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1995 Supreme(MP) 854

1996 JLJ29
D.M. Dharmadhikari and Fakhruddin, JJ.
Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya and others v. Satyaveer
Sharma.
L.P.A. No. 119 of 1994; against the order of learned Single Judge, passed in
Writ Petition No. 889 of 1994; Decided on 29.9.1995.

Advocates:
K.K. Lahoti for appellants; Arun Mishra with Anil Mishra for respondent.

Headnote:(1) Civil P.C., 1908 -- S. 9 -- right sought to be enforced in civil suit not founded on any provisions of Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 -- jurisdiction of civil Court is not ousted -- either of the Court call be approached. AIR 1975 SC 2238 followed. [Paras 8 & 12]

        (2) Letters Patent (M.P.) -- Cl. 10 -- appeal under -- it is all extension of jurisdiction of High Court -- High Court may decide the whole case.

        Letters Patent Appeal is extension or the jurisdiction of the High Court. It is not an appellate jurisdiction in strict sense as it is not the jurisdiction exercised over any subordinate Court. The Letters Patent Appeal is an internal remedy against decision of a Single Judge to the Two Judges of this Court and, therefore, it is competent for this Court in Letters Patent Appeal to decide the whole case. AIR 1974 SC 2048 and AIR 1977 SC 5 followed. [Para 10]

        (3) Constitution of India -- Art. 227 -- 110 appeal filed against the judgment of civil Court -- brought to the notice of High Court ill proceedings under -judgment found patently erroneous -- call be quashed under power of superintendence.

        The power of superintendence conferred on the High Court under Article 227 empowered the High Court to set aside the order of the Civil Court which was patently erroneous. The order of Civil Court was brought to the notice of the High Court, in writ proceedings and the High Court was fully competent to quash it although no remedy of appeal was availed against that order. [Para 12]

        (4) Constitution of India -- Art. 227 -- writ petition under -- all relevant documents filed -- no need to record oral evidence -- remand should not be ordered -- petition should be decided filially on merits. [Para 12]

        (5) Letters Patent (M.P.) -- Cl. 10 -- appeal under -- case may be disposed of finally -- even may be remanded to Single Judge -- there is no prohibition to remand the case. AIR 1988 Kar. 312 relied on. [Para 13]

        ¼1½ flfoy çfØ;k lafgrk] 1908 & /kkjk 9 & flfoy okn esa çofrZr fd;k tkuk bZfIlr vf/kdkj vkS|ksfxd fookn vf/kfu;e] 1947 ds fdlh Hkh mica/k ij vk/kkfjr ugha & flfoy U;k;ky; vf/kdkfjrk ls oafpr ugha gksxk & fdlh Hkh U;k;ky; ds le{k vk;k tk ldrk gSA , vkb vkj 1975 ,l lh 2238 vuqlfjrA ¿iSjk 18 ,oa 12

        ¼2½ ySVlZ isVsaV ¼e-ç-½ & [kaM 10 & ds v/khu vihy & mPp U;k;ky; dh vf/kdkfjrk dk foLrkj.k gS & mPp U;k;ky; laiw.kZ ekeys dk fofu"p; dj ldrk gSA

        ySVlZ isVsaV vihy mPp U;k;ky; dh vf/kdkfjrk dk foLrkj.k gSA og vfrfu;efu"B Hkko esa vihyh vf/kdkfjrk ugha gSa D;ksafd og fdlh v/khuLFk U;k;ky; ij ç;ksx dh tkus okyh vf/kdkfjrk ugha gSA ySVlZ isVsaV vihy ,dy U;k;/kh"k ds fofu"p; ds fo#) bl U;k;ky; ds nks U;k;k/kh’kksa ds le{k vkarfjd mipkj gS rFkk] blfy,] ySVlZ isVsaV vihy esa ;g U;k;ky; laiw.kZ ekeyk fofuf"pr djus ds fy, l{ke gSA , vkb vkj 1974 ,l lh 2048 rFkk , vkb vkj 1977 ,l lh 5 vuqlfjrA ¿iSjk 10

        ¼3½ Hkkjr dk lafo/kku & vuq-227 & flfoy U;k;ky; ds fu.kZ; ds fo#) dksbZ vihy Qkby ugha dh xbZ & mica/k ds v/khu dk;Zokgh esa ;g ckr mPp U;k;ky; dh tkudkjh esa ykbZ xbZ & fu.kZ; çR;{kr% xyr ik;k x;k & v/kh{k.k dh ‘kfDr ds v/khu vfHk[kafMr fd;k tk ldrk gSA

        vuqPNsn 227 ds v/khu mPp U;k;ky; dks çnÙk v/kh{k.k dh ‘kfDr }kjk mPp U;k;ky; flfoy U;k;ky; dk vkns’k tks fd çR;{kr% xyr Fkk mls vikLr djus ds fy, l’kDr FkkA flfoy U;k;ky; dk vkns’k fjV dk;Zokgh esa mPp U;k;ky; dh tkudkjh esa yk;k x;k rFkk ;|fi ml vkns’k ds fo#) vihy ds mipkj dk ç;ksx ugha fd;k rc Hkh mPp U;k;ky; mls vfHk[kafMr djus ds fy, iw.kZr% l{ke FkkA ¿iSjk 12

        ¼4½ Hkkjr dk lafo/kku & vuq-227 & ds v/khu fjV ;kfpdk & lHkh lqlaxr nLrkost Qkby fd, x, & ekSf[kd lk{; vfHkfyf[kr djus dh dksbZ vko";drk ugha & çfrçs"k.k vknsf’kr ugha fd;k tkuk pkfg, & ;kfpdk xq.kkxq.k ij vafrer% fofuf"pr dh tkuk pkfg,A ¿iSjk 12

        ¼5½ ySVlZ isVsaV ¼e-ç-½ & [kaM 10 & ds v/khu vihy & ekeyk vafrer% fuiVk;k tk ldrk gS & ,dy U;k;/kh"k dks Hkh çfrçsf"kr fd;k tk ldrk gS & ekeyk çfrçsf"kr fd, tkus ij dksbZ çfr"ks/k ugha gSaA , vkb vkj 1988 dukZVd 312 voyafcrA ¿iSjk 13

ORDER

D.M. Dharmadhikari, J.--1. This appeal is directed against the order dated 20.9.1994, passed by learned Single Judge, holding that the respondent as employee of Jawahar Lal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur, for short, 'JNKV', could avail the remedy of civil suit. The learned Single Judge has, therefore, quashed the order of the Civil Court (Annexure P/10 to the writ petition) and has remanded the matter to that Court with a direction to decide the same on merits.

2. The facts giving rise to this appeal, in brief, are as under. The respondent was employed with the appellant Jawahar Lal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur, as a Driver. He joined service under the appointment order dated 25.9.1979. The jeep No. CPW 112 which he was driving, met with an accident on 25.1.1982 and two employees of the University who were occupants with others in the jeep, died. As the result of the said accident, the respondent employee was prosecuted for offence under section 304-A, IPC, for rash and negligent driving, in the Criminal Court, but, by judgment dated 29.12.1983, he was acquitted. The dependents of one of the deceased employees filed a claim petition in the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal, Morena. The Claims Tribunal passed an award on 22.10.1986 granting compensation to the dependents of the deceased and in its Award, recorded a finding that the respondent was rash and negligent in driving which resulted in the accident. The case of the respondent driver before the Claims Tribunal was that because of the rain and silt on the road, the jeep slipped and he was not rash and negligent in driving. As the jeep was insured, the Insurance Company was jointly and severally held liable for payment of compensation. The appellant JNKV did not prefer any appeal against the Award. The respondent, however, preferred an appeal to this Court. The appeal preferred by him was, however, dismissed summarily by the order dated 26.3.1987 by this Court holding that since the Insurance Company has also been made liable jointly with the owner of the vehicle and the driver, the driver alone could not be held to be an aggrieved party. For the reason alone, the appeal was summarily dismissed.

3. On the basis of the Award of the Claims Tribunal, the respondent was served with a show-cause notice proposing to terminate his services stating that the finding of the Claims Tribunal holding him rash and negligent in driving has att.1ined finality and that is a good ground to dispense with his services.

4. The respondent employee submitted a written reply to the show-cause notice taking a plea, inter-alia, that he was acquitted by the Criminal Court and the finding of the Claims Tribunal cannot be taken as a basis for holding him guilty of any misconduct. He also claimed a right of being given an opportunity of hearing in a full-fledged enquiry as per the Rules. The University, however, by the order dated 1.4.1987 (Annexure P/8 to the writ petition), terminated his services only on the basis of the finding of rash and negligent driving, recorded by the Claims Tribunal against him in the Award.

5. The respondent challenged the order of termination of his services by a civil suit in the Court of the Fourth Civil Judge, Class II, Gwalior. The Civil Court, by its judgment dated 20.5.1994 (Annexure P/10 to the writ petition), dismissed the suit by allowing the preliminary objection of the JNKV as the employer that the University falls in the larger definition of "Industry" under the provisions of the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947, for short, the 'ID Act' and has the exclusive remedy to approach the Labour or Industrial Courts. It was also held that the Civil Court's jurisdiction was impliedly barred by the provisions of the ID Act.

6. After dismissal of his civil suit, the respondent preferred writ petition (No. 829 of 1994) in this Court. From the content of the Writ Petition, it is clear to us that the petitioner did not propose to challenge in the said Writ





















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