Supreme Court of India
HARBHAJAN SINGHversusSTATE OF HARYANA & ORS.
- Citation
- 2022 INSC 989
- Decided
- 20 September 2022
- Disposal
- Dismissed
- Bench
- HEMANT GUPTA
Holding
The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act, 2014 is a valid law within Haryana's legislative competence under Entry 32 of List II and does not require presidential assent, while the referenced provisions are transitional and the Act does not breach Articles 25 or 26.
Summary
The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act, 2014, which created a separate statutory body to manage Sikh gurdwaras in Haryana. The Court held that Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Inter‑State Corporation Act, 1957 are merely transitional provisions to ensure the smooth functioning of inter‑State bodies after state reorganisation. The Act falls within Haryana's legislative competence under Entry 32 of List II of the Seventh Schedule, not under Entry 44 of List I, and therefore does not require presidential assent under Article 254(2). The Court also found that the Act does not infringe the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution. Consequently, the writ petitions challenging the Act and the related civil appeal were dismissed.
Issues considered
- Whether Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Inter‑State Corporation Act, 1957 are transitional provisions.
- Whether the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act, 2014 is within the legislative competence of the Haryana Legislature or falls under Entry 44 of List I.
- Whether presidential assent is required for the Haryana Act under Article 254(2).
- Whether the Haryana Act violates fundamental rights under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution.
Legislation cited
- Constitution of Indias. Art.245, s. Art.246, s. Art.25, s. Art.254(2), s. Art.26
- Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act, 2014
- Inter‑State Corporation Act, 1957s. 3, s. 4
- Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966s. 72
- Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925
- Sikh Gurdwara (Amendment) Act, 2016
- States Reorganisation Act, 1956s. 3, s. 4
Subjects
legislative competenceinter‑state corporationreligious institutionfundamental rightsArticle 25Article 26List IIList ISection 72transitional provisionpresidential assent
Judgment
[2022] 12 S.C.R. 1113 1113
HARBHAJAN SINGH A
v.
STATE OF HARYANA & ORS.
(Writ Petition (Civil) No. 735 of 2014)
SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 B
[HEMANT GUPTA AND VIKRAM NATH, JJ.]
Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966 – s. 72 – Haryana Sikh
Gurdwara (Management) Act, 2014 – Inter-State Corporation Act.
1957 – ss.3, 4 – States Reorganisation Act, 1956 – Whether s. 72 of
C
the 1966 Act and ss. 3 and 4 of the 1957 Act, were transitional
provisions – Held: The 1957 Act is a statute to empower the Central
Government to issue directions from time to time so that on account
of creation of separate States, statutory bodies in the new States
can function smoothly – Central Government could issue directions
in terms of the 1957 Act only to give effect to reorganisation of the D
States so that the inter-state entity is able to function and discharge
the statutory mandate in the States so constituted – Such directions
were transitional in nature so that the functioning of inter-State
corporations is not obstructed or curtailed on account of
reorganisation of the States – Neither the 1956 Act nor the 1966
E
Act nor the 1957 Act has taken away the legislative competence of
the States to legislate on the subjects which finds mention in List II
of the Seventh Schedule and/or in respect of matters falling in List
III of the Seventh Schedule in the manner prescribed – Religious
institutions – Gurdwara.
F
Constitution of India: Legislative competence – Whether the
Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act, 2014 falls within the
legislative competence of the Haryana State Legislature or it falls
in Entry 44 of List I of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution –
Held: There is no provision in the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966
which confers legislative power upon the Parliament in respect of G
the subjects over which the State has legislative competence in terms
of List II – Therefore, the transitional provisions i.e., the 1966 Act
or the Inter-State Corporation Act 1957 do not impinge upon the
legislative competence of the State legislature to enact a law on the
subjects mentioned in the List II – Entry 32 deals with unincorporated
H
1113
1114 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A trading, literary, scientific, religious and other societies and
associations – In respect of such matters, the competent legislature
is the State – In terms of Entry 44 of List I, the Parliament will have
jurisdiction only if the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee
(SGPC) under the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 continues to be an
inter-State entity – The jurisdiction of the successor States either to
B
repeal, modify or enact a new law has not been restricted by the
1966 Act – The SGPC became inter-State body corporate not because
of Entry 44 List I but because of reorganisation of the territories of
the erstwhile State of Punjab – Therefore, Entry 44 would have no
applicability in respect of legislative competence of the State of
C Haryana to enact the 2014 Act – Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 –
Religious institutions – Gurdwara.
Constitution of India: Art. 254(2) – Presidential assent –
Whether required for Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act,
2014 – Held: For entries in concurrent list, assent of the President
D would be necessary if there is an existing statute and the State law
is contrary to some of the provisions of the Central law – Though
the Haryana Committee constituted under the 2014 Act is in respect
of religious purposes, but the prime intention is of an incorporation
of juristic entity to manage the affairs of the Sikhs in the State –
Incorporation of such juristic entity more appropriately falls within
E the domain of Entry 32 of List II and not within Entry 28 of List III
of Seventh Schedule – Assent of the President is not required for
the validity of 2014 Act.
Constitution of India: Arts. 25 and 26 – Right to freedom of
religion – Whether Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act,
F 2014 violates fundamental rights of the petitioners under Arts. 25
and 26 of the Constitution so as to entitle the petitioners to invoke
the jurisdiction under Art.32 of the Constitution – Held: 2014 Act
is similar to the 1925 Act, inter alia having similar provisions of
constituting a committee to manage the affairs under the Act – The
G affairs of the religious minority in the State i.e., Sikhs is left in the
hands of the Sikhs alone in the same manner as was under the
1925 Act – Since, the affairs of the Sikh minority in the State are to
be managed by the Sikhs alone, therefore, it cannot be said to be
violative of any of the fundamental rights conferred under Arts. 25
and 26 of the Constitution – Writ petition is maintainable on the
H
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1115
ground that the said writ petitions have been pending before this A
Court for almost 8 years wherein an interim order has been in
operation throughout – Additionally, the questions, being purely
legal, have been examined to give finality to the issues arising in
the two matters.
Dismissing the writ petitions and the appeal, the Court B
HELD: 1. Whether Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganisation
Act, 1966 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Inter-state Corporation
Act, 1957 were transitional provisions to meet the immediate
requirement of the issues arising out of creation of separate
States? C
1.1 The 1957 Act empowers the Central Government to
issue directions from time to time so that on account of creation
of separate States, such statutory bodies in the new States can
function smoothly. It defines the “inter-State corporation” as any
body corporate constituted under any of the Acts specified in the
D
Schedule and functioning in two or more States by virtue of Section
109 of the 1956 Act. Therefore, in respect of such inter-State
corporations, the Central Government could issue directions in
terms of the 1957 Act only to give effect to the reorganisation of
States so that the inter-state entity is able to function and discharge
the statutory mandate in the States so constituted. Such directions E
were transitional in nature so that the functioning of inter-State
corporations is not obstructed or curtailed on account of
reorganisation of the States. Neither the 1956 Act nor the 1966
Act nor the 1957 Act has taken away the legislative competence
of the States to legislate on the subjects which finds mention in
List II of the Seventh Schedule and/or in respect of matters falling F
in List III of the Seventh Schedule in the manner prescribed.
The 1956 Act or the 1966 Act empowers the Central Government
to issue directions to make the inter-state entity functional, but
the Central Government has not been empowered to legislate in
respect of such inter-State bodies which came to be operational G
in one or more States due to the reorganisation of the States.
[Paras 32 and 33][1141-F-H; 1142-A-B]
1.2 The power of the Centre to issue directions under
Section 72 of the 1966 Act is a transitional provision to ensure
H
1116 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A smooth and continuous functioning of a body corporate so that it
is not paralyzed on becoming an inter-State body corporate due
to reorganisation of the erstwhile State of Punjab. The directions
contemplated by Section 72 relates to functioning and operation
of such body corporate. A competent State legislature is not
deprived of its power to legislate on the subjects falling within its
B jurisdiction in terms of List II of the Seventh Schedule. The 1966
Act does not bar the State Legislature to legislate on the fields of
its legislative competence falling under List II of the Seventh
Schedule or even in List III of the Seventh Schedule, subject to
the limitations as are prescribed in the Constitution [Para
C 46][1160-A-C]
2. Whether the impugned enactment (Haryana Act of 2014)
falls within the legislative competence of the Haryana State
Legislature or it falls in Entry 44 of List I of the Seventh Schedule
of the Constitution?
D 2.1 The SGPC was a Board which was intra-State body
corporate prior to reorganisation of the State in the year 1966.
The reorganisation has rendered the SGPC as an inter-State body
corporate but the legislative power to legislate on the subject of
incorporation of the Corporations would be within the jurisdiction
of the Haryana State Legislature. Entry 32 deals with
E
unincorporated trading, literary, scientific, religious and other
societies and associations. In respect of such unincorporated
trading, literary, scientific, religious and other societies and
associations, the competent legislature is the State. In terms of
Entry 44 of List I, the Parliament will have jurisdiction only if the
F SGPC under the 1925 Act continues to be an inter-State entity.
The jurisdiction of the successor States either to repeal, modify
or enact a new law has not been restricted by the 1966 Act, though
it is a special law within the meaning of Articles 2, 3 and 4 of the
Constitution. The SGPC became inter-State body corporate not
because of Entry 44 List I but because of reorganisation of the
G territories of the erstwhile State of Punjab. Therefore, Entry 44
would have no applicability in respect of legislative competence
of the State of Haryana to enact the Haryana Act. [Para 48][1162-
E-H; 1163-A]
2.2 The 1966 Act as well as the 1957 Act confer power on
H the Central Government for smooth transition of new States
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1117
coming into existence as a consequence of the reorganization. A
There is no provision in the 1966 Act which confers legislative
power upon the Parliament in respect of the subjects over which
the State has legislative competence in terms of List II. Therefore,
the transitional provisions i.e., the 1966 Act or the 1957 Act do
not impinge upon the legislative competence of the State
B
legislature to enact a law on the subjects mentioned in the List
II. [Para 51][1163-F-G]
3. Whether, the impugned Act falls in List-III (Concurrent
List) Schedule VII, which required the assent of the President of
India as per Article 254(2) of the Constitution of India, and in the
absence of such assent, void? C
3.1 The impugned Haryana Act does not fall in Entry 28 of
List III of the Seventh Schedule. Entry 28 covers Charities and
charitable institutions, charitable and religious endowments and
religious institutions. In view of such Entry being in the concurrent
list, the State can legislate in respect of charities, charitable D
institutions, charitable and religious endowments and religious
institutions. The assent of the President would be necessary if
there is an existing statute and the State law is contrary to some
of the provisions of the Central law. The Haryana Committee is
the incorporation of a juristic entity which more appropriately E
falls within the domain of Entry 32 of List II. Though the Haryana
Committee is in respect of religious purpose, but the prime
intention is of an incorporation of a juristic entity to manage the
affairs of the Sikhs in the State. Thus, Entry 32 is wide enough to
include incorporation of such statutory entity. [Paras 52 and
53][1164-A-D] F
3.2 Even if it is assumed that the Haryana Act is in
furtherance of Entry 28 of List III, the same cannot be said to be
void for the reason that it has not been kept reserved for the
assent of the President. Such an argument is based upon the
reason that the 1925 Act is an inter-State legislation, therefore, G
the assent of the President is necessary. The 1925 Act was
originally an intra-State legislation enacted by the State legislature.
It subsequently became an inter-State body only by virtue of the
1966 Act. Since the power to legislate conferred on the State
legislature has not been affected in any manner, therefore, the H
1118 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A State would have power to legislate both under Entry 28 of List
III or Entry 32 of List II for the reason that the 1925 Act is not an
inter-State body corporate in respect of which the Parliament
incorporated such Board. [Para 54][1164-D-F]
4. Whether any fundamental rights of the petitioners under
B Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India are violated, so as
to entitle the petitioners to invoke the jurisdiction of this Court
under Article 32 of the Constitution?
4.1 The Haryana Act of 2014 is similar to the 1925 Act
having similar provisions of constituting a committee to manage
C the affairs under the Act. The Haryana Committee is the
Committee constituted under Section 3 of the Haryana Act for
the management and control of the Gurdwaras and Gurdwara
properties within the State of Haryana. The Gurdwara property
in terms of Section 2(f) of the Haryana Act means all movable and
immovable properties of a Gurdwara or any institution which,
D immediately before the appointed day, vested or was kept in
deposit in the name of any Board, Trust, Committee, Gurdwara
Management or was being regulated under the provisions of the
1925 Act. The members of the Committee have to be elected
from the eligible voters who is Amritdhari Sikh, a Sikh, and who
E is eighteen years of age, but not a Patit Sikh and is not an
insolvent, mentally retarded or an insane person. The co-option
is from the members of the community alone. Therefore, the
affairs of the religious minority in the State i.e., Sikhs is left in the
hands of the Sikhs alone in the same manner as was under the
1925 Act. The Haryana Act also provides for Haryana Sikh
F Gurdwara Judicial Commission in the same manner as is provided
under the 1925 Act. The affairs of the Gurdwara are again required
to be managed by local Gurdwara Committee. Since the affairs of
the Sikh minority in the State are to be managed by the Sikhs
alone, therefore, it cannot be said to be violative of any of the
G fundamental rights conferred under Articles 25 and 26 of the
Constitution. [Para 55][1164-H; 1165-A-D]
4.2 The writ petition is maintainable on the ground that the
said writ petitions have been pending before this Court for almost
H
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1119
8 years wherein an interim order has been in operation A
throughout. Additionally, the questions, being purely legal, have
been examined to give finality to the issues arising in the two
matters [Para 56][1165-E]
5. In Civil appeal no.6614 of 2022, the appellant was
appointed for five years as Additional Commissioner Gurdwara B
Elections on 29.8.2014. The post of Additional Commissioner
Gurdwara Elections was under the Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras
(Management) Act, 2014. The vires of the aforesaid Act stands
upheld by this Court. The appellant has not discharged any
functions in view of the stay by this Court. Therefore, the
appointment was rescinded. The appellant was appointed for a C
period of five years, even the term for which the appellant was
appointed has come to an end by afflux of time. Therefore, the
appellant has no subsisting cause in the present appeal. [Paras
59, 60 and 61][1165-H; 1166-A-B]
Sehajdari Sikh Federation Vs. Union of India & Ors. D
2011 SCC Online P&H 17374; Dayanand Anglo-Vedic
College Managing Committee v. The State of Punjab &
Ors. 1971 SCC OnLine P&H 257; Kashmir Singh v.
Union of India & Ors. 2002 SCC OnLine P&H 766 –
Approved . E
Union of India v. Rajendra N. Shah & Anr. 2021 SCC
OnLine SC 474 – held inapplicable.
Mullaperiyar Environmental Protection Forum v. Union
of India & Ors. (2006) 3 SCC 643 : [2006] 2 SCR 740
– Distinguished. F
Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla v. Punjab
University, Chandigarh & Ors. (1996) 11 SCC 411;
Kashmir Singh v. Union of India & Ors. (2008) 7 SCC
259 : [2008] 8 SCR 464; D.A.V. College, Etc. Etc. v.
State of Punjab & Ors. (1971) 2 SCC 269: [1971] G
Suppl. SCR 677 – relied on.
Smt. Swaran Lata v. Union of India & Ors. (1979) 3
SCC 165 : [1979] 2 SCR 953; Jagtar Singh v. State of
Punjab (1972) 1 SCC 171; Maa Vaishno Devi Mahila
H
1120 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A Mahavidyalaya v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors. (2013)
2 SCC 617 : [2012] 13 SCR 810; Nazir Ahmad v. The
King-Emperor AIR 1936 PC 253 (2); State of Kerala &
Ors. v. Kerala Rare Earth and Minerals Limited & Ors.
(2016) 6 SCC 323:[2016] 5 SCR 515 – referred to.
B Case Law Reference
[2016] 5 SCR 515 referred to Para 17
[2012] 13 SCR 810 referred to Para 22
(1996) 11 SCC 411 relied on Para 24
C [2008] 8 SCR 464 relied on Para 25
[1979] 2 SCR 953 referred to Para 34
(1972) 1 SCC 171 referred to Para 34
[1971] Suppl. SCR 677 relied on Para 36
D [2006] 2 SCR 740 distinguished Para 41
CIVIL ORIGINAL/APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Writ Petition
(Civil) No. 735 of 2014.
(UNDER ARTICLE 32 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA)
E With
Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1116 of 2019 and civil appeal no. 6614 of
2022.
K. M. Nataraj, ASG, Anil Grover, Gaurav Liberhan, Ajay Bansal,
AAGs, V. Giri, Rakesh Dwivedi, Ms. V. Mohana, Ranjit Kumar, Shyam
F
Divan, Sr. Advs., Sanchar Anand, Ms. Suveni Bhagat, Ms. Astha Prasad,
Shrirang B. Varma, Ritesh Khatri, Gagan Gupta, Ms. Shirin Khajuria,
Ms. Tanisha Samanta, Chetan Joshi, Ms. Sansriti Pathak, Anirudh Bakhru,
Rajat Nair, Anuj Srinivas Udupa, Nakul Chengappa K.K., A. K. Sharma,
Chitransh Sharma, Vinayak Sharma, Siddharth Batra, Ms. Archna Yadav,
G Ms. Shivani Chawla, Chinmay Dubey, Hemant Gupta, Deepak Thukral,
Sanjay Kumar Visen, Rahul Khurana, Suresh Kumar Bhan, Adith
Deshmukh, Ms. Payal Gupta, Sandeep Joshi, Alok Sharma, Udayaditya
Banerjee, Ajay Pal, R. K. Rathore, Ms. Ranjeeta Rohatgi, Sharad Kumar
Singhania, Vatsal Joshi, Bhuvan Kapoor, Varun Chugh, Arun Kumar,
Ms. Visaka Murty, G. S. Makkar, Sanchar Anand, Brij Kant Mishra,
H
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1121
Hitesh Kumar Sharma, Akhileshwar Jha, Ms. Kaveri Upadhyaya, Ms. A
Niharika Dwivedi, S. K. Rajora, Dr. Vipin Gupta, Abhinav Mukerji, Ms.
Bihu Sharma, Akshay C. Shrivastava, Ms. Pratishtha Vij, Gaurav Yadava,
Ms. Veena Bansal, Jasbir Singh Malik, Ms. Usha Nandini V., Vishwa
Pal Singh, Mrs. Kamaldeep Gulati, Arvind Kumar Sharma, Ms. Uttara
Babbar, Tushar Bakshi, Gurmeet Singh Makker, Deepak Goel, Advs.
B
for the appearing parties.
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
HEMANT GUPTA, J.
WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) NO. 735 OF 2014 AND WRIT
PETITION (CIVIL) NO. 1116 OF 2019 C
1. The above writ petitions are preferred challenging the Haryana
Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act, 20141, creating a separate juristic
entity for the management of historical Gurdwaras in the State of Haryana
mentioned in Schedule I; Gurdwaras having income of more than Rs.20
lakhs in Schedule II and the Gurdwaras having income of less than Rs.20 D
lakhs in Schedule III.
2. The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Haryana Sikh
Gurdwara Management Bill, 2014 (Bill No. 28-III A of 2014) provides
that the Bill is an earnest effort to provide a legal procedure by which
the Gurdwaras, owing to their origin and habitual use, regarded by the E
Haryana Sikhs as essentially pious places of worship, may be brought
effectively and permanently under the exclusive control of the Sikhs of
Haryana for their proper use, administration, control and financial
management reforms to make it consistent with the religious views of
the said community. It was pointed out that the Sikh Gurdwaras in the F
State are being governed by the provisions of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act,
19252 and the rules and regulations made thereunder, but in view of the
demands of the Sikhs in the State of Haryana which were examined by
two committees, it was decided to introduce the Bill in terms of powers
conferred under Article 246 read with Schedule VII, List II, Entry 32 of
the Constitution of India, as also in pursuance of Section 72 of the Punjab G
Reorganisation Act, 19663. It is thereafter, the Haryana Act was enacted
which came into force on 14.7.2014.
1
For short, the ‘Haryana Act’
2
For short, the ‘1925 Act’
3
For short, the ‘1966 Act’ H
1122 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A 3. The first writ petition has been filed by a resident of Haryana
and an elected representative of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak
Committee4 from Kurukshetra. The ground of challenge is that the
Haryana Act is against the constitutional provisions, the statutory
provisions of the 1966 Act and is also divisive in its intention to create
dissentions amongst the followers of the Sikh religion. The writ petition
B
was subsequently amended to challenge the Haryana Act on the ground
of infringement of fundamental rights conferred on the petitioner under
Part III of the Constitution. The second writ petition has been preferred
by the SGPC challenging the Haryana Act on almost similar grounds.
4. The State of Haryana and Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Managing
C Committee5 filed a counter affidavit controverting the stand of the
petitioner whereas respondent No. 3 – SGPC in the first writ petition
supported the petitioner and, in fact, filed an independent writ petition to
challenge the Haryana Act. The Union of India in its reply asserted that
while excluding the jurisdiction of the 1925 Act by the Haryana Act, it
D amounts to winding up of the Board constituted under the 1925 Act
whose functions necessarily fall under Entry 44 of List I. Therefore, the
contention that the State of Haryana had the jurisdiction to pass the
impugned Haryana Act in terms of Entry 32 of List II of Schedule VII
appears to be misplaced. It is the stand of the Union that only Parliament
has the exclusive power to enact law on the said subject. There is no
E justification for the Haryana State Legislature to have passed a law on
the same subject matter, taking away the jurisdiction of the Board
constituted under the 1925 Act.
5. It is submitted that the 1925 Act was enacted to provide for
better administration of certain Sikh Gurdwaras and for enquiries into
F matters and settlement of disputes connected therewith. The 1925 Act
received the assent of the Governor General on 28.7.1925 and was
published in the Punjab Gazette on 7.8.1925 and thereafter it came into
force on 1.11.1925. The 1925 Act extends to the territories which
immediately before 1.11.1956 were comprised in the State of Punjab
G and Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU). It is pointed out
that the management of every notified Sikh Gurdwara is required to be
administered by the Committee constituted thereof, the Board and the
Commission in accordance with the provisions of the Act. SGPC is the
4
For short, the ‘SGPC’
H 5
For short, the ‘Haryana Committee’
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1123
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
Board so constituted under Section 43. The Board consists of 170 elected A
members; the Head Ministers of the Darbar Sahib, Amritsar; Sri Akal
Takhat Sahib, Amritsar; Sri Takhat Keshgarh Sahib, Anandpur; Sri Takhat
Patna Sahib, Patna; Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded; and Sri Takhat Damdama
Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda, Punjab and 15 members who are
residents in India, of whom not more than 5 shall be residents of Punjab,
B
co-opted by the other members of the Board. The jurisdictional area of
the Act has been divided into 120 constituencies as there are 50 plural
constituencies, each returning 2 members for the election of 170
members. Furthermore, the 1925 Act envisages a scheme for the
administration and management of the property, endowments, funds and
income of the Gurdwaras as described in Section 85(1). For every such C
notified Sikh Gurdwara other than a Gurdwara specified in Section 85, a
Committee shall be constituted after it has been declared to be a Sikh
Gurdwara consisting of 5 members as provided under Section 87. The
Gurdwaras covered by the 1925 Act are spread over the present States
of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Union Territory of Chandigarh
and are being administered by the SGPC. D
6. It has also been mentioned that the States Reorganisation Act,
19566 increased the area of Punjab by inclusion of State of PEPSU.
However, the existing State of Punjab was thereafter reorganized on
linguistic basis in 1966 when the 1966 Act was enacted. The relevant
provisions of the 1966 Act read thus: E
“72(1) Save as otherwise expressly provided by the foregoing
provisions of this Part, where any body corporate constituted under
a Central Act, State Act or Provincial Act for the existing State of
Punjab or any part thereof serves the needs of the successor
States or has, by virtue of the provisions of Part II, become an F
inter-State body corporate, then, the body corporate shall, on and
from the appointed day continue to function and operate in those
areas in respect of which it was functioning and operating
immediately before that day, subject to such directions as may
from time to time be issued by the Central Government, until other
G
provision is made by law in respect of the said body corporate.
(2) Any direction issued by the Central Government under sub-
section (1) in respect of any such body corporate may include a
direction that any law by which the said body corporate is governed
6
For short, the ‘1956 Act’ H
1124 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A shall, in its application to that body corporate, have effect, subject
to such exceptions and modifications as may be specified in the
direction.
(3) For the removal of doubt it is hereby declared that the provisions
of this section shall apply also to the Punjab University constituted
B under the Punjab University Act, 1947, the Punjab Agricultural
University constituted under the Punjab Agricultural University
Act, 1961, and the Board constituted under the provisions of Part
III of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925.
xxx xxx xxx
C 88. The provisions of Part II shall not be deemed to have effected
any change in the territories to which any law in force immediately
before the appointed day extends or applies, and territorial
references in any such law to the State of Punjab shall until
otherwise provided by a competent Legislature or other competent
authority be construed as meaning the territories within that State
D
immediately before the appointed day.
89. For the purpose of facilitating the application in relation to the
State of Punjab or Haryana or to the Union Territory of Himachal
Pradesh or Chandigarh of any law made before the appointed
day, the appropriate Government may, before the expiration of
E two years from that day, by order, make such adaptations and
modifications of the law, whether by way of repeal or amendment,
as may be necessary or expedient, and thereupon every such law
shall have effect subject to the adaptations and modifications so
made until altered, repealed or amended by a competent
F Legislature or other competent authority.
Explanation- In this section, the expression “appropriate
Government” means-
(a) as respects any law relating to a matter enumerated in the
Union List, the Central Government; and
G (b) as respects any other law-
i) in its application to a State, the State Government,
and
ii) in its application to a Union Territory, the Central
Government.
H
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1125
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
90. (1) Notwithstanding that no provision or insufficient provision A
has been made under section 89 for the adaptation of a law made
before the appointed day, any court, tribunal or authority, required
or empowered to enforce such law may, for the purpose of
facilitating its application in relation to the State of Punjab or
Haryana, or to the Union Territory of Himachal Pradesh or
B
Chandigarh construe the law in such manner, without affecting
the substance, as may be necessary or proper in regard to the
matter before the court, tribunal or authority.
(2) Any reference to the High Court of Punjab in any law shall
unless the context otherwise requires be construed, on and from
the appointed day, as a reference to the High Court of Punjab and C
Haryana.”
7. It is stated that in terms of the provisions of Section 109 of the
1956 Act, the Inter-State Corporation Act, 1957 7 was enacted. The stand
of the Union is that as per Section 3 of the 1957 Act, the State
Governments were enabled to frame the scheme in respect of any inter- D
State Corporation functioning within the State, but the scheme had to be
forwarded to the Central Government. The Central Government after
consulting the State Government concerned may either approve the
scheme with or without modifications and give effect to the scheme so
approved under Section 4 of the 1957 Act. The Central Government had E
the power to include any body corporate constituted for a State for
functioning in two or more States of the Schedule. The 1925 Act came
to be incorporated in the Schedule in the 1957 Act vide notification dated
26.7.1972. Thus, it is the stand of the Union that only Central Government
could give directions with regard to functioning and operation of an inter-
state body corporate i.e., SGPC. F
8. Section 109 of the 1956 Act reads thus:
“109. General provision as to statutory corporations-(1) Save as
otherwise expressly provided by the foregoing provisions of this
Part, where any body corporate has been constituted under a G
Central Act, State Act or Provincial Act for an existing State or to
a new State, then, notwithstanding such transfer, the body corporate
shall, as from the appointed day, continue to function and operate
in those areas in respect of which it was functioning and operating
7
For short, the ‘1957 Act’ H
1126 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A immediately before that day, subject to such direction as may from
time to time be issued by the Central Government, until other
provisions is made by law in respect of the said body corporate.
(2) Any directions issued by the Central Government under sub-
section (1) in respect of any such body corporate shall include a
B direction that any law by which the said body corporate is governed
shall in its application to that body corporate have effect subject
to such exceptions and modifications as may be specified in the
direction.”
9. The relevant provisions of the 1957 Act read thus:
C “2. Definition - In this Act, “inter-State corporation” means any
body corporate constituted under any of the Acts specified in the
Schedule and functioning in two or more States by virtue of section
109 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, [or of any other
enactment relating to reorganisation of States].
D 3. Power of State Governments to frame schemes. – If it appears
to the Government of a State in any part of which an inter-State
corporation is functioning that the inter-State corporation should
be reconstituted and reorganized as, one or more inter-State
corporations or that it should be dissolved, the State Government
E may frame a scheme for such reconstitution and reorganisation
or such dissolution, as the case may be, including proposals
regarding the transfer of the assets, rights and liabilities of the
inter-State corporation to any other corporations or State
Governments and the transfer or re-employment of employees of
the inter-State corporation and forward the scheme to the Central
F Government.
4. Reorganisation of certain inter-State corporations.-(1) On receipt
of a scheme forwarded to it under section 3, the Central
Government may, after consulting the State Governments
concerned, approve the scheme with or without modifications and
G give effect to the scheme so approved by making such order as it
thinks fit.
(2) An order made under sub-section (1) may provide for all of
any of the following matters, namely:-
xx xx xx
H
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1127
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
(b) the reconstitution and reorganisation in any manner whatsoever A
of the inter-state corporation including the constitution, where
necessary of new corporation;
(c) the area in respect of which the reconstituted corporation or
new corporation shall function and operate;
(d) the transfer, in whole or in part, of the assets, rights and liabilities B
of the inter-State corporation (including the rights and liabilities
under any contract made by it) to any other corporations or State
Governments and the terms and conditions of such transfer;
xx xx xx
C
5. Power of Central Government to add to the Schedule. – The
Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette,
specify in the Schedule any Act under which a body corporate
constituted for a State is functioning in two or more States by
virtue of section 109 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, or of
any other enactment for the reorganisation of States, and on the D
issue of such notification, the Schedule shall be deemed to be
amended by the inclusion of the said Act therein.”
10. The State of Himachal Pradesh, respondent No. 6, took a
stand that the 1925 Act is applicable only for those areas which are
included in Himachal Pradesh under the 1966 Act. The single member E
constituency of the said areas of Himachal Pradesh has 23987 voters.
Therefore, there had been no issue either about conducting of election
for SGPC or managing of Gurdwaras under the existing legislation i.e.,
the 1925 Act and the Rules made thereunder. Thus, the State of Himachal
Pradesh is not contesting the petition. F
11. In the reply filed on behalf of the State of Punjab dated
24.8.2014, it has been averred that the power to make law in respect of
SGPC as an inter-State body corporate has been reserved to the Central
Government only. The relevant extract reads thus:
“The power to make law in respect of the SGPC as an Inter- G
State Body Corporate has been reserved to the Central
Government only and there is no provision in law for bifurcation
of the said Inter-State Body Corporate or replacement thereof by
enacting a State legislation.
xx xx xx H
1128 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A Thus in light of the above submissions, it is clear that SGPC is
firmly rooted as an inter-state body corporate and only Parliament
is empowered to legislate regarding inter-state corporations as
per Entry 44 of List-I of Schedule 7 to the Constitution of India.
The enactment of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management)
Act, 2014 in purported exercise of legislative competence under
B
Entry 32 of List-II of Schedule 7 is wholly unconstitutional and
trespasses into a field exclusively reserved for Parliamentary
legislation, in view of the Statutory Provisions referred above.”
12. A reference has been made to a Full Bench judgment of Punjab
and Haryana High Court in Sehajdhari Sikh Federation v. Union of
C India & Ors.8 in the counter affidavit. It was however pointed out that
the aforesaid judgment was the subject matter of challenge in an appeal
before this Court.
13. In the alternative, it was submitted that the legislative
competence was to be traced to Entry 28 of List-III of Schedule VII.
D Therefore, in the absence of assent of the President in terms of Article
254, the Haryana Act is directly in conflict with the existing law.
14. However, after the amendment of the first writ petition, an
additional affidavit was filed by the State of Punjab on 22.11.2019. It
was stated that after the affidavits were filed at the initial stage, there
E have been subsequent developments when the Parliament enacted Sikh
Gurdwara (Amendment) Act, 2016, amending Sections 49 and 92 of the
1925 Act with retrospective effect from 8.10.2003. It is pointed out that
challenge to the said amendment carried out by the Parliament is the
subject matter of challenge in Writ Petition No. 11978 of 2017 which is
F pending consideration before the High Court. It was averred that the
modification by the Central Government in terms of Section 72(1) of the
1966 Act is in relation to functioning and operating of the body corporate
i.e., SGPC. However, such power cannot be extended to amend the
statute or issuance of notifications from time to time. The relevant extract
from the additional affidavit reads thus:
G
“10. The Central Government has done so in exercise of its powers
of modification under Section 72(1) of the Punjab Re-organisation
Act, 1966. While Section 72(1) of the Punjab Re-organisation
Act, 1966 does indeed empower the Central Government to modify,
8
H 2012 (1) ILR Punjab and Haryana 347 : 2011 SCC OnLine P&H 17374
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1129
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
such power is confined to directions by the Central Government A
in relation to “the functioning and operating” of such body
corporate i.e. the Respondent No. 3. That such power is limited
to the functioning and operation of the SGPC, cannot extend to
amending the statute or that the issuance of such notifications
from time to time do not change the legislative character of the
B
Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925 (from a State legislation) to that of a
Parliamentary Legislation was conclusively held by the Hon’ble
Full Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the matter
of Sehajdari Sikh Federation Vs. Union of India (CWP 17771 of
2003 decided on 20th December 2011) (2012 (1) ILR (P&H) 347).
As stated earlier the appeal from the above judgment being Civil C
appeal 9334/2013 came to be disposed as infructuous in view of
Parliament enacting the Sikh Gurdwara (Amendment) Act, 2016
which in turn now is subject matter of challenge before the Hon’ble
High Court of Punjab and Haryana.
11. The present Respondent reiterates that State Legislation D
pertaining to the administration of Gurudwaras within a State (such
as the Sikh Gurudwaras Act, 1925 pertaining to Gurudwaras in
the State of Punjab) is strictly within the dominion of the State,
the power to enact or amend such State Legislation cannot be
usurped by Parliament and the contentions of the Petitioner and/
or the Respondent no. 3 in this regard are denied as misconceived. E
xx xx xx
13. There is a distinction between the Central Government’s power
to issue directions (for the above limited purpose) and the
competence of Parliament to legislate. The existence of one does F
not imply the existence of the other. The Petitioner and /or the
Respondent cannot contend that merely because the Central
Government has the power to pass directions, Parliament has the
sole power to legislate.
14. Furthermore, from a bare reading of the language of Section G
72, even such limited power of the Central Government to issue
directions would cease to exist when appropriate legislation is
passed by competent legislature in this regard.
xx xx xx
H
1130 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A 19. It is reiterated that State has the power to enact necessary
legislation as regards “religious and other societies and
association”- (List 2-Entry 32) and the Petitioner and/or
Respondent no. 3’s misplaced reliance on the provisions of Section
72 of the Punjab Reorganization Act 1966, and any perceived
omnibus power of Parliament to legislate /amend such statues,
B
especially in the light of the Sikh Gurudwara (Amendment) Act
2016, is misplaced.
20. In view of the above, it is most respectfully submitted that this
Hon’ble Court may kindly pass appropriate order upholding the
legislative competence of the State Legislature to enact/amend
C
legislation in relation to gurdwaras in their respective States.”
15. Mr. Rakesh Dwivedi, learned senior counsel for the petitioner
submitted that the Haryana Act is practically similar to the 1925 Act
except some contextual changes. The stand of the writ petitioner
Harbhajan Singh is that Section 72(1) of the 1966 Act provides that
D
where any body corporate constituted for the existing State of Punjab or
any part thereof by any Act of Centre, State or Province becomes an
Inter-State Corporation by virtue of Part II of the 1956 Act, then it shall
continue to operate in those areas in respect of which it was functioning
and operating immediately before that day, subject to such directions as
E may be issued by the Central Government, until other provision is
made by law in respect of it. Section 72(3) clarifies that this Section
shall apply to, inter alia, the Board constituted under Part III of the
1925 Act. While Part II (Sections 3-8) of the 1966 Act deals with
reorganisation of the State of Punjab, Part VII (Sections 67-77) deals
with State Electricity Board and State Warehouse Corporation which
F
provides that these are to continue, subject to Section 67 and directions
of the Central Government, but Section 67(4) enables the Government
of any of the successor States to constitute their own State Electricity
Board and State Warehouse Corporation. Section 69 makes similar
provisions for the Punjab State Financial Corporation and empowers the
G States of Punjab and Haryana to constitute their own State Financial
Corporation with the approval of Central Government. Section 70
provides a distinct procedure for co-operative societies specified in the
Fifteenth Schedule of the 1966 Act which become a multi-unit cooperative
society by inserting Section 5D in the Multi-Unit Cooperative Society
Act, 1942. Further, Section 73 deals with seven other corporations which
H
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1131
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
are to continue until otherwise provided for “in any law” or “in any A
agreement among the successor States” or “in any direction issued by
the Central Government”. Section 89 of the 1966 Act permits adaptations
in laws by the appropriate Government until the laws are altered, repealed
or amended by the competent legislature or the competent authority.
Explanation thereto provides that “appropriate Government” means the
B
Central Government in relation to matters enumerated in the Union List.
For rest, it is the State Government.
16. It is also submitted that Article 246 read with Entry 32 List II
of the Seventh Schedule and Section 72 of the 1966 Act cannot confer
power on the Haryana Legislative Assembly to make the impugned law.
The law is thus void, being outside the legislative competence of the C
Haryana Legislative Assembly. It is also averred that the impugned law
violates Article 26 of the Constitution of India as it purports to take out
specified Gurdwaras and the management of their properties from the
control of the Board under the 1925 Act.
17. It is argued that the States Reorganisation Act is a special D
kind of legislation enacted under Articles 2, 3 and 4 of the Constitution.
The Parliament alone is empowered to make such a law. The State of
Haryana can act only in accordance with the 1957 Act if it desires
reconstitution, reorganisation or dissolution of the Board constituted under
the 1925 Act. The only method prescribed under the Act to do so is to E
frame a scheme including proposals regarding transfer of assets of the
Board to any other corporation of its own, and thereafter forward the
same to the Central Government. The Central Government then under
Section 4 of the 1957 Act is required to pass an order approving the
scheme with such modifications as it may deem fit, after consulting the
other State Governments. It is also submitted that where a special F
procedure has been prescribed for doing a particular thing in a particular
manner, it must be done in that manner and not otherwise. Reference is
made to Privy Council judgment in Nazir Ahmad v. The King-Emperor9.
The said principle is again echoed in State of Kerala & Ors. v. Kerala
Rare Earth and Minerals Limited & Ors.10. Various other judgments G
have been referred to by Mr. Rakesh Dwivedi but there is no necessity
to quote them as the principle is well settled and established for many
decades.
9
AIR 1936 PC 253(2)
10
(2016) 6 SCC 323 H
1132 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A 18. It is submitted that the source of enactment of the Haryana
Act is Section 72 of the 1966 Act read with Entry 32, List II of the VII
Schedule. It is stated that Section 72 deals with body corporates
constituted under the Central Act, State Act or Provincial Act for the
existing State of Punjab. Such body corporate which has become an
inter-state body corporate is mandated to continue to function and operate
B
in those areas in respect of which it was functioning and operating
immediately before that day. The Central Government is empowered
under Section 72(1) to issue directions from time to time “until other
provision is made by law”. The State of Haryana is thus not competent
to make a law in respect of a body corporate which has become an
C inter-state body corporate. It is argued that the 1957 Act is a special law
made by the Parliament and not only Section 72 of the 1966 Act has to
be read along with the provisions of the 1957 Act, but the entire 1966
Act would have to be construed consistently with the provisions of the
1957 Act. The principle of generalia specialibus non derogant,
(General things do not derogate from the special things) would apply
D
in the event of any inconsistency or ambiguity. It is also submitted that
inter-state corporations or multi-state corporations would be covered by
Entry 44 of List I. Reference is made to a recent judgment of this Court
in Union of India v. Rajendra N. Shah & Anr.11.
19. It is averred that the Haryana Act is not creating a society or
E a corporation at State level but it seeks to curtail the jurisdiction of the
1925 Act, therefore, it is not an enactment with reference to Entry 32
List II. It is also contended that in fact, the Haryana Act adversely
impacts the unity of management of religious place of worship and takes
away the management of the Gurdwaras from the control of SGPC,
F thus, breaching the fundamental right guaranteed under Article 26. Hence,
the argument is that the Haryana Act violates the mandate of Articles
25 and 26 of the Constitution.
20. The SGPC challenged the Haryana Act, inter alia, on the
ground that the legislature of the State of Haryana has taken away the
G right of administration of Gurdwaras and its properties situated in the
State of Haryana from SGPC and handed it over to the Haryana
Committee. It is the stand of SGPC that it is running various charitable
activities in the State of Haryana i.e., schools, colleges, hospitals and
other religious institutions and also managing the Gurdwaras situated in
H 11
2021 SCC OnLine SC 474
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1133
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
the State of Haryana. SGPC thus has a fundamental right under Article A
26 to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable
purposes. It was stated as under:
“5. Under the Act of 1925, the SGPC became a legal institution of
the Sikhs for managing the Sikh Gurdwaras. It became the
supreme body of the Sikhs which was directly elected by the B
Sikhs to manage their religious affairs for themselves. It came to
be appropriately and rightly as a government within the government
or a mini parliament of the Sikhs. It’s working achievement and
contribution of the last almost hundred years clearly display, that
the SGPC has played a significant role in the affairs of the Sikhs,
and the Sikh community has great reverence for its efforts and C
contributions made for raising religious ands social issues
concerning the community, not only in India, but all over the world,
even dehorsit’s statutory enactment, i.e. Act of 1925.
6. …The Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Act, 2014 in
its objects and reasons specifically states that the Act of 2014 has D
been enacted for managing religious affairs including management
of Sikh Gurdwaras in the territorial jurisdiction of the State of
Haryana. It provides for division of property vested with the Board-
SGPC under the act of 1925 and thus, infringes Article 26 of the
Constitution of India…. E
7. It is submitted that Article 26(d) of the Constitution uses the
expression “in accordance with law”, it is trite to submit that the
word ‘law’ encompasses an Act and it has to be a valid piece of
legislation. This Hon’ble Court has held in the context of Article
26 that in matters of administration of property belonging to the F
religious denomination or section thereof, the secular authorities
can regulate the same in accordance with the law laid down by
the competent legislature. Although, only clause (d) of Article 26
uses the expression in accordance with law, however, the same
expression has to be read into all the clauses of Article 26, since,
it cannot be the case that state can meddle in the fundamental G
rights of freedom to manage religious affairs etc., without enacting
a valid piece of legislation, thus, violation of fundamental rights
under Article 26, as available to the SGPC and its elected members.
xx xx xx
H
1134 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A 9. It is also submitted that this Hon’ble Court has held in context
of various Articles of the Constitution that the law must be a valid
law. Article 25(2) of the Constitution permits the state for making
any law regulating or restricting any economic, financial, political
or other secular activities, which may be associated with religious
practice, and the similar logic as stated hereinabove in regard to
B
validity of law on the touchstone of competence of legislature
would be applicable on all fours in regard to provisions of Article
25(2) as well. Further, this logic would be applicable even to
provisions of Article 13 as well.”
21. It is contended that the State of Haryana relies upon Entry 32,
C List II of the Seventh Schedule, whereas, the SGPC under the 1925 Act
is an inter-state body corporate covered by Entry 44 of List I. The two
entries read thus:
D
E
22. Since the object of SGPC is not confined to one State, therefore,
Haryana State legislature is not competent to enact law. In respect of
Entry 32, it is stated that it refers to only those corporations which are
based within the territories of a particular state whereas the inter-state
F corporations covered under Entry 44 of List I are excluded from the
operation of Entry 32 of List II. The 1957 Act is a special statute regulating
inter-state corporations and it has been enacted under Articles 2 and 3
of the Constitution of India read with Entry 44 of List I of the Seventh
Schedule, therefore, legislature of Haryana could not have enacted the
G Haryana Act in violation of the 1957 Act. Reference was made to a
judgment of this Court reported as Maa Vaishno Devi Mahila
Mahavidyalaya v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors.12. Thus, it is argued
that the provisions of Section 72(1) read with Section 72(3) of the 1966
12
H (2013) 2 SCC 617
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1135
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
Act specifically deal with inter-state corporate body like SGPC, and the A
legislature for the State of Haryana has made an incompetent Act. In
view of Section 88 of the 1966 Act, the 1925 Act which was applicable
prior to the appointed day continued to function and operate in the States
of Punjab, Haryana, parts of Himachal Pradesh and U.T. Chandigarh.
23. The argument on behalf of the State of Haryana or on behalf B
of the Haryana Committee is that this Court vide its order dated 29.3.2022
while holding the maintainability of the present writ petition before this
Court held that two aspects need to be examined; first, whether any
fundamental right of the petitioner is invaded or violated and, second,
unless and until violation of the fundamental right of the petitioner is
found, this Court need not go into the question of vires of the impugned C
Act.
24. Reliance is placed upon a Full Bench judgment of the Punjab
and Haryana High Court reported as Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College
Managing Committee v. The State of Punjab & Ors.13 to contend
that Panjab University, an inter-State body corporate by virtue of Section D
72 of the 1966 Act was to continue its functions and operations subject
to the directions issued by the Central Government. The directions could
be issued for a limited period i.e., until other provision was made by law
in respect of Panjab University. Reliance is also placed upon Himachal
Pradesh University, Shimla v. Punjab University, Chandigarh & E
Ors.14 wherein this Court held that the institutions and properties which
were situated in Himachal Pradesh of the Panjab University, being an
inter-state corporation, were succeeded by the University of the
successor State insofar as its functioning and operation at Shimla was
concerned. It is, thus, sought to be contended that the irretrievable
conclusion is that the 1956 Act was only a transitional provision. It is F
submitted as under:
“1. The Impugned Act is pari materia to the Sikh Gurdwara Act,
1925. As per Chapter-II – ‘The Committee’ of the Impugned
Act, a committee by the name of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara
Committee (Respondent No. 5) has been established for the proper G
management and control of the Sikh Gurdwaras situated in
jurisdiction of the State of Haryana. As per Section 4 –
13
1971 SCC OnLine P&H 257
14
(1996) 11 SCC 411 H
1136 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A ‘Composition of Committee’, the committee consists of 40
members who are elected from various wards from the State of
Haryana. This scheme grants the Impugned Act a democratic
framework as every person is given a fair say in the management
of religious affairs.
B 2. The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 was passed by the
Parliament under Article 3 of the Constitution of India to
facilitate reorganisation of the existing State of Punjab and for
matters connected therewith. Section 72 of the 1966 Act was
enacted to make general provisions for such bodies corporate for
which no provision had been made in other parts of the Act.
C
3. Section 72(1) starts with the words “Save as otherwise
expressly provided by the foregoing provisions of this Part”.
It further specifically mentions that the Central Government has
the power to issue directions qua the corporation “until other
provision is made by law in respect of the said body corporate”.
D Section 72(3) specifically provides that the provision of this section
shall apply to the “Board constituted under the provisions of
Part III of the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925.”
4. The Inter-State Corporation Act, 1957 was enacted as per
Section 109 of the State Reorganisation Act, 1956 as a transitional
E provision for the purpose of reconstitution/dissolution/
reorganisation of certain corporations functioning in two or more
States. The statement of purpose of the 1957 Act is “this was
only intended to be a transition provision”.
25. Reference is also made to five-Judges Bench judgment of the
F Punjab and Haryana High Court in Kashmir Singh v. Union of India
& Ors.15 which was affirmed by this Court in a judgment reported as
Kashmir Singh v. Union of India & Ors.16 to contend that the State
legislature is competent to enact a law in respect of the 1925 Act when
the State of Punjab nominated members to the Judicial Commission
G constituted under the 1925 Act.
26. The 1925 Act is a State Act. It was enacted by Punjab
Provincial Council. The State of Punjab has amended this 1925 Act
15
2002 SCC OnLine P&H 766 : ILR (2003) 1 P&H 345. For short, Kashmir Singh - I
16
H (2008) 7 SCC 259. For short, Kashmir Singh - II
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1137
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
thirty times from the date of its passing in 1925 upto 1966. Entry 32 of A
List II specifically includes the power of the State Legislature to make
laws in relation to incorporation, regulation and winding up of corporations,
other than those specified in List I. The State is competent to frame
laws in respect of universities, unincorporated trading, literary, scientific
“religiousand other societies” and associations. This express power
B
has not been conferred on the Parliament under Entry 44, List I. It is
also contended that the Haryana Act is not covered by Entry 28 of List
III i.e., charities and charitable institutions, charitable and religious
endowments and religious institutions. It is contended that endowments
are in essence properties, whether movable or immovable, designated to
be used for a specific purpose which would fall within Entry 28 of List C
III of the Seventh Schedule but the corporations are legal entities that
can sue and be sued which are covered by Entry 32 of List II.
27. The State of Punjab in its written submissions has asserted
that it is an undisputed fact that the 1925 Act is an act of State legislature.
It was enacted for the administration of certain Sikh Gurdwaras within D
the State of Punjab as it then existed and thereafter various amendments
have been made to it by the Punjab Legislature. It is only due to Section
72 of the 1966 Act that the Board under the 1925 Act became an inter-
state corporation, which was only a temporary measure until law is made
by the competent legislature. It was asserted as follows:
E
“3. From the date of enactment of the Constitution of India, the
State of Punjab adopted the 1925 Act and since then the Punjab
Legislative Assembly has been making amendments to the 1925
Act. It was only after the 1966 Act was passed, the power to
issue direction was granted to the Central Government by the
virtue of Section 72 of the 1966 Act. The power to make F
amendment was temporarily shifted to the Parliament till the time
the Successor States came up with their own laws.
4. It is essential to note that shift of power was only transitional in
nature, and the Central Government was given the power to merely
issue directions. The Full Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High G
Court while deciding CWP No. 17771/2003 vide judgment dated
20.12.2011 in the matter of Sehajdari Sikh Federation Vs. Union
of India 2012 (1) ILR (P&H) 347 negated the power of the
Central Government to amend the Sikh Gurudwaras Act 1925, by
way of notification. H
1138 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A 5. It is stated that the 1925 Act was indisputably conceived as a
State Act. The Respondent No.3-SGPC is a creation of Section
40 of the 1925 Act. Section 40 inter alia read with the preamble of
the 1925 Act provides that Respondent No. 3 is a Board constituted
for the better administration of certain/notified Sikh
Gurudwaras and for enquiries into matters and settlement of
B
disputes connected therewith. Section 42(3) grants on to the
Respondent No.3 the status of a “body corporate”.
6. After the passing of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 (in
short “1956 Act”) and the 1966 Act, the Central Government has
by notification from time to time “modified” the provisions of
C
Section 85 (Constitution of committees of management of certain
gurdwaras) of the 1925 Act to amend/add such list of notified
Sikh Gurudwaras whose management would be supervised by
the Respondent No.3.
7. The Central Government has done so in exercise of its powers
D
of modification under Section 72(1) of the 1966 Act. While Section
72(1) of the 1966 Act does indeed empower the Central
Government to modify, such power is confined to directions by
the Central Government in relation to “the functioning and
operating” of such body corporate i.e. the Respondent No.3. That
E such power is limited to the functioning and operation of
the SGPC, cannot extend to amending the statute or that
the issuance of such notifications from time to time do not
change the legislative character of the 1925 Act (from a
State legislation) to that of a Parliamentary Legislation. This
position was conclusively settled by the Hon’ble Full Bench of
F
the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the matter of Sehajdari
Sikh Federation case (Supra).
8. The present Respondent reiterates that State Legislation
pertaining to the administration of Gurudwaras within a State
(such as the Sikh Gurudwaras Act, 1925 pertaining to
G
Gurudwaras in the State of Punjab) is strictly within the
dominion of the State, the power to enact or amend such
State Legislation cannot be usurped by Parliament and
the contentions of the Petitioner and/or the Respondent No.3
in this regard are not maintainable.
H
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1139
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
9. Section 72 of the 1966 Act cannot be read against a State A
Government in the manner in which the Petitioner and/or the
Respondent No.3 are now proceeding to do so. The power of the
Central Government in terms of Section 72 is limited to the passing
of directions relating to the functioning and operating of Respondent
No.3.
B
10. Furthermore, from a bare reading of the language of Section
72, even such limited power of the Central Government to issue
directions would cease to exist when appropriate legislation is
passed by competent legislature in this regard.
11. Moreover amending/enacting the legislation pertaining to the C
administration of Gurudwaras within a State (such as the Sikh
Gurudwaras Act, 1925 pertaining to the Gurudwaras in the State
of Punjab) is within the legislative domain of the State and such
power to enact or amend such State Legislation cannot be usurped
by the Parliament. It is submitted that State has the power to D
enact necessary legislation as regards “religious and other societies
and association” (List-2, Entry 32) and the petitioner and/or
Respondent No.3’s misplaced reliance on the provisions of Section
72 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 and any perceived
omnibus power of Parliament to legislate/amend such statutes is
misplaced. E
12. Reliance on Entry No.44 of List I to the 7th Schedule which
pertains to “incorporation, regulation and winding up of
corporations” cannot be placed as there is no legislation at hand,
which deals with the incorporation, regulation or the winding up
of the Respondent No.3 [even assuming without admitting that F
the Respondent No.3 is a corporation envisaged under Entry 44
List 1, which it is not].
13. The Respondent No.3 is a creation of and continues to owe
its legal position, existence and functioning to Section 39-42 of the
G
1925 Act which is a State Legislation enacted by a State Legislature
in terms of the Entry 32 of List II and not by the Parliament.
Entry 4 List 1 does not even relate to or mention such “Inter State
Corporations”. Rather it pertains to the “incorporation,
regulation and winding up of corporations”.
H
1140 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A 28. In the light of arguments addressed and/or submitted, we find
the following questions arise for consideration:
(i) Whether any fundamental rights of the petitioners under
Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India are violated,
so as to entitle the petitioners to invoke the jurisdiction of
B this Court under Article 32 of the Constitution?
(ii) Whether Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966
and Sections 3 and 4 of the Inter-State Corporation Act,
1957 were transitional provisions to meet the immediate
requirement of the issues arising out of creation of separate
C States?
(iii) Whether the impugned enactment (Haryana Act) falls
within the legislative competence of the Haryana State
Legislature or does it fall under Entry 44 of List I of the
Seventh Schedule of the Constitution?
D (iv) Whether the Impugned Act falls in List-III (Concurrent List)
of Schedule VII, which required the assent of the President
of India as per Article 254(2) of the Constitution of India,
and in the absence of such assent, void?
29. We will take up Question Nos. (ii), (iii), and (iv) first and
E thereafter advert to Question No. (i).
Question No. (ii) - Whether Section 72 of the Punjab
Reorganisation Act, 1966 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Inter-state
Corporation Act, 1957 were transitional provisions to meet the
immediate requirement of the issues arising out of creation of
F separate States?
30. The writ petitioners, SGPC and the Union have taken one line
of argument that the Haryana State Legislature does not have any power
to legislate in respect of an inter-state corporation which is evident from
the reading of sub-section (3) of Section 72 of the 1966 Act. In respect
G of such inter-state body, it is averred that the Central Government alone
is the competent authority to issue directions in terms of sub-section (1)
of Section 72 of the 1966 Act. Alternatively, the right of the State of
Haryana is to frame a scheme in terms of the provisions of Section 3 of
the 1957 Act and forward it to the Central Government for its
consideration and approval, with or without modifications. Mr. Nataraj
H
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1141
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
pointed out that Section 3, as referred to by the learned counsel for the A
parties, is not factually correct. If an inter-State corporation is required
to be reconstituted and reorganized as one or more ‘intra-State
corporations’, or that it has to be dissolved, the State of Haryana was
expected to frame a scheme for the reconstitution and reorganization to
have intra-State management of Gurdwaras in the State of Haryana.
B
31. The State of Haryana, Haryana Committee and State of Punjab
have taken one stand and argued that power to legislate the impugned
Haryana Act is not with the parliament but with the State, i.e., State of
Haryana. It was argued that the 1957 Act was enacted in pursuance of
Section 109 of the 1956 Act which is also mentioned in the Preamble of
C
the said Act, and was intended to be a transitional provision as mentioned
in the Statement of Objects and Reasons when the Bill leading to the
enactment of 1957 Act was introduced. Section 109 of the 1956 Act is
to the effect that where any body corporate has been constituted under
a Central Act, State Act or Provincial Act for an existing State, the
whole or any part of which is by virtue of Part II transferred to any D
existing State or to a new State, then, from the appointed day, continue
to function and operate in those areas in respect of which it was
functioning and operating immediately before that day. Such functioning
is subject to such direction as may from time to time be issued by the
Central Government, until other provision is made by law in respect of
E
such body corporate.
32. The 1957 Act is a statute to empower the Central Government
to issue directions from time to time so that on account of creation of
separate States, such statutory bodies in the new States can function
smoothly. It defines the “inter-State corporation” as any body corporate
F
constituted under any of the Acts specified in the Schedule and functioning
in two or more States by virtue of Section 109 of the 1956 Act. As
mentioned above, the 1925 Act came to be inserted in the Schedule in
the year 1972. Therefore, in respect of such inter-State corporations,
the Central Government could issue directions in terms of the 1957 Act
only to give effect to the reorganisation of States so that the inter-state G
entity is able to function and discharge the statutory mandate in the
States so constituted. Such directions were transitional in nature so that
the functioning of inter-State corporations is not obstructed or curtailed
on account of reorganisation of the States. Neither the 1956 Act nor the
1966 Act nor the 1957 Act has taken away the legislative competence
H
1142 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A of the States to legislate on the subjects which finds mention in List II of
the Seventh Schedule and/or in respect of matters falling in List III of
the Seventh Schedule in the manner prescribed.
33. The 1956 Act or the 1966 Act empowers the Central
Government to issue directions to make the inter-state entity functional,
B but the Central Government has not been empowered to legislate in
respect of such inter-State bodies which came to be operational in one
or more States due to the reorganisation of the States.
34. The issue has been examined firstly by this Court in a judgment
reported as Smt. Swaran Lata v. Union of India & Ors.17 wherein, in
C respect of Union Territory of Chandigarh, the question arose as to whether
the post of a Principal, Government Central Crafts Institute for Women
was a deputation post and required to be filled up by the Chandigarh
Administration only by an officer on deputation, or could it also be filled
up by appointment of a suitable candidate by advertising the post through
the Union Public Service Commission. The argument was raised that in
D terms of Section 84 of the 1966 Act, the post in question, admittedly
under the control of the Administrator, Chandigarh Administration, stands
circumscribed by the terms of the directions issued by the Central
Government under Section 84 of the Act. This Court relied upon Jagtar
Singh v. State of Punjab18 to hold that the instructions issued under
E Section 84 of the 1966 Act were supplemental, incidental or consequential
provisions under the reorganisation of the States. Such instructions are
binding on the State Governments of Punjab and Haryana as also on the
Chandigarh Administration. This Court in Swaran Lata thus held as
under:
F “35. These instructions were in conformity with the earlier decision
of the Government of India Ministry of Home Affairs conveyed
by the letter of the Chief Secretary to the Government of erstwhile
State of Punjab dated August 9, 1966 stating that the Government
had set up a committee headed by Sri v. Shankar, ICS. for the
finalisation of the proposals of the Departmental Committees in
G regard to the allocation of the personnel to the reorganised States
of Punjab and Haryana and the Union territory of Chandigarh. In
regard to the Union territory of Chandigarh, the decision of the
Government of India was in these terms:
17
(1979) 3 SCC 165
H 18
(1972) 1 SCC 171
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1143
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
“It may be presumed that personnel for the Union territory of A
Chandigarh will be provided on deputation by the two States
of Punjab and Haryana.”
The aforesaid instructions issued under Section 84 of the Act were
supplemental, incidental or consequential provisions for the
reorganisation of the States. The instructions were binding on the B
State Governments of Punjab and Haryana as also on the
Chandigarh Administration in the matter of integration of services:
Jagtar Singh v. State of Punjab [(1972) 1 SCC 171].
37. It seems to us that for a proper determination of the question,
it is necessary first of all to formulate as clearly as possible the C
precise nature and the effect of the directions issued by the Central
Government under Section 84 of the Punjab Re-organisation Act,
1966, which reads:
“84. Power of Central Government to give directions.—
The Central Government may give such directions to the State D
Governments of Punjab and Haryana and to the Administrators
of the Union Territories of Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh
as may appear to it to be necessary for the purpose of giving
effect to the foregoing provisions of this Part and the State
Governments and the Administrators shall comply with such
directions.” E
The use of the words “for the purpose of giving effect to the
foregoing provisions of this part” clearly curtails the ambit of the
section. The directions that the Central Government issues
under the section are only for a limited purpose i.e. for the
implementation of the scheme for the reorganisation of F
services. When the process relating to integration of services
as envisaged by the supplemental, incidental or consequential
provisions for reorganisation of services under a law made
by the Parliament in exercise of its power under Articles 2, 3
and 4 of the Constitution is completed, such an incidental G
provision like Section 84 necessarily ceases to have effect.”
(Emphasis supplied)
35. The directions from the Central Government are only for a
limited purpose i.e., for implementation of the scheme for reorganisation
of the services. It was held that when the process relating to integration H
1144 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A of services in exercise of powers of the Parliament under Articles 2, 3
and 4 of the Constitution is completed, such an incidental provision like
Section 84 necessarily ceases to have effect. It may be noticed that
the question of directions arose in respect of filling up of the post of
Principal vide advertisement published by the Union Public Service
Commission on 1.2.1975. Since there were no statutory rules framed
B
in respect of Chandigarh Administration in terms of proviso to Article
309, it was held that directions of the Central Government are binding,
Chandigarh being a Union Territory. Though the said judgment is in
respect of Section 84 of the 1966 Act, but ratio of the said judgment is
applicable in respect of inter-state entities covered by Section 72 of
C the 1966 Act as well.
36. This Court in a judgment reported as D.A.V. College, Etc.
Etc. v. State of Punjab & Ors.19 was examining 14 writ petitions filed
by many colleges managed and administered by Dayanand Anglo Vedic
College (D.A.V. College) Trust. The challenge was against certain
D provisions of the Guru Nanak University, Amritsar, Act 1969 (Act no 21
of 1969). In pursuance of the provisions of the Act, a notification dated
16.3.1970 was published specifying the districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur,
Jullundur and Kapurthala in the State of Punjab as the areas in which
the Guru Nanak University, Amritsar shall exercise its powers and
discharge its duties. This Court held that the impugned statute does not
E affect the fundamental rights of the petitioners, therefore, the question
of legislative competence or deciding the validity of Section 5 of the
1969 Act did not arise. This Court held as under:
“49. This being the legal position in our view when once an
impugned law does not affect the fundamental rights of the
F petitioners as in this case we have founded it to be so, it is not
necessary to go into the question of legislative competence or to
decide on the validity of Section 5.
50. We have therefore no hesitation in holding that the notification
under which the colleges have been affiliated to the Universities
G is legally valid and from the date specified therein petitioners
colleges cease to be affiliated to the Punjab University. In the
result these petitions are allowed to the extent that clause 2(1)(a)
and clause 17 of Chapter V of the statutes are struck down as
19
H (1971) 2 SCC 269
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1145
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
affecting the fundamental rights of the petitioners, but in the A
circumstances without costs.”
37. After the aforesaid judgment, the petitioners filed a writ petition
before the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Dayanand Anglo-Vedic
College Managing Committee challenging the Act on the ground of
lack of territorial nexus since the Panjab University is located at B
Chandigarh, outside the territory of Punjab. It may be noticed at this
stage that the Panjab University and the Board constituted under the
1925 Act falls under sub-section (3) of Section 72 of the 1966 Act. It
was held that the power of Central Government to issue directions was
for a limited period i.e., till other provision was made by law in respect of
C
Panjab University. It was held as under:
“4..........................On the appointed day and immediately before
that, various colleges were affiliated to that University which were
situate in, the successor States of Punjab and Haryana, Union
Territory of Chandigarh and the Union Territory of Himachal
D
Pradesh, to which certain areas of the Punjab had been transferred.
It was, therefore, provided in section 72 that the Panjab University
was to continue to function and operate in those areas in respect
of which it was functioning and operating immediately before the
appointed day in order not to deprive the successor States of the
educational facilities immediately on the re-organisation of the E
erstwhile State of Punjab. The continuity of the Punjab University
was desirable in the interest of the successor States but the Panjab
University was to serve those successor States only till they made
any other provision for appropriate education in their own territories
under Entry 11 of List II in the Seventh Schedule to the
F
Constitution. Till any successor State took action by law in this
behalf, the Panjab University was to continue its functions and
operations subject to the directions issued by the Central
Government. The power of the Central Government to issue
directions was for a limited period, that is, till other provision
was made by law in respect of the Panjab University. If the G
successor States desired the Panjab University to continue as
before in their territories, there was no necessity for them to make
any provision by enacting a law on the subject but in order to
avoid conflict amongst the successor States over the functioning
of the Panjab University, the power to issue directions with
H
1146 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A regard to the said University was rightly given to the Central
Government, so that the University should continue to function
and operate fairly and justly in the areas in which it was
operating and functioning before the appointed day. In my
view if it was intended that other provision by law was also to
be made by the Central Government, the Parliament would
B
have clearly stated so in section 72 instead of saying “until
other provision is made by law in respect of the said body
corporate.” For the issuance of the directions, the authority
is expressly mentioned as the Central Government but the
Parliament has not been mentioned as the Legislature to enact
C the law making other provision. While interpreting section 72,
we have not to confine ourselves only to the Act but to all such
bodies corporate which were intra State prior to the appointed
day and because of the re-organisation of the erstwhile State of
Punjab became inter-State bodies corporate on and after the
appointed day. The first part of sub-section (1) of section 72 clearly
D
points out that the Parliament was making the provision in section
72 with regard to the bodies corporate which had been constituted
under a Central Act, State Act or Provincial Act and that is why
the legislative authority for making a law in respect of these bodies
corporate was not specified. It may be for the reason that with
E regard to the bodies corporate constituted under a Central
Act, the Parliament was the appropriate Legislature to make
the law while with regard to the Corporations constituted under
any State Act or a Provincial Act, the State Legislature was to
be the appropriate Legislature. Education including Universities
is a State subject as per entry 11 in List II of the Seventh Schedule
F
to the Constitution and the Panjab University was incorporated
under a Panjab Act. Till the re-organisation of the erstwhile State
of Punjab, it continued to function according to the provisions of
the said Act. It cannot be imagined that with regard to all inter-
State bodies corporate which were constituted under any State or
G Provincial Act, the jurisdiction to make any other provision by law
was taken over by the Parliament itself. These bodies corporate
were and are to function and operate for the people of a particular
State and have to cater to their needs. Their needs are expressed
by their elected representatives and, therefore. It cannot be
assumed that the Parliament wanted to deprive the successor
H
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1147
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
States of an important field of their legislation with regard to A
education which is absolutely necessary for the development and
progress of any State.
xx xx xx
Every State can make laws with regard to education and
universities within its State and can control and regulate their B
functions and operations therein irrespective of the location of the
seat of the University. What has to be seen is that the subject-
matter of the legislation falls within the jurisdiction of the State
Legislature and if that be so, it can affect all persons and institutions
within the State to which it may be applied. In my opinion, therefore, C
the mere fact that the Panjab University is located at Chandigarh,
which is outside the territory of the Punjab State, does not debar
the Punjab State Legislature from enacting a law affecting the
functions and operations of the Panjab University within its own
territory.
D
xx xx xx
6.....................It is, therefore, submitted that while enacting section
72 of the Punjab Re-organisation Act, the Parliament intended to
amend entry 11 in List II of the Seventh Schedule to the
Constitution by taking Panjab University out of the said List and E
to vest the power of legislation with regard thereto in the
Parliament, thereby impliedly amending Articles 245 and 246 of
the Constitution. In view of what I have said above, this submission
has no force. The Parliament did not specify the law as meaning
the law made by it. All that it said was “until other provision is
made by law in respect of the body corporate”. I have F
interpreted the word “law” in that sentence to mean the law
made by the appropriate Legislature, that is, with regard to the
bodies corporate constituted under any Central Act or qua
which legislation is to be made on a subject enumerated in List
I of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution, the law had to be G
made by the Parliament, but in respect of a body corporate
constituted under a State or a Provincial Act, wherein the subject
of legislation was to be found in List II of the Seventh Schedule
to the Constitution, the appropriate Legislature to make the
law is to be the State Legislature............................. The power
H
1148 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A to issue directions with regard to the Panjab University which
was given to the Central Government by section 72 was essentially
for a limited period, that is, till the Legislature of the appropriate
State made a provision with regard to the functioning and operation
of the Panjab University within its own area. It cannot, therefore,
be said that section 72 of the Punjab Re-organisation Act
B
effectuated an amendment of Articles 245 and 246 and entry 11
in List II of Seventh Schedule to the Constitution with regard to
the Panjab University. It is not only the Panjab University that is
governed by section 72 of the Punjab Re-organisation Act, but
many other bodies corporate constituted under any Central, State
C or Provincial Act, which were intra State in operation before the
appointed day and became inter-State bodies corporate because
of the re-organisation.”
(Emphasis supplied)
38. Before the Full Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court
D
in Sehajdhari Sikh Federation, the issue was about the validity of the
notification dated 8.10.2003 inserting a proviso to Sections 49 and 92 of
the 1925 Act to the effect that no person shall be registered as an elector
who trims or shaves his beard or keshas, smokes, and takes alcoholic
drinks. The High Court held that in terms of Section 72 of the 1966 Act,
E the Central Government cannot issue a direction which has the effect of
modifying the statute i.e., the 1925 Act. The High Court thus struck
down the notification holding that Section 72 of the 1966 Act empowers
the Central Government to issue directions pertaining to functioning and
operation of an inter-State body corporate (the Board i.e., SGPC) in the
areas where it was functioning or operating immediately before 1st
F
November, 1966; any tangible material or a fact-finding enquiry
established the factum of such obstruction or difficulty; the cases(s) of
such obstruction or difficulty originated out of the ‘law’, namely, the
1925 Act under which the Board was established; and the obstruction or
difficulty, if any, acknowledged by the Central Government could be
G removed by ‘modifying’ the 1925 Act or an ‘amendment’ in that Act
was necessitated. It was held that Section 72(2) of the 1966 Act does
not empower the Central Government to modify Central Act, State Act,
Provincial Act so as to amend such Acts. Consequently, the notification
dated 8.10.2003 was quashed. However, certain findings returned by
the Full Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in respect of
H
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1149
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
scope of Section 72 of the 1966 Act are relevant for the purposes of the A
present writ petition which read as under:
“67. The scope of supplemental, incidental and consequential
provisions has been authoritatively resolved in Mangal Singh
laying down that Articles 2 & 3 empower the Parliament to form
new States conforming to the “democratic pattern envisaged by B
the Constitution”, and that the power, which the Parliament may
exercise by law, is supplemental, incidental or consequential to
the admission, establishment or formation of a State as
contemplated by the Constitution and ‘is not a power to override
the Constitutional scheme’. The democratic polity engrafted and
integrated in our Constitutional scheme, postulates a separate C
Legislative Assembly and/or Council, representation in Parliament,
a High Court & subordinate Judiciary, and its own Consolidated
Fund etc. for every State. It is thus obligatory on the Parliament
while forming a new State by exercise of law, to add such
supplemental, incidental and consequential provisions in the D
Reorganization Act that all the ingredients of a ‘State’ as perceived
by the Constitution are brought into existence.
xx xx xx
70. We find it wholly illogical to say that an action taken by the
Executive as a delegate under the re-organization law becomes a E
part of the Constitution. Since a re-organization law itself is the
creation of the Constitution, an administrative or quasi-judicial
action taken thereunder cannot be equated even to a degree with
any provision of the Constitution. The converse proposition
propounded on behalf of the contesting respondents must be F
rejected also for the reason that it attempts to dilute the supremacy
of our Constitution.
xx xx xx
75. The unambiguous object of the 1966 Act is firstly to : reorganize
the erstwhile State of Punjab; form the new States of Punjab, G
Haryana and Union Territory of Chandigarh; transfer certain areas
of Punjab to Himacal Pradesh and establish a democratic set-up
in the newly formed States comprising representation in their
respective Legislatures and delimitation of the constituencies; a
common High Court; authorization of expenditure and distribution
H
1150 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A of revenues and apportionment of assets and liabilities etc. Part-
VU relates “to certain Corporations” whereas Part-VIII deals
with the management of Bhakra-Nangal-Beas Projects and
allocation of members of All India Services & other Services.
Lastly. Part-X of the Act enlists legal and miscellaneous provisions.
The 1966 Act is thus a complete code in itself which is in conformity
B
with the Constitutional scheme and includes supplemental, incidental
and consequential provisions to resolve all the foreseen or
unforeseen issues that may arise due to the re-organization of
erstwhile State of Punjab.
xx xx xx
C
82. It appears to us that the power under Section 72 cannot be
invoked to issue directions or cause ‘exceptions’ or to ‘modify’
those Central, Provincial or State Acts which are alien to Part
VII and have no bearing on giving effect to the re-organisational
scheme propounded by the 1966 Act. Section 72 is only one
D amongst several other components of Part VII. While the other
provisions (of Part VII) like Sections 67 to 71 deal with specific
Boards, Corporation(s) and institution(s), Section 72 is an omnibus
provision to regulate the ‘functioning’ and ‘operation’ of the
remainder, who either serve the needs of the successor States or
E have become inter-State body corporates. The legal boundaries,
wide or restricted, determined for exercising the powers under
Section 72 shall mutatis-mutandis apply to the other provisions
of Part VII also.
83. Section 72 comprises four parts and is essentially a
F ‘consequential’ provision added by Parliament to deal with those
unspecified juristic entities who were in service of the needs of
the successor States or after the re-organization of the State of
Punjab had acquired the status of inter-State body corporate(s).
84. Sub-Section (1) of Section 72 begins with the phrase ‘save as
G otherwise expressly provided by the foregoing provisions of this
Part’. The aforesaid phrase in our considered view is in the nature
of an ‘exception’ to the extent it excludes the class of body-
corporates expressly dealt with under Sections 67 to 71 of Part
VII, from the purview of Section 72. Subject to that ‘exception’
and if Section 72(1) is dissected into parts for its better
H understanding, it reveals that:—
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1151
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
(i) when a body corporate constituted under a Central Act, State A
Act or Provincial Act for the existing State of Punjab or for any
part thereof,
(ii) serves the needs of the successor States or by virtue of
reorganization of the State of Punjab becomes an inter-State body
corporate as on the appointed day i.e. 1 st November, 1966, B
(iii) such body corporate shall continue to function and operate in
the original areas of its operation though these areas have become
territory of the successor States,
(iv) but the ‘functioning’ and ‘operation’ of the’said body corporate
in the areas of the successor States shall be subject to:— (a) such C
directions as may, from time to time, be issued by the Central
Government; and (b) until other provision is made by law in respect
of the said body corporate,
xx xx xx
D
87. On the same analogy, sub-Section (2) of Section 72 cannot be
assigned a different purpose or meaning, hence we hold that the
nature, scope and sweep of the power entrusted to the Central
Government to cause ‘exception’ or ‘modification’ in a Central
Act, State Act or Provincial Act resembles the power exercisable
by it under Section 67(2) and is subject to the same limitations. E
Any attempt, if made to widen the scope of Section 72(2) beyond
that, will not only be violent to the elementary principles of statutory
interpretation briefly noticed in para 85, but will also amount to
transcending the delegated legislative powers. We say so also for
the reason that the legislative object behind Section 67(2) or sub- F
Section (2) of Section 72 is to ensure that the functioning of a
body corporate is not paralysed on its becoming an inter-State
body corporate due to re-organization of the erstwhile State of
Punjab. The scope of the directions issueable under sub-Section
(2) of Section 72 is restricted to the applicability of the ‘law’
governing the body corporate, hence the aforesaid direction mast G
relate to the ‘functioning’ or ‘operation’ of such body corporate.
It has to be held, as a necessary corollary thereto, that no direction
can be issued by the Central Government under Section 72(2)
unless it pertains to the ‘law’ applicable to the body corporate on
the appointed day when it acquired the legal character of an inter-
H
1152 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A State body corporate. The wordage of sub-Section (2) especially
the word ‘may’ leaves no room to doubt that it is an enabling
provision only and nowhere does it expect the Central Government
to issue directions, even if not so required.
xx xx xx
B 95. It appears convincing that if the Parliament intended to confer
power on the Central Government to ‘amend’ a Statue or if it
could do so, there was no impediment for it to have made a specific
provision to that effect. The Parliament while making provision to
adapt laws under Section 89 of the 1966 Act has authorized the
C appropriate Government(s) to make such adaptations and
modifications of the law, whether by way of repeal or amendment,
as may be necessary within a period of two years from the
appointed day till such law is altered, repealed or amended by a
competent Legislature or by other competent authority. The phrase
‘amendment’ has been referred to in Sections 70 & 86 with
D reference to the legislative powers of the State Legislature and
the Pari iament, respectively. The Parliament has thus used the
expressions ‘amendment’ or ‘modification’ frequently but distinctly.
It is also a well-established rule of construction of a Statute that
when the Legislature uses two different words at different places,
E they carry different meanings as the Legislature seldom overlaps
or uses superfluous words. The Court shall always proceed on
the premise that the Legislature has inserted every expression for
a purpose and the legislative intention is that none of the provisions
of the Statute is found redundant. If the Parliament’s intention
while using the phrase ‘modification’ were to confer the power of
F ‘amendment’ it would have inserted the latter phrase in Section
72 to avoid any ambiguity. The word “modification” in Section 72.
therefore, cannot be construed analogous to the word ‘amendment’
which finds mention in Sections 70 & 86 of the 1966 Act.
96. Our understanding of Section 72(2), as stated above, also
G appears to be consistent with the view taken by the Full Bench in
Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College Managing Committee
observing that “… if it was intended that other provision by law
was also to be made by the Central Government, the Parliament
would have clearly stated so in Section 72 instead of saying “until
H other provision is made by law in respect of the said body
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1153
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
corporate…” It may be for the reason that with regard to the A
bodies corporate constituted under a Central Act, the Parliament
was the appropriate legislature to make the law while with regard
to the Coiporations constituted under any State Act or a Provincial
Act the State Legislature was to be the appropriate Legislature.”
97. Adverting to sub-Section (3) of Section 72, the scope and B
object whereof is also disputed by counsel for the parties, it may
be seen that sub-Section (3) has three significant constituents,
namely, (a) it is meant to remove doubts; (b) it is declaratory in
nature; and (c) it actually declares that Section 72 shall apply to
Panjab University. Punjab Agriculture University and the Board
constituted under Part III of the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925. Sub- C
Section (3) does not occupy a new field nor does it vest the Central
Government with any additional power to issue directions. It merely
removes doubts and brings both the above-mentioned Universities
and the Board within the ambit of Section 72(1)&(2) whereunder
the Central Government is competent to issue directions in relation D
to their functioning and the area of their operation, they being the
inter-State body corporates.
xx xx xx
CONCLUSIONS:
E
122.
xx xx xx
(v) We hold that Section 72 of the 1966 Act empowers the Central
Government to issue directions pertaining to the ‘functioning’ and
‘operation’ of an inter-State body corporate in the areas where it F
was functioning and operating immediately before the appointed
day. These directions may include that the ‘Law’ governing the
affairs of the body-corporate before it became an inter-State body
corporate, shall continue to apply to it for the purpose of its
‘functioning’ or ‘operation’ in those areas which have gone out of
G
jurisdictional control of the State under whose law such body-
corporate was constituted.
(vi) The power exercisable by the Central Government under sub-
Section (2) of Section 72 of the 1966 Act to ‘modify’ the Central
Act, State Act or Provincial Act does not include the power to
H
1154 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A ‘amend’ such Acts. The power to ‘modify’ a Statute delegated
under Section 72 docs not authorize to change any essential
legislative features or the policy built into such Statute. The
Parliament while empowering the Central Government to ‘modify’
an Act under Section 72(2) neither intended nor could it delegate
the power to ‘repeal’ or ‘amend’ an Act, for such a power under
B
the Constitutional scheme is exercisable by the Legislature alone.
The delegated legislative power cannot run parallel to the principal
legislation and must exercise its power within the framework of
the Statute.
(vii) Section 72 of the 1966 Act is an enabling provision and the
C power to cause ‘exception’ or ‘modification’ in a Central Act,
State Act or Provincial Act is not unguided, unfettered or unbridled
and is subject to the inherent limitations to be read into the phrase
that the “bodycorporate shall continue to function and operate in
those areas in respect of which it was functioning and operating
D immediately before the appointed day.”
(viii) The directions issued by the Central Government under
Section 72 though shall amount to ‘law’ within the meaning of
Article 13(3)(a) of the Constitution but they do not partake the
character of a Parliamentary legislation.”
E 39. In the counter affidavit filed, it has been mentioned that the
appeal against the above order passed by the Full Bench of the Punjab
and Haryana High Court was pending consideration. The said Civil Appeal
No. 9334 of 2013 came to be decided on 15.9.2016. During the pendency
of the appeal, the Parliament passed the Sikh Gurdwara (Amendment)
Act, 2016 with a view to amend the 1925 Act retrospectively w.e.f.
F
8.10.2003, i.e., the date of notification quashed by the High Court. This
Court disposed of the appeal by observing as under:
“7. We find merit in the submission of Mr. Ganguli. The High
Court has, as seen earlier, specifically left the issue open for the
consideration of the appropriate legislature whether or not any
G
amendment is called for in the 1925 Act. The Parliament has
accordingly brought the amending Act referred to earlier and
amended the 1925 Act retrospectively w.e.f. 08.10.2003 i.e. the
date when the notification impugned in the writ petition was issued.
The result is that, for all intents and purposes, the amendment
H made by the amending Act, 2016 shall be deemed to have come
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1155
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
into force with effect from the said date. That being the case, the A
quashing of notification dated 08.10.2003 by the High Court is
rendered inconsequential in the light of the subsequent
parliamentary legislation by which the purpose which the
notification sought to be achieve has been achieved by the
legislative measure taken by the Parliament….”
B
40. A reference was made to a judgment reported as Himachal
Pradesh University, Shimla wherein the State of Himachal Pradesh
enacted the Himachal Pradesh University Act, 1970. Section 8 of the
said Act provides for vesting of assets of the Panjab University in the
State of Himachal Pradesh to the Himachal Pradesh University. This
Court held that the appellant University failed to establish the second C
condition for the applicability of Section 8 of the Act that suit premises
were belonging to two institutions and forming part and parcel of their
assets at Shimla. It is not a case that the Act framed by the State of
Himachal Pradesh was found to be lacking in legislative competence
but the scope of the statute was not found to be in respect of the assets D
of the Panjab University located in the State of Himachal Pradesh.
41. Another judgment which is referred to is Mullaperiyar
Environmental Protection Forum v. Union of India & Ors.20 where
Mullaperiyar Dam was an inter-State body of the State of Kerala and
Tamil Nadu. The question raised was whether the water level could be E
allowed to be increased in such dam to 142 feet or not. The State of
Kerala opposed the increase of the water level beyond 136 feet whereas
the State of Tamil Nadu sought increase in the water level to 142 feet.
Section 108 of the 1956 Act deals with irrigation, power or multipurpose
projects. The said provision contemplates that if any agreement is not
reached between the States, the decision would be taken by the Central F
Government. An argument was raised that Section 108 of the 1956 Act
is invalid as it affects the right of the State in terms of Entry 17 of List II.
This Court held as under:
“21. … The new State owes its very existence to the law made
by Parliament. It would be incongruous to say that the provision G
in an Act which gives birth to a State is ultra vires a legislative
entry which the State may operate after it has come into existence.
The power of the State to enact laws in List II of the Seventh
20
(2006) 3 SCC 643 H
1156 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A Schedule are subject to parliamentary legislation under Articles 3
and 4. The State cannot claim to have legislative powers over
such waters which are the subject of an inter-State agreement
which is continued by a parliamentary enactment, namely, the
States Organisation Act, enacted under Articles 3 and 4 of the
Constitution. The effect of Section 108 is that the agreement
B
between the predecessor States relating to irrigation and power
generation, etc. would continue. There is a statutory recognition
of the contractual rights and liabilities of the new States which
cannot be affected unilaterally by any of the party States either
by legislation or executive action. The power of Parliament to
C make law under Articles 3 and 4 is plenary and traverses over all
legislative subjects as are necessary for effectuating a proper
reorganisation of the States. We are unable to accept the contention
as to the invalidity of Section 108 of the Act.”
42. The said judgment is in respect of irrigation or water projects
D wherein the issues were to be decided between the two states by
agreement, which is not an issue in the present proceedings. Section 108
of the 1956 Act itself contemplated that if disputes are not settled, the
Central Government would decide. Thus, the issue raised and decided is
quite distinct from the issue arising in the present case.
E 43. The High Court of Punjab and Haryana in Kashmir Singh-I
was dealing with the appointment of the member of Sikh Gurdwara
Judicial Commission vide notification dated 4.7.1989. The Central
Government had issued a notification dated 19.10.1978 nominating the
State of Punjab in consultation with the State of Haryana for the purposes
of exercising its powers under the 1966 Act. The five-Judges Bench of
F the High Court dealing with the legality of the notification also dealt with
the scope of Section 72 of the 1966 Act. The majority of the Bench held
that the Board is an inter-State body corporate and the Central
Government can give directions with regard to its functioning and
operation. Since the successor State neither adopted nor repealed nor
G made any provisions with regard to the 1925 Act, the Central Government
would be competent to give directions and the Board shall operate
accordingly in the successor States. It was held as under:
“57...................A reading of sub-sections (1), (2) and (3) of
Section 72 of the Act of 1966 would leave no one in doubt that the
H Board is an inter-State body corporate and the Central Government
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1157
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
can give directions with regard to its functioning and operation. A
Inasmuch as the successor States have neither adopted nor
repealed nor made any provisions with regard to the Act of 1925
or for the Board, in particular, the Central Government, till such
time provisions are so made, would be competent to issue
directions and the Board shall operate in successor
B
States................
xx xx xx
66. ….............It is significant to note that till such time other
provisions were made, that may cater for needs of the successor
States, by and large, Central Government was to issue directions. C
The territories of the successor States having been defined, if
provisions vesting power with the Central Government were not
to be made, it would have resulted into chaos as no successor
State could have issued directions in the territories not specified
in the said State. These were certainly supplemental, incidental
and consequential provisions so that there was smooth functioning D
of all the bodies and laws in the respective successor States till
such time proper arrangements were made for each successor
State to issue directions within their own territory. Provisions of
Section 72 also appear to be supplemental, incidental and
consequential, covered under Part VII of the Act itself. This E
inter-State body Corporation under the directions of the Central
Government was to function and operate in the areas in respect
of which it was functioning and operating immediately before the
appointed day untill other provision was made by law, as has been
specifically provided in sub-section (1) of Section 72 itself. Sub-
sections (2) and (3) of Section 72 are nothing but elaboration or F
clarification if the doubts, might still persist with regard to directions
that can be issued under sub-section (1) of Section 72. ............... …
xx xx xx
69. It appears that significant words ‘until other provision is made G
by law in respect of the body corporate’ escaped notice of the
Hon’ble Full Bench. Section 72, dealing with general
provisions as to statutory corporations, like the Board under
the Act, of 1925, is not intended to be a measure for all times
to come, as the words, quoted above, do suggest to the
contrary in unequivocal terms.The object of Act of 1966 also H
1158 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A clearly suggests that the provisions contained therein are to
make necessary supplemental, incidental and consequential
provisions in relation to reorganisation of the State of Punjab.
All measures taken thereunder, unless specifically said otherwise,
like the Board for Bhakra Nangal and Beas Projects, are temporary
in nature. The words ‘until otherwise provided by competent
B
legislature or other competent authority’ which find mention in
Section 88 also escaped notice of the Hon’ble Full Bench. The
provisions of Part II which deal with reorganisation and creation
of successor States, do not effect any change in the territories to
which any law in force immediately before the appointed day
C extends or applies. It clearly means and is accepted position at all
ends that the existing laws by virtue of provisions contained in
Section 88 would automatically apply. The position in relation to
Act, of 1925 is no different. But this provision is once again
not an all time measure inasmuch as a competent legislature,
which necessarily means legislature of successor State as well,
D
would be well within its power and competent enough to
provide otherwise then the existing laws. If that be so and in
a given case, the successor State may, in its wisdom, say
otherwise, i.e., the Act of 1925 would not apply to the said
State, as mentioned above, the Board would no more be an
E inter-state body corporate. The power to legislate in that case
would not be with the Central Government under Entry 44
List-I (Union List) 7th Schedule. The provisions contained in
Section 89, vesting power and jurisdiction with the appropriate
Government, would necessarily include successor States to repeal
or amend any law made before the appointed day, once again, it
F
appears, escaped notice of the Hon’ble Full Bench in arriving at
the conclusion, referred to above. We have already held while
determining question No. IV that in construing the provisions of a
Statute the courts should be slow to adopt a construction which
tends to make any part of the statute meaningless or ineffective.
G There is no need to elaborate as we have already discussed in
sufficient details that the courts have necessarily to give meaning
to all parts of the provisions of the Act and to make whole of it
effective and operative.
xx xx xx
H
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1159
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
70. ...............…We may also mention here that the finding by the A
Full Bench that continuation of directions to be given by the Central
Government by virtue of Entry 44 in the Union List, the Board
being an inter-State body corporate by virtue of Section 72
of the Act of 1966, also can not sustain as, in our view, if the
States might adapt, modify or repeal the Act of 1925, the
B
Board, which is an inter-State body corporate, shall no more
remain an inter-State body corporate and its position shall
revert to that what it was under the Act of 1925, namely, body
corporate.”
(Emphasis Supplied) C
44. The aforesaid majority opinion was upheld by this Court in a
judgment reported as Kashmir Singh-II wherein, it was held as under:
“72. We, therefore, are of the opinion that in view of the situational
change, a meaning which could be attributed in the year 1925
D
cannot be given the same meaning today. For the aforementioned
purpose, Sections 40 and 70 of the Act must be read together.
Therefore, a holistic reading of the entire Act would be necessary.
So read, the opinion of the majority appeals to us. By reason of
such an interpretation, the apprehension that the State would be
endowed with the arbitrary power is wiped off.” E
45. A perusal of the judgments in Kashmir Singh-I and Kashmir
Singh-II would show that the successor States might adopt, modify or
repeal the 1925 Act. The Board, an inter-State body corporate, shall
then no longer remain an inter-State body corporate and the position
was to revert to what it was under the 1925 Act i.e., body corporate F
simplicitor. It was held that Section 72(1) is not intended to be a measure
for all times to come and that successor States are competent to make
other provisions by law in respect of such body corporates. The object
of the 1966 Act was to make necessary, supplemental, incidental and
consequential provisions in relation to reorganisation of the State of G
Punjab. It was also held that the competent legislature, which necessarily
means legislature of the successor State would be well within its power
and competence to provide otherwise than the existing laws. Therefore,
the successor State may, in its wisdom, could say that the 1925 Act
would not apply to the said State.
H
1160 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A 46. The consistent view of the three Full Benches of the High
Court and of this Court is that the power of the Centre to issue directions
under Section 72 of the 1966 Act is a transitional provision. Therefore,
we have no hesitation to hold that the power of the Centre to issue
directions under Section 72 of the 1966 Act is indeed a transitional provision
to ensure smooth and continuous functioning of a body corporate so that
B
it is not paralyzed on becoming an inter-State body corporate due to
reorganisation of the erstwhile State of Punjab. The directions
contemplated by Section 72 relates to functioning and operation of such
body corporate. A competent State legislature is not deprived of its power
to legislate on the subjects falling within its jurisdiction in terms of List II
C of the Seventh Schedule. The 1966 Act does not bar the State Legislature
to legislate on the fields of its legislative competence falling under List II
of the Seventh Schedule or even in List III of the Seventh Schedule,
subject to the limitations as are prescribed in the Constitution.
Question No. (iii) - Whether the impugned enactment (Haryana
D Act) falls within the legislative competence of the Haryana State
Legislature or it falls in Entry 44 of List I of the Seventh Schedule
of the Constitution?
47. The primary reliance of the writ petitioner is on the judgment
of this Court reported as Rajendra N. Shah. The issue before this
E Court in the said judgment was whether the Constitution 97th Amendment
introducing Part IX-B, which was found to be non est by the Gujarat
High Court for want of ratification by half of the States under the proviso
to Article 368(2), is sustainable. This Court upheld the view of the High
Court and observed as under:
F “23. So far as co-operative societies are concerned, it can be
seen that it is entirely a matter for the States to legislate upon,
being the last subject matter mentioned in Entry 32 List II. At this
stage, it is important to note that Entry 43 of List I, which deals
with incorporation, regulation and winding up of trading
corporations including banking, insurance and financial
G corporations expressly excludes co-operative societies from its
ambit. Entry 44 List I, which is wider than Entry 43 in that it is not
limited to trading corporations, speaks of corporations with objects
not confined to one State. This Court has therefore held, on a
reading of these entries, that when it comes to Multi State Co-
H operative Societies with objects not confined to one state, the
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1161
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
legislative power would be that of the Union of India which is A
contained in Entry 44 List I. Thus, in Daman Singh v. State of
Punjab, (1985) 2 SCC 670, this Court laid down:—
“7. …. … According to Mr. Ramamurthi the express exclusion
of cooperative societies in Entry 43 of List I and the express
inclusion of cooperative societies in Entry 32 of List II B
separately and apart from but along with corporations other
than those specified in List I and universities, clearly indicated
that the constitutional scheme was designed to treat cooperative
societies as institutions distinct from corporations. On the other
hand one would think that the very mention of cooperative
societies both in Entry 43 of List I and Entry 32 of List II along C
with other corporations gave an indication that the Constitution
makers were of the view that cooperative societies were of
the same genus as other corporations and all were corporations.
In fact the very express exclusion of cooperative societies from
Entry 43 of List I is indicative of the view that but for such D
exclusion, cooperative societies would be comprehended within
the meaning of expression “corporations”.
26. It may thus be seen that there is no overlap whatsoever so far
as the subject ‘co-operative societies’ is concerned. Co-operative
societies as a subject matter belongs wholly and exclusively to E
the State legislatures to legislate upon, whereas multi-State
cooperative societies i.e., co-operative societies having objects
not confined to one state alone, is exclusively within the ken of
Parliament. This being the case, it may safely be concluded, on
the facts of this case, that there is no overlap and hence, no need
to apply the federal supremacy principle as laid down by the F
judgments of this court. What we are therefore left with is the
exclusive power to make laws, so far as co-operative societies
are concerned, with the State Legislatures, which is contained in
Article 246(3) read with Entry 32 of List II. In fact, in K.
Damodarasamy Naidu & Bros. v. State of T.N., (2000) 1 SCC G
521, this court held:
“21. Parliament, when exercising the powers to amend the
Constitution under Article 368, cannot and does not amend
State Acts. There is no other provision in the Constitution which
so permits and there is no judgment of this Court that so H
1162 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A holds. The power to make laws for the States in respect of
matters listed in List II in the Seventh Schedule is exclusively
that of the State Legislatures. …..”
(Emphasis supplied)
81. The judgment of the High Court is upheld except to the extent
B that it strikes down the entirety of Part IXB of the Constitution of
India. As held by us above, it is declared that Part IXB of the
Constitution of India is operative only insofar as it concerns multi-
State cooperative societies both within the various States and in
the Union territories of India. The appeals are accordingly disposed
C of.”
48. The said judgment is not applicable to the facts of the present
case though it deals with Entry 44 of List I and Entry 32 of List II. The
Court was dealing with the legality of the Constitutional Amendment
and found that it is entirely for the States to legislate in respect of
D cooperative societies falling in Entry 32 of List II. It is only multi-State
cooperative societies which fall within the power of the Parliament to
legislate in terms of Entry 44. The amendment made by Parliament in
respect of co-operative societies was not with the approval of half of
the States. The said judgment has no applicability to the facts of the
present case as the Haryana Act does not have any extra-territorial
E jurisdiction that it is not applicable to more than one State. The SGPC
was a Board which was intra-State body corporate prior to reorganisation
of the State in the year 1966. The reorganisation has rendered the SGPC
as an inter-State body corporate but the legislative power to legislate on
the subject of incorporation of the Corporations would be within the
F jurisdiction of the Haryana State Legislature. Entry 32 deals with
unincorporated trading, literary, scientific, religious and other societies
and associations. In respect of such unincorporated trading, literary,
scientific, religious and other societies and associations, the competent
legislature is the State. In terms of Entry 44 of List I, the Parliament will
have jurisdiction only if the SGPC under the 1925 Act continues to be an
G inter-State entity. The jurisdiction of the successor States either to repeal,
modify or enact a new law has not been restricted by the 1966 Act,
though it is a special law within the meaning of Articles 2, 3 and 4 of the
Constitution. The SGPC became inter-State body corporate not because
of Entry 44 List I but because of reorganisation of the territories of the
H erstwhile State of Punjab. Therefore, Entry 44 would have no applicability
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1163
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
in respect of legislative competence of the State of Haryana to enact A
the Haryana Act.
49. The argument of Mr. Shyam Divan and Mr. Ranjit Kumar,
learned senior counsels for the State of Haryana and Haryana Committee
respectively, is that the source of power of enactment of the Haryana
Act is Entry 32, List II of the Seventh Schedule. In exercise of such B
power, a statutory body is sought to be created; whereas, Entry 28 of
List III deals with charities and charitable institutions, charitable and
religious endowments and religious institutions. Therefore, any law dealing
with charities, charitable institutions and endowments falls within List
III. Such law contemplated by List III is a regulatory law to regulate the
functioning of charitable institutions or charitable and religious C
endowments and religious institutions. Whereas, incorporation of a
statutory body falls in Entry 32 of List II, as also unincorporated religious
and other societies. Therefore, the Haryana Act falls within the legislative
competence of the State.
50. The argument of Mr. Nataraj is that under Section 3 of the D
1957 Act, which deals with inter-State bodies, the State Government is
required to frame a scheme as SGPC under the 1925 Act is sought to be
reconstituted and reorganized being inter-State corporation. Such scheme
is required to be forwarded to the Central Government. It is thus the
Central Government who is competent to modify the scheme so framed. E
Therefore, it is contended that the SGPC under the 1925 Act being an
inter-State corporation can be dealt with only in the manner provided in
the 1957 Act.
51. The 1966 Act as well as the 1957 Act confer power on the
Central Government for smooth transition of new States coming into
F
existence as a consequence of the reorganization. There is no provision
in the 1966 Act which confers legislative power upon the Parliament in
respect of the subjects over which the State has legislative competence
in terms of List II. Therefore, the transitional provisions i.e., the 1966
Act or the 1957 Act do not impinge upon the legislative competence of
the State legislature to enact a law on the subjects mentioned in the List G
II.
Question No. (iv)- Whether, the impugned Act falls in List-III
(Concurrent List) Schedule VII, which required the assent of the
President of India as per Article 254(2) of the Constitution of
India, and in the absence of such assent, void? H
1164 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A 52. The said question does not arise for consideration as the
impugned Haryana Act does not fall in Entry 28 of List III of the Seventh
Schedule. Such Entry reads thus:
“28. Charities and charitable institutions, charitable and religious
endowments and religious institutions.”
B 53. In view of such Entry being in the concurrent list, the State
can legislate in respect of charities, charitable institutions, charitable and
religious endowments and religious institutions. The assent of the
President would be necessary if there is an existing statute and the State
law is contrary to some of the provisions of the Central law. The Haryana
C Committee is the incorporation of a juristic entity which more
appropriately falls within the domain of Entry 32 of List II. Though the
Haryana Committee is in respect of religious purpose, but the prime
intention is of an incorporation of a juristic entity to manage the affairs
of the Sikhs in the State. Thus, Entry 32 is wide enough to include
incorporation of such statutory entity.
D
54. Alternatively, even if it is assumed that the Haryana Act is in
furtherance of Entry 28 of List III, the same cannot be said to be void
for the reason that it has not been kept reserved for the assent of the
President. Such an argument is based upon the reason that the 1925 Act
is an inter-State legislation, therefore, the assent of the President is
E necessary. As stated before, the 1925 Act was originally an intra-State
legislation enacted by the State legislature. It subsequently became an
inter-State body only by virtue of the 1966 Act. Since the power to
legislate conferred on the State legislature has not been affected in any
manner, therefore, the State would have power to legislate both under
F Entry 28 of List III or Entry 32 of List II for the reason that the 1925 Act
is not an inter-State body corporate in respect of which the Parliament
incorporated such Board. Therefore, we do not find any merit in the said
argument.
Question No. (i) - Whether any fundamental rights of the
G petitioners under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India
are violated, so as to entitle the petitioners to invoke the jurisdiction
of this Court under Article 32 of the Constitution?
55. It is not disputed that the Haryana Act is similar to the 1925
Act having similar provisions of constituting a committee to manage the
affairs under the Act. The Haryana Committee is the Committee
H
HARBHAJAN SINGH v. STATE OF HARYANA & ORS. 1165
[HEMANT GUPTA, J.]
constituted under Section 3 of the Haryana Act for the management and A
control of the Gurdwaras and Gurdwara properties within the State of
Haryana. The Gurdwara property in terms of Section 2(f) of the Haryana
Act means all movable and immovable properties of a Gurdwara or any
institution which, immediately before the appointed day, vested or was
kept in deposit in the name of any Board, Trust, Committee, Gurdwara
B
Management or was being regulated under the provisions of the 1925
Act. The members of the Committee have to be elected from the eligible
voters who is Amritdhari Sikh, a Sikh, and who is eighteen years of age,
but not a Patit Sikh and is not an insolvent, mentally retarded or an
insane person. The co-option is from the members of the community
alone. Therefore, the affairs of the religious minority in the State i.e., C
Sikhs is left in the hands of the Sikhs alone in the same manner as was
under the 1925 Act. The Haryana Act also provides for Haryana Sikh
Gurdwara Judicial Commission in the same manner as is provided under
the 1925 Act. The affairs of the Gurdwara are again required to be
managed by local Gurdwara Committee. Since the affairs of the Sikh
D
minority in the State are to be managed by the Sikhs alone, therefore, it
cannot be said to be violative of any of the fundamental rights conferred
under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution.
56. The question as to whether the writ petition is maintainable is
answered in the affirmative, inter-alia on the ground that the said writ
petitions have been pending before this Court for almost 8 years wherein E
an interim order has been in operation throughout. Additionally, the
questions, being purely legal, have been examined to give finality to the
issues arising in the two matters.
57. In view of the above, we do not find any merit in the writ
petitions. The same are dismissed. F
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 6614 OF 2022
58. The challenge in the present appeal is to an order dated
8.3.2018 passed by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana. The challenge
is to the notification dated 6.3.2018 whereby the notification dated G
29.8.2014 appointing the appellant as Additional Commissioner Gurdwara
Elections was rescinded.
59. The appellant was appointed for five years as Additional
Commissioner Gurdwara Elections on 29.8.2014. The post of Additional
Commissioner Gurdwara Elections was under the Haryana Sikh
H
1166 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2022] 12 S.C.R.
A Gurdwaras (Management) Act, 2014. The vires of the aforesaid Act
stands upheld by this Court.
60. The appellant has not discharged any functions in view of the
stay by this Court. Therefore, the appointment was rescinded. The
appellant was appointed for a period of five years, even the term for
B which the appellant was appointed has come to an end by afflux of time.
61. Therefore, the appellant has no subsisting cause in the present
appeal. The appeal is, thus, dismissed.
Devika Gujral Writ petitions and appeal dismissed.
C (Assisted by : Preetam Bharti, LCRA)
D
E
F
G
H
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