Holding

The clarificatory Office Memorandum is valid, has retrospective effect, and the DPC must apply its prescribed ACR cut‑off dates, so the Division Bench’s decision stands and the appeals are dismissed.

Summary

The case concerned the promotion of S.B. Bhattacharjee to the post of Executive Engineer in Mizoram. The dispute centered on the interpretation of clause (g) of paragraph 3.4 of an Office Memorandum dated 10‑10‑2002, which prescribed which Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) should be considered by the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC). The State later issued a clarificatory memorandum on 13‑09‑2004, and the question arose whether that clarification was retrospective and binding. The Supreme Court held that the clarification was valid, had retrospective effect, and that the DPC must consider ACRs up to the year ending 31‑03‑2002 for the 2001‑02 vacancy, with later clarifications applying similarly. Consequently, the Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court was not in error and the appeals were dismissed. The Court also affirmed that while Article 16 does not guarantee a right to promotion, it guarantees a fundamental right to be considered for promotion, governed by rules under Article 309.

Issues considered

Whether clause (g) of paragraph 3.4 of the Office Memorandum requires consideration of ACRs up to the year ending 31‑03‑2002 for the 2001‑02 vacancy.
Whether the clarificatory Office Memorandum dated 13‑09‑2004 is retrospective and binding on the DPC.
Whether the Division Bench erred in its interpretation of the Office Memorandum and the clarification.
Whether a person has a fundamental right to be considered for promotion under Article 16 of the Constitution.
Whether the DPC must follow the procedure laid down in the Office Memorandum and its illustration.

Legislation cited

Constitution of Indias. Art.16, s. Art.309

Subjects

promotionservice lawoffice memorandumannual confidential reportstatutory interpretationfundamental right to be consideredclarificatory amendmentretrospective effectdepartmental promotion committee

Judgment

S.B. BHAITACHARJEE A

S.D. MAJUMDAR AND ORS.

MAY 15, 2007

[S.B. SINHA AND C.K. THAKKER, JJ.] B

Constitution of India, 1950:

Art. 16-Held: though a person has no fundamental right to promotion
he has a fundamental right to be considered therefor-Terms and conditions C
of service of an employee including his right to be considered for promotion
are governed by rules framed under proviso to Art. 309-Mizoram Engineering
Service Rules, 200I-r. 20.

Service Law:
D
.. Mizoram Engineering Service Rules, 200I:

r. 20-Govt of Mizoram Office Memorandum dated JO.I0.2002-
Promotion to the post of Executive Engineer-Consideration of Annual
Confidential Report for fIVe preceding years-Held, the clause 'the ACRs for E
fIVe preceding years' must be held to mean ACRs of fIVe preceding years'
which have attained finality-For calculation of 'preceding fIVe years' ACRs
up to the year immediately preceding the vacancy/pane/ year should be
considered by the DPC-Interpreting the O.M in this manner, respondent
no. I, being senior to appellant was rightly held by Division Bench of the
High Court to be entitled to promotion. F
Interpretation of Statutes: Illustration contained in an Office
Memorandum-Held cannot be lost sight of while construing the provisions
of the O.M

- Clarificatory Office Memorandum-Restrospective operation of-Held G
since it is clarijicatory in nature, it has to be given effect to.

Doctrine of contemporanea exposition-Applicability of

Words and phrases: Expresssion, "ACRs of officers which become
743 II
744 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007) 6 S.C.R.

A available during the year immediarezv preceding the vacancy/penal year"- ...i..
Occurring in government of Mi:oram O.M. dated 10.10.2002-Meaning of

In terms of Rule 20 of the Mizoram Engineering Service Rules 2001
relating to procedure for promotion and consideration of Annual Confidential
Report or preceding years of eligible candidates, State of Mizoram issued an
B Office Memorandum dated lO. l0.2002, which provided, inter alia, that "the
DPC should asses~ suitability of candidates for promotion on the basis of
their service records and with particular reference to CR for five preceding
years." Sub para (g) of Para 3.5 of the O.M. provided that ACRs of Officers
which became available during the year immediately preceding the vacancy/
...
-4.
c panel year should be considered by the DPC even if DPC was held later than
the year of vacancy. A Post of Executive Engineer in the State was created on
1.2.2004. In order to fill up the said post, the Departmental Promotion
Committee met on 16.3.2004. Undisputedly, respondent no.I was senior to the
appellant. If ACR for the year 1997-98 was taken into consideration and that
of the year 2003-03 was excluded, respondent no.I being senior to the
D appellant would be promoted; whereas in the even of excluding ACR for the
year 1997-98 and taking into consideration ACR for the year 2002-03,
appellant would be given over all grading 'outstanding' and as such respondent ·•
no.I would not be considered at all. As the DPC recommended candidature of
the appellant, respondent no.I filed a writ petition before the High Court.
During the pendency of the writ petition the State Government issued a
E clarification dated 13.9.2004 clarifying Para 3.4(g) of O.M. dated lO. l0.2002.
However, the Single Judge of the High Court dismissed the writ petition. But
the Division Bench of the High Court allowed the writ appeal filed by
respondent no. I. Aggrieved the Appellant filed the instant appeal.

F Dismissing the appeal, the Court

HELD: I. Although a person has no fundamental right of promotion in ,_
terms of Article 16 of the Constitution of India, he has a fundamental right to "\'"
be considered therefor. An effective and meaningful consideration is
postulated thereby. The term and conditions of service of an employee
G including his right to be considered for promotion indisputably are governed
by the rules framed under the proviso appended to Article 309 of the
Constitution. (Para 13) [754-G-H; 755-A)

2.1. The validity or otherwise of the Office Memorandum dated
) -
10.10.2002 issued in terms of Rule 20 of the Mizoram Engineering Service
H
S.B. BHATTACHARJEE v. S.D. MAJUMDAR 745

Rules 2001 is not in question. With a view to give effect to the statutory A
rules governing the field, the State of Mizoram has issued the said Office
Memorandum directing that the procedure laid down therein shall be
observed by the DPC, which is required to consider the service records, with
particular reference to the ACRs for five preceding years. The ACRs for
'five preceding years' must, therefore be held to mean 'five preceding years'
of ACRs which have attained finality. Calculation and/or reckoning of 'five B
preceding year's is provided for in clause (g) of paragraph 3.4.
(Para 16 and 17( (755-D, Fl

2.2. Paragraph 3.8 of the Office Memorandum has also to be taken
note of, which proceeds on the basis that for the purpose of evaluating the C
merit of the officers, scrutiny of the records of the officers should be limited
to the records that would have been available, had the DPC met at the
appropriate time. Even in relation thereto, an illustration has been given. In
this backdrop of events, interpretation of clause (g) of paragraph 3.4 should
be resorted to.
(Para 20 and 2111756-C, El D
2.3. The words 'immediately preceding', are preceded by the words
'It •
ACRs of the Officers which became available during the year. This
constitutes the first part The words 'vacancy/panel' following the words 'year
immediately preceding' must also be duly taken into consideration. The Office
Memorandum, if read in the context of the rules, takes into consideration E
the necessity of considering the case of the eligible candidates during the
year where vacancy arose. The DPC is expected to meet each year. Only when
it is not possible to hold a meeting of the DPC within that year, the
illustration would be applicable. A vacancy must arise in a particular year.
If it arose, as in the present case, in 2003-04 following the illustration F
contained in clause (g) of Paragraph 3.4, ACRs up to the year 31.03.2002
i.e. vacancy year/panel year 2001-02 are required to be taken into
consideration irrespective of the date of convening of the DPC. ACRs up to
.,,_
31.3.2003 were required to be taken into consideration only if it sits after
September of that year even if the vacancy arose within the year 2001-02.
The Division Be11ch of the High Court has noticed that the clarificatory G
memorandum was issued considering the Central government calrificatory
Office Memorandum as a model. The Division of the High Court cannot, thus,
be held to have committed any error in this behalf.
(Para 21, 22, 23 and 251 (756-E-H; 757-C; 758-C]

Shambhu Nath Mehra v. The State ofAjmer AIR (1956) SC 40-4, held H
746 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 6 S.C.R.

A in applicable.
2.4. The clarification issued by the State is not in the teeth of the
"' Illustration given in Clause (g) of Paragraph 3.4. of the Office Memorandum
dated 10.10.2002 the Clarifications having been issued, the same sould be
taken into consideration by this Court irrespective of the fact as to whether
B it was available to the Public, Service Commission on 16.3.2004. when the
DPC held its meeting which was not of much significance. The clarification
being explanatory and/or clarificatory will have a restrospective effect.
(Para 26) (759-8-C)

3. It may be that in a given case, the Court, with a view to give effect to ·-
......
c the intension of the legislature may read the status in a manner compatible
therewith, and which would not be reduced to a nullity by the draftsman's
unskilfulness or ignorance of law. But however, it is also necessary to bear
in mind the illustration given by the executive while construing an executive
direction and office memorandum by way of Executive construction cannot be
lost sight of. It is in that since the doctrine of contemporanea exposition mat
D have to be taken recourse to in appropriate cases, although the same may
not be relevant for construction of a model statute passed by a legislature
(Para 24) (757-D-E) . ~

4.1. In a given case, and in absence of rule, the court might have been
justified to hold that the DPC must take into consideration the merit and merit
E
only. However, in a casr. of this nature, where the State lays down the
procedures as to how and in what manner the merit and suitability is to be
judged, it was obligatory on the part of the DPC to follow the same in its letter
and spirit. The case at hands shows that it can in a situation of this nature
prove to be disastrous to an employee, if any other construction is given.
F Besides, respondent No.I is senior to the appellant by 16 years. A post was
created. It for one reason or the other was sought to be filled up immediately.
If the interpretation as accepted by the Single Judge is to be given effect to, ,_
the case of respondent no. 1 was not to be considered at all by the DPC. The -'(
Division Bench of the High Court, therefore, cannot be said to have committed
any error warranting interference by this Court.
G [Para 30 and 31) [761-8-D)

S.S. Grewal v. State of Punjab and Ors., [1993) Supp. 3 SCC 234;
Commissioner ofIncome-Tax, Bombay ant Ors. v. Podar Cement Pvt. Ltd. And
Ors., (19971 5 SCC 482; Allied Motors (P) Ltd. v. Commissioner of Income ,<
Tax Delhi, [1997) 3 SCC 472, and Zile Singh v. State of Haryana and Ors..
G (2004) 8 sec, relied on.
S.B. BHAT1ACHARJEE v. S.D. MAJUMDAR [S.B. SINHA, J.] 747
S. Sundaram Pillai and Ors etc. v. ~'.R. Pattabiraman and Ors., etc. [1985[ A
1 SCC 591; S.P.S. Balasubramanyam v. Suruttayan altas Andali Padayachi
and Ors., (1992] 2 SCC 304 and Hardev Motor transport v. State of MP. and
Ors.. (2006] 8 SCC 613, referred to.

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 2527 of2007.
B
From the Final Judgment and Order 27.01.2006 of the Gauhati High Court
in W.A. No. 5 of2004.

WITH

Civil Appeal Nos. 2528 and 2529 of2007 c
Sunil Gupta, C. Mukund, Ashok Jain, Pankaj Jain, Bijoy Kumar Jain,
K.N. Madhusoodhanan, R. Sathish and Dr. Kailash Chand for the Appellant.

Manoj Goel, Shoundeep Raj, Shrigopal and Brij Bhushan for the
Respondents. D

' . The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

S.B. SINHA, J. I. Leave granted.

2. Interpretation of an Office Memorandum dated 10.10.2002 providing E
for the mode and manner for considering the suitability of candidates for
promotion from one post to the other, falls for consideration in these appeals
which arise out of a common judgment and order dated 27.01.2006 passed by
a Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court in Writ Appeal No. 5 of 2004
whereby and whereunder the appeal preferred by Respondent No. I from a
judgment and order 29.11.2004 passed by a learned Single Judge of the said F
High Court in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 44 of 2004, was allowed.

3. A post of Executive Engineer was created on 01.02.2004. For the
purpose of filling up the said post, the Departmental Promotion Committee
(for short, 'the DPC') held a meeting on 16.03.2004. The DPC indisputably G
was, inter alia, to consider the Annual Confidential Reports (for short,
'ACRs') of the candidates concerned. Both the appellant and the first
respondent along with two others were eligible therefor. Promotion to the said
post is governed by the Mizoram Engineering Service Rules, 2001 (for short,
'the Rules). Rule 20 of the said Rules, inter alia, provides for general procedure
for promotion, relevant clauses whereof are as under : H
748 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 6 S.C.R.

A "20. (I) Whether any vacancy or vacancies arise(s) to be filled up by .)..

promotion, the Controlling Authority shall furnish to the Commission,
the following documents and infonnation :

(d) Annual Confidential Reports of eligible candidates of preceding
years as may be required, length of service, duly reviewed and accepted
B by the authorities concerned.

(e) Details about reservation for member of the service in respect of
graduate in Engineering and holders of under graduate diploma in
Engineering as provided under sub-rules (3) and (4) of Rule 19. >-.

.....
c (f) Clearance from Vigilance Department separately in respect of each,
and

(g) Any other documents and infonnation as may be considered
necessary by the Commission."

4. State of Mizoram, however, issued an Office Memorandum dated
D
10.10.2002 laying down the procedures to be observed by the DPC, relevant
clauses whereof are as under : ,
"3 .2. While merit has to be recognised and rewarded, advancement in
the officer's career should not be regarded as a matter of course but .,.,.
E should be earned by dint of hard work, good conduct and result
oriented perfonnance as reflected in the annual confidential reports
and based on strict and rigorous selection process.

3.4. Confidential Rolls are the basic inputs on the basis of which
assessment is to be made by each DPC. The evaluation of CRs should
F be fair, just and non-discriminatory. Hence,
(a) The DPC should consider CRs for equal number of years in
respect of all Officers considered for promotion subject to (c) ~
below.
(b) The DPC should assess the suitability of the candidates for
G promotion on the basis of the their service records and with
particular reference to the CR for five preceding years, irrespective
of the qualifying service prescribed in the Service Rules/
;~ •

H
S.B. BHATT ACHARJEE v. S.D. MAJUMDAR [S.B. SINHA. J.] 749

Recruitment Rules. (If more than one CR has been written in a A
particular year all the CRs for the relevant years shall be considered
together as the CR for one year).
(c) When ACR has not been written by the reporting Officer despite
submission of the self-appraisal to the Reporting Officer by the
Officers reported upon during the relevant period, the DPC should B
consider the CR of one preceding year beyond the relevant
period.

(e) The DPC should not be guided merely by the overall grading, if
any, that may be recorded in the CRs, but should make its own C
assessment on the basis of the entries in the CRs, because it has
been noticed that, some time, the overall grading in a CR may be
inconsistent with the grading under various parameters or
attributes.
(f) If the Reviewing Authority or the Accepting Authority, as the D
... case may be, has overruled the Reporting Officer, or the Reviewing
Authority, as the case may be, the remarks of the latter authority
should be taken as the final remarks for the purpose of assessment,
provided it is apparent from the relevant entries that the higher
authority has come to a different assessment consciously after E
due application of mind. If the assessment of the Reporting
Officer, Reviewing Authority and Accepting Authority are
complimentary to each other and one does not have the effect
of overruling the other, then the remarks should be read together
and the final assessment made by the DPC.
(g) ACRs of Officers which became available during the year
F
immediately preceding the vacancy/panel year should be
considered by the DPCs even ifDPCs are hold later than the year
of vacancy. In other words, for the vacancy/panel year, 2001-
2002, ACRs upto the year ending 3 lst March, 2000 are required
to be considered irrespective of the date of convening of DPC. G
However,, ACRs upto the year ending 31st March, 2001 will be
considered by the DPC if it sits after September of that year even
". - if the vacancy falls within 2001-2002.
xxx xxx
H
750 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007) 6 S.C.R.
3.5(ii) In respect of all posts which are in the scale of pay of Rs.12000-
A 16500/- and above, the bench-mark shall be "VERY GOOD" and for all
the posts which are in the scale of pay ofRs.8000-13500/- and above
but less than Rs.12000-16500/- the bench-mark shall be 'GOOD'.

Further, overall grading of officers shall be made in the following
manner:
B
Outstanding An Officer, who gets at least 3 (three) outstanding
reports out of 5 (five), provided that the remaining
2(two) reports should not be less than 'Very Good',
will be categorised as 'Outstanding'.

C Very Good An Officer, who gets at least 3 (three) 'Very Good'
reports out of 5 (five), provided that the remaining 2
(two) reports should not be less than 'Good' will be
categorised as 'Very Good'.

Good An Officer, who gets at least 3 (three) 'Good' reports
D out of 5 (five), will be categorised as 'Average'.

Average An Officer, who gets at least 3 (three) 'Good' reports
out of 5 (five), will be categorised as 'Average'. ..
An Officer who gets an overall grading of Outstanding will en
bloc supersede Officer who gets an overall grading of 'Very Good'
E regardless of seniority. An Officer who gets an overall grading of
'Very Good' will en bloc supersede Officer who gets an overall grading
of 'Good' regardless of seniority.

lOOC xxx xxx

F 3.8 For the purpose of evaluating the merit of the Officers while
preparing year-wise panels, scrutiny of the record of service of the
Officers should be limited to the records that would have been available
had the DPC met at the appropriate time. For instance, for preparing
a panel relating to the vacancies of 2001-2002 the latest available
records of service of the Officers up-to the period ending March, 2000
G as the case may be should be taken into account and not the
subsequent one. However, if on the date of the meeting of the DPC,
Departmental Proceedings are in progress and under the existing
instructions sealed cover procedure is to be followed, such procedure
should be observed even if Departmental Proceeding were not in
H existence in the year to which the vacancy related. The Officer's name
S.B. BHATTACHARJEEv. S.D. MAJUMDAR [S.B. SINHA,J.] 751
should be kept in the sealed cover till the proceedings are finalized." A
5. Before we embark upon the rival contentions of the parties, we may
notice the assessment of ACRs of the appellant and respondent no. I
respectively from I 997-98, which is as under :

SI. Name of 1997-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 Overall
No. Officer
B
I. S.D. Majumdar VG VG VG VG VG VG Very Good
2. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ....
3. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ....
4. S.B. Bhattacharjee VG Os VG VG Os Os Outstanding c
6. lndisputably, if the ACR for the year I 997-98 is taken into consideration
for the purpose of judging the suitability of the appellant and respondent no.
I and that of the year 2002-03 is excluded, Respondent No. 1 being senior,
would be promoted to the post of Executive Engineer; whereas in the event D
the ACR for the period 1997-98 is excluded and that of the year 2002-03 is
taken into consideration, as the appellant herein would be given overall
~ .
grading 'outstanding', the case of Respondent No.I would not be considered
at all.

7. The fact that respondent no. I is senior to the appellant is not in E
dispute. As the DPC recommended the candidature of the appellant alone in
terms of the extant rules, Respondent No. I herein filed a writ petition before
the Gauhati High Court on 04.06.2004. During the pendency of the said Writ
Petition, the Government of Mizoram itself issued a clarification on or about
13.09.2004, which reads as under:
F
"In inviting a reference to this Department's O.M. No. A.32012/
1/81-APT./Loose dated 10.10.2002 on the above s~bject, this is to
clarify para 3.4 (g} of the said O.M. that ifthe DPC sits after September
of the year 2002, ACRs upto the year ending 31.3.2001 would be taken
into consideration by the DPC while consideration the vacancies that G
arose for the vacancy year 2001-2002."

8. By a judgment and order dated 29.11.2004, a learned Single Judge of
the Gauhati High Court dismissed the said writ petition of Respondent No.
1, inter a/ia, opining that clause (g) of Paragraph 3.4 of the said Office
Memorandum must not only be applied having regard to the other provisions H
752 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007) 6 S.C.R.

A thereof, but also the latest ACR i.e. the ACR for the year ending 31.03.2003 _.)._
should not be excluded from consideration. The clarificatory Office
Memorandum dated 10.10.2002, the learned Single Judge opined, should receive
..
such interpretation at the hands of the court which would advance the cause
of public service. It was observed :

B "6. Before parting with the record, this court must deal with the
reliance placed on behalf of the petitioner on an office Memorandum
dated 13.9.2004 which office Memorandum has been placed before the
court at the hearing. The clarification issued in the office Memorandum
dated 30.9.2004 can only be logically and reasonably understood ifthe r-

c year 2002 as recorded therein is understood as the year 200 I. In any ...
case as this court has already interpreted and laid down the true
meaning of clause (g) of paragraph 3.4 of the office Memorandum
dated I0.10.2002, the clarification contained in the office Memorandum
dated 13.9.2004 would have little sequence in altering the conclusion
already reached."
D
9. An intra-court appeal having been preferred thereagainst, a Division
Bench of the said High Court reversed the said finding of the learned Single
Judge, holding that the ACR for the year ending 31.03.2003 could not have ' p

been taken into consideration on a plain reading of Clause (g) of paragraph
3.4. Sustenance to the said finding was sought to be obtained from the Office
E Memorandum dated 16.06.2000 issued by the Government oflndia, the relevant
portion whereof reads as under :

"G.I. Dept. of Per. & Trg. O.M. No. 22011/9/98-Estt. (D) dated the 16th
June, 2000

F Relevant year upto which ACRs are to be considered.
I.

2. Jn regard to operation of the Model Calendar for DPCs, a doubt -;'
has been raised by certain quarters as the question of the relevant
year upto which ACRs are required to be considered by the
G DPCs. In this connection, it is once again clarified that only such
ACRs should be considered which became available during the
year immediately preceding the vacancy/panel years even ifDPC
are held later than the Schedule prescribed in the Model Calendar.
In other words, for the vacancy/panel year 2000-200 I, ACRs upto ;"' '

H the year 1998-99 are required to be considered irrespective of the
S.B. BHATT ACHARJEE v. S.D. MAJUMDAR [S.B. SINHA. J.] 753
date of convening DPC." A
I 0. Although the clarificatory Office Memorandum has been issued by
the State ofMizoram itself, apart from the candidate concerned, viz. Shri S.B.
Bhattacharjee, the State of Mizoram as also the Mizoram Public Service
Commission are before us.
B
11. Mr. Sun ii Gupta, learned Senior Counsel appearing on behalf of the
State of Mizoram, Mr. Ranjit Kumar, learned Senior Counsel appearing on
behalf of the Mizoram Public Service Commission and Mr. Manoj Goel, learned
counsel appearing on behalf of the private appellants in support of the
appeals, inter alia, submitted :
c
(i) The Division Bench of the High Court committed a manifest error in
passing the impugned judgment insofar as it failed to take into consideration
the fact that the Office Memorandum dated 10.10.2002, ifread in its entirety,
would lead to only one conclusion that the merit and merit alone should be
taken into consideration for promotion to the post of Executive Engineer.
D
(ii) The words 'preceding five years' in clause (b) of paragraph 3.4 of
1f the office memorandum dated 10.10.2002 would mean preceding five years
before the meeting takes place.

(iii) Illustration appended to clause (g) of paragraph 3.4 would clearly E
suggest that in the event the meeting of the DPC is held after September, it
is incumbent upon it to take into consideration the ACRs upto 31.03 .2003.

(iv) The expression 'immediately preceding' occurring in Clause (g) of
paragraph 3.4 must be given its due meaning, which would bring within its
purview the ACRs upto 31.03.2003. F
_, (v) The clarificatory Office Memorandum having been issued while th_e
writ petition was pending, the same being not available to the Public Service
Commission, it could not have been taken the same into consideration and
in that view of the matter, it cannot be given a retrospective effect and
retroactive operation. G
(vi) As the clarification lacks precision in regard to the interpretation of
the term 'immediately preceding', the same cannot be held to have overridden
?. the first part of clause (g) 'Jf paragraph 3.4.

(vii) Illustration, it is trite, shall not give way to the main provision itself. H
754 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2007] 6 S.C.R.

A (viii) Whereas the learned Single Judge has considered the purport of ..l
entire rule, the Division Bench failed to do so and, thus, its judgment cannot
be sustained.

(ix) The Office Memorandum issued by the Central Government was not
relevant. Suitability of a candidate being the sole criteria, it was incumbent
B upon the DPC to consider the latest ACR so as to arrive at its own satisfaction
and particularly when the chance of there being a negative report and/or
down gradation of the officer concerned cannot be ruled out.

12. Mr. Shuvodeep Roy, learned Counsel appearing on behalf of
C Respondent, on the other hand, urged :

(i) The term 'immediately preceding' must be read with the words
accompanying the same, namely, 'became available during the preceding the
vacancy/panel year'.

D (ii) An ACR becomes available for consideration not only when it is
written but also when a representation is made in that behalf and reviewed
by the Reviewing Authority.
. t
(iii) As the clarificatory office memorandum dated 13.09.2004 is binding
on the State, the same would be retrospective in nature.
E (iv) Illustration being in nature of the proviso, the effect thereof cannot
be ignored.

(v) The learned Single Judge committed a manifest error in substituting
one year for consideration of another year and, thus, the judgment of the
p Division Bench of the High Court cannot be faulted with.

(vi) The Rule itself takes care of a contingency if any departmental
proceeding or any criminal proceeding is initiated against the recommendee,
in which event, the State would not be powerless to pass appropriate orders,
as would appear from Rule 17 of the Rules.
G
13. Although a person has no fundamental right of promotion in terms
of Article 16 of the Constitution of India, he has a fundamental right to be
considered therefor. An effective and meaningful consideration is postulated
thereby. The terms and conditions of service of an employee including his
right to be considered for promotion indisputably are governed by the rules
H
-
S.B. BHATT ACHARJEE v. S.D. MAJUMDAR [S.B. SINHA. J.] 755

framed under the proviso appended to Article 309 of the Constitution of India. A
14. Rule 20, as noticed hereinbefore, provides that if any vacancy or
vacancies arise(s) to be filled up by promotion, the Controlling Authority
would furnish to the Commission the documents enumerated therein including
ACRs of eligible candidates of preceding years, as may be required, length
of service, duly reviewed and accepted by the authorities concerned. B
15. It has not been denied or disputed before us that in a given case
ACRs of an eligible candidate may not be written and, thus, may not be
available. If the same is available, a notice in that behalf must be given, in
the event, any exigency arises therefor to the affected officer and only upon
consideration of the representation made by him, if any, the decision taken C
in that behalf by the Reviewing Authority shall be final. The ACR by immediate
superior, thus, is not final or determinative, as the same would be subject to
the decision of the Reviewing Authority.

16. The validity or otherwise of the said Office Memorandum dated D
I0.10.2002 is not in question. With a view to give effect to the statutory rules
governing the field, the State of Mizoram has issued the said Office
o( •
Memorandum directing that the procedure laid down therein shall be observed
by the DPC. Indisputably, merit and suitability of the candidates concerned
are the primary consideration for promotion to a selection post, wherefor the
necessary ingredients as envisaged in clause 3.4 of the said Office Memorandum E
would fall for consideration of the DPC, but it must be borne in mind that
clause 3 .4 provides for the mode and manner in which the DPC shall consider
the same.

17. DPC is required to consider the service records, with particular
reference to the ACRs for five preceding years. The ACRs for 'five preceding F
years' must, therefore, be held to mean 'five preceding years' of ACRs which
have attained finality. It, however, does not define how the said 'five preceding
years' is to be calculated. Calculation and/or reckoning of 'five preceding
years' is provided for in clause (g) of paragraph 3.4.

18. Before, however, we embark upon the construction of clause (g) of G
paragraph 3 .4 of the said Office Memorandum, we may notice that in terms
of clause (e) thereof, a minute grading of the ACRs and not overall grading
alone would be subject-matter of consideration of the DPC; as it has been
stated therein, 'it had been noticed that some time the overall grading in ACR
may be inconsistent with the grading under various parameters or attributes'. H
756 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 6 S.C.R.

A Each of the parameters or attributes on the basis whereof the ACRs are
written and gradation is given would, thus, have to be considered.

19. The Rules indisputably envisage that a person having an overall
A -
grading of 'cutstanding' shall alone be considered vis-a-vis who do not come
within the purview of the gradation of outstanding despite the fact that their
B service career they might have received overall grading of 'Very Good'.

20. We at this stage may also notice paragraph 3.8 of the said Office
Memorandum, which proceeds on the basis that for the purpose of evaluating
the merit of the officers, scrutiny of the records of the officers should be ,_
limited to the records that would have been available, had the DPC met at A ""
c the appropriate time. Even in relation thereto, an illustration has been given
stating that if a vacancy arises in 2001-02, only the latest records of service
of the Officers upto the period ending March 2000, namely, 1999-2000 shall
be taken into consideration.

D It categorically uses both positive language as also a negative language
stating that what would be taken into consideration is only the records
ending upto March 2000 and not the subsequent ones.
•
21. In the aforementioned backdrop of events, interpretation of clause
(g) of paragraph 3.4 should be resorted to. The words 'immediately preceding',
E as noticed hereinbefore, are preceded by the words 'ACRs of the officers
which became available during the year'. This constitutes the first part. The
words 'vacancy/panel year' following the words 'the year immediately
preceding' must also be duly taken into consideration.

A DPC may be held during the year in which the vacancy arises or later
F than the year of the vacancy. The Rules intentionally provided for one year
gap.

It is only in a case where a controversy may arise in regard to the ~

number of ACRs which would be available, the illustration and/or proviso has
been appended to clause 3.4.
G
22. The Office Memorandum, if read in the context of the rules, takes
into consideration the necessity of considering the case of the eligible
candidates during the year where vacancy arose. The DPC is expected to meet
each year. Only when it is not possible to hold a meeting of the DPC within j. .
H that year, the illustration would be applicable.
-
r
S.B. BHATTACHARJEE v. S.D. MAJUMDAR [S.B. SINHA, J.) 757

J.. A vacancy must arise in a particular year. If it arose as in the present A
case in 2003-04 following the illustration contained in clause (g) of paragraph
3.4, ACRs upto the year 31.03.2002 i.e. vacancy year/panel year 2001-02 are
required to be taken into consideration irrespective of the date of convening
of the DPC. Only when ACRs upto 31.03.2003 were required to be taken into
consideration if it sits after September of that year even if the vacancy arose
within the year 2001-02. B

23. If the opinion of the learned Single Judge is given effect to, then
31.03.2003 becomes 31.03.2004. Indisputably, necessity was felt for a further
-~ clarification. It was in the aforementioned premise that a further clarification
..It
was issued by the State so as to direct that if the DPC sits after September
of the year concerned (in this case 2004), the ACRs upto the year ending
c
31.03.2003 could be taken into consideration while considering the vacancies
which arose in 2003-04. The Division Bench of the High Court, in our opinion,
cannot, thus, be held to have committed any error in this behalf.

24. It may be that in a given case, the court can with a view to give D
effect to the intention of the legislature, may read the statute in a manner
compatible therewith, and which would not be reduced to a nullity by the
draftsman's unskilfulness or ignorance oflaw. But, however, it is also necessary
for us to bear in mind the illustration given by the executive while construing
T
an executive direction and office memorandum by way of executive construction
cannot be lost sight of. It is in that sense the doctrine of cotemporanea E
expositio may have to be taken recourse to in appropriate cases, although the
same may not be relevant for construction of a model statute passed by a
legislature.

In G.P. Singh's 'Principles of Statutory Interpretation, !0th Edn. at p.
F
319, it is stated :

"But a uniform and consistent departmental practice arising out
'#-
of construction placed upon an ambiguous statute by the highest
executive officers at or near the time of its enactment and continuing
for a Jong period of time is an admissible aid to the proper construction G
of the statute by the Court and would not be disregarded except for
cogent reasons. The controlling effect of this aid which is known as
'executive construction' would depend upon various factors such as
.._ the length of time for which it is followed, the nature of rights and
property affected by it, the injustice result from its departure and the
approval that it has received in judicial decisions or in legislation. H
758 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2007] 6 S.C.R.
A Relying upon this principle, the Supreme Court in Ajdy Gandhi v.
B. Singh having regard to the fact that the President of the Income
_... -
Tax Appellate Tribunal had been from its inception in 1941 exercising
the power of transfer of the members of the Tribunal to the places
where Benches of the Tribunal were functioning, held construing
sections 251(1) and 255(5) of the Income Tax Act that the President
B under these provisions has the requisite power of transfer and posting
of its members. The court observed : "For construction of a statute,
it is trite, the actual practice may be taken into consideration."

Contemporary official statements throwing light on the construction ,_
;..._
c of a statute and statutory instruments made under it have been used
as contemporanea expositio to interpret not only ancient but even
recent statute both in England and India."

25. Clarification was issued by the State ofMizoram not only in the light
of the express provisions contained in paragraph 3.8 of the Office Memorandum
D but also in the light of a similar clarification issued by the Central Government.
The Division Bench of the High Court has noticed that the clarificatory
memorandum was issued considering the Central Government clarificatory
Office Memorandum as a model.

Reliance placed by Mr. Ranjit Kumar, learned Senior Counsel appearing
E on behalf of the appellant on a decision of this Court in Shambhu Nath
Mehra v. The State of Ajmer, AIR (1956) SC 404, in our opinion, is not
apposite. This Court therein was considering interpretation of the word
'especially' contained in Section 106 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, which
was an exception to Section 101 thereof, vis-a-vis Sections 112 and 113 of the
Railways Act. It is in that context this Court observed :
F
"13. We recognise that an illustration does not exhaust the full
content of the section which it illustrates but equally it can neither
curtail nor expand its ambit; and if knowledge of certain facts is as ...\''

much available to the prosecution, should it choose to exercise due
diligence, as to the accused, the facts cannot be said to be "especially"
G
within the knowledge of the accused. "

If the first part of the statement of law in Shambhu Nath. (supra), in our
opinion, is applicable, the illustration in question does not curtail nor extend
the ambit. It merely clarifies what otherwise might have been obvious. It ;4 .
H introduces the rule by abundant caution although it might not have been - ...
S.B. BHATT ACHARJEE v. S.D. MAJUMDAR [S.B. SINHA, J.) 759
j.
necessary keeping in view the purport and object which Rule 20 and paragraph A
3.8 seeks to achieve.

26. The clarification issued by the State is not in the teeth of the
illustration given in clause (g) of paragraph 3.4 of the Office Memorandum.
The clarification having been issued, the same should be taken into
consideration by this Court irrespective of the fact as to whether it was B
available to the Public Service Commission on 16.03.2004 when the DPC held
its meeting which, in our opinion, was not of much significance.
_..,
The clarification being explanatory and/or clarificatory, in our opinion,
~
will have a retrospective effect.
c
27. In S.S. Grewal v. State of Punjab and Ors., [1993) Supp. 3 SCC 234,
this Court stated the law thus :

" .. .In this context it may be stated that according to the principles of
statutory construction a statute which is explanatory or clarificatory
of the earlier enactment is usually held to be retrospective. (See: D
Craies on Statute Law, 7th Edn., p. 58) It must, therefore, be held that
• all appointments against vacancies reserved for Scheduled Castes
made after May 5, 1975 (after May 14, 1977 insofar as the Service is
concerned), have to be made in accordance with the instructions as
contained in the letter dated May 5, 1975 as clarified by letter dated E
April 8, 1980"

28. Yet again in Commissioner ofIncome-Tax, Bombay and Ors v. Podar
Cement Pvt. Ltd and Ors., [1997) 5 SCC 482, this Court referring to a large
number of authorities including that of G.P. Singh's Principles of Statutory
Interpretation', observed : F

. " ... An amending Act may be purely clarificatory to clear a meaning of
a provision of the principal Act which was already implicit. A
clarificatory amendment of this nature will have retrospective effect
and, therefore, if the principal Act was existing law when the
Constitution came into force, the amending Act also will be part of the G
existing law."

29. This Court in Allied Motors (P) Ltd v. Commissioner of Income Tax,
~
Delhi, [ 1997) 3 SCC 4 72, observed :

"13. Therefore, in the well-known words of Judge Learned Hand, one H
760 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2007] 6 S.C.R.

A cannot make a fortress out of the dictionary; and should remember -t
that statutes have some purpose and object to accomplish whose
sympathetic and imaginative discovery is the surest guide to their
meaning. In the case of R.B. Jodha Mal Kuthiala v. CIT. this Court
said that one should apply the rule of reasonable interpretation. A
proviso which is inserted to remedy unintended consequences and to
B make the provision workable, a proviso which supplies an obvious
omission in the section and is required to be read into the section to
give the section a reasonable interpretation, requires to be treated as
retrospective in operation so that a reasonable interpretation can be ,_
given to the section as a whole." )-

c [See also Zile Singh v. State of Haryana and Ors., (2004] 8 SCC I]
30. We should not, however, fail to notice that in S. Sundaram Pillai
and Ors etc. v. V.R. Pattabiraman and Ors etc., (1985] I SCC 591, this Court
held:
D
"53 . Thus, from a conspectus of the authorities referred to above, it
is manifest that the object of an Explanation to a statutory provision
is •
"(a) to explain the meaning and intendment of the Act itself,
E (b) where there is any obscurity or vagueness in the main enactment,
to clarify the same so as to make it consistent with the dominant
object which it seems to subserve,

(c) to provide an additional support to the dominant object of the Act
in order to make it meaningful and purposeful,
F
(d) an Explanation cannot in any way interfere with or change the
enactment or any part thereof but where some gap is left which is
relevant for the purpose of the Explanation, in order to suppress the
..,.
mischief and advance the object of the Act it can help or assist the
Court in interpreting the true purport and intendment of the enactment,
G and

(e) it cannot, however, take away a statutory right with which any
person under a statute has been clothed or set at naught the working ~ •
of an Act by becoming an hindrance in the interpretation of the
same."
H
S.B. BHATTACHARJEEv. S.D. MAJUMDAR [S.B. SINHA,J.] 761

[See also S.P.S. Balasubramanyam v. Suruttayan alias Andali Padayachi A
and Ors., [1992] Supp. 2 SCC 304 and Hardev Motor Transport v. State ofM.P.
and Ors., [2006] 8 SCC 613]

In a given case, and in absence of rule, the court might have been
justified to hold that the DPC must take into consideration the merit and merit
only. However, in a case of this nature, where the State lays down the B
procedures as to how and in what manner the merit and suitability is to be
judged, it was obligatory on the pan of the commission to follow the same
in its letter and spirit. The case at hands shows that it can in a situation of
this nature prove to be disastrous to an employee, if any other construction
is given.
c
31. Respondent No. I is senior to the appellant by 16 years. A post was
created. It for one reason or the other was sought to be filled up immediately.
If the interpretation as accepted by the learned Single Judge is to be given
effect to, the case of Respondent No.I was not to be considered at all by the
DPC. The Division Bench of the High Court, therefore, in our opinion, cannot D
be said to have committed any error warranting interference by this Court.
The appeals are, therefore, dismissed. Counsel's fee is quantified at
Rs.10,000/-.

RP. Appeals dismissed.