U.P. PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AT ALLAHABADversusSURESH CHANDRA TEWARI & ANR.

            U.P. PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AT ALLAHABAD                              A
                                            v.
                      SURESH CHANDRA TEW ARI & ANR.

                                    AUGUST 7, 1987

                 [E.S. VENKATARAMIAH AND K.N. SINGH, JJ.]                            B

               Civil Service (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1930--
          R. 69-Read with Regulation 20 of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service


-
          Commission (Conditions of Service) Regulation, 1937, and Regulation
          28 of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission Staff Regulations,
          1942-0rders passed by Commission in disciplinary proceedings               C
          against gazetted ministerial officers other than Under Secretary and
          Assistant Secretary are subject to appeal to the State Government.

                Io an appeal preferred by respondent No. 1 against orders revert·
          iog him from the post of Section Officer to a lower post and dismissing
          him from service, the State Government found that he had not been          D
          afforded a reasonable opportunity to defend himself at the inquiry, and
          set aside the order of dismissal directing the State Public Service Com-
          mission to reinstate him in the lower post and hold a fresh inquiry. The
          Commission having declined to comply with the order of the State
          Government, respondent No. 1 filed a writ petition, and the High
          Court directed the Commission to comply with the said order.               E

                Io this petition for special leave to appeal, the Commission con-
          tended (1) that since it was a Constitutional Authority being not subor·
          dinate to the State Government, the latter could not have heard the
          appeal filed against its order passed in a disciplinary proceeding; and
          (2) that in any event, the appeal should have been disposed of by the F
          Governor himself and not by the Governor in accordance with the advice of
          the State Government.

                Dismissing the petition,

    -_,         HELD: The Commission may be a constitutional authority not G
          subordinate to any other authority. But the orders passed by the Com-
          mission in disciplinary proceedings held against the members of its
          staff are subject to the appeal to the State Government under r. 69 of
          the Civil Service (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1930, read
          with Regulation 20 of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission
          (Conditions of Service) Regulations, 1937 as amended in 1978. There is H
                                            833
    834                    SUPREME COURT REPORTS             (1987] 3 S.C.R.

A   no ground for thinking that the independence of the Commission would
    be affected by the State Government exercising the appellate power in
    disciplinary matters as provided by Regulation 20. [837H; 838A-B]

          Hargovind Pant v. Dr. Raghukul Tilak & Ors., (1979] 3 S.C.R.
    972, referred to.
B
         Role 69 of the Civil Service (Classification, Control and Appeal)
   Rules, 1930 is to the effect that the State Government may, of its own
   motion or otherwise, call for the record of any case decided by an



                                                                                     -
   authority subordinate to it in the exercise of any power conferred on
  such authority by these rules, and inter alia, confirm, modify or reverse
C the order passed by such authority, or direct tjtat a further enquiry be
   held in the case. Rule 69-A sets out the procedure to be followed in filing
  a petition under rule 69. RuJes 69 and 69-A are substantially applicable
  to the members of the staff of the Commission by virtue of Regulation
   28 of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Staff Regulations, 1942, even
  though the Commission may not be an authority subordinate to the
D State Government because while applying r. 69 to the staff of the Com-
  mission the rule should be read with the necessary modification by
  substituting in the place of the words 'an authority subordinate to it' the
  words 'the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission'. In any event by
  virtue of the amendment made to Regulation 20 of the Uttar Pradesh
  Public Service Commission (Conditions of Service) Regulations, 1937 in
E 1978 appeals against the orders of the Commission passed in respect of
  the gazetted ministerial officers other than the Under Secretary and the
  Assistant Secretary .lie to the Goveruor. Respondent No. l being a
  gazetted officer holding the post of a Section Officer was entitled to
  prefer an appeal under Regulation 20 to the Governor. [837C-G]                 y

F       2. It is no doubt true that Regulation 20 of the Uttar Pradesh
  Public Service Commission (Conditions of Service) Regulations, 1937
  provides that appeals against the orders of the Commission shall be
  made to the Goveruor. But while exercising his powers under that
  Regulation the Governor has to act on the advice given by the State
  Government by virtue of Art. 163(1) of the Constitution. The function of
G hearing an appeal against an order passed by the Commission in a
  disciplinary proceeding held against any member of its staff is an execu-
  tive function and not one of those functions which the Governor is
  required to exercise in its discretion under any of the provisions of the
  Constitution. The Governor has, therefore, to act on the advice of the
  State Government. [838C-F]
H
              U.P. COMMISSION v. S.C. TEWARI [VENKATARAM!AH, J.]         835

              Shamsher Sing v. State of Punjab, [1975] l S.C.R. 814, referred    A
        to.

              CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Special Leave Petition
        (Civil) No. 3865 of 1987.

             From the Judgment and Order dated 2. 1.87 of the Allahabad          B
        High Court in Writ Petition No. 17082/86.

              S.N. Kacker and R.B. Mehrotra for the Petitioner.


-   y
              R.K. Jain for the Respondent.

              The Order of the Court was delivered by
                                                                                 c

               VENKATARAMIAH, J. The Uttar Pradesh Public Service
         Commission (hereinafter referred to as 'the Commission') is the
         petitioner in this petition. It has questioned the correctness of the
         order passed by the High Court of Allahabad in Writ Petition No.        D
          17082 of 1986 directing it to comply with the order dated August 30,
          1986 passed by the State Government on an appeal filed by Respon-
         dent No. 1 against the order passed by the Commission in a discipli-
        . nary proceeding held against him.

               Respondent No. 1 was working as a Section Officer in the office E
-}'!-    of the Commission. On July 18, 1981 he was placed under suspension
         on certain charges and a departmental enquiry was initiated against
         him. In the said enquiry he was found guilty and he was reverted to the
         rank of an Upper Division Assistant by the order dated April 24, 1982
         and by another order passed on the same day he was dismissed from
         service. Against these orders Respondent No. l preferred an appeal F
         befcre the State Government. The State Government found that
         Respondent No. 1 had not been given opportunity to cross-examine
         the witnesses produced at the disciplinary enquiry, that he had not
         been given a reasonable opportunity to produce evidence from his side
         and that, therefore, the punishment imposed on him was violative of
         Article 311(2) of the Constitution. Accordingly, the order of dismissal G
         passed against him in the disciplinary enquiry was set aside and the
         Commission was directed to hold a fresh enquiry in accordance with
         law. The order of the State Government further directed the Commis-
         sion to reinstate Respondent No. 1 as an Upper Division Assistant
         pending final decision in the disciplinary enquiry. It was also ordered
         that the salary and allm~ances due to Respondent No. 1 from the date H
    836                  SUPREME COURT REPORTS          [ 1987] 3 S.C.R.

A of his dismissal till the date of reinstatement should be paid to him.
  The above order was passed on August 30, 1986. Respondent No. 1
  applied to the Commission on September 3, 1986 to permit him to
  rejoin the service as ordered by the State Government. When the
  Commisson declined to comply with the order of the State Govern-
  ment, Respondent No. 1 instituted the writ petition, referred to
B above, in the High Court of Allahabad for the issue of a direction to ~
  the Commission to comply with the order of the State Government.
  After hearing the learned counsel for Respondent No. 1 and the Com-
  mission, the High Court allowed the writ petition and issued the direc-


                                                                                   -
  tions as stated above. Aggrieved by the decision of the High Court, the
  CommiSliion has filed this petition.
c
        Two contentions are urged before us on behalf of the Commis-           y
  sion-(i) since the Commission, which is a constitutional authority, is
  not subordinate to the State Government, the State Government could
  not have heard the appeal filed against the order passed by the Com-
  mission in a disciplinary proceeding and (ii) in any event the appeal
D should have been disposed of by the Governor himself and not by the
  Governor in accordance with the advice of the State Government.

        The conditions of service of the members of the Staff of the
  Commission are regulated by the U .P. Public Service Commission
  (Conditions of Service) Regulations, 1937 made under section 265(2)
E of the Government of India Act, 1935 (corresponding to Article 318 of
  the Constitution) as they have been continued under the provisions of
  the Constitution. Regulation 20 of the said Regulations, as amended
  by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (Conditions of
  Service) (Amendment) Regulations, 1978 made by the .Governor                 y
  under Article 318 of the Constitution reads as follows:
F
             "20. Appointments to the gazetted ministerial posts other
             than those of the Under Secretary and the Assistant Secre-
             tary shall be made by the Commission.

              (Appeals against the order of the Commission shall be to
G             the Governor)."                                              y

    Regulation 28 of the U.P. Public Service Commission Staff Regula-
    tions, 1942 lays down as follows:

              "28. Regulation of pay, leave allowance, pension and
H             other conditions of service-Except as provided in these
              U.P. COMMISSION v. S.C. TEWARI (VENKATARAMIAH, J.J          837

                   regulations or in any special declaration or order made by A
                   the Governor, all matters relating to the pay, allowances,
                   pension, gratuity, leave, retirement and other conditions of
                   service of the persons appointed to the staff shall be
                   regulated by the rules, declarations and orders applicable
                   generally from time to time to servants of the State of
                   similar classes under the control of the Uttar Pradesh B
                   Government insofar as they are not inconsistent with any
                   provisions expressly made in these regulations or in the
                   Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (Conditions of
                   Service) Regulations."

-                Rule 69 of the Civil Service (Classification, Control and Appeal) C
          Rules, 1930 is to the effect that the State Government may, of its own
          motion or otherwise, call for the record of any case decided by an
          authority subordinate to it in the exercise of any power conferred on
          such authority by these rules, and inter alia, confirm, modify or reverse
          the order passed by such authority, or direct that a further enquiry be
          held in the case. Rule 69-A sets out the procedure to be followed in D
          filing a petition under rule 69. Rule 69 and rule 69-A are substantially
          applicable to the members of the staff of the Commission by virtue of
          Regulation 28 of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Staff Regulations,
           1942, extracted above, even though the Commission may not be an
          authority subordinate to the State Government because while applying
          rule 69 to the staff of the Commission the rule should be read with the E
-.,-:- . necessary modification by substituting in the place of the words 'an
        · authority subordinate to it' the words 'the Uttar Pradesh Public
          Service Commission'. In any event by virtue of the amendment made
   '1     to rule 20 in 1978 appeals against the orders of the Commission passed
    '     in respect of the gazetted ministerial officers other than the Under
          Secretary and the Assistant Secretary lie to the Governor. Respondent F
           No. 1 being a gazetted officer holding the post of a Section Officer is
           entitled to prefer an appeal under regulation 20 of the Uttar Pradesh
           Public Service Commission (Conditions of Service) Regulations, 1937
           to the Governor. On the facts and in the circumstances of the case we
           feel the contention of the Commission that an order passed by it in a
      '( disciplinary proceeding cannot be subject to an appeal, is untenable by G
           virtue of regulation 20 of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commis-
           sion (Conditions of Service) Regulations, 1937 and regulation 28 of the
           Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission Staff Regulations, 1942. It
           may be that as held by this Court in Hargovind Pant v. Dr. Raghukul
           Tilak & Ors., [1979) 3 S.C.R. 972 the Commission may be a constitu·
           tional authority not subordinate to any other authority. But the orders H
    838                   SUPREME COURT REPORTS              [ 1987] 3 S.C.R.

A passed by the Commission in disciplinary proceedings held against the
                                                                                 '('
  members of its staff are subject to the appeal to the State Government
  under rule 69 of the Civil Service (Classification, Control and Appeal)
  Rules read with regulation 20 of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service
  Commission (Conditions of Service) Regulations, 1937. There is no
  ground for thinking that the independence of the Commission would r
B be affected by the State Government exercising the appellate power in~
  disciplinary matters as provided by regulation 20. We, therefore,
  reject the first contention.                                            ~


          We shall now deal with the second contention. It is no doubt true

c
    that regulation 20 provides that appeals against the orders of the
    Commission shall be made to the Governor. But while exercising his                 -
    powers under that regulation the Governor has to act on the advice
    given by the State Government by virtue of Article 163( l) of the
    Constitution which reads thus:

               "163(1). There shall be a Council of Ministers with the
D              Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor
               in the exercise of his functions, except insofar as he is by or
               under this Constitution required to exercise his functions or
               any of them in his discretion."

         The function of hearing an appeal against an order passed by the
E Commission in a disciplinary proceeding held against any member of
  its staff is not one of those functions which the Governor is required to ~ ~
  exercise in its discretion under any of the provisions of the Constitu-
  tion. The Governor has, therefore, to act on the advise of the State
  Government. This position has been settled by the decision of this         y
  Court in Shamsher Singh & Anr. v. State of Punjab, [1975] 1 S.C.R.
F 814. Ray, C.J. speaking for himself, Palekar, Mathew, Chandrachud
  and Alagiriswami, JJ. has observed at page 836 thus:

               "For the foregoing reasons we hold that the President or
               the Governor acts on the aid and advice of the Council of
               Ministers with the Prime Minister at the head in the case of
G              the Union and the Chief Minister at the head in the case of y
               State in all matters which vest in the executive whether
               those functions are executive or legislative in character.
               Neither the President nor the Governor is to exercise the
               executive functions personally."

H         The function of deciding an appeal against an order of punish-
           U.P. COMMISSION v. S.C. TEWARI [VENKATARAMIAH, J.]        839

     ment imposed in a disciplinary proceeding is an executive function. A
     Hence, by acting in accordance with the advice tendered to him by the
     State Government, the Governor has not acted contrary to the provi-
     sions of the regulations or of the Constitution. The appellate power is
     exercised in the instant case in accordance with Article 166 of the
     Constitution. We do not, therefore, find any merit in the second con- B
     tention too.

          The petition is, therefore, dismissed.

     H.L.C.                                           Petition dismissed.




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