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IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL  APPELLATE  JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL NOS.  3339-3340  OF 2014 (Arising from S.L.P. (C) Nos. 13340-13341/2010)

Director, Printing and Stationary Department, U.P. Government Press and others  … Appellant  (s)   

Versus

Moti Lal and others … Respondent (s)

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL NO.   3341 OF 2014 (Arising from S.L.P. (C) No. 35522/2010)

Girendra Singh and others … Appellant  (s)   

Versus

State of U.P. and others         … Respondent  (s)

J U D G M E N T  

KURIAN, J.:

Leave granted.    

2. Both the appeals arise from the same judgment and hence  

they are disposed of by a common judgment.  

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NON-REPORTABLE

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3. The  challenge  is  to  the  judgment  of  the  High  Court  of  

Judicature  at  Allahabad  wherein  the  Director  of  

Government Press was directed to consider regularization  

of  daily-wage  employees  in  Group-D  as  per  Rules  

promulgated  in  December,  2001.  The  case  has  a  

chequered history.  

4. The daily-wage Group-D employees were being engaged in  

the Government Press during 1985-1991. U. P. Group-‘D’  

Employees Service Rules,  1985 consists of the following  

posts  -  Peon,  Messenger,  Chowkidar,  Mali,  Farash,  

Sweeper, Waterman, Bhisti, Tindal, Thelaman, Record-lifter  

and every other non-technical post.

5.  The writ petitioners before the High Court through their  

union filed Writ Petition No. 7034 of 1992 titled “Pradeshik  

Rajkiya  Mudralaya  Karamchari  Samanwaya  Samiti,  U.P.,  

Aish Bagh, Lucknow through its Secretary v. State of U.P.  

and others”, seeking regularization. The said writ petition  

was disposed of by judgment dated 02.12.1993. The High  

Court  thought  it  fit  to  frame  a  scheme  so  as  to  avoid  

recurrence  of  such  disputes.  That  judgment  was  

challenged  before  this  Court.  While  the  matter  was  

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pending before this Court, the Government took a decision  

on  12.11.1997  proposing  to  regularize  them  in  service,  

giving  them,  if  required,  relaxation  in  age.  For  easy  

reference,  we  may  extract  the  relevant  portion  of  the  

decision:

“(1) The numbers of reserved category post is to be  calculated  on the  basis  of  persons working in  Class-IV  category  in  the  Government  Printing  Press,  and  it  has  to  be  seen  that  how many  posts  are  lying  vacant.  Whatever  steps  are  taken by the department to fill the vacant said  posts, those persons who are working on daily  wages basis and are qualified otherwise may be  considered  for  interview and  if  the  successful  candidates  requires  age  relaxation,  the  same  shall  be  considered  at  the  Government  level  sympathetically.  Similarly,  the  posts  reserved  for  backward class is  to  be filled up from the  backward class candidates working on the daily  wages  basis  as  per  the  conditions  mentioned  above.”  

(Emphasis supplied)

6. The said decision was conveyed to this Court  and thus,  

Civil  Appeal  No.  6326  of  1994  was  disposed  of  on  

26.11.1997. The order reads as follows:

“The appellants have filed an affidavit dated 15th of  November, 1997 and have annexed to their affidavit  a  circular  which  has  been  issued  by  them  on  12.11.1997 setting out a scheme for giving regular  employment  to  daily  rated  workers  in  the  

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Government Printing Press at Lucknow giving them  preference for absorption in regular vacant posts of  Class-IV category in the Government Printing Press.  The scheme also provides for relaxation of age limit  for  absorption.  In  paragraph  1  of  the  scheme it  is  stated  that  relaxation  in  age  limit  will,  where  necessary,  be  sympathetically  considered  at  the  Government level. We take this as willingness on (sic)  the  part  of  the  Government  to  grant  such  age  relaxation in all suitable cases wherever required. In  view of the scheme which is now being proposed no  further  orders  are  required  in  the  appeal.  The  impugned order of the High Court under which the  High Court has provided a scheme is, therefore, set  aside and the present appeal is disposed of.”

(Emphasis supplied)

7. It  appears,  for  quite  some time,  no  serious  steps  were  

taken. On 02.06.2001, the Secretary to the Government  

wrote to the Director  of Printing and Stationary to take  

immediate steps in compliance with the judgment of this  

Court,  in  the  matter  of  regularization.  Being  a  crucial  

document, we shall extract the relevant portion of the said  

communication dated 02.06.2001:

“Industries Deptt. Division-2

Lucknow : dated 2.6.2001

Subject  : With regard to give regular appointment in  the  vacant  Group-D  post    in  the  Government  Press  to  the  present  daily  wages employees.

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Sir,

On the above cited subject, in pursuance of the  G.O. No. 2777/PS/18-8-1(1) PS/96 dated 12.11.97 and  in compliance of the order dated 26.11.1997 passed  by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India a G.O. No. 620  PS/18-8-20 (31) PS/93 dated 15.4.1998, I have been  directed to state that inspite of clear cut instructions  of  Government  for  the  regular  appointment  of  the  present  daily  wages  employees  working  the  Government  Press  to  the  extent  of  available  vacancies in the Group-D post, no action has been  taken  for  such  a  long time is  highly  objectionable.  Non  action  by  you  and  your  subordinate  officers,  inspite of having clear cut instructions of Government  and the order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India  could have created a difficulty for the government of  non  compliance  of  the  order  of  Hon’ble  Supreme  court and a serious situation could have arisen before  the Government.

With regard to above,  I have been directed to  state that in pursuance of the above G.O. the present  daily wages employees working in the Government  Press,  steps  may  be  taken  to  given  them  regular  appointments  on  the  Group-D  posts  in  accordance  with the applicable service rules.

(2) The  proposal  of  giving  age  relaxation  to  the  candidates declared successful in the interview may  be sent to the government.

(3) To  ensure  the  reservation  policy  as  per  the  related  provisions  of  Rules,  shall  be  the  personal  responsibilities  of  your  and  officer  who  would  be  appointed as Appointing Authority.

(4) The  regularization  of  suitable  candidates  of  Schedule Caste/ Schedule Tribe, Backward Class and  General  Class shall  be made in the proportion and  priority to the extent of availability of the vacancies  in the said class as has been desired in the above  Government Orders.

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I  have  been  also  directed  to  State  that  the  above  said  process  may  be  completed  within  a  month  and  compliance  may  be  reported  to  the  government.”

(Emphasis supplied)

8. It  was clarified subsequently by letter  dated 24.09.2001  

that the benefit of regularization should be given to daily-

wage employees working as on 12.11.1997.

9. It appears, instead of taking steps for filling-up the Group-

D posts by the eligible candidates working on daily-wage  

basis,  an  attempt  was  made  to  fill-up  the  post  of  

“Gatemen”  in  the  Press  in  purported  compliance of  the  

judgment of this Court. It may be noted that the post of  

“Gatemen”  carried  different  pay-scale  with  different  

educational  and  other  qualifications.  To  quote  from the  

letter dated 29.10.2001:

“Industries Department, Division-2

Lucknow: Dated 29th October, 2001

Subject : With regard to regular appointment of the  daily wages employees against the vacant  posts  of  Gatemen  in  the  Government  Printing Press.

Sir,

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Please  refer  to  your  letter  No.  Est.  726  dated  30.7.2001 vide which vacant  post  of Gatemen pay  scale  2550-3200  sought  to  be  included  for  the  absorption  /regularization  of  the  daily  wages  employees of the  Government Printing Press working  on  Class-IV  post  in  compliance  of  the  order  dated  26.11.1997 passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in  Civil Appeal 6326 of 1994.

With regard to above, I have been directed to  state  that  in  compliance  of  the  Hon’ble  Supreme  Court’s  order  and  considering  the  existing  circumstances, government had decided, steps may  be taken to expeditiously fill up the vacant posts of  the  Gatemen  by  selection/regularizing  services  of  such daily wages Class-IV employees working in the  department  who  fulfill  the  following  criteria  of  educational qualification and physical standard:

(1) Educational qualification : High  School  from   

the  Secondary  

Educational  Council,  U.P.

(2) Physical fitness : Physically  and  

mentally  fit,  certified  by  the  Chief  Medical  Officer.

(3) The  measurement  of  height  and  chest  to  determine the physical standard (sic):

(1) Height         : 167 CM   (2) Chest without swelling : 81 CM (3) Chest getting swelled : 88.3 CM”

(Emphasis supplied)

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10. It  may be noted in this context that qualification for the  

Group-D/Class-IV posts as on the date of judgment of this  

Court or even on the government order dated 02.06.2001  

was only pass in class IV examination, as per 1985 Rules. It  

is also pertinent in this context to note that the post of  

“Gatemen” was not included in the Group-D/Class-IV posts  

as on that date.

11. By  the  time  the  process  for  selection  to  the  post  of  

“Gateman” commenced, the State came with a new set of  

Rules for regularization of daily-wage employees in Group-

D/Class-IV,  viz.,  Uttar  Pradesh  Regularization  of  Daily  

Wages Appointments on Group-‘D’ Posts Rules, 2001. Rule  

4  of  the  said  Rules,  to  the  extent  relevant,  reads  as  

follows:  

“4.  Regularisation  of  daily  wages  appointments  on  Group ‘D’ posts.-(1) Any person who-

(a)  was directly appointed on daily wage basis on a  Group  ‘D’  post   in  the  Government  service  before  June 29, 1991 and is continuing in service as such on  the date of commencement of these Rules; and

(b)  possessed  requisite  qualification  prescribed  for  regular appointment for that post at the time of such  appointment on daily wage basis under the relevant  Service  Rules,  shall  be  considered  for  regular  appointment in permanent or temporary vacancy, as  

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may be available in Group ‘D’ post, on the date of  commencement  of  these Rules on the  basis  of his  record and suitability before any regular appointment  is  made  in  such  vacancy  in  accordance  with  the  relevant Service rules or Orders.”

(Emphasis supplied)

12. The writ petitioners contended that the vacancies in the  

post of “Gatemen” should be filled-up only as per  2001  

Rules. The contention was upheld leading to the impugned  

judgment.  The High Court  took the view that  when the  

selection for appointment to the post of “Gatemen” was  

conducted, the 2001 Rules were in operation and hence,  

any selection could only be made in accordance with those  

Rules and not as per the government instructions dated  

29.10.2001.

13. Thus  aggrieved,  the  Director  of  Printing  Press  and  the  

candidates already selected and appointed to the post of  

“Gatemen”  in  terms  of  the  communication  dated  

29.10.2001 are before this Court.

14. It is the main contention of the appellants that “Gatemen”  

is not a post born in the cadre of Group-D. It is a separate  

cadre  with  different  job  requirements  and  hence,  the  

qualification  and  other  requirements  are  laid  down  

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separately.  But  the  writ  petitioners,  respondents  herein  

contended that “Gatemen” is only a Group-D/Class-IV post  

and  it  is  interchangeable  with  other   Group-D/Class-IV  

posts and is actually being interchanged also among other  

Group-D/Class-IV  posts.  It  is  further  contended  that  this  

Court having been made to understand that the existing  

vacancies  in  Group-D/Class-IV  posts  in  the  Government  

Press would be filled-up as per  the then existing Rules,  

after giving age relaxation, it is unjust and unfair to  fill-up  

the  post  of  “Gatemen”  on  prescribing  different  

qualification.  

15. It  is  seen  that  some  of  the  respondents  herein  also  

participated in the selection. However, they were rejected  

either  on  the  ground  of  not  possessing  the  requisite  

qualification  or  on  account  of  lacking  in  the  required  

physical fitness.

16. Be that  as  it  may,  the  history  of  the  case  as  we have  

exposed above would show that the demand of the daily-

wage  Group-D/    Class-IV  employees  working  in  the  

Government Press during 1991-1992 had been accepted in  

principle  by  the  Government  and  the  Government  had  

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issued appropriate directions to accord relaxation in age.  

This Court was made to believe that steps in that regard  

would  be  taken  and  thus  only  the  Civil  Appeal  was  

disposed of by judgment dated 26.11.1997. We find that  

no  meaningful  steps  have  been  taken  in  that  regard.  

Instead,  the  vacancies  to  the  post  of  “Gatemen”  have  

been filled-up with a different  qualification. Many of the  

Group-D/Class-IV employees could not succeed either on  

account  of  educational  qualification  or  on  account  of  

physical fitness. At the risk of redundancy, we may note  

that such requirements as prescribed by the order dated  

29.10.2011 for the post of “Gatemen” were not there in  

1985 Rules ruling the field as on the date of the decision of  

the  Government  dated  02.06.2001  for  filling-up  the  

vacancies in the Government Press.

17. The categoric stand taken by the Government before this  

Court is that the post of “Gatemen” does not belong to  

Group-D  and  that  it  was  a  separate  selection.  Despite  

several queries, no satisfactory explanation is forthcoming  

as to when the post of “Gatemen” was created, how many  

posts were created and whether the same formed part of  

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the  existing  Group-D/Class-IV  category  or  not.  The  

Government has taken a very evasive stand before this  

Court in that regard.

18. Be that  as  it  may,  in  view of  the  position as  explained  

above, we are of the view that the interest of justice would  

be met and complete justice can be done if an appropriate  

direction is issued to fill-up the posts in Group-D/Class-IV  

category in  the Government  Press in  the State  of Uttar  

Pradesh  from  amongst  the  daily-wage  employees  in  

service  as  on  12.11.1997.  The  Director  of  the  Printing  

Press is directed to identify the vacancies between 1991  

and  2003  in  the    Group-D/Class-IV  posts  other  than  

“Gatemen”. This exercise shall  be completed within four  

months. The vacancies thus identified shall be filled-up on  

regular basis from amongst the daily-wage Group-D/Class-

IV employees in service in the Government  Press as on  

12.11.1997 and who can work at least for five years as on  

date,  before  their  superannuation  as  per  Rules.  The  

qualification shall  be determined as per the 1985 Rules.  

This  exercise  shall  be  completed  within  another  one  

month. We make it clear that in the process, none of the  

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existing  regular  employees  including  the  selected  

gatemen shall be disturbed. In other words, it will be open  

to the  State  to appoint  such employees and post  them  

either  in  the  vacancies  if  available  in  the  Government  

Press or any other Group-D/Class-IV posts in the State. We  

further make it clear that without completing this exercise,  

there  shall  be  no  regular  appointment  in  any  Group-

D/Class-IV posts in the State of Uttar Pradesh.  

19. The judgment under appeal stands modified to the above  

extent.  The appeals are disposed of as above.  

20. There is no order as to costs.

..…….…..…………J.                     (H. L.  

GOKHALE)

..……………………J.                     (KURIAN  

JOSEPH)

New Delhi; March 7, 2014.  

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ITEM NO.1A                COURT NO.11             SECTION XI

S U P R E M E   C O U R T   O F   I N D I A

             RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

Civil Appeal No. _______ of 2014 @  

Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (Civil) No(s).13340- 13341/2010

DIR. PRINT.& STAT.DEP.U.P.GOVT.PRESS&ORS.     Petitioner(s)

                VERSUS

MOTI LAL & ORS.                                  Respondent(s)

WITH  

C.A. No. _____ of 2014 @ SLP(C) NO. 35522 of 2010

Date: 07/03/2014  These matters were called on for Judgment  

today.

For Petitioner(s) Mr. Pramod Swarup,Sr.Adv. Ms. Pareena Swarup,Adv. Ms. Alka Sinha,Adv.

        for Mr. Anuvrat Sharma,Adv.

Mr. S.R. Singh,Sr.Adv. Mr. D.N. Dubey,Adv. Mr. Avnish Singh,Adv. Mr. Rajesh Srivastava,Adv. Mr. Sushant K. Yadav,Adv.

For Mr. Yash Pal Dhingra,Adv.

For Respondent(s) Mr. Manoj Swarup,Adv. Ms. Lalita Kohli,Adv. Mr. Abhishek Swarup,Adv.  

     for M/S. Manoj Swarup & Co.,Advs.

            Mr. Yatish Mohan,Adv. Ms. Vinita Y. Mohan,Adv. Ms. Archana Gaur,Adv. Mr. Anand Bali,Adv.

for Mr. E.C. Vidya Sagar,Adv.

 Ms. N. Annapoorani,Adv. Mr. Avijit Bhushan,Adv.

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Hon'ble  Mr.  Justice  Kurian  Joseph  

pronounced  the  judgment  of  the  Bench  

comprising Hon'ble Mr. Justice H.L. Gokhale  

and His Lordship.

Leave granted.  

The appeals are disposed of, with no  

order as to costs.  

 [ Neeta ]               [ Usha Sharma]  Sr. P.A.                     Court Master (Signed non-reportable Judgment is placed on  the file)

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