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Supreme Court of India

DR. KISHOREversusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ORS.

Citation
1996 INSC 1156
Decided
7 October 1996
Disposal
Dismissed

Holding

An ad hoc appointee must vacate the post as soon as a duly selected candidate is posted, even by transfer, and has no right to notice or continued service.

Summary

Dr. Kishore was appointed on an ad hoc basis as Medical Officer (Class III) in Maharashtra on 28 February 1990, with successive extensions. Fearing termination, he filed a writ petition, which was transferred to the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal. The Tribunal allowed him to continue only until a candidate selected by the Selection Board or the Public Service Commission was appointed, stating that his service was purely ad hoc and could be terminated without notice. On 4 January 1994, Dr. S.S. Solanki, a PSC‑selected candidate, was transferred to the post, leading the petitioner to challenge his termination. The Tribunal dismissed the petition, and the Supreme Court, hearing special leave petitions, held that once a duly selected candidate is posted—whether directly or by transfer—the ad‑hoc appointee must vacate the position, having no right to notice or continued service. Consequently, the special leave petitions were dismissed.

Issues considered

  • Whether an ad hoc appointee to a government post has any right to continue in service after a candidate duly selected by the Public Service Commission is posted, even if the vacancy still exists.
  • Whether termination of an ad hoc appointment without notice is permissible under service law.

Subjects

ad hoc appointmentregularisationservice lawtermination without noticepublic service commissionmedical officerspecial leave petition

Judgment

                        DR. KISHORE                                                A
                             v.
            THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ORS.

                             OCTOBER 7, 1996

           [K. RAMASWAMY AND G.B. PAITANAIK, JJ.]                                  B

      Service Law :

      Ad hoc appointment as Medical Officer Class III in State of
Maharashtra-Writ petition by ad hoc employee for regularisa-
tion-Meanwhile person selected by Public Service Commission posted by
                                                                                   c
transfer in place of the petitionel'-Held, as soon as the duly selected can-
didate is posted whether directly or by trans[er, necessarily the petitioner has
to give place to such a candidate.

      CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Special Leave Petition (C)                     D
Nos. 16583-84 of 1996.

      From the Judgment and Order dated 12.4.96 of the Maharashtra
Administrative Tribunal, Nagpur in O.A. No. 400/95 and C.P. No. 18 of
1994.
                                                                                   E
      P.N. Gupta for the Petitioner.

      The following Order of the Court was delivered :

       The petitioner was appointed on temporary basis de hors the rules
as Medical Officer in Class III post on February 28, 1990 for a period of F
three months and it was extended from time to time. Apprehending ter-
mination of his service, he filed Writ Petition No. 2661/90 in the High Court
of Bombay at Nagpur. The High Court had transferred the matter to the
Administrative Tribunal. In T.A. No. 3559/92, the Tribunal by order dated
September 15, 1993 directed that the petitioner may be allowed to continue G
until the duly selected candidates by the Selection Board or Maharashtra
Public Service Commission were available and appointed; his continuance
in service was only on ad hoc basis without confirment of any right
including the requirement of notice before terminating the service; at best,
he would be entitled to be considered along with other candidates and as
soon as the duly selected candidate is appointed, his service was liable to H
                                      231
    232                  SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1996] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A be terminated even without notice. By proceedings dated January 4, 1994
    one Dr. S.S. Solanki, Medical Officer, Class III who was selected by the
    Public Service Commission was posted by transfer at his request in place
    of the petitioner. The petitioner has challenged the order of termination in
    OA No. 400/95 and the Tribunal in the impugned order dated April 12,
    1996 dismissed the petition. Thus, these special leave petitions.
B
         It is contended by learned counsel for the petitioner that since
  vacancies are existing the appointment of Dr. Solanki by transfer could not
  be used as a means to terminate the service of the petitioner. We fail to
  appreciate the contention. It is fairly agreed by the learned counsel that
C the petitioner has no right to the post and as soon as a duly selected
  candidate is posts in his place, he has to given to the duly selected
  candidate. But his contention is that since Dr. Solanki was selected earlier
  to the order passed by the Tribunal and had been appointed on his
  transfer, it cannot be used a means to terminate the services of the
  petitioner. His contention absolutely has no force. As. soon as the duly
D selected candidate is posted, whether directly by transfer, necessarily the
  petitioner has to give place to such a candidate. The petitions, therefore,
  do not merit interference.

          The special leave petitions are accordingly dismissed.

E R.P.                                                     · Petitions dismissed.


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