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2007(1) JLJ 147
(SUPREME COURT)
B.N. Srikrishna and R.V. Raveendran, JJ.
Harigovind Yadav v. Rewa-Sidhi Gramin Bank and others
Civil Appeal No. 1153 of 2003 : against the order of
M.P. High Court, Bench at Jabalpur passed in
LPA No. 224 of 2000; Decided on 9.5.2006.
On 3.7.1991 the appellant‘s juniors were promoted as Field Supervisors. The appellant was not promoted. He therefore filed WP No.4485 of 1993 in the High Court of Madhya Pradesh ... A learned Single Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court allowed the appellant‘s writ petition...Thereafter, the Bank again passed an order of promotion dated 14.6.1999 promoting the third respondent to the post of Field Supervisor. The appellant was not promoted. [Paras 6, 8 & 9
The appellant, therefore, once again approached the Madhya Pradesh High Court in WP No.2800 of 1999 challenging his non promotion, contending that the Bank has not made promotion on the basis of seniority-cum-merit. He contended that the Bank had failed to follow the decision of this Court in Sivaiah [(1998)6 SCC 720], and the decision in his own case. He contended that even on the basis of merit-cum-seniority adopted by the Bank, he was entitled to promotion on the total percentage of marks secured by him and he had been deliberately failed in the interview to deny him promotion. [Para 10
A learned Single Judge of the M.P. High Court dismissed the appellant‘s writ petition ... The appellant challenged the said order before the Division Bench which rejected the LPA by judgment dated 23.8.2001 affirming the decision of the learned Single Judge. It held that the criteria adopted by the employer by prescribing minimum qualifying marks for interview for determining the suitability of the candidate for promotion was just and reasonable and the appellant having failed to secure the minimum marks in the interview, was rightly not promoted. Both the Single Judge and the Division Bench purported to follow the principle laid down in para 37 of the judgment in Sivaiah (supra). [Paras 12 & 13
Held: This Court did not accept the promotion policy contained in the circular dated 2.2.1989 as being in consonance with the principle of seniority-cum-merit. This Court held that the policy which did not prescribe a minimum standard for assessing merit and which promoted candidates on the basis of comparative merit, with reference to total marks obtained by the eligible candidates, followed the merit-cum-seniority principle. (1998)6 SCC 720 relied on.
Interview can be held and assessment of performance can be made by the Bank in connection with promotions. But that can be only to assess the minimum necessary merit. But where the procedure adopted does not provide the minimum standard for promotion, but only the minimum standard for interview and does the selection with reference to comparative marks, it is contrary to the rule of "seniority-cum-merit". AIR 1967 SC 1910 and (1998)9 SCC 652 relied on. [Paras 21 & 22
(2) Constitution of India -- Arts.226 and 142 -- High Court in fit case can compel performance of the mandate by the Government or public authority -- Supreme Court likewise in order to do complete justice direct performance of its order -- direction to promote the appellant issued.(1986)2 SCC 679 relied on. [Paras 26 & 27
¼1½ {ks=h; xzkeh.k cSad ¼vf/kdkfj;ksa vkSj vU; deZpkfj;ksa dh fu;qfDr½ fu;e] 1988 && fu- 5 rFkk 10] vuq- nwljh] izfof"V 5 && {ks=h; i;Zos{kdksa ds in && 50 izfr‘kr lh/kh HkrhZ rFkk 50 izfr‘kr T;s"Brk≶&;ksX;rk ds vk/kkj ij izksUufr }kjk Hkjs tkuk gksaxs && izksUufr uhfr fnukad 2-2-1989 && T;s"Brk≶&;ksX;rk ds fl)kar ds lkeatL; esa ugha && mlds vk/kkj ij izksUufr vfHk[kafMr fd, tkus ;ksX; gSA
3-7-1991 dks vihykFkhZ ds dfu"B] {ks= i;Zos{kdksa dh Hkk¡fr fu;qDr fd, x, FksA vihykFkhZ izksUur ugha fd;k x;kA blfy, mlus e/; izns‘k mPp U;k;ky; esa ,y ih , Ø- 4485 lu~ 1993 Qkby dhA --- e/; izns‘k mPp U;k;ky; ds fo}ku ,dy U;k;k/kh‘k us vihykFkhZx.k dh ;kfpdk Lohdkj dj yhA ------ rRi‘pkr~ cSad us r`rh; izR;FkhZ dks {ks= i;Zos{kd ds in ij izksUur djrs gq, izksUufr vkns‘k fnuakd 14-6-1999 ikfjr fd;kA vihykFkhZ izksUur ugha fd;k x;kA ¿ iSjk 6] 8 ,oa 9À
blfy, vihykFkhZ] viuh izksUufr ugha gksus ij vk{ksi djrs gq, fjV ;kfpdk Ø- 2800 lu~ 1999 esa ,d ckj fQj e/; izns‘k mPp U;k;ky; ds le{k ;g ladFku djrs gq, x;k fd cSad] izksUufr T;s"Brk≶&;ksX;rk ds vk/kkj ij f‘koS;k ¿ ¼1998½6 ,l lh lh 720À esa fu.kZ; vkSj mlds Lo;a ds ekeys esa fu.kZ; dk vuqlj.k djus esa foQy jgk gSA mlds ladFku fd;k fd cSad }kjk viuk, x, ;ksX;rk≶&Ts"Brk ds vk/kkj ij Hkh mlds }kjk izkIr vadksa dh dqy izfr‘krrk ij og izksUufr dk gdnkj FkkA izksUufr ls oafpr djus ds fy, mls tkucw> dj lk{kkRdkj esa vlQy fd;k x;k gSA ¿ iSjk 10À
e/; izns‘k mPp U;k;ky; ds ,dy U;k;k/kh‘k us vihykFkhZ dh fjV ;kfpdk [kkfjt dj nh gS ------ vihykFkhZ us mDr vkns‘k ij [kaM U;k;ihB ds le{k vk{ksi fd;k ftlus fo}ku ,dy U;k;k/kh‘k dk fofuf‘pr vfHkiq"V djrs gq, vkns‘k fnuakd 23-8-2001 }kjk ySVlZ isaVsaV vihy [kkfjt dj nhA mlds vfHkfu/kkZfjr fd;k fd izksUufr ds fy, vH;FkhZ dh mi;qDrrk vo/kkfjr fd, tkus ds fy, lk{kkRdkj ds fy, U;wure vgZd vad fofgr dj ds fu;kstd }kjk viuk;k x;k ekunaM U;k;ksfpr vkSj ;qfDr;qDr Fkk vkSj vihykFkhZ U;wure vad izkIr djus esa foQy gjus ij Bhd&gh izksUur ugha fd;k x;kA ,dy U;k;k/kh‘k vkSj [kaM U;k;ihB] nksuksa dk mÌs‘; floS;k ¼iwokZsDr½ ds fu.kZ; ds iSjk 37 esaa vf/kfyf[kr fl)kar dk vuqlj.k FkkA ¿ iSjk 12 ,oa 13À
vfHkfu/kkZfjr % bl U;k;ky; us ifji= fnukad 2-2-1989 esa varfoZ"V izksUufr uhfr dks T;s"Brk≶&;ksX;rk ds fl)kar ds lkeatL; esa gksuk Lohdkj ugha fd;k FkkA bl U;k;ky; us vfHkfu/kkZfjr fd;k Fkk fd ftl uhfr esa ;ksX;rk fu/kkZfjr fd, tkus ds fy, U;wure ekunaM fofgr ugha gS vkSj ftuesa ik= vH;FkhZ }kjk izkIr dqy vadks ds funsZ‘k ls vH;FkhZ rqyukRed ;ksX;rk ij izksUur fd, tkrs gSa og ;ksX;rk≶&Ts"Brk fl)kar ds vk/kkj ij gS ¼1998½6 ,l lh lh 720 voyafcrA
izksUufr ds laca/k esa cSad }kjk lk{kkRdkj djk, tk ldrs gS vkSj dk;Z dk fu/kkZj.k fd;k tk ldrk gSA fdarq og dsoy U;wure vko‘;d ;ksX;rk ds fy, gks ldrk gSA fdarq tc viukbZ xbZ izfØ;k esa izksUufr ds fy, U;wure ekunaM micaf/kr ugha gSa fdarq dsoy lk{kkRdkj ds fy, U;wure ekunaM micaf/kr gSa rFkk p;u rqyukRed vadksa ds funsZ‘k ls gksrk gS og ÞT;s"Brk≶&;ksX;rkß ds fu;e ds foijhr gSA , vkb vkj 1967 ,l lh 1910 rFkk ¼1998½9 ,l lh lh 652 voyafcrA ¿ iSjk 21 ,oa 22À
¼2½ Hkkjr dk lafo/kku && vuq- 226 rFkk 142 && mi;qDr ekeys esa mPp U;k;ky;] ljdkj vFkok yksd izkf/kdj.k dks vkns‘k dk ikyu djus ds fy, foo‘k dj ldrk gS && mlh izdkj laiw.kZ U;k; djus ds fy, mPpre U;k;ky; vius vkns‘k ds ikyu dk funs‘k ns ldrk gS && vihykFkhZ izksUur fd, tkus dk funsZ‘k tkjh fd;k x;kA ¼1986½2 ,l lh lh 679 voyafcrA ¿ iSjk 26 ,oa 27À
Raveendran, J. -- 1. The appellant and the third respondent are working as clerk-cum-cashiers with the first respondent Bank (Rewa Sidhi Gramin Bank). The appellant is at serial No.9 and the third respondent is at serial No. 10 in the seniority list of senior c1erk-cum-cashiers published on 31.7.1988. There is no dispute that the third respondent is junior to the appellant in the cadre of clerk-cum-cashier.
2. The promotions of employees of the first respondent Bank (for short "the Bank") are governed by the Regional Rural Banks (Appointment and Promotion of Officers and Other Employees) Rules, 1988 (for short "the Rules") made by the Central Government in exercise of the power conferred by section 29 read with section 17 of the Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976. Rule 5 provides that all vacancies shall be filled by deputation, promotion or by direct recruitment in accordance with the provisions contained in the second schedule. Rule 10 requires the Board of Directors of each Regional Rural Bank to constitute from time to time Staff Selection Committees in the manner provided therein for the purpose of selecting candidates for appointment by direct recruitment or promotion to the posts referred to in the second schedule. It also requires the Staff Selection Committee to follow the procedure as determined by the Board for selecting the candidates for appointment or promotion in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Central Government from time to time.
3. Entry 5 of the second schedule to the rules relates to Field Supervisors. It provides the source of recruitment as 50% by direct recruitment and 50% by promotion on the basis of seniority-cum-merit (from amongst confirmed senior clerk-cum-cashiers, junior clerk-cumcashiers, or clerk-cum-typists, stenographers and steno typists with the prescribed minimum periods of service). For direct recruitment, the mode of selection is "written test and interview". The method prescribed for ascertaining the minimum necessary merit required for promotion by seniority-cum-merit is "interviews and assessment of performance reports for the preceding 3 years".
4. The promotions were made by the Bank in accordance with the promotion policy contained in the circular dated 2.2.1989. The circular stated the object of the promotion policy thus:
"The object of the policy which is based on the principle of seniority-cum-merit is to provide motivation and ensure career movement for bank staff. Apart from seniority, merit based on performance coupled with weight age for placement/posting in comparatively inconvenient areas, will be the determining factors for promotion.".
5. Chapter 3 of the said promotion policy dealing with promotions to the post of Field Supervisors is extracted below:
"FROM SENIOR CLERK/CASHIER OR JUNIOR CLERK/ CASHIER OR CLERK/TYPIST OR STENO/TYPIST TO FIELD SUPERVISOR Promotion from Senior Clerk/Cashier or Junior Clerk/Cashier or Clerk/Typist or Steno/Typist to Field Supervisor subject to satisfaction of minimum period of service shall be, at present on the basis of assessment of his overall performance based on appraisal reports on him and his potentiality to shoulder higher responsibilities assessed in the interview duly supplemented by weight-age for seniority placement/posting as detailed herein below:
Per cent weight-age for various promotion criteria as mentioned above will be as follows:
Total Seniority Posting Posting at Performance Interview
Marks at rural difficult
centres centres
100 20 10 5 40 25
3.1 Seniority :
Two marks for each completed year of service as Senior Clerk/Cashier and one mark for each completed year of service at Junior Clerk/Cashier/Typist/Steno/Typist subject to a maximum of 20 marks.
3.2 Posting at rural centres:
Two marks for each completed year of service in rural centre with a maximum of 10 marks.
3.3 Posting at difficult centres:
One mark for each completed year of posting at difficult centre (difficult centres to
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