Holding

The appointment and its extension by transfer on deputation were valid as the rules permitted this mode when promotion was impossible, and the eligibility criteria did not demand a strict 18‑year supervisory experience.

Summary

The Union of India appointed Shri Suresh Mathur as Director General of All India Radio by transfer on deputation for an initial six‑month term, later extending it to two years. The Additional Director General, A.R. Shinde, claimed he was eligible for promotion and that Mathur’s appointment violated the recruitment rules, particularly the requirement of "18 years' experience in a supervisory capacity". The Central Administrative Tribunal quashed Mathur’s appointment, holding it invalid and ineligible. The Supreme Court held that when promotion was not feasible, the next preferred mode—transfer on deputation—was valid, and the eligibility clause required only experience of the type mentioned, not a strict 18‑year supervisory tenure. Consequently, the extension of Mathur’s appointment was also lawful, and the Tribunal’s order was set aside.

Issues considered

Whether the appointment of the Director General of All India Radio by transfer on deputation complied with the All India Radio recruitment rules.
Whether the clause requiring "18 years' experience in a supervisory capacity" is a mandatory condition for appointment by transfer on deputation.
Whether the extension of the initial six‑month appointment to a further two years was valid.
Whether the first respondent's eligibility for promotion should have been considered at the time of appointment.
Whether the Central Administrative Tribunal erred in quashing the appointment.

Legislation cited

Central Administrative Tribunal Act

Subjects

appointmenttransfer on deputationpromotioneligibility criteriaAll India RadioDirector GeneralCentral Administrative Tribunalsupervisory experiencerecruitment rulespublic service

Judgment

UNION OF INDIA
A
v.

A.R. SHINDE & ANR.

FEBRUARY 19, 1987
B
[M.P. THAKKAR AND B.C. RAY, JJ.]

Central Administrative Tribunal Act, 1985: Director General
AIR-Appointment of-By Government by transfer of deputation-
Whether valid-' I8 years' of experience in a 'supervisory capacity'-
What is-Order of Tribunal set aside.
c
Civil Services: All India Radio (Recruitment of Director General
A.I.R.) Rules 1963 Schedule Columns 7(ii) IO & 11-Director General
A.l.R.-Recruitment of-' 18 years' in 'supervisory capacity'-What
is-Mere fact that original appointment to the post was for period of six
months and extended-Whether valid. D

Words and Phrases: '18 years' of experience in a 'supervisory
capacity'-What is.

The All India Radio (Recruitment of Director General, All India
Radio) Roles, 1963 provided that the post of Director General, All India E
Radio be filled np either by promotion or by re-employment or by
transfer on depntation, or by direct recruitment, and (i) 50% of the
vacancies be filled up by promotion failing which by transfer on deputa-
tion, and failing both by direct recruitment, and (ii) SO% by re-
y employment or transfer on deputation or direct recruitment, the exact
method of recruitment to be decided in consultation with the Union F

-+ Public Service Commission on eac.h occasion. The Additional Director
General in the All India Radio who had served as such for three years
was also eligible under the Rules for promotion to the post of Director
General.

The post of the Director General fell vacant on February 14, 1985. G
The authorities took recourse to make appointment to the post by trans-
fer on deputation as there was no body eligible for promotion, including
the first respondent from the grade of Additional Director General. The
second respondent, who was an officer of the rank of the Additional
Secretary to the Government of India, was appointed by transfer on
deputation initially for a period of six months, and before the expiry of H
339
340 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1987] 2 S.C.R.

A
this period, his. continuation for a further period of two years ' .·
recommended as nobody was eligible for promotion even at tt!· :t _ .:. -__ • •
and after approval of the competent authority the second respondeui·•
continuation was notified on December JO, 1985.

The aforesaid order of continuation was assailed before the
B Central Administrative Tribunal by the first respondent, who was
working as the Additional Director General, on the ground that though he
fulfilled aU the requisite qualifications provided in the Rules for being
considered for promotion to the post of the Director General, his case
was not considerOd and the impugned order continuing the appointment
of the second respondent upto March 3, 1987 was made.
c The Central Administrative Tribunal held that the appointment
of the second respondent was not made in accordance with the Rnles,
that he had not the requisite qualification for being appointed to the
post and though the first respondent fulfilled the eligibility qualifica·
lion, was'
, not considered at all, and quashed the appointment of the
D second respondent. It also directed that the post be filled np in accord·
ance with the rules and that the first respondent be considered for the
post.

In the appeal to this Court, the findings recorded by the Central
Administrative Tribunal that the appointment of the second respondent
E was bad on the ground that it was not in accordance with the rules and
that he was n~t qualified to _be appointed to the post, were challenged.

Allowing the appeal, this Court,
,
·.. HELD: 1.1 There were only three modes of making recruitment
· F 'viz. (1) by promotion, failing which (2) by deputation; and failing which
(3) liy direct recruitment. [346B·C]

- -1.2 Since the appointment by promotion was not at all possible,
and such an important and sensitive post could not be kept vacant, the
appointment of the second respondent was made by transfer on deputa·
G lion which was the next mode of appointment in the order of preference.
Thus, the initial appointment or the second respondent is nnexcep-
-...._ tionable. [346D; GI ·

1.3 The appointment to such a sensitive post by the very nature or
things has to be considered in advance and if when the proceedings were
H initiated, the first respondent had not yet qualified for being appointed
U.O.l. v. A.R. SHINDE 341

to the post, his name could not have been considered. Failure to con- A
sider his name in anticipation that he would have qualified by the date
· on which the initial appointment came to an end, does not constitute
any illegality which vitiates the appointment. [347B-C]

1.4 The mere fact that the original appointment of the second
respondent, which was rightly made initially, was extended for a B
further period by reason of the fact that when the proposal was mooted
for consideration nobody else was eligible for promotion cannot vitiate
the appointment of the second respondent by transfer on deputation
which was the approved mode for appointment as per the relevant
roles. [347C-D]

1.5 The very fact that the extension was made only till March 3,
c
1987 shows that there was anxiety to fill up the vacancy ultimately by
--i promotion which was the first preferential mode of appointment, if
possible. If it was otherwise, the initial appointment itself could have
been made without restricting the appointment by a time limit. [3470-E]
D
1.6 Merely by reason of the fact that it was not brought to the
notice of the Appointments Committee that the second respondent
would qualify for being considered for promotion shortly would ,not
justify characterising or quashing the appointment as illegal under the
-A Rules. [347F]
E
~
2.1 The criteria for appointment has been projected in Column 7
of the Schedule of Roles. The second respondent fulfils the first part of
the criteria as he is holding the post of Additional Secretary to the
)v Government oflndia. [347G-H]
'
-+ 2.2 It would not be legal or proper to bodily lift and transplant
clause (ii) literally and word by word as the requisite criteria for
F

appointment by transfer on deputation. [348A-B)

2.3 Due importance must be attached to the expression "posses-
sing experience of the type mentioned in clause (ii) of column 7". The
emphasis in substance, is on possession of experience of the general G
nature mentioned in clause (ii). It would, therefore, not be right to
inject into the eligibility criteria the requirement of "18 years' experi-
ence in a supervisory capacity in educational, cultural, publicity or
professional institution/organisation" as the requisite criteria for ap-
pointment on transfer by deputation. If the role-making authority was
so minded, it could have expressly transplanted all t!ie requirements of H
342 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1987] 2 S.C.R.

A clause (ii) of column 7. If such were the intention. the rule-making
authority would not have referred to experience of the 'type' mentioned \.-_
in clause (ii) of column 7. [3488-D]

2.4 On a true, fair and reasonable reading of the eligibility
criteria, it cannot be said that it requires either experience of '18 years'
B or experience iu a 'supervisory capacity' in any of the institutions
mentioned in clause (ii) of column 7. All that is required is experience of
that type viz., experience in the sphere of education, culture, publicity
etc. along with adequate general administrative experience with capa-
city for organisation. The criteria is being specified in the context of
officers belonging to the All India Services of Central Services Group A.
C By the very nature of things, therefore, they could not have 18 years
-.[. .-
experience in professional or supervisory capacity iu any educational
institution. [348D-F]

2.5 The second respondent was duly qualified having regard to
the fact that he had to his credit 29 years of administrative experience
D and had held senior positions including the post of Joint Secretary in the
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and was holding the post of
Additional Secretary with effect from October, 1983. The very fact that
he had worked as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting itself, coupled with his other experience, would satisfy the
requirement of the eligibility criteria for being appointed to the post of
E Director General, All India Radio. [349H; 350A-B]

3. The Tribunal was, therefore, in error in taking the view that
-
the extension of the term of appointment of the second respondent
which is due to expire on March 3, 1987 was invalid and that he was not ~·
qualified for being appointed by transfer on deputation to the said post
F as per the Rules. [350C-D] 4-
CIVIL APPELLATI:<: JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 2732
of 1986.
From the Judgment and Order dated 7.8.1986 of the Central
Administrative Tribunal. New Delhi in O.A. No. 27 of 1986.
G
A.K. Ganguli, P. Parmeshwaran and A. Mariaputham for the -~-
Appellant.

S.C. Gupta, M.N. Shroff and K.M.M. Khan, for the Respon-
dents.
H
U.0.1. v. A.R. SHINDE [RAY, J.) 343

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
A
B.C.RA Y, J. This appeal by special leave is against the order
made on 7.8.1986 by the Central Administrative Tribunal, Principal
Bench, Delhi holding that the order dated 10.12.1986 extending the
appointment of respondent No. 2, Shri Suresh Mathur as the Director
General of All India Radio is invalid. B

The post of Director General, All India Radio is the highest post
in the organisation carrying with it administrative responsibilities and
also requiring from the incumbent holding the post, leadership quali-
ties of a high order. Rules were framed for recruitment to the said post
as well as to the equivalent post of Director General of Doordarshan
under proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India and these
c
rules are known as All India Radio (Recruitment of Director General,
All India Radio) Rules 1963. These rules provide that the post of
Director General, All India Radio may be filled up either by promo·
tion or by re-employment on tr1nsfer on deputation or by direct re-
cruitment. These rules also provide that 50 per cent of the vacancies D
are to be filled up by promotion failing which by transfer on deputa-
tion and failing both by direct recruitment and 50 per cent by re-
employment or transfer on deputation or direct recruitment. It was
also provided that in respect of the second category the exact method
of recruitment is to be decided upon in consultation with the Union
Public Service Commission on each occasion. The post of Director E
General, All India Radio fell vacant on 14th February, 1985. In ac-
cordance with the aforesaid recruitment rules the Additional Director
General in the All India Radio who had also served for three years in
the post of Additional Director General will be considered for promo-
tion to the post of Director General. 1be respondent No. 1, Shri A.R.
\
. tI Shinde who was appointed as Additional Director General on F
24.8.1982 did not acquire the requisite qualification for being consi-
dered for promotion to the post of Director General, All India Radio
as he had not rendered three years service in the said grade of Addi-
tional Director General on the said date. The authorities concerned
took recourse to make the appointment to the post by transfer on
deputation. Accordingly on March 4, 1985 the respondent No. 2, Shri G
Suresh Mathur who was an officer of the rank of Additional Secretary
to the Government of India and was the Secretary, U.P.S.C. at that
time was appointed by transfer on deputation initially for a period of
six months. Before the expiry of the said period of six months. i.e. in
July-August, 1985, the authorities concerned.considered Che proposals
for continued appointment of Shri Suresh Mathur for a further period H
344 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1987) 2 S.C.R.

A of two years. After approval by the Appointments Committee of the
Cabinet the further continuation of respondent No. 2 as Director
General, All India Radio till 3rd March, 1987 was notified on 10th
'r-
December, 1985 on the basis of the said proposal. This order of con-
I tinuation of respondent No. 2 as Director General, All India Radio
was assailed by respondent No. I, Shri A.R. Shinde, the Additional
B Director General, before the Central Administrative Tribunal, Princi-
pal Bench, Delhi on the ground inter alia that though he fulfilled all
the requisite qualifications as provided in the said rules for being con-
sidered for promotion to the post of Director General, All India
Radio, his case was not considered and the said order was made con-
tinuing the appointment of respondent No. 2 as Director General of
C All India Radio upto March 3, 1987.

The Central Administrative Tribunal after hearing the parties
quashed the appointment of respondent No. 2 and directed for filling '.'.'\:::::

up the post of Director General, All India Radio in accordance with
the rules and to consider the case of the applicant holding that the
D appointment of respondent No. 2 was not made in accordance with the
said rules and respondent No. 1 though fulfilled the eligibility qualifi-
cation was not at all considered and that the respondent No. 2 also had
not the requisite qualification as specified in the said rules for being
appointed to the said post.

E The learned counsel for the appellant has challenged the validity
of the findings recorded by the Central Administrative Tribunal (Tri-
bunal) on both the points, viz:- -
(1) As regards the finding that the appointment of respondent
no. 2 was bad on the ground that it was not in accordance with
F the rules; and +-
(2) that respondent No. 2 was not quaHfied to be appointed to
the post.

Having given our anxious consideration to the submissions urged
G on behalf of both the sides and having accorded due weightage to the
views expressed by the Tribunal, we are of the opinion that the find- ~
ings recorded by the Tribunal on both the points are not sustainable.

In so far as the validity of the appointment of respondent No. 2 is
concerned, the Tribunal has overlooked the crucial circumstance that
H what was being done was extension of the original appointment to the
U.0.1. v. A.R SHINDE IRAY, J.] 345

post and not a regular appointment under the Rules. The relevant
A
provisions in the background of which the question calls for considera-
tion may be set out for the sake of convenience. Column 10 of the
Schedule of Rules as amended in 1985 which provides for the method
of recruitment and percentage of the vacancies to be filled by various
methods in respect of the two posts specified in Column 2, reads as
under:- B
\
,>. •
"(i) 50% by promotion failing which by transfer on depu-
tation and failing both by direct recruitment.

-- r (ii) 50% by re-employment or transfer on deputation or
direct recruitment, the exact method of recruitment to be
decided in consultation with the Union Public Service C
Commission on each occasion."

Column 11 pertaining to the eligibility condition is as under:-

"PROMOTION-Additional Director General, All India D
Radio/Doordarshan with 3 years regular service in the
grade."

~-4 With regard to transfer on deputation it is provided as under:-

"Officers of All India Services or Central Services Group E
'A" working in or eligible for appointment to the post of
Additional Secretary to the Government of India and
possessing experience of the type mentioned in clause (ii)
of Column 7."

Clause (ii) of Column 7 reads as follows:- F

"18 years experience in a supervisory capacity in educa-
tional, cultural, publicity or professional institution/organi-
sation, including adequate general administrative experi-
ence with ability and capacity for organisation."
G
' Thus, in order to·satisfy the requirement as regards 50% recruitment
by promotion, one of the two posts has to be filled by promotion. The
post of Director General fell vacant on February 14, 1985 and admit-
tedly on that date Respondent No. I was not yet eligible for appoint-
ment to the said post. So also no other Additional Director General in
the organisation having three years' service was qualified for promo- H
346 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1987] 2 S.C.R.

tion. Under the circumstances, appointment by promotion was not
A
feasible. That is the reason why Respondent No. 2 Shri Suresh· Mathur
who was of the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of
India and was Secretary, Union Public Service Commission at the
material time, was appointed by transfer on deputation for six months.

B There were only three modes of making recruitment in order of
preference viz:-
f

-
( 1) By promotion; failing which
-..,/
(2) by deputation; and failing which
c (3) by direct recruitment
)- .
Since the appointment by promotion was not at all possible and such
an important and sensitive post could not be kept vacant, the appoint-
ment of respondent No. 2 was made by transfer on deputation which
D was the next mode of appointment in the order of preference. Even
the Tribunal has accepted this position, as is evident from the follow-
ing passage:-

"Although the applicant has contended that even this '
~
appointment by transfer on deputation was illegal, we are
E unable to accept this contention. Neither the applicant nor
anyone else was qualified to be promoted as Director Gen-
eral, All India Radio in accordance with the rules on that
day. The method of promotion to the post of Director Gen- -'<(
era!, AIR had thus failed when the vacancy occurred in
February, :1985. No exception can, therefore be taken to
F the appointment by transfer on deputation instead or by -1 .
promotion.''

Thus the appointment of respondent No. 2 made in February, 1985 is
unexceptionable. Exception, however, has been taken to the further
extension of the appointment for the period expiring on March 3,
G 1987. The question of filling up the vacancy was taken up for consi- •
deration in advance as the initial appointment was due to expire on
September 3, 1985. But even at that time no one was qualified for
promotion. Under the circumstances the appointment of respondent
No. 2 was extended upto March 3, 1987. The Tribunal has taken the
view that "even if the proposal was initiated earlier the entire position
H as on 3.9.1985 when the post fell vacant ought to have been clearly
U.0.1. v. A.R. SHINDE IRAY, J.] 347

presented to the Appointments Committee and considered." Both the
A
respondents would have then qualified to have been considered for the
post by the Departmental Promotion Committee, The Tribunal adds.
In our opinion, this line of reasoning cannot be sustained. The
appointment to such a sensitive post by the very nature of things had to
be considered in advance and if when the proceedings were initiated
respondent No. 2 had not yet qualified for being appointed to the post, B
his name could not have been considered. In any case failure to con-
sider his name in anticipation that he would have qualified by the date
on which the initial appointment came to an end does not constitute
any illegality which vitiates the appointment. The Tribunal does not
. say that there were mala fides. And we think the Tribunal was right in
not drawing such a sinister inference for there was nothing on record
to suggest that the appointing authority had any animus against res-
c
pondent No. 2. The mere fact that the original appointment of respon-
dent No. 2 which was rightly made initially, even according to the
Tribunal, was extended for a further period by reason of the fact that
when the proposal was mooted for consideration nobody else was eligi-
ble for promotion, cannot vitiate the appointment of respondent No. 2 D
by transfer on deputation which was the approved mode for appoint-
ment as per the relevant rules. The very fact that extension was made
only till March 3, 1987 shows that there was anxiety to fill up the
vacancy ultimately by promotion which was the first preferential mode
of appointment, if possible. If it was otherwise, the initial appointment
iiself could have been made without restricting the appointment by a E
time-limit. It therefore appears that there was anxiety to make the
appointment by way of a stop gap arrangement in order that the regu-
lar appointment could possibly be made by promotion which was the
first preferential mode of appointment to the post. We do not think
that merely by reason of the fact that it was not brought to the notice of
the Appointments Committee that respondent No. 2 would qualify for F
being considered for promotion shortly would not justify characteris-
ing or quashing the appointment as illegal under the rules. We are,
therefore, unable to uphold the finding recorded by the Tribunal on
this point.

So far as the second point is concerned, the view taken by the G
Tribunal is that respondent No. 2 was not qualified under the rules for
being appointed for transfer on deputation. The criteria for appoint-
ment as projected in Column 7 has already been extracted. Now,
admittedly respondent No. 2 fulfils the first part of the criteria in as
much as he is holding the post of Additional Secretary to the Govern-
ment of India. Whether or not the second part of the criteria which H
348 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1987] 2 S.C.R.

A requires "possessing experience of the type mentioned in clause (ii) of
column 7" may be examined presently.

Now, it would not be legal or proper to bodily lift and transplant
clause (ii) literally and word by word as the requisite criteria for ap-
pointment by transfer on deputation as is being contended on behalf of
B respondent No. 1. Due importance must be attached to the expression
"possessing experience of the type mentioned in clause (ii) of Column
7". The emphasis in substance, is on possession of experience of the
general nature mentioned in clause (ii). It would therefore not be right
to inject or read into the eligibility criteria the requirement of "18
years' experience in a supervisory capacity in edncational, cultural,
C publicity or professional institution/organisation" as the requisite
criteria for appointment on transfer by deputation. If the rule-making
authority was so minded, it could have expressly transplanted all the
requirements of clause (ii) of Column 7. If such were the intention the
rule-making authority would not have referred to experience of the
'type' mentioned in clause (ii) of Column 7. On a true, fair arid reason-
D able reading of the eligibility criteria, it cannot be said that it requires
either experience of '18 years' or experience in a 'supervisory capacity'
in any of such institutions as are mentioned in clause (ii) of Column 7.
All that is required is experience of that type viz. experience in the
sphere of education, culture, publicity etc. along with adequate gen-
eral administrative experience with capacity for organisation. Be it
E realized that the criteria is being specified in the context of officers
belonging to the All India Services or Central Services Group A. By
the very nature of things therefore they could not have 18 years' ex-
perience in professional or supervisory capacity in any educational
institution. The service history of respondent No. 2 may now be briefly
stated with the end in view to examine whether he fulfilled the criteria
F in the aforesaid sense. Shri Mathur had to. his credit 29 years of
administrative experience (as on 1985) as an Officer belonging to the
Indian Administrative Service, of which he had been in the rank of
Joint Secretary to Government of India or above for 13 years. His
service included terms as Joint Secretary in the Planning Commission
in charge of State Plans and Multi-level Planning, Additional Chief
G Secretary, and as Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur, Joint
Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, as
Secretary, UPSC etc., the details of which are:-

1956 Joined !AS (Madhya Pradesh Cadre)
1967 Managing Director, Tribal Co-operative
H Development Corporation, where his duties
U.0.1. v. A.R. SHINDE IRAY, J.] 349

included Development of small-scale
industries by organising infrastructure, A
~~
raw material and marketing, promotion of
the development of handlooms and handi-
crafts industry and establishment of
\ co-operative movement in the tribal area.
B
1969 Deputy Secretary in Cabinet Secretariat.
;
t Later, Director in-charge of Man-power
& Employment.

- )..-
'
August 1972 to
January, 1973
Secretary to Chief Minister, Government
of West Bengal.
c
January, 1973 Chief of Division and later as Joint
"'~ Secretary to the Government of India
in-charge of State Plan and Multi-level
Planning Division in the Planning
Commission. D

May, 1977 Hill Commissioner, Secretary, Planning,
Finance, PWD, Power, Food and Civil
Supplies in the Government of Manipur .
. -I
Later, Additional Chief Secretary and
Chief Secretary to the Government of E
Manipur.

July, 1980 Joint Seceretary in the Ministry of
).· Information & Broadcasting when he
I dealt not only the Broadcasting Media,
-t namely, AIR and Doordarshan but also
the Information Media, viz. Film
F

Documentaries, Press, Advertising and
Visual Publicity.

Octob.er, 1983 Appointed as Additional Secretary to
the Government of India and posted as G
Secretary, UPSC.

In the present case respondent No. 2 was duly qualified having
regard to the fact that he had to his credit 29 years of administrative
experience and had held such senior positions as Joint Secretary in- H
350 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1987) 2 S.C.R.

A charge of State-level Plan in the Planning Commission, Additional
Chief Secretary and Chief Secretary in the Government of Manipur,
Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. With
effect from October, 1983 he was holding the post of Additional Secre-
tary to the Government of India. The very fact that he had worked as
Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Information and ,Broadcasting itself
B coupled with his other experience would satisfy the requirement of the
eligibility criteria for being appointed to the post of Director General,
All India Radio. We are, therefore, of the opinion that the Tribunal was t '
in error in reaching the conclusion that respondent No. 2 was not quali-
fied or eligible under the mies for being appointed to the post.

The Tribunal was accordingly in error in taking the view (1) that
c the extension of the term of appointment of respondent No. 2 which is
due to expire on March 3, 1987 was invalid, and (2) that the respondent
No. 2 was not qualified for being appointed by transfer on deputation to
the said post as per the rules.

D The question regarding the filling up of the vacancy upon the term
of respondent No. 2 coming to an end on March 3, 1987, will shortly
arise. Respondent No. 1 has by now become eligible for being promoted
if he is otherwise found suitable. The competent authority-will of
course, be required to consider the question as regards the suitability of
respondent No. 1 for being promoted to the post of Director General in
E the context of filling up of the post upon the expiry of the term of
respondent No. 2 on March 3, 1987. We have no doubt that the question
will be considered objectively, in the larger interest of the organisation
and in larger public interest, and an appropriate decision on merits will
be taken in accordance with law. 'f'
F We accordingly allow this appeal and set aside the judgment and ·1-
order of the Central Administrative Tribunal. There will be no order as
to costs.

N.P.V. Appeal allowed.