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 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA  CIVIL  APPELLATE JURISDICTION  

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4040   OF 2011

(Arising out of SLP(C) No.362/2008)

STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH                  Appellant(s)

                    :VERSUS:

SARAB DAYAL                                Respondent(s)

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4027  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.23225/2007)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4028  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.23886/2007)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4029  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24042/2007)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4030  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24043/2007)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4031  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24045/2007)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4033  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24304/2007)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4036  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.55/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4032  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.1114/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4037  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.5206/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4039  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.5208/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4041  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.8027/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4042  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.8562/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4043  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.15379/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4113  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.17525/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4123  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.19516/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4132  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.26055/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4134  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.26628/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4044  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.28886/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4045  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.26353/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4046  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.30185/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4047  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.28787/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4048  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.26454/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4049  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.30399/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4050  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.30730/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4051  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.30323/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4054  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.30782/2008)

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CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4166  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.22207/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4167  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21367/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4168  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21405/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4169  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.22208/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4170  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21594/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4171  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.29457/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4172  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.30477/2008)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4052  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.386/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4053  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.382/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4055  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.384/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4056  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.387/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4057  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.390/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4058  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.45/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4059  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.773/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4060  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.775/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4061  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.774/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4062  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.2466/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4063  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.2467/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4064  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.1620/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4065  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.8318/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4066  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.12290/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4067  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.10851/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4068  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.12291/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4069  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.12292/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4070  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.12293/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4071  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.6358/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4072  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.15477/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4073  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.13493/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4074  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.15537/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4075  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.13354/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4076  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.13494/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4077  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.15546/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4078  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.13505/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4079  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.13622/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4080   OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.15547/2009)

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CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4081  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.15550/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4082  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.15565/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4083  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.15556/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4084  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.15558/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4086  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.10090/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4085  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.15551/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4087  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.10122/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4088  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.10123/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4089  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.10124/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4090  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.10119/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4091  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.10116/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4092  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21414/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4093  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.22498/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4094  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.22500/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4095  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.22501/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4096  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.22503/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4097  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.22504/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4098  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.22505/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4099  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.22506/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4100  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21189/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4101  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21280/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4102  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21281/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4103  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21283/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4104  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21284/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4105  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21285/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4106  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21984/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4107  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24411/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4108  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.5085/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4109  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.5086/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4110  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.5087/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4111  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21191/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4112  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24412/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4114  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24737/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4115  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24740/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4116  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24741/2009)

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CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4117  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24742/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4118  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24744/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4119  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24745/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4120  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24746/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4121  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24748/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4122  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24414/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4124  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.27976/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4125  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.27977/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4126  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.27978/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4127  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.27979/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4128  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.27980/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4129  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21173/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4130  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.31857/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4131  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.32864/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4144  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.3686/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4145  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.8317/2009)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4133  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.3503/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4135  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.640/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4136  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.641/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4137  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.643/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4138  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.644/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4139  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.646/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4140  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.4062/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4141  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.6141/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4142  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.5940/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4143  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.5941/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4146  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.8145/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4147  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.645/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4148  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.17235/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4149  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.20006/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4150  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.20291/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4151  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.20312/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4152  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.20316/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4153  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.20324/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4154  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.20347/2010)

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CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4155  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.20352/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4156  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.20368/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4157  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.20409/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4158  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21870/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4159  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21875/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4160  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.21872/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4161  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.23375/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4162  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.23376/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4163  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.23385/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4164  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.23389/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4165  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.23390/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4173  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24716/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4174  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24717/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4175  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24718/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4176  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.24719/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4177  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.23648/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4178  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.30827/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4179  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.29346/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4180  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.30881/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4181  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.31509/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4182  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.31510/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4183  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.31511/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4184  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.31866/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4185  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.31649/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4186  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.33594/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4187  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.33595/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4188  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.33596/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4189  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.33597/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4190  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.33600/2010)

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4191  OF 2011 (@ SLP(C)No.32729/2010)

O R D E R

1. Delay condoned.

2. Leave  is  granted  in  all  the  Special  leave

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petitions.

3. These appeals  emanate from  the judgment  and  

order dated 19.7.2007 delivered by a Division Bench  

of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh at Shimla in a  

group of civil writ petitions.  

4. We  have  heard  Mr.  P.P.  Rao,  learned  senior  

counsel appearing for the State of Himachal Pradesh  

and  Mr.  M.C.  Dhingra,  learned  counsel  for  the  

respondents and other learned counsel appearing for  

the respondents.  

5. During the course of hearing, a copy of Office  

Memorandum  No.F.12(1)E.V/68,  dated  the  14th May,  

1968, which was issued by the Government of India,  

has been brought to our notice. Admittedly the said  

Office  Memorandum  was  neither  filed  by  the  

appellant(s) nor by the respondents. Only during the  

course  of  arguments,  a  copy  of  this  1968  Office  

Memorandum was handed over to the High Court by the  

learned counsel for the respondents.  

6. Learned counsel appearing for the appellant(s)

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submits that the appellant State did not have any  

opportunity  to  file  any  reply  to  this  Office  

Memorandum of 1968.  The High Court in the impugned  

judgment has placed heavy reliance on this Office  

Memorandum.  It is submitted by the learned counsel  

for the appellant(s) that the 1968 Office Memorandum  

was not adopted by the State.  This fact could not  

be brought to the notice of the Court because the  

State  did  not  have  a  chance  of  filing  reply.  

Obviously the Court did not consider the aspect of  

non adoption of the Office Memorandum by the State  

in the judgment.    

7. On 13th April, 2011, this Court directed the  

State  of  Himachal  Pradesh  to  file  an  affidavit  

stating therein as to whether the Office Memorandum  

dated 14th May, 1968  issued by the Governments of  

India was adopted by the State or not.  

8. In pursuance to the direction of this Court,  

an  affidavit  has  been  filed  by  Mr.  P.C.  Kapoor,  

Principal Secretary  to the  Government of  Himachal  

Pradesh,  Shimla,  in  which  it  is  stated  that  the

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State of Himachal Pradesh has not adopted the O.M.  

No.F.12(1)-EV/68, dated the 14th May, 1968 issued by  

the Government of India, Ministry of Finance, either  

for the payment of pension or payment of gratuity to  

its employees.  

9. In the affidavit it is also mentioned that the  

Government  of  Himachal  Pradesh  is  not  paying  the  

gratuity to its employees under OM dated 14th May,  

1968 but is paying the gratuity to its workers under  

the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 and CCS Pension  

Rules, 1972 and as per the directions of the High  

Court vide its judgment dated 9.5.2007 in CWP No.150  

of 2004, titled as 'State of H.P.  versus Lashkri  

Ram'.

10. Mr.  M.C.  Dhingra,  learned  counsel  appearing  

for  the  respondents  has  referred  to  The  Punjab  

Reorganisation Act, 1966 and submitted that Himachal  

Pradesh became a State with effect from 25.1.1971  

and  prior  to  this,  it  was  a  Union  Territory  

established  under  the  Government  of  Union  

Territories  Act,  1963.  It  was  submitted  by  Mr.  

Dhingra that all the Office Memorandums issued by

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the  Government  of  India,  ipso  facto,  became  

applicable  to  the  State  of  Himachal  Pradesh  with  

effect from 19.5.1971.

11. We  have  perused  the  records  and  heard  the  

learned  counsel  for  the  parties.  We  are  of  the  

considered view that an entirely new case has been  

weaved out before this Court. There are no pleadings  

to that effect. In this view of the matter, we are  

constrained to set aside the impugned judgment of  

the High Court and remit the matters to the High  

Court  for  fresh  adjudication.  To  avoid  any  

confusion,  we  direct  the  State  to  file  a  

comprehensive  amended  writ  petition  in  the  High  

Court within eight weeks and reply of the same be  

filed within eight weeks thereafter and rejoinder,  

if any, within four weeks thereafter.  

12. We request the High Court to dispose of the  

matters on the basis of the amended pleadings, as  

early as possible, in any event, within nine months  

from the date of communication of this order.  

13. To avoid any delay in the matters, we direct

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the parties to appear before the High Court on 17th  

May, 2011. The State of Himachal Pradesh would be at  

liberty to  additionally serve  the parties  through  

their respective counsel in the High Court.  

14. With these observations and directions, these  

appeals are disposed of, leaving the parties to bear  

their own costs.  

.....................J (DALVEER BHANDARI)

.....................J (DEEPAK VERMA)

New Delhi; May 5, 2011.