Mukhiya Karyapalak Adhikari, U.P. Khadi Tatha Gramodyog Board Karmit Anubhag, Lucknow & Anr. vs Santosh Kumar
- SCC(2011) 12 SCC 654
- Neutral2011 INSC 662
- AIRAIR 2012 SC Supp 395
- SCR[2011] 11 SCR 246
Ratio decidendi
The rule this decision rests on
A Division Bench of a High Court cannot, at the stage of admitting an appeal, pass an order that effectively decides the appeal on its merits by staying the operation of the substantive order under challenge and directing that the respondent be permitted to continue in work; such an order passed without application of mind and without jurisdiction shall be set aside by the appellate court.
Written by Miss Lucy from the judgment below, not taken from a headnote.
Judgment
As delivered
MUKHIYA KARYAPALAK ADHIKARI, U.P. KHADI TATHA GRAMODYOG BOARD KARMIT ANUBHAG, LUCKNOW & ANR. Appellant(s)
VERSUS
SANTOSH KUMAR Respondent(s)
O R D E R
1. Leave granted.
2. We have heard the learned counsel appearing for the
parties on this appeal who have taken us through the records.
The respondent was engaged on contract basis as a Peon on a
lumpsum salary of Rs. 2,500/- on 1.4.2003. Subsequently, an
order came to be passed against the respondent on 26.6.2004. By
the aforesaid order, the contract service of the respondent was
terminated w.e.f. 5.7.2004.
3. The respondent being aggrieved by the aforesaid order of
termination filed a writ petition in the Allahabad High Court
which was registered as 28789 of 2004. In the said writ
petition filed by the respondent, a prayer was made for quashing
the order dated 26.6.2004 terminating the service of the
respondent. The learned Single Judge who heard the writ
petition passed an order on 28.7.2004 dismissing the said writ
petition holding that the engagement of the respondent on
contract basis did not vest on him any legal right to regular
appointment.
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4. The High Court passed an order in the said appeal which
was filed in 2004 which was registered as Special Appeal No.
1066 of 2004. The appeal was listed before the Division Bench
nearly six years of passing of the order of the learned Single
Judge and the Division Bench passed the order for admitting the
appeal. But peculiarly enough the High Court passed an order
that the order dated 26.6.2004 passed by the appellant
terminating the service would remain stayed. It was also made
specific in that order that the respondent should be allowed to
continue to work.
5. We fail to understand as to how the Division Bench while
admitting an appeal could pass such an order so as to allow the
appeal itself even at that interim stage. The respondent was
not working when the suit was filed and his writ petition was
dismissed. Despite the said fact not only the Division bench
stayed the operation of the order after six years of filing the
appeal, but directed for allowing the respondent to continue to
work despite the fact that he was not working on that date.
6. Therefore, the aforesaid order passed by the Division
Bench is illegal, without jurisdiction and was passed without
any application of mind. We set aside the said order and remit
back the matter to the Division Bench of the High Court for
disposal of the appeal as expeditiously as possible. The order
dated 9.8.2010 passed by the Division Bench staying the order
dated 26.6.2004 and directing the appellant to allow the
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respondent to continue to work stand quashed and would not
operate in any manner till the disposal of the appeal.
7. The appeal is allowed to the aforesaid extent in terms of
the aforesaid order.
...........................J. (DR. MUKUNDAKAM SHARMA)
...........................J. (ANIL R. DAVE)
NEW DELHI SEPTEMBER 08, 2011.
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