Full Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN TUESDAY, THE 28TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2023 / 9TH PHALGUNA, 1944 PETITIONERS: 1 SAUMYA MANUEL LPSA, MUDAKKIRAI SR LPS, KOTHAMANGALAM, ERNAKULAM-686691. 2 JOSMIN P. JOSE, LPSA, MUDAKKIRAI SR LPS, KOTHAMANGALAM, ERNAKULAM-686691. 3 SAVITHA S. NAIR, LPSA, MUDAKKIRAI SR LPS, KOTHAMANGALAM, ERNAKULAM-686691. BY ADVS. K.JAJU BABU (SR.) M.U.VIJAYALAKSHMI BRIJESH MOHAN RESPONDENTS: 1 STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695001. 2 THE DIRECTOR OF GENERAL EDUCATION, JAGATHY, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695014. 3 THE DISTRICT EUDCATIONAL OFFICER, KOTHAMANGALAM, ERNAKULAM-686691. 4 THE ASSISTANT EDUCATIONAL OFFICER, PERUMBAVOOR, ERNAKULAM-683542. 5 THE CORPORATE MANAGER, DIOCESES OF KOTHAMANGALAM, ERNAKULAM-686691. BY ADVS. K.T.THOMAS SMT. NISHA BOSE SR,GP THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 28.02.2023, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN, J.
------------------------------ W.P.(C)No. 17864 of 2020 ---------------------------------------------- Dated this the 28th day of February, 2023
JUDGMENT
Petitioners herein are working as Lower Primary School Assistants (for short 'LPSA') at Mudakkirai L.P.S. under the 4th respondent. Petitioners were appointed as LPSA as per order dated 01.06.2016 towards the additional division vacancies of 2012-13 academic year. Exts.P1 to P3 are the appointment orders. The Manager forwarded the proposal for approval of appointment of the petitioner to the 3rd respondent. However, the appointments were neither rejected nor approved by the 3rd respondent, is the contention. While the question of approval of appointment of the petitioners was pending before the 3rd respondent, the 3rd respondent himself rejected approval of appointment of one Smt.Princy Thomas LPSA appointed with effect from 01.06.2017. Against the same, the 4th respondent Manager preferred appeal before the District Educational Officer. The reason stated for rejecting the approval of Smt.Princy Thomas was that appointment of three senior LPSAs i.e. the petitioners herein were not approved. The 2 nd respondent after considering the appeal preferred by the Manager as per Ext.P4 order directed the 3 rd respondent to approve the appointment of Smt.Princy Thomas from 01.06.2017. In Ext.P4, the 2 nd respondent has clearly stated that, vacancies are there to accommodate the senior hands who are the petitioners herein. The grievance of the petitioners is that, in spite of Ext.P4, the 4th respondent took the stand that the vacancies are to be filled up by appointing protected hands in 1:1 ratio. Ext.P5 is the communication. In the meanwhile, the petitioners filed a representation before the 2nd respondent about the non approval of their appointments. The 2 nd respondent after considering the representation issued Ext.P6 order directing the 3rd respondent to finalise the process of approval of the petitioners. Even after Ext.P6, the 3rd respondent did not considered the issue of approval of appointment of the petitioners is the submission. Hence the 5th respondent submitted representations before the 2nd respondent in respect of the petitioners as evident by Ext.P7 to P9. As per Ext.P10 judgment, this Court directed the 4 th respondent to pass orders on the proposal forwarded by the 5th respondent, within one month after hearing the petitioner and the 5th respondent and adverting to Exts.P4 and P6. Pursuant to Ext.P10, the 4 th respondent conducted a hearing and issued Ext.P11
order rejecting the claim for approval of appointment
of the petitioners. Aggrieved by Ext.P11, the petitioners preferred revision petition before the Government under Rule 92 of Chapter XIVA KER as evident by Ext.P12. This Court as per Ext.P13 judgment, directed the Government to consider Ext.P12 revision within two months. Pursuant to Ext.P13, the Government passed Ext.P14 rejecting the claim of the petitioners. Aggrieved by Exts.P11 and P14, this writ petition is filed.
2. Heard counsel appearing for the petitioners and the learned Government Pleader.
3. counsel for the petitioners reiterated the
contentions in the writ petition. Counsel submitted that the petitioners were appointed in the additional vacancies occurred in the academic year 2012-13 and therefore, the impugned orders are unsustainable. The counsel also takes me through Ext.P15 by which the Government approved the appointment of teachers to an additional division vacancy which sanctioned during the previous year. Therefore the counsel submitted that Rule 7(2) of Chapter XXI KER is not applicable to the case of the petitioners because the petitioners were appointed in the vacancy occurred in 2012-13. The Government Pleader on the other hand supported the impugned orders. Government Pleader submitted that the additional posts came into existence based on the previous staff fixation can also be filled only by following the ratio of 1:1.
4. This Court considered the contention of the
petitioners and the respondents. Ext.P14 is the order
passed by the Government rejecting the claim of the petitioner. It will be better to extract the relevant portion of Ext.P14 order:
“10) മമൽപ്പറഞ്ഞ വസ്തുതകൾ/ ററിമപപർട്ടുകൾ, ഹറിയററിങങ സമയതത്തെ വപദദ, ഹപജരപക്കതപ്പട്ട മരഖകൾ, ബന്ധതപ്പട്ട ചട്ടങൾ/ ഉത്തെരവുകൾ എനറിവയുതടെ അടെറിസപനത്തെറിൽ ഹർജറിക്കപർ സമർപ്പറിച്ച Ext P12 ററിവറിഷൻ പരറിമശപധറിച. 2012-13 വർഷദ 1:30 അനുപപതത്തെറിൽ ഉണപയ അധറിക തസറികയറിൽ 01- 06-2016 മുതൽക്കപണങ മപമനജർ ടെറിയപളുകതളെ നറിയമറിച്ചറിട്ടുള്ളതങ. 01- 06-2016-നങ മുമങ മറപമരയുദ നറിയമറിച്ചറിട്ടറില. നറിയമനദ നടെക്കുന കപലയളെവറിൽ നറിലവറിലറിരറിക്കുന ചട്ടങൾ/സർക്കപർ ഉത്തെരവുകൾ അനുസരറിച്ചങ നറിയമന അദഗഗീകപര തപപമപ്പപസലുകളെറിൽ തഗീരുമപനതമടുക്കണതമനപണങ തക.ഇ.ആർ അദദപയദ 14 8(2)-ൽ നറിഷർഷറിച്ചറിട്ടുള്ളതങ. സദരകറിതപധദപപകരുതടെ നറിയമനവുമപയറി ബന്ധതപ്പട്ട 03-12-2016-തല സ.ഉ(പറി)നമർ 199/16/തപപ.വറി.വ
ഉത്തെരവറിനങ 29-01-2016 മുതൽ പപബലദദ നറിലനറിൽക്കുനതറിനപൽ ടെറി നറിയമനങൾ പസ്തുത ഉത്തെരവറിതന്റെ പരറിധറിയറിൽ വരുനവയപണങ. അതറിൻ പകപരദ 2016-17 വർഷദ മുതൽ അധറിക തസറികകളെറിൽ 1:1 അനുപപതത്തെറിൽ സദരകറിതപധദപപകൻ, പുതറിയ നറിയമനദ എന ക്രമത്തെറിൽ നറിയമനദ നടെമത്തെണതപതണന വദവസ പപബലദത്തെറിലുണങ. എനപൽ ഈ വദവസ മപമനജർ പപലറിച്ചറിട്ടറില. സദരകറിതപധദപപകതര നറിയമറിക്കുനതറിനപയറി നറിർമദ്ദേശറിച്ചറിട്ടുള്ള തസറികകളെറിൽ നറിയമനദ നടെത്തെറിയതങ അദഗഗീകരറിക്കണതമങറിൽ 08- 03-2019-തല തജ2/57/2019/തപപ.വറി.വ നമർ സർക്കുലററിതല ഖണറിക III പകപരദ പസ്തുത സ്കൂളെറിൽ/മപമനതജന്റെറിൽ ഉണപകുന മമറതതങറിലുദ അദഗഗീകൃത ഒഴറിവങ മപററിവച്ചറിട്ടുതണങറിൽ അഥവപ 01-06- 2019-നകദ മപററി വയ്ക്കുന്നുതവങറിൽ പസ്തുത മപററിവയ്ക്കതപ്പടുന ഒഴറിവങ
വദവസപപറിതമപതണനങ ഉറപ്പു വരുത്തെറി മപമനജരുതടെ സതദപസപവനയുതടെ അടെറിസപനത്തെറിൽ അപകപരമുള്ള നറിയമനങൾ നറിയമനതഗീയതറി മുതൽ അദഗഗീകരറിക്കപതമനങ
വദക്തമപക്കറിയറിട്ടുണങ. ഈ വദവസ പപലറിച്ചറിട്ടുള്ള പകദ അതറിതന്റെ അടെറിസപനത്തെറിൽ ഹർജറിക്കപരുതടെ നറിയമനങൾ അദഗഗീകരറിക്കപനുദ അലപത്തെപകദ നറിയമനപദഗഗീകപര തപപമപ്പപസൽ മമല്പറഞ്ഞ കപരദങൾ ചൂണറിക്കപട്ടറി നറിരസറിക്കപനുദ വറിദദപഭദപസ ഓഫഗീസർക്കങ നറിർമദ്ദേശദ നൽകറിതക്കപണദ പരപമർശദ
(1) ററിവറിഷൻ തപറഗീഷൻ (Ext.P12) തഗീർപ്പപക്കുന്നു. മമല്പറഞ്ഞ ഉത്തെരവുകമളെപതടെ ബഹ.മകരളെ ഹഹമക്കപടെതറിയുതടെ പരപമർശദ (2) മകപടെതറിവറിധറി നടെപ്പറിലപക്കറിയറിരുന്നു.”
5. From the above, it is clear that the
petitioners were appointed in the vacancy occurred in the academic year 2012-13 and the appointment was on 01.06.2016. It is also clear from that order that, till 01.06.2016, nobody was appointed in the vacancy occurred in the academic year 2012-13. The Government observed that the existing Rule as on the date of the appointment, the proposal for approval is to be considered. In such circumstances, G.O. (P)No.199/16/G.Edn.dated 03.12.2016 is applicable and the petitioners can be appointed only in accordance to that Government Order.
6. As per the amendment to Rule 7(2) of
Chapter XXI KER, the additional posts subject to Rules 43, 51A, 51B of Chapter XIVA KER, irrespective of category, on staff fixation shall be filled up by Manager by appointing teachers from among the list of protected teachers in the Teacher's Bank with the permission of the Deputy Director of Education concerned. It will be better to extract Rule 7(2) of Chapter XXI KER after the amendment:
“Subject to rules 43, 51A and 51B of Chapter XIV A the additional posts, irrespective of category, on staff fixation shall be filled up by the manager by appointing teachers from among the list of protected teachers in the Teachers Bank, with the permission of the Deputy Director (Education) concerned and by appointing teachers otherwise than from the Teachers Bank in the ratio 1:1 respectively.”
7. Rule 7(2) of Chapter XXI KER was amended
as per G.O.(P)No.3/2019/G.Edn. dated 28.02.2019. As per the notification itself it is clearly stated that the amendment will come into force only with effect from 29.01.2016. A reading of Rule 7(2) of Chapter XXI will show that the additional posts irrespective of category on staff fixation shall be filled up by the manager by appointing teachers from among the list of protected teachers. Admittedly, the petitioners were appointed in a vacancy which arose in the academic year 2012-
13. It is true that, it was an additional vacancy in the
academic year 2012-13. But that can not be treated as an additional vacancy in the year 2016-17. I am of the considered opinion that the finding in the impugned orders will not stand because the petitioners were appointed in a vacancy occurred in the academic year 2012-13. Of course the petitioners were appointed on 01.06.2016. Even though the appointment was on 01.06.2016, the appointment of the petitioners were not on an additional vacancy occurred in the year 2016-17, but it is a vacancy occurred in the year 2012-13. Therefore, I am of the considered opinion that the rigour of appointment of protected teachers in Rule 7(2) is not applicable to the case of the petitioners because it is not an additional post occurred in the year 2016-17. Moreover in a similar situation as per Ext.P15, the Government took a similar stand. In such circumstances, I am of the considered opinion that the petitioners appointment are to be approved. Therefore, this writ petition is allowed in the following manner: i. Exts.P11 and P14 are quashed. ii. Respondents 1 to 4 are directed to approve the appointment of the petitioners as LPSA from 01.06.2016 and disburse the consequential benefits including arrears of salary from 01.06.2016, as expeditiously as possible, at any rate, within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment. Sd/- P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN DM JUDGE APPENDIX OF WP(C) 17864/2020 PETITIONER EXHIBITS EXHIBIT P15 TRUE COPY OF THE GO(RT) NO. EXHIBIT P1 COPY OF THE APPOINTMENT ORDER NO. CS-73/2016 DATED 01/06/2016 ISSUED BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT TO THE 1ST PETITIONER. EXHIBIT P2 COPY OF THE APPOINTMENT ORDER NO. CS-43/2016 DATED 01/06/2016 ISSUED BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT TO THE 3RD PETITIONER. EXHIBIT P3 COPY OF THE APPOINTMENT ORDER NO. CS-43/2016 DATED 01/06/2016 ISSUED BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT TO THE 3RD PETITIONER. EXHIBIT P4 COPY OF THE ORDER NO.B5- THE 2ND RESPONDENT. EXHIBIT P5 COPY OF THE COMMUNICATION VIDE NO. C/178/2017 DATED 30/07/2018 ISSUED BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT TO THE 5TH RESPONDENT. EXHIBIT P6 COPY OF THE ORDER NO. B5/3315/2018 DATED 09/08/2018 OF THE 2ND RESPONDENT. EXHIBIT P7 COPY OF REPRESENTATION VIDE NO.G73/17/D-22 DATED 14/08/2018 SUBMITTED BY THE 5TH RESPONDENT BEFORE THE 1ST RESPONDENT. EXHIBIT P8 COPY OF REPRESENTATION VIDE NO.G62/17/D-22 DATED 05/09/2018 SUBMITTED BY THE 5TH RESPONDENT BEFORE THE 1ST RESPONDENT. EXHIBIT P9 COPY OF REPRESENTATION VIDE NO.G43/17/D-22 DATED 05/09/2018 SUBMITTED BY THE 5TH RESPONDENT BEFORE THE 1ST RESPONDENT. EXHIBIT P10 COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DATED THIS HON'BLE COURT. EXHIBIT P11 COPY OF ORDER NO. C/3923/2018/K.DIS. DATED 17/01/2019 ISSUED BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT. EXHIBIT P12 COPY OF THE REVISION PETITION DATED PETITIONERS BEFORE THE 1ST RESPONDENT. EXHIBIT P13 COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DATED THIS HON'BLE COURT.
EXHIBIT P14 COPY OF THE GO(MS)
NO.3065/2019/G.EDN. DATED
EXHIBIT P15 TRUE COPY OF THE
GO(RT)NO.4784/2017/G.EDN DATED13.12.2017. RESPONDENTS EXHIBITS : NIL //TRUE COPY// PA TO JUDGE