Holding

A fresh annual Select List must be prepared under Regulation 5 and the proviso to sub‑regulation 3 only applies to officers who have attained the age of 54, while seniority can be counted only for continuous officiation that occurs while the officer’s name is on the Select List.

Summary

The case concerned officers of the Orissa State Police Service who were placed on the 1982 Select List for promotion to the Indian Police Service (IPS) but were not appointed and were omitted from the 1983 Select List. They challenged the 1983 list and the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) held that officers on the 1982 list must be considered for the 1983 list and that one officer, Raiguru, was entitled to seniority in the IPS from 1982 based on his temporary officiation. On appeal, the Supreme Court held that Regulation 5 of the IPS (Appointment by Promotion) Regulations requires a fresh annual list and the proviso to sub‑regulation 3 only benefits those who have turned 54, not all officers from the previous list. The Court also held that seniority under Rule 3(3)(b) of the IPS (Regulation of Seniority) Rules counts only continuous officiation that occurs while the officer’s name is on the Select List, which was not satisfied. Consequently, the Tribunal’s orders were set aside and the appeals were allowed.

Issues considered

The scope of the proviso to sub‑regulation 3 of Regulation 5 of the IPS (Appointment by Promotion) Regulations – whether it obliges inclusion of all officers from the previous Select List in the next year's list.
Whether temporary officiation in the IPS Cadre, without continuous service and without the officer being on the Select List, can be counted for seniority under Rule 3(3)(b) of the IPS (Regulation of Seniority) Rules.

Legislation cited

Indian Police Service (Appointment by Promotion) Regulations, 1955s. Regulation 3, s. Regulation 5, s. Regulation 7

Subjects

promotionselect listIndian Police Servicesenioritytemporary officiationregulation interpretationtribunalappellate review

Judgment

BAIDYANATH JENA AND ANR. A
v.
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.

SEPTEMBER 18, 1998

(MRS. SUJATA V. MANOHAR AND G.B. PATTANAIK, JJ.] B

Service 'Law:

Indian Police Service (Appointment by Promotion) Regulations of
1955/!ndian Policy Service (Regulation of Seniority) Rules, 1954/lndian C
Police (Cadre) Rules, 1954:

Regulations 5 and 7(4)/Rule 3(3)(b)/Rule 9--0fficers of Olissa State
Police Se1vice-Promotion to• Indian Police Se1vice-Names included in
Select list prepared in 1982-Some of the officers whose names were included
in the 1982 List but could not be promoted duling the relevant period were D
not included in Select List of 198J-171ey claimed that their names should
have been considered for inclusion in the fresh list-Held, the Regulations do
not indicate that the officers included in the previous list will continue to f omi
a pmt of the new Select List when provisions of Regulation 5 are expressly to
the contrary--Only exception is in the case of those who were in the previous
list and who have in the meanwhile attained the age of 54 years. E
I
Indian Police Se1vice (Regulations of Senio1ity) Rules, 1954:

Rule 3(3)(b)-Member of Olissa State Police Se1vice-Promotion to
Indian Police Se1vice-Senio1ity-Officer intem1ittently officiating in the In-
dian Police Se1vice on purely temporaiy basis before his regular appointment F
to the Service-Claim for seniolity from date of his initial tempora1y appoint-
ment to the service-Held, the officiation in the JPS Cadre will count for
seniority provided such officiation is continuous and the post is not held as
a purely temporaiy or local a!Tangement.

A select list of officers of Orissa Police Service for promotion to G
Indian Police Service was prepared in 1982. Some of the officers could not
be appointed to the I.P.S. Cadre. In December 1983 again a Select List was
prepared, but as there were no anticipated vacancies in the forthcoming
year, the Select List was prepared under sub-Regulation (1) of Regulation
5 of the Indian Police Service (Appointment by promotion) Regulation of H
667
668 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1998] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A 1955, with the result that names of some of the officers who had been
included in the 1982 List could not be included in the 1983 List. These
officers challenged the Select List of 1983 and the case came to be heard by
a Full Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Cuttack (T.A. No. 90
of 1987). TI1eir case was that proviso to sub-regulation (3) of Regulation 5 ,-

provided that the officer whose name appeared in previous Select List
B should be considered for inclusion in the fresh list.

Another application (0.A. 146 of 1988) was filed before the Tribunal
by 'R' an officer of the Orissa Police Service whose name was included in
the.1982 List but was not included in the 1983 List. He intermittently
c officiated in the Indian Police Service from 1982 under Rule 9 of the l.P.S.
(Cadre) Rules, 1959. During the period of his officiation in the Indian
Police Service, he was also posted in the Orissa Police Service Cadre or
elsewhere. His case was-that his officiating service in the Indian Police
Service should be counted for seniority. Later, he filed another application
(0.A. No. 97 of 1989) and the Tribunal gave a deemed date of 1.2.1989 as
D the date of his regular promotion to the l.P.S. Cadre. This judgment was
not challenged. 'R' then claimed that his officiating service in the l.P.S.
cadre from 23.6.1982, the date when he was appointed to officiate in Indian
Police Service, should count for seniority in the 1.P.S. Cadre.

E The Tribunal allowed the application and held that the applicants
who were in the Select List of 1982 were required to be considered for the
Select List of 1983; and that applicant 'R' was entitled to his seniority in
Indian Police Service since 1982. Aggrieved, the officers who were in the
Select List of 1983 and promoted to Indian Police Service, the Union of
F India and the State of Orissa filed the present appeals.

It was contended for the respondent-original applicants that in view
of the proviso to sub-regulation (3) of Regulation 5 every person who was
on the previous Select List of 1982 was entitled to be considered for
inclusion in the Select List for the next year, i.e. Select List of 1983. It was
G further contended that sub-regulation (4) of Regulation 7 provided that
the Select List should ordinarily be in force until its review and revision
-
is effected under sub-regulation (6) of Regulation 5, and these provisions
indicated that residue of the previous list must form a part of the new list.

H Allowing the appeals, the Court
BAIDYANATHJENAv. U.O.I. 669

HELD : 1.1. The direction given by the Full Bench of the Tribunal A
that the applicants who were in the Select List of 1982 are required to be
considered for the Select List of 1983, cannot be sustained. The consequen-
tial directions given by the Tribunal in the impugned judgment of 6.8.1993
also have to be set aside. [675-E]
B
1.2. Regulation 5 of the Indian Police Service (Appointment by
Promotion) Regulation of 1955, of which sub- regulation (6) forms a part,
quite clearly lays down the manner in which the list has to be annually
reviewed and revised. A new list has to be prepared every year and the list
so prepared would be the reviewed/revised list for that year. From the
sub-regulations one cannot spell out that the member on the old list will c
continue to form a part of the new Select List when the provisions of
Regulation 5 are expressly to the contrary. [675-C-D]

1.3. The proviso to sub-regulation (3) is an exception to the rule in
sub-regulation (3) that those who have attained the age of 54 years shall D
not be included in the Select List. The only exception is in the case of those
persons whose names were in the previous Select List and who have
attained, in the meanwhile, the age of 54 years. All these persons are
rec1uired to be considered. The proviso to sub-regulation (3), therefore,
covers only those persons who have attained the age of 54 years and whose
E
names were in the previous Select List. [674-B-C-D-E]

Ram1ia11d Prasad Si11gh a11d A11r. Etc. v. U11io11 of l11dia a11d Ors. Etc.,
[1996] 4 SCC 64 and Union of India v. Mohan Lal Capoor & Ors., [1974]
1 SCR 797, 803, referred to.
F
2.1. Officiation in a senior post in the I.P.S. Cadre will count for
seniority provided such officiation is continuous and the post is not held
as a purely temporary or local arrangement. Explanation 1 to Rule 3(3) (b)
of the Indian Police Service (Regulation of Seniority) Rules, 1954, further
requires that officiation must be during the period when the officer's name G
is on the Select List. Otherwise, officiation does not count for seniority.
.• [679-C' 680-E]
Union of I11dia Etc. v. G.N. Tiwari, K.L. Jai11 & Ors., [1985] Supp. 3
SCR 744 and M. V. Krish11a Rao a11d Ors. v. U11io11 of llldia a11d Ors., [1994]
Supp. 3 sec 553, distinguished. H
670 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1998] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A Union of India and Anr. v. Harish Chander and Ors., [1995] 2 SCC
48; Harjeet Singh v. Union of India, [1980) 3 SCR 459; O.S. Singh and Anr.
v. Union of India & Anr., [1996) 7 SCC 37 and Ramchandra Dayaram
Gawande v. Union of India and Ors., [1996) 10 SCC 420, held inapplicable.

2.2. The Tribunal was not right in granting to respondent 'R'
B seniority in the I.P.S. Cadre on the basis of his temporary officiation
commencing from 23.6.1982. He was given an officiating promotion to the
Indian Police Service under an order of 18.6.1982. He could not be
promoted regularly to the Service before the Select List of 1983 was
prepared and his name was not included in that List. Thereafter he was
C intermittently allowed to officiate in the I.P.S. cadre for a period not
exceeding three months under Rule 9 of the l.P.S. (Cadre) Rules, by Office
Orders dated 22.7.1983, 5.7.1985 and 16.5.1987. Meanwhile being an of·
fleer of Orissa Police Service he was also given postings as an officer of
Orissa Police Service. Therefore, it cannot be said that till 1.2.1989, which
has been accepted by all sides as the deemed date of regular promotion
D 'R' to IPS Cadre, he was continuously officiating in the IPS cadre otherwise
than as a purely temporary or local arrangement or that such officiation
was at a time when his name was on the Selection List. [680-F; 682-B·E)

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal Nos. 4318-19
E of 1990 Etc.
From the Judgment and Order dated 29.9.88 of the Central Ad-
ministrative Tribunal, at Cuttack in T.A. No. 90/87 and 146of1988.

(P.N. Misra), (NP), Jayant Das, J.R. Das, K.N. Tripathy, R.K. Mehta,
F Ms. Meera Chhibber, (Hemant Sharma) for P. Parmeswaran, Ajit Pudus-
sery, (N.R. Choudhary) (NP), Somnath Mukherjee and A.K. Panda for the
appearing parties.

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

MRS. SUJATA V. MANOHAR, J. Delay condoned;
G
Leave granted. These appeals are from a judgment of a Full Bench
of the Central Administrative Tribunal dated 29.9.1988 delivered in T.A.
....
No. 90 ofl987 along with 0.A No.146of1986. By a subsequent amendment
in these appeals, the consequential judgment of the Central Administrative
H Tribunal dated 6.8.1993 in T.A. No. 90 of 1987 along with O.A. No. 146 of
BAIDYANATH JENAv. U.O.I. [SUJATA V. MANOHAR, J.] 671

1986, giving effect to the said Full Bench judgment of the Tribunal and also A
deciding another issue raised in O.A.No.146of1986, has also bean allowed
to be challenged. The appeals are filed by the State of Orissa, the Union
of India as also senior officers of the Orissa State Police Service who were
on the Select List, of 1983 for promotion to the Indian Police Service and
who have been thereafter promoted to the Indian Police Service. The
original applicant before the Central Administrative Tribunal who are now
B
respondents before us were senior officers in the Orrissa State Police
Service whose names were included in the Select List of 1982 for promotion
"'1
..' to the Indian Police Service; but whose names did not find a place in the
Select List of 1983 for promotion to the Indian Police Service.
c
. The promotion from the Orissa State Police Service to the Indian
Police Service is governed by the Indian Police Service (Appointment by
Promotion) Regulation of 1955 as amended from time to time. Under
Regulation 3 of the Indian Police Service (Appointment by Promotion)
Regulation of 1955, a Committee is required to be set up as provided
therein for preparation of a list of suitable officers for promotion to the D
Indian Police Service. The preparation of such a list by the Committee is
governed by Regulation 5. The relevant provisions of Regulation 5 for our
present purposes are as follows :

"5. Preparation of a list of Suitable officers - E

(1) Each Committee shall ordinarily meet at intervals not exceed-
ing one year and prepare a list of such members of the State Police
Service as are held by them to be suitable for promotion to the
Service. The number of members of the State Police Service
F
included in the list shall not be more than twice the number of
substantive vacancies anticipated in the course of the period of
twelve months, commencing from the date of preparation of the
list, in the posts available for them under rule 9 of the Recruitment
Rules, or 5 per cent of the senior posts shown against items 1 and
2 of the cadre schedule of each State or group of States, whichever G
is greater.

(2) The Committee shall consider for inclusion in the said list, the
cases of member of the State Police Service in the order of seniority
in that service of a number which is equal to three times the H
672 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1998] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A number referred to in sub-regulation (1) :

Provided that .......... .

Provided further that in computing the number for inclusion in
the field of consideration, the number of officers referred to in
B sub-regulation (3) shall be excluded :

Provided also .............

(2A) ...................... \,?

c (3) The Committee shall not consider the cases of the Members
of the State Police Service who have attained the age of 54 years
·on the first day of January of the year in which it meets :

Provided that a member of the State Police Service whose name
appears in the Select List in force immediately before the date of
D the meeting of the Committee shall be considered for inclusion in
. the fresh list, to be prepared by the Committee, even if he has in
the meanwhile attained the age of 54 years.

Provided further ............

E (4) .........................

(5) ·························
(6) The list so prepared shall be reviewed and revised every year.

(7) Select List- (1) The Commission shall consider the list prepared
F by the Committee along with the other documents received from
the State and, unless it considers any change necessary, approve
the list.

(2) ·························
G (3) The list as finally approved by the Commission shall form the
Select List of the members of the State Police Service.
-.,..,~

(4) The Select List shall ordinarily be in force until its review and ;-
revision, effected under sub-regulation (6) of regulation 5, is ap-
proved under sub-regulation (1) or, as the case may be, finally
H · approved under sub-regulation (2).
BAIDYANATHJENAv. U.O.I.[SUJATA V.MANOHAR,J.] 673

Provided that ............ " A

Regulation 5(1), therefore requires the Committee to meet once a
year to prepare a Select List. The number of State Police Service members
to be included In the Select List depends upon the number of substantive
vacancies anticipated in the course of the coming 12 months. The total
B
number on the list is required to be twice the number of such vacancies.
Where no vacancies are anticipated in the coming years, the rule requires
that the number equivalent to 5 per cent of senior posts shown against item
1 and 2 of the cadre schedule of the concerned State should be considered
as the number of vacancies for calculating the number to be included in
the Select List. Under sub-regulation (2), for the purpose of inclusion in C
the Select List the Commi.tee shall consider in the order of seniority three
times the number required in the Select List under sub-regulation (1) of
Regulation 5.

Accordingly a Select List of 1982 was prepared on the basis of D
anticipated vacancies in the forthcoming year. The names of the original
applicants before the Central Administrative Tribunal were included in the
Select List of 1982. The applicants were, however, not appointed during
the next year 1983. In December 1983, the Committee met and prepared
on 27.12.1983 a Select List of 1983. For the forthcoming year there were
no anticipated vacancies.• Therefore, under sub-regulation (1) of Regula- E
tion 5, the Committee considered 5 per cent of the senior posts shown
against items 1 and 2 of the cadre schedule for the State of Orissa to decide
the number of anticipated vacancies. The number came to three "vacan-
cies". On that basis, the Committee under sub-regulation (2) considered
the names of the members of the Orissa State Police Service "in the order F
of seniority" for inclusion in the Select List prepared in 1983. The original
applicants did not find a place in the Select List of 1983.

According to the original applicants every person who was on the
previous Select List of 1982 is entitled to be considered for inclusion in the
Select List for the next year i.e. Select List of 1983. The applicants rely G
upon the proviso to Sub-regulation (3) of Regulation 5 in support of their
contention. To examine this contention it is necessary to look at the scheme
of Regulation 5. Regulation 5(1) prescribes the method by which the
number of persons on the Select List will be determined. Under sub-
regulation (2) for putting the names of persons on the Select List the H
674 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1998) SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A Committee is required to consider, in the order of seniority, three times
the number referred to in sub-regulation (1). The second proviso to
sub-regulation (2), however, provides that in considering the names in the
field of considefation the officers who are referred to in sub-regulation (3)
shall be excluded. Sub-regulation (3), therefore, is meant to exclude certain
B people who may otherwise, be in the zone of consideration. Sub-regulation
(3) provides that those who have attained the age of 54 years on the 1st
day of January of the year in which the Committee meets, shall not be
within the zone of consideration. The proviso to sub-regulation (3), how-
ever, makes an exception. It provides that if a person who has so attained
the age of 54 years was in the previous Select List, his name shall be
C considered. The Tribunal has interpreted this proviso to mean that every
person whose name was in the previous Select List shall be included in the
subsequent Select List. This interpretation is not borne out by the scheme
of sub-regulation (3) read with sub-regulation (2). The proviso to sub-
regulation (3) is an exception to the Rule in sub-regulation (3) that those
D who have attained the age of 54 years shall not be included in the Select
List. The only exception is in the case of those persons whose names were
in the previous Select List and who have attained, in the meanwhile, the
age of 54 years. All these persons are required to be considered. The
proviso to sub- regulation (3), therefore, covers only those persons who
have attained the age of 54 years and whose names were in the previous
E Select List.

Similar Regulations for promotion to the Indian Administrative Ser-
vice were considered in Ranmand Prasad Singh and Am: Etc. v. Union of
India and Ors. Etc., (1996] 4SCC M. Regulation 5 of the 1.A.S. Promotion
.F Rules which is similar to Regulation 5 in the present case, was interpreted
for the. purpose of deciding who were within the zone of consideration
under Regulation 5. This Court said that zone of selection under Regula-
tion 5 consists of three parts, (i) Officers who fall within Regulation 5(2)
after excluding all those officers falling under Regulation 3, (ii) Officers
who havl- attained the age of 54 years who are 'carried forward from the
G earlier selection list in force', (iii) Officers above the age of 54 who have
been deprived of their chance of being considered due to non-holding of
meeting of the Selection Committee [second proviso to sub-regulation (3) ].
Hence sub-regulation (3) does not provide for considering all those per-
sons who were in the previous Select List for selection to the Select List
H for the subsequent year. The list has to be prepared in accordance with
BAIDY ANATH JENA v. U.0.I. [SUJATA V. MANO HAR, J.] 675

Regulation 5(2). The only exception is in respect of those in the previous A
Select List who have attained the age of 54 years.

The original applicants contend that under Regulation 7 of the
Indian Police Servic ~ (Appointment by Promotion) Regulations, sub-
_,
.J regulation (4) of Regulation 7 provides that the Select List shall ordinarily
B
be in force until its review and revision effected under sub-regulation (6)
of Regulation 5. Regulation 5(6) also states that the list has to be reviewed
and revised every year. They submit that the residue of the previous list
must, therefore, form a part of the new list because Regulations 7(4) and
5(6) talk about review and revision of the Select List. However, Regulation
5 of which sub-regulation (6) forms a part, quite clearly lays down the c
manner in which the list has to be annually reviewed and revised. A new
list has to be prepared every year and the list so prepared is a
reviewed/revised list for that year. From these sub-regulations one cannot
spell out that the members on the old list will continue to form a part of
the new Select List when the provisions of Regulation 5 are expressly to D
the contrary. A similar agreement was rejected by this Court in the .case of
Union of India v. Mohan Lal Capoor & Ors., [1974] 1 SCR 797, 803. It said
that although the new Select List was called a review/revision of the
previous list, it was to be prepared on the basis of fresh assessment.
Inclusion in the Select List for one year was not an entitlement to inclusion
in the next List. The direction given by the Full Bench of the Tribuna~ E
therefore, that the applicants who were in the Select List of 1982 are
required to be considered for the Select List of 1983, cannot be sustained.
The consequential directions given by the Tribunal in the impugned judg-
ment of 6.8.1993 also have to be set aside.

The next question that we have to consider pertains to an individual F
respondent one Raiguru who had filed 0.A. No.146 of 1986 before the
Central Administrative Tribunal. He contended that his officiating service
in the Indian Police Service should count for seniority in the Indian Police
Service. Raiguru who was a senior officer in the Orissa State Police Service
and was in the Select List for 1982 was given an officiating promotion to G
the Indian Police Service under an order of 18.6.1982 and he started
officiating in the Indian Police Service with effect from 23.6.1982. Despite
being on the Select List of 1982 Raiguru, however, could not be promoted
regularly to the Indian Police Service before the Select List of 1983 was
finalised. His name was not included in the Select List for 1983. Thereafter H
676 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1998) SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A by an office order dated 22.7.1983 Raiguru was again allowed to officiate
against a post of Additional S.P. in the Inidan Police Service cadre for a
period n;:it exceeding three months under Rule 9 of the I.P.S. (Cadre)
Rules, 1954. A similar order granting to Raiguru officiation against a post
of Additional S.P. in the I.P.S. Cadre for a period not exceeding three
B months under Rule 9 of the I.P.S. (cadre Rules), 1954 was again granted
on 5.7.1985.

Thereafter by a notification of 10.1.1986 a number of officers belong-
ing to the Orissa Police Service including Raiguru were allowed to officiate
in Orissa Police Service Senior Class I on ad hoc basis for a period of one
C year or till the recommendations of.the Orissa Public Service Commission
was received, whichever was earlier. The appellant was granted a post in
the Orissa Police Service Senior Class I as Additional Superintendent of
Police, Balasour. However, by an office order dated 16.5.1987 he was again
allowed to officiate against a post of Additional S.P. in the I.P.S. Cadre for
D a period not exceeding three months under Rule 9 of the I.P.S. (Cadre )
Rules, 1954, By a notification dated 30.4.1988, Raiguru who was described
there as Orissa Police Service Class I Additional Superintendent of Police,
Bolangir, was transferred and his services were placed at the disposal of
Commerce and Transport (Transport) Department for his posting as Chief
E Vigil~nce Officer under the Orissa Transport Company Limited, Berham-
pur. These orders show some postings in the I.P.S. Cadre under Rule 9
and at least two postings in the Orissa Police Service (OPS) Cadre or
elsewhere during the period 23.4.1982 to 30.4.1988.

Under an order of the Central Administrative Tribunal dated
F 19.3.1990 in 0.A.No. 97 of 1989 filed by Raiguru, (who seems to have a
penchant for filing OAS) the Tribunal has given a deemed date of 1st of
February, 1989 as the date of regular promotion of Raiguru to the I.P.S.
Cadre. This date has not been challenged. Raiguru has claimed that his
officiating service in the I.P.S. Cadre from 23.6.1982 should count for
G seniority in the I.P.S. Cadre which relief has been granted to him.

To examine the question of seniority it must firstly, be borne in mind
that during the period 23.6.1982 until 1.2.1989, the deemed date of promo-
tion to the I.P.S. Cadre, Raiguru's appointment to the I.P.S. Cadre was only
H temporary and in an officiating capacity under Rule 9 of the I.P.S. Cadre
BAIDYANATHJENAv. U.O.I. [SUJATAV.MANOHAR,J.] 677

Rules. Rule 9 of the Indian Police Service (Cadre) Rules, 1954 provides as A
follows :-

"Temporary appointments of non-cadre officers to cadre posts - (1)
A cadre post in a State may be filled by a person who is not a
cadre officer if the State Government "or any of its Heads of
Department to whom the State Government may delegate its B
powers of making appointments to cadre posts'', is satisfied -

(a) that the vacancy is not likely to last for more than three
months; or

(b) that there is no suitable cadre officer available for filling
c
the vacancy :

Provided where a cadre post is filled by a non- Select List
officer, or a Select List officer who is not next in order in the Select
List, under this sub-rule, the State Government shall forthwith D
report the fact to the Central Government together with the
reasons for making the appointment."

Therefore, office orders of 22.7.1983, 5.7.1985 and 16.5.1987 are all
office orders of temporary appointment to a cadre post in the LP .S. and
the same is the position with regard to the first order of 18/23.6.1982. E
The seniority in the Indian Police Service (I.P.S.) is governed by
Indian Police Service (Regulation of Seniority) Rules, 1954 (hereinafter
referred to as the Seniority Rules). Under Rule 3(1) every officer shall be
assigned a year of allotment in accordance \vith the provisions hereinafter
contained in the said Rule. Sub-rule (3) of Rule 3 is as follows :-
F

"Sub-mle(3) of Rule 3: The year of allotment of an officer ap-
pointed to the Service after the commencement of these rules shall
be -
G
(a) where the officer is appointed to the Service on the results
of a competitive examination the year following the year in
which such examination was held;

(b) where the officer is appointed to the Service by promo-
tion in accordance with rule 9 of the Recruitment Rules, the H
678 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1998] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A year of allotment of the junior-most among the officers
recruited to the Service in accordance with rule 7 of these
Rules who officiated continuously in the senior post from a
date earlier than the date of commencement of such officia-
tion by the former:

B Provided that the year of allotment of an officer appointed to
the Service in accordance with rule 9 of the Recruitment Rules
who started officiating continuously in a senior post from a cadre
earlier than the date on which any of the officers recruited to the
Service, in accordance with rule 7 of those Rules, so started
C officiating shall be determined ad hoc by the Central Government
in consultation with the State Government concerned.

Explanation 1 : In respect of an officer appointed to the Service
D by promotion in accordance with sub-rule (1) of rule 9 of the
Recruitment Rules, the period of his continuous officiation in a
senior post shall, for the purposes of determination of his seniority;
count only from the date of the inclusion of his name in the Select
List, or from the date of his officiating appointment to such senior'
post whichever is later:
E
Provided ............. .

Explanation 2 - An officer shall be deemed to have officiated
continuously in a senior post from a certain date if during the
period from that date to the date of his confirmation in the senior
F grade he continues to hold without any break or reversion a senior
(
post otherwise than as a purely temporary or local arrangement.

Explanation 3 - An officer shall be treated as having officiated in
a senior post during any period in respect of which the State
Government concerned certifies that he would have so officiated
G
but for his absence on leave or training."

The reference to Rule 9 of the Recruitment Rules in the said sub- rule (3)
of Rule 3 is to recruitment by promotion from the State Police Service.
Therefore, Rule 3(3)(b) provides for the manner in which the year of
H allotment has to be assigned to an officer promoted from the State Police
BAIDYANATHJENAv. U.O.I.[SUJATAV.MANOHAR,J.] 679

Service. Under Explanation 1, the period of his continous officiation in a A
senior post shal~ for the purpose of determining seniority, count only from
the date of inclusion of his nam~ in the Select List or from the date of his
officiating appointment to such senior post, whichever is later. Explanation
• 2 provides that an officer shall be deemed to have officiated continuously
in a senior post in the I.P.S. Cadre if, during the period from that date to
the date of his confirmation, he continues to hold without a break or
B
reversion such a senior post otherwise than as a purely temporary or local
arrangement.

Therefore, officiation in a senior post in the I.P.S. Cadre will count
for seniority provided such officiation is continuous and the post is not held C
as a purely temporary or local arrangement. From the available material,
it is difficult to see how Raiguru could be said to have held the post in the
I.P.S. Cadre continuously till his deemed regular appointment on 1.2.1989.
Even if we assume that in the interregnum between the different office
orders he continued to hold the same post, this cannot be considered as D
regular officiation in the absence of any order. Moreover, the notifications
of 10.1.1986 and 30.4.1988 show that pursuant to those notifications he was
given postings in the Orissa Police Service Senior Class I post and later he
was also given a posting as Chief Vigilance Officer in the Orissa Transport
Company. Therefore, it cannot be said that till 1st of February, 1989 which
has been accepted by all sides as the deemed date of regular promotion to E
the l.P.S. Cadre of Raiguru, he was continuously officiating in a senior post
in the l.P.S. Cadre otherwise than as a purely temporary or local arrange-
ment.

The appellants have also pointed out that on 7.7.1988 six temporary p
posts in Orissa Police Service Senior Class I in the rank of Additional S.P.
were created in order to regularise the officiation of six officers including
Raiguru in the I.P.S. Cadre posts. Against the name of Raiguru the period
of irregular officiation is mentioned as 23.6.1982 to 31.1.1986. In paragraph
4 of the letter of sanction dated 7.7.1988, it is stated that "Officers con-
cerned were allowed to officiate as Additional S.P. against cadre post of G
l.P.S. for a period of three months under Rule 9 ofl.P.S.(Cadre) Rules but
continued to hold a post of Additional S.P. without any further extension
by the Government. Since the period of such officiation has been
regularised by the Government by creating post of Additional S.P. (un-
specified) in O.P.S. Senior Class I, it is necessary now to fix up their pay H
680 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1998] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A during the period of their officiation as mentioned in the Government
Order". Clearly, therefore, the officiation in the l.P.S. Cadre beyond a
period of three months under each of the orders was irregular officiation
which had to be regularised by creating posts in the Orissa Police Service
Senior Class I Cadre. There is another order of 9.7.1991 by the Under
B Secretary to the Government of India to give effect to the judgment dated
31.3.1989 in T.A. No. 2 of 1988 filed by Raiguru under which the Tribunal
had directed that Raiguru be given the allowances attached to the post ·Of
Additional S.P. during the period of his officiation. To give effect to this
order, the Government of India, in order to regularise the payment of such
pay and allowances, in compliance with the said Judgment, approved the
C creation of a temporary post of Additional S.P. to the I.P.S. Cadre of Orissa
for the period from 23.6.1982 to 7.7.1988. This creation of a post was
pursuant to the order of the Tribunal in T.A. No.2 of 1988 and was only
for the purpose of regularising payment of pay and allowances to Raiguru
under that order. It does not give him any right to claim seniority on the
D basis of the order of 9.7.1991. The said order cannot and is not meant to
give him any benefit of seniority on that basis. The order is merely to
regularise payment of allowances of an Additional S.P. to Raiguru because
of the judgment of the Tribunal in T.A. No.2 of 1988.

Apart from a question mark against his continuous officiation, there
E 1s another hurdle in the way of counting such officiation for seniority.
Explanation 1 to Rule 3(3)(b) of the Seniority Rules requires that such
officiation must be during the period when the officer's name is on the
Select List. Otherwise, officiation does not count for seniority. We have not
been shown that from 1983 to 1989, Raiguru's name was no the Select List
F for each of those years. The Tribunal was, therefore, not right in granting
to the appellant seniority on the basis of his temporary officiation com-
mencing from 23.6.1982 when there are Seniority Rules which expressly lay
down the manner in which such seniority is to be given. Those Rules have
to be followed.

G Our attention was drawn to a decision in the case of Union of India
Etc. v. G.N. Tiwari, KL. Jain & Ors., (1985] Supp. 3 SCR 744, where this
Court considered similar Rules pertaining to the Indian Administrative
Service. In that case the concerned person had officiated in a senior post
under Rule 9 of the corresponding I.A.S. Cadre Rules from 10.11.1975 and
H he had continued to officiate until he was regularly appointed to the I.A.S.
BAIDYANATHJENAv. U.O.L [SUJATA V.MANOHAR,J.] 681

on 7.12.1926. On that basis he was assigned a year of allotment under Rule A
3(3)(b) of the I.AS. (Seniority) Rules. The Court held that his continuous
officiation should count for the purposes of Rule 3(3)(b) of the I.AS.
(Seniority) Rules. This was a case where a person was appointed under
Rule 9 of the Cadre Rules to officiate in a senior post and he continued
to so officiate until his actual regular appointment. In these circumstances,
the Court held that his continuous officiation must count for the purposes
B
of seniority under Rule 3(3)(b) of the Seniority Rules.

Another case where the same Rules with which we are concerned
came up for consideration was the case of M. V. Krishna Rao and Ors. v.
Union of India and Ors., [1994) Supp. 3 SCC 553. In that case the appellant c
had been appointed to officiate in a senior post under Rule 9 of the I.P.S.
Cadre Rules. There was a challenge to his continuous officiation under
Rule 9 as being not in accordance with Rule 9. Nevertheless, the person
had continued to officiate in the senior post. While so officiating he was
included in the Select List with effect from 9.1.1978. Pursuant to the D
inclusion in the Select List, he was appointed regularly to I.P.S. on
19.12.1978. The Court said that in view of Explanation 1 to Rule 3(3) which
provides for counting continuous officiation only from the date of inclusion
in the Select List, the appellant was entitled to count his seniority in the
I.P.S. post from 9.1.1978. The Court rejected various objections relating to
that person's officiation as not being entirely in accordance with Rule 9. E
Nevertheless, what was important was that the person had officiated in a
senior post continuously until his name was included in the Select List and
until his regular appointment. Although he had officiated prior to the
inclusion of his name in the Select List, he was given seniority only from
the date of inclusion of his name in the Select List.
F
The provisions of Rule 3(3)(b) of the Seniority Rules have been
interpreted by this Court in paragraph 8 of that judgment. In respect of
the promotees the Court has said that under Rule 3(3)(b), in the case of
a promotee his year of allotment shall be the year of allotment assigned to
the junior-most among the direct recruits who officiated continuously in a G
senior post from a date earlier than the date of commencement of officia-
tion by such promotee. In the. case of a promotee the period of his
continuous officiation in a senior post shall count from the date of inclusion
of his name in the Select List or from the date of his continuous officiating
appointment whichever is later. Explanation 2 seeks to exclude the period H
682 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1998) SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A of temporary posting made by way of local arrahgement from the purview
of continuous officiating service.

Therefore, in the present case it is necessary to establish (1) the

B
period of continuous officiation in the senior post by Raiguru; and (2) the
period of continuous officiation, if any, after his inclusion in the Select List
for each of the relevant years. Such Selection and officiation must coincide
4
and should be continuous to form a basis for granting seniority. When the
first order of 18.6.1982 was issued under Rule 9 Raiguru was on the Select
List of 1982. However, when the next order of 22.7.1983 was issued under
Rule 9 Raiguru was not in the Select List for that period. There are two
C subsequent orders of 1985 and 1987 for his continuous officiation. It is not
shown whether during this entire period the name of Raiguru was on the
Select List. Then in 1986 he was clearly not officiating in a senior post but
he was posted in the Orissa Police Service Senior Class I Service and the
same is the case with the order of 30th of April, 1988. In the order of 30th
D of April, 1988, Raiguru is described as holding the post in Orissa Police
Service Senior Class I.

In the light of these facts it is not possible to hold that prior to his
deemed date of promotion on 1.2.1989 he was continuously officiating a
senior post in the I.P.S. Cadre or that such officiation was at a time when
E his name was on the Select List because unless such officiation is during
the period when the name of the officer is on the Select List it will not
count for seniority under Explanation 1 to Rule 3(3)(b). This not being the
case here, the respondent-Raiguru cannot be given the benefit of the so
called continuous officiation for his seniority.
F
Learned counsel for the respondent -Raiguru has relied upon Union
of India and Anr. v. Harish Chander and Ors., (1995) 2 SCC 48, where this
Court held that officiation for a long period would count for seniority. He
has also relied upon case cited there. However, when there are express
Rules which prescribe how and when continuous officiation will or will not
G count for seniority, such Rules have to be enforced and one cannot resort
to any general legal formulation. Three other cases were cited before us
relating to seniority and year of allotment. These are Harjeet Singh v. Union
of India, (1980) 3 SCR 459, O.S. Singh and Anr. v. Union of India and Anr.,
[1996) 7 SCC 37 and Ramchandra Dayaram Gawande v. Union of India and
H Ors., [1996) 10 SCC 420. All these cases deal with seniority and year of
BAIDYANATHJENAv. U.0.1. [SUJATA V. MANOHAR,J.] 683

allotment. However, each of them turns upon its own special facts and have A
no application to the present case.

In the premises respondent-Raiguru is not entitled to claim seniority
from 23.6.1982 or for any part of the period prior to 1.2.1989.

The appeals are accordingly allowed and the impugned judgment B
and orders of the Tribunal dated 29.9.1988 and 6.8.1993 are set aside and
the original writ petition/applications are dismissed. There will, however,
be no order as to costs.

R.P . Appeals allowed.

. ..