Uttaranchal High Court: The Division bench of Vipin Sanghi, C.J., and R.C. Khulbe, J., had held that merely because the communication sanctioning a post does not indicate the promotion rules, does not mean that there are no Rules framed or applicable for promotion, requiring minimum service in the feeder cadre.
Facts:
The appeal was preferred by the appellants after obtaining leave, since they were not parties to the writ proceedings, wherein the impugned order was passed by the Single Judge on 11-08-2017. The writ petitioners are respondents in this instant appeal preferring a writ petition assailing the order dated 09-09-2016 passed by the respondent authority, whereby the respondents were promoted to the post of Assistant Accounts Manager in the Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation.
The appellants have assailed the impugned order dated 11-08-2017 on the ground that the Court wrongly proceeded on the premise that, for promotion to the post of Assistant Accounts Manager, the persons working in the feeder post should have substantive service of at least 7 years, as a condition of eligibility. According to the appellants there was no minimum qualifying service required.
Arguments:
The counsel for appellant contended that prior to bifurcation of the State of Uttarakhand from the State of Uttar Pradesh, in the Uttar Pradesh Forest Development Corporation, from which the respondent corporation has been carved out, the service conditions were governed by Regulations framed in the year 1985. In the said Corporation's promotion Rules, the minimum required service of 7 years was prescribed in the feeder cadre. However, upon the creation of the State of Uttarakhand, the respondent was created in the year 2001. According to the appellants, after 2001, the 1985 Regulations of the Uttar Pradesh Forest Development Corporation were no longer applicable. He further submitted that on 06-06-2007, a completely new cadre of officers was created in the respondent corporation.
The counsel finally submitted that even the communication did not clearly indicate as to what were the promotion rules. Further, the mandatory requirement of experience must be deemed to have been waived.
The counsel for the respondent corporation drew attention to Sections 67 and 74 of the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000 (‘UP Reorganization'), which led to the formation of the State of Uttarakhand. He submitted that as the corporation has carved out from Uttar Pradesh Forest Development Corporation it continues to operate in the State of Uttarakhand.
The counsel placed his reliance on Section 74 of the UP Reorganisation Act argued that the conditions service of persons serving in connection with the affairs of the State, could not be alerted to their disadvantage, and they continued to operate as they were operating prior to bifurcation of the State. He submits that no previous approval was obtained by the Central Government to remove the minimum requirement.
Observation and Analysis:
The Court found no merit in the argument that there was any requirement of any minimum qualifying years of service.
Further it was held that merely because the order sanctioning the posts did not indicate the promotion Rules, does not mean that there was no Rule framed or applicable for promotion.
Hence, the respondent corporation was directed to fill up the vacancies in the cadre and the special Appeal was dismissed.
[Krishna Kunwar Singh Dewari v. Kripal Singh, Special Appeal No. 682 of 2018, decided on 19-07-2022]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
Counsel for Appellants: Mr. Bhagwat Mehra, Advocate
Counsel for Respondents: Mr. Abhijay Negi, Advocate
Mr. K.N. Joshi, Deputy Advocate General
Mr. V.K. Kapruwan, Advocate
