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Supreme Court of India

COMMISSIONER/SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT HEALTH AND MEDICAL EDU. DEPTT. CIVIL SECTT., JAMMUversusDR. ASHOK KUMAR KOHLI

Citation
1995 INSC 658
Decided
31 October 1995
Disposal
Disposed off

Holding

A High Court cannot issue interim directions that compel the Government to comply with an order when the main relief is undecided, as this constitutes an overreach.

Summary

Dr. Ashok Kumar Kohli, selected by the Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission for a lecturer post, was not appointed and filed a writ of mandamus. The State Government contended that the select list had lapsed after one year, while Dr. Kohli argued otherwise. The High Court issued interim directions, including an order directing the Commissioner‑Secretary to appear and explain non‑compliance with its order. On appeal, the Supreme Court held that such a direction was not justified as it overreached the main relief pending in the writ petition. The direction to the Government was set aside, while the second direction prohibiting any appointment pending disposal was confirmed. The Court directed the High Court to dispose of the writ petition within six weeks and disposed of the appeal without costs.

Issues considered

  • Whether a High Court may direct the Government to comply with an interim order (to appear and explain non‑compliance) when the main relief in a writ petition is still pending.
  • Whether such a direction amounts to overreaching the main relief sought in the writ petition.

Subjects

writ of mandamusinterim reliefoverreachingpublic service commissionappointment lapseSupreme CourtHigh Court directions

Judgment

   COMMISSIONER/SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT HEALTH                                   A
     AND MEDICAL EDU. DEPTT. CIVIL SECTT., JAMMU
                         v.
              DR. ASHOK KUMAR KOHLI

                            OCTOBER 31, 1995
                                                                                 B
              (K. RAMASWAMY AND B.N. KlRPAL, JJ.]

       Practice & procedure :

      Writ petition before High Court-Jnte1im directions-Held, High Court        C
not justified in passing inte1im relief which amounted to over reaching the
main relief

       The respondent was selected by the State Public Service Commission
and was placed at serial No. 4, in the select list. Since he was not appointed
he filed a Writ petition in the High Court. The State Government resisted        D
the claim contended that the select list stood lapsed with the expiry of one
year. This was denied by the respondent. The High Court passed certain
interim· orders and later passed an order directing the appellant to be
present before the Court and to explain as to why and for which reasons
the Court order was not complied with. Aggrieved, the State filed the            E
appeal by special leave.

       Disposing of the appeal, this Court

       HELD : The High Court was not justified in calling upon the
Government to implement the interim directions. It would amount to over          p
reaching the main relief which ultimately may or may not be passed in the
writ petition. The said directions stand set aside. [624-F]

       CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 10403 of
1995
                                                                                 G
     From the Judgment and Order dated 29.5.95 of the Jammu &
Kashmir High Court in C.0.A. (SWP) No. 236 of 1995.

       Ashok Mathur for the Appellant.

       Anu Mohla, Yatish Mohan and Ranjit Kumar for the Respondent.              H
                                 623
    624                      SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] SUPP. 4 S.C.R.

A           The following Order of the Court was delivered :

            Leave granted.

          We have heard the counsel on both sides. We are concerned in this
    appeal with clause (i) of the order dated May 29, 1995, namely, "the
B   commissioner-cum-Secretary to Government, Health and Medical Educa-
    tion Department, .lammu shall present himself in the Court on the next
    date to inform the Court as to why and for what reasons the Court order
    has not been complied with." with regard to clause (ii) of the order, we are
    not interfering.
c           It would appear that Dr. Ashok Kumar Kohli was one of the
     candidates selected by the Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission
     and stood at No. 4 in the select list. He was not appointed to the post of
     lecturer in Opthomology Department of Jammu & Kashmir. He sought a
     writ of mandamus in W.P. 458/94. Pending disposal of the writ petition,
D    certain directions seems to have been issued by the High Court and for its
     non-compliance, the above order came to be passed. For his entitlement
     to be appointed to. the post pursuant to the selection made by the Public
     Service Commission, Dr. Ashok Kumar Kohli has taken the stand that the
     select list had not lapsed while the Government's stand is that the list stood
     lapsed with the expiry of one year. Since the writ petition is pending, we
E    are not expressing any opinion on merits. Suffice it to say that since the
    -controversy is yet to be decided, perhaps the High Court may not be
     justified in calling upon the Government to implement the interim direc-
     tion. In other words, it would amount to over reaching the main relief which
     ultimately may or may not he passed in the writ petition. The aforesaid
F    directions stanJ set aside an<l the second direction not to 1nakc any
     appointment to a post of Lecturer in Opthomology Department in any of
     the medical colleges pending disposal, stands confirmed. The High Court
     is requested to dispose of the writ petition as expeditiously as possible
     preferably within a period of six weeks from the date of the receipt of this
G    order. The appeal is accordingly disposed of. No costs.

     R.P.                                                     Appeal disposed of.


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