STATE OF MANIPURversusMD. RAJAODIN

j



                                  STATE OF MANIPUR                                       A
                                          v.
                                    MD. RAJAODIN

                                    AUGUST 28, 2003

                 [DORAISWAMY RAJU AND ARIJIT PASAYAT, JJ.]                               B

             Service Law:

              Compassionate appointment-Dependent of government servants-
        Appointment under die-in-harness scheme-Deceased employee leaving
        behind 10 year old son-Scheme coming into operation four years later
                                                                                         c
        stipulating time period for filing application-Application seeking
        appointment moved 17 years after employee's death-Subsequent issuance
        of letter offering a post but no appointment made-High Court directing
        appointment to be made-On appeal, held: Such appointments beir.g
        compassionate appointments made to tide over the immediate difficulties,         D
        the request of appointment should be made as expeditiously the
        circumstances warrant-A/so direct recruitment banned under the Scheme,
        thus the letter offering a post does not confer any right to seek appointment-
        Hence order of Single Judge and Division Bench of High Court set aside.
                                                                                         E
              Respondent's father died in harness. After lapse of 17 years
        respondent applied for a post. Two years later, respondent was offered
        Grade-IV post but he was not appointed. Respondent filed a writ
        petition. Single Judge of High Court held that after having issued the
        letter respondent cannot be denied appointment under the die-in-
                                                                                         F
        harness scheme on the ground of belated approach and directed the
        appellant-State to forthwith appoint the respondent but no appointment
        was made. He then filed writ application. Division Bench upheld the
        order of the Single Judge of High Court. Hence the present appeal.

             Appellant-State contended that the respondent applied for a post            G
        after 17 years of his father's death; that the scheme provides the time
        period within which an application bas to be filed; and that it also
        provides that the appointment will be made by the appointing authority
        after clearance from the Government department and as no approval
        has been given by the department, the letter offering the post to the            H
                                             107

    •
    108                  SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2003] SUPP. 3 S.C.R.

A respondent does not confer any right on him.
         Respondent contended that application was filed within the time
    period stipulated but there was no response; and that as the respondent
    was a minor at the time of his father's death he applied afresh later
B   and so the State cannot take the plea that the benefit cannot be
    extended to him.

          Allowing the appeal, the Court

        HELD: The respondent's father died before the Office
C Memorandum of 1984 dealing with die-in-harness scheme came into
  operation. In the memorandum a time period is stipulated. Since the
  scheme itself was not in operation when the respondent's father died,
  the time stipulation would not be strictly applicable to the instant case.
  Any one seeking relief thereunder has to at least move within the time
D stipulated commencing from the date of the order. Nevertheless,
  keeping in view the object for which such compassionate appointments
  are made the minimum requirement is that the request for appointment
  should be made as expeditiously as the circumstances warrant. It could
  not be brought to the notice of this Court as to whether there was any
E scheme in operation prior to the 1984 scheme. Even after the 1984
  scheme came into force, the application was filed after a long lapse of
  time. As the appointments under the die-in-harness scheme are made
  to tide over immediate difficulties, there is an inbuilt requirement of
  urgency in making the application. Though it was contended that the
  respondent was 10 years old when his father died and even if a
F reasonable period, after he attained majority, is allowed, certainly the
  application after 17 years seeking appointment was highly belated.
  Therefore, he has no right much less a legal right to ask for an
  appointment. It is also on record that there was a· ban on direct
  recruitment under die-in-harness scheme as the scheme provided for
G a clearance from the Government department. Hence, the order of
  Single Judge as upheld by the Division Bench of the High Court is set
  aside. However, this judgment shall not stand in the way of the
  appellant at its discretion giving effect to the orders contained in its
  letter dated 15.12.1999 at and from a future point of time, if permissible,
H in accordance with law. [110-G-H, 111-A-C, 113-D-F]
              STATE v. MD. RAJAODIN [PASAYAT, J.]                      109

     State of Haryana and Ors. v. Rani Devi & Anr., JT (1996) 6 SCC A
646; Life Insurance Corporation of India v. Asha Ramchandra Ambekar
(Mrs.) and Anr., (1994) 2 SCC 718; Umesh Kumar Nagpal v. State of
Haryana and Ors., [1994) 4 SCC 138; Smt. Sushma Gosain and Ors. v.
Union of India and Ors,. (1989) 4 SCC 468; Phoo/wati (Smt.) v. Union
of India and Ors., (1991) Supp. 2 SCC 689; Union of India and Ors. v. B
Bhagwan Singh, (1995) 6 SCC 476; Director of Education (Secondary)
and Anr. v. Pushpendra Kumar and Ors. (1998) 5 SCC 192 and State of
U.P. and Ors. v. Paras Nath, (1998) 2 SCC 412, referred to.

     CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 6797 of
woo.                                                                          c
    From the Judgment and Order dated 15.3.2002 of the Gauhati High
Court in W.A. No. 50 of 2002.

     Khwairakpam Nobin Singh for the Appellant.

     S.K. Bhattacharya and L.K. Pao.nam for the Respondent.

     The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

     ARIJIT PASAYAT, J. Leave granted.
                                                                              E
     Respondent was found to be entitled for appointment under the die-
in-harness scheme, by a learned Single Judge of the Guwahati High Court
at Imphal Bench, whose view was endorsed by the Division Bench. The
State of Manipur is in appeal.
                                                                              F
     There is practically no controversy so far as the factual aspects are
concerned and, therefore, need to be noted in brief.

      Respondent's father died in harness on 19.7.1980. A writ petition
(W.P. (C) No. 1202/2001) was filed in the year 2001 by the respondent
who pleaded that he was initially offered Grade-IV post by order dated        G
15.12.1999; but no appointment was made. The writ application was filed
for direction to the concerned authorities for giving appointment under the
die-in-harness scheme. The State resisted the claim on the ground that not
only was the claim belated but also in view of the b;n imposed on
appointments, the question of making any appointment did not arise.           H
    110                   SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2003] SUPP. 3 S.C.R.
A Further the letter issued was inconsequential as there was a clear stipulation
    in the scheme itself about concurrence of Government in the Department
    of Personnel and Administrative Refonns (Personnel Division).

          Learned Single Judge of the High Court found that after having issued
B the letter in 1999, the belated approach by the respondent cannot be a
    ground for denying appointment under die-in-harness scheme and direction
    was given to the State to forthwith appoint the respondent. Appeal by the
    State before the Division Bench suffered dismissal.

          In support of the appeal, learned counsel for the appellant-State
C   submitted that the respondent's father died on 19.7.1980. The respondent
    applied for a post on 25. 7.1997. The scheme itself provides the time period
    within which an application has to be filed. The letter dated 15.12.1999
    does not confer any right on the respondent as the scheme itself provided
    that the appointment will be made by the appointing authority concerned
D   after clearance from Government ofManipur, Department of Personnel and
    Administrative Refonns (Personnel Division). Admittedly, when no approval
    has been given by the concerned department, the mere issuance of letter
    does not confer any right particularly when the stipulation is contained in
    the scheme itself, and there was a ban operating in respect of appointments.

E         In response, learned counsel for the respondent submitted that within
    the time period stipulated an application was filed in the year 1981, but
    there was no response. Finding on other alternative the respondent who was
    a minor at the time of his father's death applied afresh and State cannot
    take plea that the benefit canot be extended.
F
        The Government of Manipur, Department of Personnel and
  Administrative Refonns (Personnel Division) issued Office Memorandum
  dated 2nd of May, 1984. Said office Memorandum deals with appointment
  of son/daughter/real brother/real sister/wife/husband of Government servants
G who died in harness leaving his/her family in indignant circumstances.
           Admittedly, the respondent's father died before the Office
    Memorandum came into operation. In the memorandum a time period is
    stipulated. Since the scheme itself was not in operation when the respondent's
    father died, the time stipulation as provided in the scheme would not be
H   strictly applicable to the case of the respondent and any one seeking for
                    STATE v. MD. RAJAODJN [PASAYAT, J.]                         111
     relief thereunder has to at least move within the time stipulated commencing A
     from the date of the order. Nevertheless, keeping in view at any rate the
     object for which such appointments which are also compassionate
     appointments are made the minimum requirement is that the resquest for
·'   appointment should be made as expeditiously as the circumstances warrant.
     It could not be brought to our notice whether there was any scheme in B
     operation prior to the scheme of 1984 referred to above. As the appointments
     of such nature envisaged under the said scheme are made to tide over
     immediate difficulties, there is an inbuilt requirement of urgency in making
     the application. Though it was contended that the respondent was a minor
     at the tim\: of his father's death, it is to be noted that he was of 10 years
     of age in 1980 when his father di\:d. Even if a responsible period after he C
     attained majority is taken, certainly the application on 25.7.1997 seeking
     appointment was highly belated.

          As was observed in the State of Haryana and Ors. v. Rani Devi &
     Anr., JT [1996] sec 6 646, it need not be pointed out that the claim of            D
     person concerned for appointment on compassionate ground is based on
     the premises that he was dependant on the deceased employee. Strictly this
     claim cannot be upheld on the touchstone of Articles 14 or 16 of the
     Constitution of India. However, such claim is considered as reasonable and
     permissible on the basis of sudden crisis occurring in the family of such          E
     employee who has served the State and dies while in service. That is why
     it is necessary for the authorities to frame rules, regulations or to issue such
     administrative orders which can stand the test of Articles 14 and 16.
     Appointment on compassionate ground cannot be claimed as a matter of
     right. Die-in harness scheme cannot be made applicable to all types of posts
     irrespective of the nature of service rendered by the deceased employee.           F
     In Rani Devi's case (supra) it was held that scheme regarding appointment
     on compassionate ground if extended to all types of casual or ad hoc
     employees including those who worked as apprentices cannot be justified
     on constitutional grounds. In Life Insurance Corporation of India v. Asha
     RamchhandraAmbekar (Mrs.) andAnr., [1994] 2 sec 718, it was pointed                G
     out that High Courts and Administrative Tribunals cannot confer benediction
     impelled by sympathetic considerations to make appointments on
     compassionate grounds when the regulations framed in respect thereof do
     not cover and contemplates such appointmc'ltS. It was noted in Umesh
     Kumar Nagpa/ v. State of Haryana and Ors., [1994] 4 SCC 138, that as               H
    112                   SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2003) SUPP. 3 S.C.R.

A a rule in public service appointment could be made strictly on the basis
    of open invitation of applications and merit. The appointment on
    compassionate ground is not another source of recruitment but merely an
    exception to the aforesaid requirement taking into consideration the fact
    of the death of employee while in service leaving his family without any
B   means of livelihood. In such cases the object is to enable the family to get
    over sudden financial crisis. But such appointments on compassionate
    ground have to be made in accordance with the rules, regulations or
    administrative instructions taking into consideation the financial condition
    of the family of the deceased.

C         In Smt. Sushma Gosain and Ors. v. Union of India and Ors., [1989]
  4 sec 468, it was observed that in all claims of appointment on
  compassionate grounds, there should not be any delay in appointment. The
  purpose of providing appointment on compassionate ground is to mitigate
  the hardship due to death of the bread-earner in the family. Such
D appointments should, therefore, be provided immediately to redeem the
  family in distress. The fact that the ward was a minor at the time of death
  of the father is no ground, unless the scheme itself envisage specifically
  otherwise, to state that as and when such minor bcomes a major he can
  be appointed without any time consciousness or limit. The above view was
E re-iterated in Phoolwati (Smt.) v. Union of India and Ors., [1991] Supp.
  2 SCC 689 and Union ofIndia and Ors. v. Bhagwan Singh, [1995] 6 SCC
  476. In Director ofEducation (Secondary) andAnr. v. Pushpendra Kumar
  and Ors., [1998] 5 SCC 192, it was observed that in matter of compassionate
  appointment there cannot be insistence for a particular post. Out of purely
  humanitarian consideration and having regard to the fact that unless some
F source of livelihood is provided the family would not be able to make both
  ends meet, provisions are made for giving appointment to one of the
  dependants of the deceased who may be eligible for appointment. Care has,
  however, to be taken that provision for ground of compassionate employment
  which is in the nature of an exception to the general provisions does not
G unduly interfere with the right of those other persons who are eligible for
  appointment to seek appointment against the post which would have been
  available, but for the provision enabling appointment being made on
  compassionate grounds of the dependant of the deceased employee. As it
  is in the nature of exception to the geneal provisions it cannot substitute
H the provision to which it is an exception and thereby nullify the main
              STATE v. MD. RAJA ODIN [PASAYA T, J.]                      113

provision by taking away completely the right conferred by the main             A
provision.

      In State of U.P. and Ors. v. Paras Nath, [1998] 2 SCC 412, it was
held that the purpose of providing employment to the dependant of a
government servant dying-in harness in preference to anybody else is to         B
mitigate hardship caused to the family of the deceased on account of his
unexpected death while in service. To alleviate the distress of the family,
such appointments are permissible on compassionate grounds provided
there are Rules providing for such appointments. None of these
considerations can operate when the application is made after a long period
of time. Jn that case also the delay was 17 years.                              C
      When case of the respondent is considered in the panorama of
aforesaid legal principles, the inevitable conclusion is that he was not
entitled for appointment. Even after 1984 scheme came into force, the
application was filed after a Jong lapse of time. He, therefore, had no right   D
much Jess a legal right to ask for an appointment. Learned Single Judge
of the High Court was not justified in directing the appellant to give
appointment. It is also on record that there was a ban on direct recruitment
under Die-in-harness scheme as is evidenced by Office Memorandum
dated 24th July, 2001. The scheme itself provided for a clearance from the      E
Government in the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms
(Personnel Division).

      We, therefore, set aside the orders of the Learned Single Judge and
the Division Bench. The appeal is allowed. However, this Judgment shall
not stand on the way of the appellant at its discretion giving effect to the    F
orders dated 15th December, 1999 at and from a future point of time, if
permissible, in accordance with law. Costs are made easy.

N.J.                                                       Appeal allowed.