CENTRAL COUNCIL FOR RESEARCH IN HOMEOPATHYversusBIPIN CHANDRA LAKHERA & ORS.

                    [2011] 5 S.C.R. 505

CENTRAL COUNCIL FOR RESEARCH IN HOMEOPATHY                         A
                               V.
            BIPIN CHANDRA LAKHERA & ORS.
               (Civil Appeal no.3286 of 2007)
                       APRIL 20, 2011
                                                                   B
[MARKANDEY KATJU AND GYAN SUDHA MISRA, JJ.]

     Service Law: Seniority - Adhoc service for the period
before regularisation cannot be counted for seniority - In the
instant case, respondent no. 1 appointed as Research               C
Assistant on adhoc basis in 1984 was selected on regular
post w. e. f. 5. 1. 1996 - Ad hoc service from 1984 till
regularisation could not be added for the purpose of seniority.

    Ch. Narayana Rao v. Union of India & Ors. (2010) 10            D
sec 247 - relied on.
    State of West Bengal & Ors. v. Aghore Nath Dey & Ors.
(1993) 3 sec 371 - referred to.
                     Case Law Reference:                           E
    (2010) 10 sec 247          Relied on           Paras 9, 12
    (1993) 3 sec 371           Referred to         Para 9

    CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No.
                                                                   F
3286 of 2007.

    From the Judgment & Order dated 24.03.2004 of the High
Court of Sikkim at Gangtok in Writ Petition (C) No. 542 of 1998.
    S.N. Bhat for the Appellant.                                   G
    Shrish Kumar Misra, Mukul Singh, Ajay Kr, Singh for the
Respondents.
    The following order of the Court was delivered
                             505                                   H
    506      SUPREME COURT REPORTS                 [2011] 5 S.C.R.


A                             ORDER

         1. Heard learned counsel for the appellant and respondent
    No. 1. As regards the other respondents in respect of whom
    service is complete no one has entered appearance on their
    behalf so far.
8
         2. This Appeal has been filed against the impugned
    judgment & order dated 24.03.2004 passed by the High Court
    of Sikkim in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 542 of 1998.

c       3. The facts have been given in the impugned judgment
    and order and hence we are not repeating the same here,
    except where necessary.

         4. The short question in this Appeal is whether ad hoc
    service of respondent No. 1 from 1984 before his regularisation
0   with effect from 05.01.1996 can be added for the purpose of
    seniority. We are of the opinion that it cannot.

       5. Admittedly, respondent No. 1 was appointed as
  Research Assistant (Homeopathy) in the service of the appellant
E on purely ad hoc basis by order dated 03.02.1984 till
  31.03.1984 or till the post is filled on a regular basis whichever
  was earlier. This appointment was done without any regular
  selection.

F      6. It may be noted that respondent No. 1 herein (Writ
  petitioner before the High Court) had not applied for
  appointment in response to any advertisement issued by the
  appellant. In his application respondent No. 1 stated that "I have
  come to know through some reliable sources that there is a
  post of Research Assistant lying vacant in the Central Council
G for Research in Homeopathy." Accordingly, respondent No. 1
  was offered the post on a purely ad hoc basis vide order dated
  03.02.1984 clearly stating that his appointment was till
  31.03.1984 or till a regularly selected candidate joins, whichever
  was earlier. Thus, this appointment was made without following
H
     CENTRAL COUNCIL FOR RESEARCH IN                         507
    HOMEOPATHY y. BIPIN CHANDRA LAKHERA
any procedure. The tenure was extended by the appellant from         A
time to time ..

     7. The post of Research Assistant was advertised in 1986
and respondent No. 1 applied for the post and was called for
an interView before a Selection Committee on 29.06.1987 but          8
was not found suitable. However, he was continued on ad hoc
basis in view of an interim order passed by the High Court in
a writ petition.

     8. The post was again advertised in 1995 for regular
appointment and respondent No. 1 again applied, and this time        C
he was successful and given regular appointment with effect
from 05.01.1996.

    9. It has been held by this Court in Ch. Narayana Rao Vs.
Union of India & Ors., (2010) 10 SCC 247, and State of West          D
f3engal & Ors. Vs. Aghore Nath Dey & Ors., (1993) 3 SCC
371, that ad hoc service before regularisation cannot be
counted for seniority.

     10. It was contended by learned counsel for respondent
No. 1 that some others similarly situate have been given             E
retrospective regularisation. This is not correct. No one has
been given benefit of ad hoc service for the purpose of seniority.
The persons mentioned in the writ petition are those persons
who had been selected earlier, whereas respondent No. 1 had
not been selected. Such persons have been given seniority only       F
from the date of their regular appointment after selection.

     11. It has been pointed out in paragraph 17 of the counter
  affidavit filed by the Council before the High Court that these
  persons were given seniority from the date of their regular        G
  appointment after a regular selection. Thus, Dr. Gautam Rakshit
  was appointed on ad hoc basis on 10.08.1987, but thereafter
. he faced a regular selection and was selected and given regular
  appointment on 12.04.1988. He has been given seniority from
  12.04.1988 and not from 10.08.1987. Similar is the case of Dr.
                                                                     H
    508     SUPREME COURT REPORTS                [2011] 5 S.C.R.

A (Miss) l.M. Kumar, Dr. G.K. Mathew and Dr. Mohan Singh.
  Hence, their cases are clearly distinguishable.

         12. In view of the decision of this Court in Ch. Narayana
    Rao's case (supra), we allow this Appeal and set aside the
    impugned judgment and order of the High Court and dismiss
8
    the writ petition. No costs.

    D.G.                                        Appeal allowed.