Full Judgment
1. By means or this writ petition, petitioner has prayed for issuance of a writ of the nature of certiorari, quashing the Government Order dated 27th February, 1996, contained in Annexure No. 2 to the writ petition as well as quashing of the notice dated 5-10-1996,contained in Annexure No. 3 to the writ petition, passed by opposite party No. 2 in pursuance of the Government Order dated 27-2-1996.
2. The dispute pertains to grant of Theka/ licence for excavation, collection and disposal of minor minerals. To regulalc the grant of such licences the U.P. Minor Minerals (Concession) Rules, 1963 were framed. Vires of Rules 9-A and 53-A of aforesaid Rules were challenged in W.P. No. 3592 (M/B) of 1995 and similar other writ petitions. Rule9-A and Rule 53-A are reproduced as under;
9-A 'Preferential right of certain persons in respect of sand and morrum -- (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in Rule 9 in respect of mining lease of sand or morrum or bothexclusively found in the river bed, preference shall he given in the following order to a person or group of persons, whether not incorporated who;
(a) Belong to socially and educationally backward classes of citizens are engaged in carrying on the occupation of excavation of sand ormorrum or both as a profession and are resident of the same district in which the area in respect of which the lease is applied, for is situated;
(b) Have established or intend to establish the aforesaid minor mineral based industry in the State.'
Explanation - For the purpose of clause (a) the persons belonging to socially and educationally backward classes of citizens engaged in carrying on the excavation of sand or morrum or both as profession means Mallah, Kewat, Bind, Nishad, Manjhi, Batham, Diwar, Thamayawa, Chai, Sorbhai, Turha, Raikwar, Kaiwrat, Khulwat, Tiyar, Gaindia, Godia and Kashyap and includes such other persons as are specified as such by the Slate Government, by notification in the Official Gazeltee.
(2) Where two or more persons or group of persons belonging to any of the categories specifiedinsub-rule(l)have applied for amining lease in respect of the same land the applicant whose application was received earlier shall have the preferential right;
Provided that where such applications are received on the same day preference shall be decided by draw of lots.
53-A Preferential right of certain persons for grant of permit-- Preference shall be given in respect of mining permit of sand and morrum or both exlusively found in the riverbed, to a person or group of persons, whether or not incorporated, who belong to socially and educationally backward classes of citizens are engaged in carrying on the occuption of excavation of sand or morrum or both as a profession and are resident of the same district in which the area in respect of which the mining permit is applied for, is situate.
Explanation - For the purposes of this rule, the explantion to Rule 9-A shall apply.'
3. According to aforesaid Rules, preferential right for the grant of licences in respect of sand and morrum have been given to certain educationally and socially backward classes whoare traditionally belonging to such profession.
4. Article 38 of the Constitution provides that the Slate shall strive to promote the welfare of the people by securing and pretecting, as effectively, as it may, a social order in which justice, social, economic and political, shall inform all the institutions of the national life. It is further provided that the State shall, in particular, strive to minimise the inequalities in income, and endeavour to eliminate inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities, not only amongst individuals, but also amongst groups of people residing in different are a so rengsaged indifferent vocations.
5. Article 39 provides that the Slate shall, in panic tar, direct its policy towards securing;
(a) that the citizens, men and women equally, have the right to an adequate mean s to livelihood;
(b) that the ownership and control of the material resources of the community are so di stributcd as best io subserve the common good;
(c) that the operation of the economic system docs not result in the concentration of wealth and means of production Io the common detriment;
(d) that there is equal pay for equal work for both men and women;
(e)&(f)....,...........'
Clause (4) of Article 15 provides that nothing in this article or in clause (2) of Article 29 shall prevent the State from making any special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens of for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
6. Preferential right has been afforded under Rule 9-A of the afore mentioned Rules to those persons who belong to socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or engaged in carrying on the occupation of cx.ca#3fcion of sand ormorrum or both as a profession and are resident of the same district in which the area respect of which the lease is applied for is situated. Rule 53-A gives preferential rights to certain persons or group of persons whether or not incorporated who belong to socially and educationally backward classes of citizens and are engaged in carrying on the occupation of excavation of sand or morrum or both as a profession and are resident of the same district in which the area in respect ofwhich the mining permit is applied for, is situated.
7. A perusal of clause (4) of Article 15 as well as Directive Principles of State Policy, contained in Articles 38 and 39 of the Constitution will indicate that the Stale can classify socially and educationly backward classes as different class and can afford to them protection. Any law, Statute, Bye-law, Regulation or Government Order which provide pretection or reservation to socially and educationally backward classes cannot be said to he discriminatory, but is in consonance with the principles underlying in clause (4) to Article 15 of the Constitution of India as well as Articles 38 and 39 of the Constiiution of India. It is a matter of common knowledge that certain classes of citizens known as Mallah, Kewal, Bind, Nishad or Mahgira arc generally engaged in carrying on the profession of excavation of sand of morrum on the banks of the rivers.
8. Constitution of India affords protection to those who are socially and educationally backward. These communities already belong to Backward Castes as well as some of them have been included in the schedule of the backward classes or citizens in the Mandal Commission Report as well as Government Orders which were issued after identification of such classes.
9. In lndia Sawhney v. Union of India, reported in AIR 1993 SC477. Hon'ble the Supreme Court held that in peculiar caste system of India, a caste itself can be treated as actass, if they are identified as educationally and socially backward classes then such a Government Order is beyond the judicial scrutiny of the Court for the aforesaid reasons, it cannot be said that the classes or persons if carrying on occupation of excavation of sand or morrum or both as profession are not socially and educationally backward classes of citizens.
10. If any Rule is framed in consonance with clause (4) of Article 15 of the Constitution of India read with Articles 38 and 39 of Constitution of India, it cannot be said that it is discriminatory-some of the writ petitions which have been filed in this Court, challenging the vires of the a fore mentioned Rules interim orders were passed, staying the grant of licences under Rules 9-A and 53-A to certain persons, who belong to socially and educationally backward classes, and aretraditionally engaged in such profession. There was no general order from this Court, that the Slate Government is forbidden to grant lease to such people, but order of this Court was misread by the Slate Government and the State Government suspended the operation of Rule 9-A and Rule 53-A. There was no such direction and the State Government committed manifest error of law in suspending the Rule 9-A and Rule 53-A.
11. In consequence of the suspension of Rules, doors have been opened for the big Thekedars and moneyed people to enter into the trade, business or profession, which was earlier carried on by underprivileged, as a result of which the principles of social justice enshrinedi' in Clause (4) of Article 15 and Articles 38 and 39 of the Constitution of India has been toially frustrated.
12. The Constilulion mandates that in equalitiesshould be abolished but it docs not mean that the State cannot afford protection to the weaker section of I he Society, who due to their profession or trade, since centuries have been downgraded. Constitution of India abhors discrimination but it does not rule out reasonable classification.
13. It is the duty of the Court to ensure the implementation of the Directives and (oharmonise the social objectives, underlying the directives, with the individual rights. It would thus follow that the Courts should uphold, as far as possible, legislation enacted by the State to ensure 'distributive justice', i.e., the laws which seek to remove inequalities and also allempt to achieve a fair division of wealth amongst members of Society. Applying the doctrine of harmonious construction this Court can adjust the ambit of Fundamental Rights to afford protection to the weaker section of the society.
14. We find that in Rules 9-A and 53-A a rational classification has been made in favour of socially and educationally backward classes who have been traditionally engaged in the excavation of the sand etc. The aforesaid rules have been framed, keeping in view the letter and spirit of the Constitution. Hence it cannot be said that it is ultra vires. Action of the Slate Government, in suspending the Rules itself in pursuance of the interim order passed in individual cases by this Court, is manifestly unjust, unfair andunreasonable.
15. An application for impleadment has been preferred by a writ petitioner, who has assailed the vires of Rule 9-A and Rule 53-A of U. P. Minor Minerals (Concession) (Twentieth Amendment) Rules 1994 in a writ petition where in his case an interim order was passed and the authorities concerned were asked to consider the application of the applicant for the grant of lease ignoring the aforesaid Rules. We are of the view that the interim order is not a precedent to deter us, from taking a different view which we have indicated in the foregoing paragraph. By means of the aforesaid Rules the right of the applicant to carry on any trade or profession has not been completely taken away. Only a preferential right to certain weaker sections of Society has been given. Hence it cannot be said that the Rules in any way infringe the right of the applicant. The application is misconceived and it is accordingly rejected.
16. In view of what we have indicated hereinabove the writ in the nature of certiorari, quashing the Government Order dated 27-2-96, contained in Annexure No. 2 to the writ by means of the views of Rule 9-A and Rule 53-A was suspended, is issued. The notice dated 5-10-96 which was issued in pursuance of the State Government Order is also accordingly quashed. The, authorities are directed to grant lease in accordane with the Rules.
17. Order accordingly.