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2020 Supreme(MP) 509
(DIVISION BENCH)
Ajay Kumar Mittal, CJ and Vijay Kumar Shukla, J.
Pinki Asati v. State of M. P. & Others
Writ Petitions No. 19126 of 2019, 19630 of 2019, 19643 of 2019, 19644 of 2019, 19831 of 2019, 19942 of 2019, 19952 of 2019, 20106 of 2019, 20170 of 2019, 20212 of 2019, 20218 of 2019, 20375 of 2019, 20384 of 2019, 20418 of 2019, 20421 of 2019, 20538 of 2019, 20544 of 2019, 20586 of 2019, 20983 of 2019, 21169 of 2019, 21236 of 2019, 21276 of 2019, 21319 of 2019, 21473 of 2019, 21477 of 2019, 21482 of 2019, 21529 of 2019, 21993 of 2019, 22024 of 2019, 22840 of 2019, 22847 of 2019, 23510 of 2019, 24711 of 2019, 19300 of 2019, 19108 of 2019, 20208 of 2018, 24914 of 2018, 22237 of 2019 and 1567 of 2020 (Jabalpur); Decided on 29.4.2020
Suyas Mohan Guru, Kailash Chandra Ghildiyal, Manas Mani Verma, Amit Seth, Bramhanand Pandey, Shailesh Tiwari, Jubin Prasad, Sanjay Kumar Agrawal, L.C. Patne, Swapnil Ganguly, Brijesh Kumar Mishra, Ashish Choubey, Brijendra Kumar Mishra,Praveen Kumar Pandey, ArunKumar Singh, Ashok Kumar Gupta, Amit Khatri, Anshuman Singh,Chandra Kant Patne, Harshmeet Hora, Pawan Kumar Dwivedi, Nitin Singh Bhati, Gopi Chourasiya, Rajneesh Sharma and Brahmendra Prasad Pathak for petitioners; Himanshu Mishra, Government Advocate for respondents/State; Prashant Singh with Anshul Tiwari for M.P. Public Service Commission; Smt. Shobha Menon with Rahul Choubey, Naman Nagrath with Jubin Prasad, Kailash Chandra Ghildiyal, Akash Choudhary, Sanjeev Kumar Mishra, A.S. Raizada, Manish Kholia, Shivam Mishra, Aditya Narayan Shukla, Kabeer Paul, Parag S. Chaturvedi, Pramod Kumar Thakre, Rahul Rawat, Ashish Shroti, Vibudhendra Mishra, Amit Seth, K.S. Jha, Rakesh Pandey, Avinash Zarger, Himanshu Chouhan, Bharat Kumar Dubey, Kamalnath Nayak, Saurabh Singh Sengar for other respondents and interveners.
Headnote:
(1) Civil Services (Special Provision for Appointment of Women) Rules, 1997 (M. P.) -- R.3,explanation (as amended on 17.11.2015) -- 'General category' -- rule-making authority had no intention to delete/omit explanation appended to R.3 -- words 'General category' do not stand omitted -- reservation of woman in SC/ST/OBC/General categories are horizontal and compartment -- wise -- posts/seats are earmarked -- there cannot be migration from one category to another category. (1985)1 SCC 591 followed. [Paras 30 & 31
(2) Lok Seva (Anusuchit Jatiyon, Anusuchit Jan Jatiyon Aur Anya Picchade Vargon ke Liye Arakshan) Adhiniyam, 1994 (M. P.) -- R.4 (4) -- M. P.Civil Services (Special Provision for Appointment of Women) Rules, 1997 -- R. 3 -- migration of reserved category candidate on basis of merit to seat of General category -- is applicable to vertical reservation -- horizontal reservation is compartmentalised and watertight -- there cannot be any migration on basis of merit.
Whether a candidate having opted to participate in a competitive examination as a reserved category candidate, can be permitted to migrate to General category in UNRF category? In other words,a candidate who opts to take up a competitive examination not as a General category, but as are served category candidate belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC)/Scheduled Tribes (ST)/Other Backward Classes (OBC) falling under special category of female(horizontal seat) competing amongst the candidates ofher category, if obtains marks higher than the candidate of a General category, whether such candidates can be permitted to be allotted "Open Category -- UNRF" seat/post ? [Para 1
Held : As discussed hereinabove, the law relating to vertical and horizontal reservations is clear that the migration of reserved category candidate on the basis of merit for allotment of seat of General category is applicable to vertical reservation, in view of the proviso engrafted in sub-section(4) of Section 4 of the Act, 1994. But, in view of the specific provisions of rule 3 of the 1997 Rules and the law laid down by the apex Court, the horizontal reservation is compartmentalised and watertight and there cannot be any migration on the basis of merit. (2007)8 SCC 785 and (2010)12 SCC 204 followed. (1992)3 SCC (Supp.) 217 and (1995) 5SCC 173 discussed. [Para 40
(3) Lok Seva (Anusuchit Jatiyon, Anusuchit Jan Jatiyon Aur Anya Picchade Vargon ke LiyeArakshan) Adhiniyam, 1994 (M. P.) -- R. 4 (4) -- M. P.Civil Services (Special Provision for Appointment of Women) Rules, 1997 -- R. 3 -- allotment of earmarked seat/post
-- is distinct process from placement in merit list -- distinction has to be made between placement in merit list/select list and allotment of seats.
Held: Placement in the merit list is one thing and the allotment of the earmarked seat/post is distinct process from placement in the merit list. A candidate who has secured higher marks, certainly gets a place in the merit listabove than the candidates having obtained less marks, but the allotment of earmarked seats would be made in strictosensu, in acase of horizontal reservation, category-wise. [Para 40
The seniority is governed by the rules, namely, M.P.Civil Services (General Conditions of Services) Rules, 1961 and the seniority of a selected candidate shall be fixed in order of merit and in the select list and, therefore, when the seniority of Assistant Professor in the subject of Geography shall be drawn, and the same will be considered above all other candidates lower in merit and there will be no loss to his/her seniority. However, such candidate shall be allotted a seat of OBC(F) only to maintain 33% reservation to female candidates of SC/ST/OBC/General category, being horizontal and compartment-wise under Rule 3 of the 1997 Rules. It is interlocking and watertight reservation as held by the apex Court in the judgements discussed hereinabove. Thus, a distinction has to be made between the placement in the merit list/select list and the allotment of seats. A woman candidate of OBC category if scores higher marks than a candidate of General category, she has to be allotted a seat against an OBC (Female) in her own category and nota seat against the unreserved female. The same procedure has to be adopted for drawing a merit list and allotment of earmarked seats ina case of horizontal reservation as per the judgment in the case of Rajesh Kumar Daria (supra). However, it is made clear that this procedure is applied only in the case of special reservation in favour of physically handicapped, woman etc., which are horizontal reservation.
Thus, it is held that a candidate not falling in the merit list of unreserved category- UNRF cannot be brought from any other candidates belonging to OBC(F), SC(F) and ST(F) in order to accommodate against the horizontal quota of UNRF. The interveners who are OBC (F) candidates and have secured place inthe merit list and have been allotted UNRF seats because of merit, will occupy a place in overall merit list, but they will be allotted seats of OBC(F) in their OBC category; and a candidate having merit lower than these interveners has to give way/passage to these interveners so that they do not suffer. (2007) 8 SCC 785 and (2010) 12SCC 204 followed. W.P. No.18475 of 2013 decided on 18.11.2013, W.P. No.5256 of 2017 decided on 24.10. 2017, W.A. No. 414 of 2017, R.P. No.1572 of 2018 decided on 18.10.2010, 2002 (4) MPLJ 380, 2014 (2) MPLJ 86, 2019 SCC Online All. 2674, (2017) 12 SCC 680 and (2010) 3 SCC 119 referred to. [Para 41
¼1½ flfoy lsok ¼efgykvksa dh fu;qfDr gsrq fo'ks"k mica/k½ fu;e] 1997 ¼e-iz-½ && fu-3] Li"Vhdj.k ¼17-11-2015 dks ;Fkk la'kksf/kr½ && ^lkekU; izoxZ½ && fu;e&jpfrk izkf/kdkjh dk vk'k; fu- 3 ls layXu Li"Vhdj.k foyksfir@yksfir djus dk ugha Fkk && 'kCn ^lkekU; izoxZ* dk yksi ugha gqvk gS && vtk@vttk@vU; fiNM+s oxZ@lkekU; izoxks± esa efgykvksa dk vkj{k.k {kSfrt vkSj oxZ&okj gS && in@LFkku fpfUgr gSa && ,d izoxZ ls vU; izoxZ esa izotu ugha gks ldrkA ¼1985½1 ,l lh lh 591 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 30 ,oa 31
¼2½ yksd lsok ¼vuqlwfpr tkfr;ksa] vuqlwfpr tutkfr;ksa vkSj vU; fiNM+s oxks± ds fy, vkj{k.k½ vf/kfu;e] 1994 ¼e-iz-½ && fu-4 ¼4½ && e-iz- flfoy lsok ¼efgykvksa dh fu;qfDr gsrq fo'ks"k mica/k½ fu;e] 1997 && fu-3 && izoh.krk ds vk/kkj ij vkjf{kr izoxZ ds vH;FkhZ dk lkekU; izoxZ ds LFkku ij izoztu && Å/oZ vkj{k.k dks ykxw gksrk gS && {kSfrt vkj{k.k oxhZÑr vkSj v[kaMuh; gS && izoh.krk ds vk/kkj ij izoztu ugha gks ldrkA
D;k izfr;ksxh ijh{kk esa vkjf{kr izoxZ ds vH;FkhZ ds :i esa Hkkx ysus dk fodYi pquus okyh vH;fFkZuh dks vukjf{kr efgyk izoxZ esa izoztu djus dh vuqKk nh tk ldrh gS \ vU; 'kCnksa esa] D;k efgyk ¼{kSfrt LFkku½ ds fo'ks"k izoxZ esa vkus okyh vkSj vius izoxZ dh vH;fFkZfu;ksa ls izfrLi/kkZ djus okyh ,slh vH;fFkZuh dks] tks izfr;ksxh ijh{kk esa lkekU; izoxZ esa ugha vfirq vuqlwfpr tkfr ¼vtk½@vuqlqfpr tutkfr ¼vttk½@vU; fiNM+s oxZ ¼vfio½ ds vkjf{kr izoxZ dh vH;fFkZuh ds :i esa Hkkx ysus dk fodYi pqurh gS] ;fn og lkekU; izoxZ ds vH;FkhZ ls vfèkd vad vfHkizkIr djrh gS] ß[kqyk izoxZ && vukjf{kr efgykÞ LFkku@in vkcafVr fd, tkus dh vuqKk nh tk ldrh gS \¼iSjk 1
vfHkfu/kkZfjr % tSlk fd Åij foospu fd;k x;k gS] Å/oZ vkSj {kSfrt vkj{k.k ls lacaf/kr fof/k Li"V gS fd lu~ 1994 ds vf/kfu;e dh /kkjk 4 dh mièkkjk ¼4½ esa la;ksftr ijarqd dh n`f"V ls] vkjf{kr izoxZ ds vH;FkhZ dk lkekU; izoxZ ds LFkku ds vkcaVu ds fy, izoh.krk ds vk/kkj ij izoztu Å?oZ vkj{k.k dks ykxw gksrk gSA ijarq] lu~ 1997 ds fu;eksa ds fu;e 3 ds fofufnZ"V mica/kksa rFkk loksZPp U;k;ky; }kjk vf/kdfFkr fofèk dh n`f"V ls] {kSfrt vkj{k.k oxhZÑr vkSj v[kaMuh; gS rFkk izoh.krk ds vk/kkj ij izoztu ugha gks ldrkA ¼2007½8 ,l lh lh 785 rFkk ¼2010½2 ,l lh lh 204 vuqlfjrA ¼1992½3 ,l lh lh ¼lIyh-½217 rFkk ¼1995½5 ,l lh lh 173 foosfprA ¼iSjk 40
¼3½ yksd lsok ¼vuqlwfpr tkfr;ksa] vuqlwfpr tutkfr;ksa vkSj vU; fiNM+s oxks± ds fy, vkj{k.k½ vf/kfu;e] 1994 ¼e-iz-½ && fu- 4¼4½ && e-iz- flfoy lsok ¼efgykvksa dh fu;qfDr gsrq fo'ks"k mica/k½ fu;e] 1997 &&fu-3 && fpfUgr LFkku@in dk vkcaVu && izoh.krk lwph esa LFkku fn, tkus dh izfØ;k ls lqfHkUu gS && izoh.krk lwph@p;u lwph esa LFkku fn, tksu vkSj LFkkuksa dk vkcaVu fd, tkus esa foHksn fd;k tkuk gksrk gSA
vfHkfu/kkZfjr % izoh.krk lwph esa LFkku fn;k tkuk ,d ckr gS vkSj fpfUgr LFkku@in dk vkcaVu izoh.krk lwph esa LFkku fn, tkus ls lqfHkUu izfØ;k gSA ftl vH;FkhZ us vf/kd vad izkIr fd, gSa mls fuf'pr :i ls izoh.krk lwph esa mu vH;fFkZ;ksa ls Åij dk LFkku izkIr gksrk gS ftUgksaus de vad izkIr fd, gSa] ijarq fpfUgr LFkkuksa dk vkcaVu lgh vFkZ eas] {kSfrt vkj{k.k ds ekeys esa izoxZ &okj] fd;k tkuk gksxkA ¼iSjk 40
T;s"Brk fu;eksa esa] uker%] e-iz- flfoy lsok ¼lsok dh lkekU; 'krs±½ fu;e] 1961 ls] fofu;fer gksrh gS rFkk p;fur vH;fFkZuh dh T;s"Brk izoh.krk ds Øe esa vkSj lwph esa fu;r dh tk,xh] vkSj blfy,] tc Hkwxksy ds fo"k; ds lgk;d vkpk;Z dh T;s"Brk r; dh tk,xh rc mls izoh.krk esa Øe vU; lHkh vH;fFkZ;ksa ls Åij ekuk tk,xk vkSj mldh T;s"Brk r; dh tk,xh rc mls izoh.krk esa Øe vU; lHkh vH;fFkZ;ksa ls Åij ekuk tk,xk vkSj mldh T;s"Brk dh gkfu ugha gksxhA rFkkfi] ,slh vH;fFkZuh dks vfio ¼efgyk½ dk LFkku] lu~ 1997 ds fu;eksa ds 3 fu;e ds v/khu {kSfrt vkSj oxZ&okj gksus ds dkj.k] vtk@vttk@vfio@ lkekU; izoxZ dh efgyk vH;fFkZfu;ksa dk 33 izfr'kr vkj{k.k cuk, j[kus ds fy, gh vkcafVr fd;k tk,xkA ;gk¡ Åij foosfpr fd, x, vuqlkj ;g vkil esa tqM+k gqvk vkSj v[kaMuh; vkj{k.k gSA vr%] izoh.krk lwph@p;u lwph esa LFkku fn, tkus vkSj LFkkuksa dk vkcaVu fd, tkus esa foHksn fd;k tkuk gksrk gSA vfio dh efgyk vH;fFkZuh ;fn lkekU; izoxZ ds vH;FkhZ ls vfèkd vad izkIr djrh gS rks mls mlds Lo;a ds izoxZ esa vfio ¼efgyk½ oxZ esa LFkku vkcafVr fd;k tkuk gksxk] vukjf{kr efgyk oxZ esa ughaA jkts'k dqekj nfj;k ¼mi;qZDr½ ds ekeys ds fu.kZ; ds vuqlkj] {kSfrt vkj{k.k ds ekeys esa izoh.krk lwph cukus vkSj fuf'pr LFkku vkcafVr fd, tkus ds fy, ;gh izfØ;k viukbZ tkuk gksrh gSA rFkkfi] ;g Li"V fd;k tkrk gS fd ;g izfØ;k 'kjhj ls vlqfo/kkxzLr] efgyk vkfn ds i{k esa fo'ks"k vkj{k.k dh n'kk esa gh ykxw gksrk gS] tks fd {kSfrt vkj{k.k gSaA
vr%] vfHkfu/kkZfjr fd;k tkrk gS fd vukjf{kr izoxZ && vukjf{kr efgyk dh izoh.krk lwph esa ugha vkus okyh vH;fFkZuh dks vukjf{kr efgyk ds {kSfrt dksVs esa LFkku nsus ds fy, vfio ¼efgyk½] vtk ¼efgyk½ rFkk vttk ¼efgyk½ ds fdUgha vU; vH;fFkZ;ksa esa ls ugha yk;k tk ldrkA eè;{ksidksa dk] tks vfio ¼efgyk½ vH;FkhZ gSa vkSj ftUgksaus izoh.krk lwph esa LFkku izkIr fd;k gS vkSj mUgsa izoh.krk ds dkj.k vukjf{kr efgyk ds LFkku vkcafVr fd, x, gSa] laiw.kZ izoh.krk lwph esa LFkku gksxk ijarq mUgsa vius vfio izoxZ esa vfio ¼efgyk½ ds LFkku vkcafVr fd, tk,axs] rFkk bu v/;{ksidksa ls de izoh.krk okyh vH;fFkZuh dks bu e/;{ksidksa ds fy, ihNs gVuk gksxk rkfd mudk uqdlku ugha gksA ¼2007½8 ,l lh lh 785 rFkk ¼2010½12 ,l lh lh 204 vuqlfjrA fjV ;kfpdk Ø- 18475 lu~ 2013 fu.khZr fnukad 18-11-2013] fjV ;kfpdk Ø- 5256 lu~ 2017 fu.khZr fnukad 24-10-2017] fjV vihy Ø- 414 lu~ 2017 iqufoZyksdu ;kfpdk Ø- 1572 lu~ 2018 fu.khZr fnukad 18-10-2010] 2002¼4½ ,e ih ,y ts 380] 2014¼2½ ,e ih ,y ts 86] 2019 ,l lh lh vkWuykbu byk- 2674] ¼2017½12 ,l lh lh 680 rFkk ¼2010½3 ,l lh lh 119 fufnZ"VA ¼iSjk 41
ORDER
Shukla, J.-- 1. In this batch of writ petitions, invoking writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the petitioners have assailed the legality of the revised Select List issued by the M.P. Public Service Commission, Indore [for short, “the MPPSC”], whereby private respondents, who submitted their candidature against reserved category in Other Backward Class Female (OBCF) for the post of Assistant Professors in different subjects, have been selected and allotted Unreserved Female (UNRF) posts/seats, however the petitioners have been kept in waiting list denying selection. Thus, in the obtaining factual matrix, the petitioners have agitated their grievance in the present batch of writ petitions, wherein the following issue has cropped up for consideration :
Whether a candidate having opted to participate in a competitive examination as a reserved category candidate, can be permitted to migrate to General Category in UNRF category ? In other words, a candidate who opts to take up a competitive examination not as a General Category, but as a reserved category candidate belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC)/Scheduled Tribes (ST)/Other Backward Classes (OBC) falling under special category of female (horizontal seat) competing amongst the candidates of her category, if obtains marks higher than the candidate of a General Category, whether such candidates can be permitted to be allotted “Open Category - UNRF” Seat/post ?
2. Regard being had to the commonality of controversy, the writ petitions were heard together and are being disposed of by common order. For the sake of convenience, the facts from W.P. No.19126/2019 (Pinki Asati v. State of M.P.) are adumbrated herein. Before adverting to the issue, it is condign to refer the pleadings and submissions canvassed on behalf of the petitioners, respondents and interveners as well, in W.P. No.19126/2019.
3. The Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission issued an advertisement, dated 12.12.2017, called as “Assistant Professor Examination – 2017” for the post of Assistant Professors in various disciplines. Three types of vacancies were advertised. We have taken example of post in the subject of Geography from the case of Pinki Asati (W.P. No. 19126/2019). The first was of backlog posts, in which there was no post for the “unreserved category”. The second 8 type of posts were the posts which fell vacant due to promotion/superannuation, in which there were total 36 posts, out of which 16 posts were meant for unreserved category and 5 posts out of said 16 posts of unreserved category were reserved for Female Unreserved Category (UNRF) under the 33% reservation provided in the M.P. Civil Services (Special Provision for appointment of Women) Rules, 1997 [hereinafter referred to as “1997 Rules”]. The third type of posts were newly created posts in which there were total 40 posts out of which 20 posts were for unreserved category and 7 posts out of said 20 posts of unreserved category were reserved for Female Unreserved Category (UNRF). Thus, out of total 36 posts of Unreserved Category (UNR), 12 posts were reserved for the UNRF, as mandated in the 1997 Rules. At this juncture it is useful to refer the relevant part of the advertisement which is extracted hereunder :
,d Hkkjr ds ukxfjdksa rFkk Hkkjr ds lafo/kku ds rgr ekU; vU; Jsf.k;ksa ds vkosndksa ls mPp f'k{kk foHkkx] e/; izns'k 'kklu] ds vUrxZr fuEu in gsrq vkosnu vkeaf=r fd, tkrs gSa %&
| Øekad | fo"k; | fjDr inksa dh la[;k | fjDfr;ksa esa ls e/;izns'k dh ewy fuokjh efgyk vH;fFkZ;ksa gsrq vkjf{kr inksa dh la[;k | fjDfr;ksa es ls e/; izns'k ds ewy fuoklh fu%'kDr vH;fFkZ;ksa gsrq vkjf{kr inksa dh la[;k | |||||||
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| SC | ST | OBC | dqy | SC | ST | OBC | v-ck- | n`-ck- | J-ck- |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||||
