HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
KAMALDEEP KAUR – Appellant
Versus
STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS – Respondent
LPA 47/2021
LPA-47-2021
-1-
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
AT CHANDIGARH
LPA-47-2021 (O&M) IN
CWP-6620-2016
Date of decision : 18.01.2021
Kamaldeep Kaur
...Appellant(s)
Versus
State of Punjab and others
...Respondent(s)
CORAM:- HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JITENDRA CHAUHAN
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIVEK PURI
Present:
Mr. Kapil Kakkar, Advocate,
for the appellant.
Mr. Pradeep Bajwa, Addl.A.G., Punjab.
JITENDRA CHAUHAN J. (ORAL)
The matter has been taken up through video-conferencing in the
light of the pandemic COVID-19 situation and as per instructions.
CM-130-LPA-2021
Allowed as prayed for, subject to all just exceptions.
CM-131-LPA-2021
Allowed as prayed for and the documents, Annexures A-1 to A-
4, are taken on record subject to all just exceptions.
Main appeal
This intra-Court appeal under clause X of the Letters Patent is
directed against judgment dated 21.10.2020 passed by the learned single
ATUL SETHI
2021.01.22 12:22
I attest to the accuracy and
authenticity of this document
LPA-47-2021
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Judge dismissing the writ petition filed by the petitioner-appellant seeking
appointment to the post of Teaching Fellow against the vacant post reserved
for the category of 'Dependents of Freedom Fighters' in District SBS Nagar.
Heard.
Learned Single Judge, while dismissing the writ petition of the
petitioner-appellant has observed as under:-
“Keeping in view the aforesaid facts, the State
Government took a conscious decision and issued a
public notice (Annexure P-7) on 29.07.2013 canceling
the counseling held on 13.12.2011 and 20.12.2011.
The writ petitioner filed the present writ petition in
April, 2016 claiming that she has a right to be appointed
under Dependent of Freedom Fighter Category as she
was the only candidate who had appeared for counseling
on 13.12.2011. Pursuant to notice of writ petition,
respondent has filed a detailed reply contesting the
petition on the ground that it suffers from unexplained
delay and laches. It has further been brought to the
notice of this Court that the Government decided not to
fill up 1133 posts and issued a fresh recruitment notice
inviting applications for 4500 vacant posts of ETT on
09.11.2015. The Department further advertised 2005
posts of ETT vide Recruitment Notice dated 04.08.2016.
Keeping in view the aforesaid stand, the question
as posed in the initial part arises for consideration. It
must be noticed that it is not the case of the petitioner
that anyone who has secured marks lesser than her, has
been appointed in the category of Dependent of Freedom
Fighter. The respondents have taken a stand that
Poonam Sharma who had got 62.376 marks has been
ATUL SETHI
2021.01.22 12:22
I attest to the accuracy and
authenticity of this document
LPA-47-2021
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appointed. Thus, it is safe to conclude that no candidate
has been appointed from the category of the petitioner
with lesser marks than the petitioner. In the present case,
the Government took a conscious decision way back on
29.07.2013 abandoning to make the appointments
pursuant to the recruitment notice issued in the year
2007. The writ petition was filed in April, 2016
particularly when a fresh recruitment notice has already
been issued on 09.11.2015.”
Learned counsel for the appellant submits that despite the
decision taken by the government on 29.07.2013, not to fill up 1133 posts,
the recruitment has been made against this very post and out of these
appointments have been given even in the year 2020. However, the
argument is not tenable. The appellant has failed to show that Annexure A-1
is relatable to the appointment to the post of Teaching Fellor, pursuant to
recruitment dated 05.09.2007 (Annexure P-1). The petitioner cannot derive
any benefit from the information dated 12.01.2015 under the RTI Act, 2005
(Annexure A-1), whereby, appointment was given to one Smt. Rajni on
01.12.2013.
Learned counsel for the appellant furthe