Milan Rana vs Govt. Of Nct Of Delhi
- SCC(2024) 20 SCC 579
- Neutral2022 INSC 387
Ratio decidendi
The rule this decision rests on
Where an employee in similar factual circumstances as another employee has been granted regularization with full consequential benefits effective from a particular date by final judicial order, and the second employee's entitlement to regularization with identical relief is not disputed, the second employee is entitled to be granted regularization and all consequential benefits effective from the same date as the first employee, rather than from a later date such as the date of filing of a subsequent petition, applying the principle of parity of treatment in similar cases.
Written by Miss Lucy from the judgment below, not taken from a headnote.
Judgment
As delivered
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL NO.2722 OF 2022 (Arising out of SLP (C) No.1076 of 2021)
MILAN RANA Appellant VERSUS
GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI & ORS. Respondents
ORDER
1. Leave granted.
2. This appeal challenges the judgment and order dated 13.05.2019 passed by
the High Court1 in LPA No.329 of 2019.
3. We need not set-out the factual details which have given rise to the instant
appeal as the controversy in the matter is quite limited and the only issue is whether
the appellant can claim parity with the case of one Harbhajan Kaur. Signature Not Verified Digitally signed by Dr. Mukesh Nasa Date: 2022.04.07
4. 17:48:45 IST Reason: In Writ Petition (Civil) No.1053 of 2001 initiated by said Harbhajan Kaur,
following order was passed by the High Court on 05.04.2010:
1 The High Court of Delhi at New Delhi “A writ is therefore issued to the respondents to regularize the appointment of the petition as PET in Central Academy Senior Secondary School, Sector-13, R.K. Puram, New Delhi w.e.f. 15"
July, 2001 and to pay to her within six weeks hereof the arrears of wages/emoluments to which she would be so entitled as a PET and to, for all other aspects/benefits, also treat her as in the regular employment of the school w.e.f. 15" July, 2001. Considering the fact that the Supreme Court has in the past also deprecated the practice of such ad-hoc appointment of teachers and notwithstanding the same the respondents continued to indulge in the same practice and also contested the present petition, the respondents are also burdened with costs of Rs.10,000/of this petition, payable to the petitioner.”
5. The appeal arising therefrom was dismissed by the Division Bench and finally
the Special Leave Petition arising from the dismissal of the appeal by the Division
Bench, was also rejected by this Court.
6. The directions issued in the case of Harbhajan Kaur thus attained finality.
7. It is accepted that said Harbhajan Kaur was granted full benefits in terms of
said directions. She was not only treated to be in regular employment with effect
from 15.07.2001 but all the monetary benefit including arrears of wages and
emoluments were granted to her.
8. Though the appellant stands on similar footing as said Harbhajan Kaur, her
petition claiming identical relief was dismissed by the Single Judge of the High
Court vide order dated 24.03.2015 passed in Writ Petition (Civil) No.1909 of 2002.
9. In appeal arising therefrom, the Division Bench of the High Court allowed the
appellant to withdraw the original writ petition in view of certain circulars, with
which we need not burden the instant order. Suffice it to say that the subsequent
challenge raised by the appellant in the second round found favour with the High
Court and she was granted the relief of regularization with all consequential benefits
but the benefit was restricted from the date of filing of the second writ petition. Said
Order of the Division Bench of the High Court is now under challenge.
10. The entitlement of the appellant to the relief of regularization and all
consequential benefits is not disputed by the respondent.
11. Having considered the facts and circumstances on record and the rival
submissions, in our view, the appellant is entitled to the benefits as were granted to
said Harbhajan Kaur and there was no occasion to limit the operation of such
‘benefits with effect from the day of filing of the second writ petition.
12. The facts on record indicate that Harbhajan Kaur was granted benefit from the
beginning of the Academic Session when she had filed the writ petition. Applying
the same analogy, in our view, the appellant is entitled to the benefit of regularization
and all other consequential benefits from the beginning of Academic Session of 2002
when her initial writ petition was filed.
13. Ordered accordingly.
14. The order shall be implemented within eight weeks from today and the arrears
shall be paid to the appellant within two weeks from thereafter.
15. With these observations, the appeal is allowed, without any order as to costs.
………………………….J. (UDAY UMESH LALIT)
…………………………J. (S. RAVINDRA BHAT)
…………………………J. (PAMIDIGHANTAM SRI NARASIMHA)
New Delhi April 05, 2022
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