State Of U.P. & Ors. vs U.P. Madhyamik Shiksha Parishadshramik Sangh & Anr.
- SCC(1996) 7 SCC 34
- Neutral1995 INSC 690
- AIRAIR 1996 SC 708
- SCR[1995] Supp (4) SCR 781
Ratio decidendi
The rule this decision rests on
Where daily wage workers perform manual duties identical to those of regular Class IV employees, the absence of created posts is a bar to claims for equal pay for equal work or regularisation of services, notwithstanding the duration or regularity of their employment. The creation of permanent posts is an executive function within the administrative discretion of the appropriate government, and the courts cannot compel regularisation or equal pay merely by reference to the similarity of work performed or the length of service rendered. Where regular posts do not exist or are not vacant, daily wage workers engaged to perform manual work during temporary exigencies remain entitled only to daily wages as fixed by the District Magistrate under the Minimum Wages Act, and cannot claim the salary attached to a post that has not been created or made available. When regular posts are subsequently created or become vacant, daily wage workers may be considered for regularisation according to seniority, length of service, performance of work, and applicable rules of reservation, but such consideration is discretionary and not a right flowing from prior performance of similar duties.
Written by Miss Lucy from the judgment below, not taken from a headnote.
Judgment
As delivered
RESPONDENT: U.P. MADHYAMIK SHIKSHA PARISHADSHRAMIK SANGH & ANR.
DATE OF JUDGMENT06/11/1995
BENCH: RAMASWAMY, K. BENCH: RAMASWAMY, K. KIRPAL B.N. (J)
CITATION: 1996 AIR 708 1996 SCC (7) 34 JT 1995 (9) 132 1995 SCALE (6)434
ACT:
HEADNOTE:
JUDGMENT:
O R D E R Leave granted.
Having heard the learned counsel on both sides, we think that it is a fit case for our interference under Art,
136. It would appear that the respondent is representing daily wagers in class IV service working with the U.P. Madhyamik Siksha Parishad, U.P. Though the High Court had found that they have been regularly working for over 15 years doing similar work on par with the regular Class IV employees and consequentially directed the appellants to pay equal pay for equal work and also regularisation of their services by creating appropriate posts, we thin that the directions given do not appear to be correct.
It is an administrative procedure that creation of a post is a condition for filling up the post on permanent basis. The exigencies of the administration and the need for the creation of number of posts are matters of executive policy by the appropriate government. It is stated in the Special Leave Petition filed in this court that during the examinations conducted by the Board, when the exigencies demand for doing the manual work like lifting of bundles, pasting of envelopes and shifting of answer books etc. the daily wagers are engaged and a sum of Rs.25/- per day was being paid as fixed by the dist. Magistrates of Allahabad under the Minimum Wages Act. Unless the posts are created, they are not entitled to be fitted into any regular post. The performance of the manual duty may be like the duty of regular class IV employees. However, they are not entitled for the payment of equal wages so long as there are no posts created in that behalf. We can understand that if there are vacant posts available in Class IV and they are filled up by appointing them to these posts on daily wages performing the same duties of regular employees, perhaps there may be justification for issuing directions for regularisation of their services according to rules and payment of the salary to the post to which they are fitted. But in view of the fact that no posts are created or existing, we cannot uphold the direction issued by the High Court to pay equal wages or to regularise their services.
It is stated in paragraph 5(h) of the S.L.P. that the Board has been regularising daily wagers in class IV service as and when the post is created or falls vacant, on the basis of length of engagement of the daily wagers and performance of the work. The procedure so adopted is fair. Under these circumstances, we think that the appropriate course would be that as and when regular posts are created or posts fall vacant, these daily wage employees, on the basis of their seniority, length of service and performance of work, may be considered for regularisation according to rules and rules of regularisation according to rules and rules of reservation in vogue. Until then their services will be taken as and when exigencies would arise and payment of daily wages made as determined by the District Magistrate from time to time.
The appeal is accordingly allowed. No costs.
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