;k x;k && HkrhZ fof/kekU; ugha gS && vkjaHk ls ‘kwU; gksus ds dkj.k rRi‘pkr~ mik; ugha fd;k tk ldrkA

       ¼2½ y{ehckbZ jk"Vªh; ‘kkjhfjd f‘k{kk laLFkk ¼le fo‘ofo|ky;½ fu;e && fu- 12(ii)¼[k½] 15¼x½(ii)] 5¼d½(ii)] 5¼d½(iii) rFkk 5¼[k½ && izk/;kidksa dk p;u && p;u lfefr fu- 12(ii)¼[k½ ds vuqlkj xfBr ugha && HkrhZ vkjaHk ls gh ‘kwU; gS && rRi‘pkr~ izfrdkj ugha fd;k tk ldrkA

       foKkiu ds vuqlj.k esa ;kphx.k us izk/;kidksa ds in ds fy, vkosnu fd;kA laLFkk ds fu;eksa ds fu;e 13 ds fuca/kuksa ds vuqlkj p;u lfefr xfBr dh xbZA ¼iSjk 4

       dqyifr ds Loizsj.kk ls izca/k eaMy vFkok laLFkk ds v/;{k ls vuqKk fy, fcuk Jherh lqn‘kZu ikBd vkSj vkpk;Z vkj-ds- ck¡xM ds LFkku ij Mk- Vh-lh- dqaMq dks izfrf"Br fd;kA lfefr dh cSBd 16 rFkk 17 ekpZ 2002 dks gqbZ rFkk p;u lfefr us ;kphx.k dk ek= lk{kkRdkj ds vk/kkj ij p;u fd;kA rRi‘pkr~] 8 ebZ 2002 dks ;kphx.k dks laLFkk esa :-8]000&13]500 ds osrueku ij vLFkk;h vk/kkj ij izk/;kid ds :i esa fu;qDr djrs gq, muds fu;qfDr vkns‘k tkjh fd, x, gSaA ¼iSjk 5

       Jh jktsanz rk;y us ;kphx.k dh fu;qfDr jn~n djus ds fy, laLFkk rFkk mPp izkf/kdkfj;ksa dks vH;kosnu fd;k rFkk rRi‘pkr~ ekeys ij izca/k eaMy }kjk iqufoZpkj fd;k x;kA izca/k eaMy }kjk ;kphx.k ds mÙkj] dkj.k crkvks lwpuk rFkk vfHkys[k ij Hkh fopkj fd;k x;k rFkk ik;k x;k fd ;kphx.k dks izk/;kidksa ds in ij p;u djus okyh lfefr voS/k ,e vks , ds fu;e 23 ds izfrdwy Fkh] vr% ;kphx.k dh fu;qfDr voS/k Fkh rFkk lsok&lekfIr vkns‘k tkjh fd, x,A ¼iSjk 7

       vfHkfu/kkZfjr % ;g Li"V gS fd Jh ‘kSysanz ‘kekZ rFkk Jh ch-,l- jkBkSj gh p;u lfefr ds oS/k :i ls fu;qDr lnL; Fks] lHkh rhu lnL; Mk- izeksn dqekj ikaMs] Mk- Vh-lh- dqaMq rFkk vkpk;Z vkj-ds- ck¡xM us p;u lfefr dh cSBd esa vizkf/kd`r rFkk voS/k :i ls Hkkx fy;kA ¼iSjk 17

       ekuuh; mPpre U;k;ky; }kjk Åij vf/kdfFkr fof/k ds fl)kar vkSj fof/kd mica/k rFkk Åij foosfpr rF;ksa ij ls] eSa vfHkfu/kkZfjr djrk gw¡ fd ;kphx.k dk p;u djus okyh p;u lfefr voS/k FkhA ¼iSjk 19 ,oa 18

       ;kphx.k dh vksj ls milatkr fo}ku T;s"B dkmUlsy }kjk dh xbZ cgl fd p;u lfefr dh =qfV dk mik; gks x;k Fkk] Lohd`r ugha dh tk ldrh rFkk ;g fof/k dk lqLFkkfir fl)kar gS fd ;fn dksbZ dk;Z izkjaHk ls gh ‘kwU; gS rc rRi‘pkr~ mldk izfrdkj ugha fd;k tk ldrkA ¼1990½4 ,l lh lh 510] ¼2004½7 ,l lh lh 112] ¼2000½7 ,l lh lh 561 rFkk ¼1983½4 ,l lh lh 582 vuqlfjrA 2006¼5½ Ldsy 273 izHksfnrA ¼iSjk 23

       ¼3½ uSlfxZd U;k; && voS/k p;u lfefr }kjk dh xbZ fu;qfDr dk jn~ndj.k && dkj.k crkvks lwpuk nh xbZ && mÙkj ij Hkh fopkj fd;k x;k && fl)karksa dk ikyu gqvkA ¼iSjk 24

       ¼4½ flfoy lsod && voS/k p;u lfefr }kjk dh xbZ fu;qfDr && fof/k ds fo:) gksus ds dkj.k ;kph fdlh lgkuqHkwfr vFkok Hkkoqdrk dh gdnkj ugha gSA ¼2004½2 ,l lh lh 130 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 26