Holding

Article 320(3) is directory; the Board’s recommendation does not create a mandamus‑enforceable right of appointment, and the non‑appointment does not violate Articles 14, 16, nor constitute malafide or promissory estoppel.

Summary

The petitioners were candidates selected by the Subordinate Service Selection Board for the post of Assistant Sub‑Inspector of Police. The Board recommended 144 names, but only 57 vacancies existed and the anticipated 170 vacancies never materialised because the Government rejected the proposal to disband the Punjab Armed Police Battalion. The petitioners claimed a right to appointment on the basis of the Board’s recommendation, alleging violations of Articles 14 and 16, malafide intent, and promissory estoppel. The Supreme Court held that Article 320(3) of the Constitution makes the Commission’s advice merely directory, not mandatory, and therefore no enforceable right of appointment or mandamus arises. The Court found no evidence of malafide action, held that the non‑appointment did not infringe Articles 14 or 16, and rejected the claim of promissory estoppel. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed.

Issues considered

Whether the recommendation of the Subordinate Service Selection Board creates an enforceable right of appointment that can be enforced by mandamus.
Whether Article 320(3) of the Constitution is mandatory or directory in nature.
Whether the Government’s refusal to appoint the candidates violates Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution.
Whether the doctrine of promissory estoppel applies to prevent the State from declining the appointments.
Whether the State acted with malafide intent in not appointing the candidates.

Legislation cited

Constitution of Indias. Art.14, s. Art.16, s. Art.320(3), s. Art.323

Subjects

appointmentpublic service commissionmandamusArticle 14Article 16promissory estoppeladministrative lawconstitutional law

Judgment

JATINDER KUMAR & ORS. A

v.
• STATE OF PUNJAB & ORS .

September 28, 1984
.B
[D. A. DESAI, AMARENDRA NATH SEN AND R. B. MISRA, JJ.]

Right to be appointed to posts for which one was selected and recommended
by the Subordinate Service Selection Board, nature of-Whether selection for the
purpose of recruitment against anticipated vaconcies create an enforceable right by
' Writ of Mandamus--Whether non-appointment on the ground of non-existence of
. ,ost amount to malafides and in violation of Articles 14and16 of the Constitution
11nd the principles of Promissory Estoppel-Constitution of India 1950, Article
320(3): whe1her mandatory or directory.
c
I

Pursuant to a requisition of the Inspector General of Police Punjab-to
select and recommend suitable persons for the post of Assistant Sub-Inspectors
of Police against 57 available_ vacancies and 170 anticipated vacancies likely to
occur as a result of expected re-organisatiOn of the Police Force by disband-
ment of the Punjab Armed Police Battalion, the appellant atongwith many others
were interviewed and pbysicaUy tested on various dates and the Board recom· D
mended panel of 144 candidates on 22nd December, 1979. The proposal for dis·
bandment of the Punjab Armed Police Battalion and creation instead of ad.Ji ...
_tionat posts in the Districts was turned down by the Government with the result
, that there were only 57 posts out of which 9 were offered to the wards of the
deceased Police Officers in accordance with the Punjab Government Instructions
regarding priority appointments issued vide the 1etler No. 80(GOI}-SII(3)/73/
12092 dated 18th April, l973 and the remaining 48 posts were offered to the can. .
didates recommended by the Board in order of merit determined by the Board. E
Since remaining candidates ~ecommended by-the Board pursuai;it to the requisi-
tion against anticipated vacancies were not appointed as there were no vacancies:,
the disgruntled candidates filed two petitions under Article 226 of the Constitu-
tion before the High Court. The petitions h'lving been dismb:sed, two appeals
were prcrcrrcd under the Letters Patent which were also dismissed. Hence the
appeals by Special Leave.
',
F
Dismissing the appcats, the Court

HELD : 1. The fact that there is no prevision in the Constitution which
makes the acceptance of the advice tendered by the Public Service Commission ~1
when consulted, obligatory renders the provisions of Article 320(3) cnly direc-
tory and not mandatory. (905 El

l. The establishment of an independent body like Public Service Com~ G
mission is to en1ure selection of best available ·persons for appointment to the
post to avoid arbitrariness ud nepotism in the matter of appoiatmca.t. The
1clecti011 by tho Commis1ion, llownor, ia only a ncommcndatioa o!U.. Com·
900 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [198Sj 1 s.c.1.t
A mission and "the final allthority for appointment is lhe Government. The
Government may accept the recommendation or moy decline to accept the sa1ne.
But if it chooses not to accept the recommendations of the Commission the
Constitution enjoins the Government ·to place on the table of the Legislative
Assembly its reason and report for ·doing so. Thus the Government is made
answerable to the House for any departure vi de Article 323 of the Constitution.
This, however, does not clothe the appellants with any such right in the instant
B case. They cannot claim as of right that the Government must accept the recom-
n1endation of the Commission. If, however, the vacancy is to be filled up, the
Government has to n1ake appointment strictly adhering to the order 1nerit as
recommended by the Public Service Con1mission, it cannot disturb the order of
merit according to its own sweet-will except for other good reasons namely bad
conduct or character. The Government cannot appoint person whose name does
not appear in the list. But it is open to the Government to decide how many
appointments \vill be made. The process for selection and selection for the pur-
C pose of recruitment against anticipated vacancies does not create a right to be
appointed to the post \vhich can be enforced by a Mandamus. [905 F-H;906 A-D]

A.N.D.' Silva v. Union of India, [1962] Supp 1 S.C.R. 968; State of Har-
yana v. Suba1h Chand~r Marwaha & Ors., [1974] 1 SCR 165; applied.

G.S. Kalka! v. State of Punjab & Or.,. (Punjah and l-Iaryana) decided on
D 15th July, 1980; held inapplicable.

3:1. The allegation about the malafides are n1ore easily made than made
out. In the instant case, there are no materials to warrant the concfusion that
the action of the State Government in not appointing the appellants was n1ala-
fidc especially when the post in anticipation whereof the Board was asked to

-
select nlore candidates came to an end. There was no question of their appoint-
E ment against these vacancies. ]906 G; 9~7 A]
.
3:2. The action of the Government is not hit by Articles 14 and 16 of
the Constitution and the case of the appellants is not identical with those of the
persons who were appointed as against 57 vacancies for \Vhich original requisi-
tion was made to the Board for selecting then1 [907 B]
F
3 :3. The notification issued by the Selection Board in this case was only
an invitation to candidates possessing specified qualifications to apply for selec-
tion for recruitment. for certain posts. It did not hold out any pro1nise that the
selection would be made or if it was made the selected candidates would be
appointed. The candidates did not acquire any right 1nerely by applying for
se\ectioo or for appointn1ent after selection. When the proposal for disbandment
of the Punjab Armed Police Battalion and instead creation of additional posts
for the district police was turned down by the State Government, the appellants
G were only infonned of the situation and there was no question of any promi~
sorY estoppel against the State. [907 C~D]

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 1194 of 1984.

Appeal by Special leave from the Judgment and Order dated
H the Ist and 3rd March, 1982 of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in
JATINDER KUMAR v. PUNJAB (Misra, J.) 901

L.P.A. No. 188 of 1982 A

Frank Anthony and Susheel Kumar for the' Appellant.

M.S. Gujaral and S.K. Bagga for the Respondent.

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by B

MISRA, J. The main question for consideration in this
appeal by special leave is whether a person sel.ected by the Snbordinate
• Service Selection Board for direct appointment to the post of Assistant
Sub-inspector of Police has got an unfettered right to be appointed on
the basis of the recommendation made by the said Board.
c
The material facts to bring out the point in controversy are as
follows. On 31st of March, 1978 the Inspector General of Police,
Punjab, respondent No.2, sent a requisition to the Subordinate Service
Selection Board (for short, the Board), respondent No. 3, to select and
recommend 7 suitable persons for the post of Assistant Sub-lnspectors D
of Police. While the matter was pending consideration 50 more posts
of Assistant Sub-Inspectors of Police became available and, therefore,
the Board was requested to recommend 57 suitable persons for these
posts. The appellants along with many others were interviewed and
physically tested on various dates ranging from 24th of October 1978
to 6th of February, 1979. Later on after the interviews were over but E
before the select list could be finalised by the Board the Inspector
General of Police vide his letter dated 31st of August, 1979 requested
the Board to recommend 170 more persons in addition to 57 already
under consideration in anticipation of further vacancies likely to occur
as a result of expected reorganisation of the Police force. In that
connection a proposal for the disbandment of the Punjab Armed Police F
Battalion and instead creation of some additional posts for the District
Police, had already been submitted. Thus, in all 277 candidates were
to be recruited by the Board for the post of Assistant Sub-Inspectors
of Police. The Board, however, recommended a panel of 144 candi-
dates on 22nd of December, 1979.
G
It appears that the proposal for disbandment of the Punjab
Armed Police Battalion and creation of additional posts in the
districts referred to above was turned down by the Government and,
therefore, the anticipated 170 temporary vacancies of Assistant Sub-
Inspectors against direct recruitment quota could not be available.
Out of tbe earlier 57 posts, however, 9 were offer¢ to the war<;ls of
902 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1985) J S.C.R.

A the deceased police officers in accordance with the Punjab Government
instructions regarding priority appointments issued vide letter No. 80
(GOI) -SH (3)/73 12092 dated 18th Apnl, 1973. The remaining 48
posts were offered to tbe candidates recommended by the Board in
order of merit determined by the Board. Since the remaining candi-
dates recommended by the Board pursuant to the latter requisition
B were not appointed as there were no vacancies, the disgruntled candi-
dates filed two petitions under Art.226 of the Constitution before the
High Court.

The stand of the petitioners in the two petitions was : •
c
(a) that the vacancies had already been communicated to the
Board and it was on that basis that the Board had
recommended their names for appointment and the
State was bound to appoint them on the basis of the
recommendation of the Board ;

D (b) that the State was bound to follow the Punjab Police
Rules and under rule 12. 3 twenty-five per cent of the
posts in the rank of Assistant Sub-Inspectors are to be
filled in by direct recruitment and the remaining seventy-
five per cent are to be filled by promotion ;

E (c) that the State adopted a device of making ad hoc
appointment of the Assistant Sub-Inspectors by posting
Head-Constables as Assistant Sub-Inspectors and the
whole action was ma/afide as the State Government
intended to select and appoint its own favourites ;

F (d) that the action of the Government in not appointing
them pursuant to the recommendation of the Board is
violative of Arts. 14 and 16 of the Constitution ;

(e) that even after the abolition of the Board the candi1dates
recommended by it contd not be refused appointment
on the ground that the Board later on became functus
G officio ; and

(f) that even after the expiry of six months fixed by the
Government instructions the petitioners could be
appointed on the basis of recommendation of the
tt Board.
JATINDRA J::lhfAR v. PUNJAll (Misra J.) 903

The petitions were resisted by the State Government on the A
ground inter a/ia that by 7th of January, 1980 only 57 posts in the
direct recruitment quota became available and appointments were
made. As regards the remaining vacancies of J70 temporary posts of
Assistant Sub-Inspectors, proposal for disbandment of the Punjab
Armed Police Battalion and instead creation of some additional posts
for the District Police was eventually turned down by the State B
Government and so no additional vacancies became available and the
petitioners could not be appointed. In any case the petitioners could
not claim appointment as of right merely because the Board had
recommended their names. It was further pleaded that according to
., · the Government instructions issued vide letter No.1673-C-II-56 dated
22nd March, 1957 a time limit of six months had been prescribed
for filling up the vacancies by persons recommended by the Board
c
and after the expiry of six months a fresh reference had to be made
to the Boat d. As six months prescribed had already expired the
petitioners could not be appointed on the basis of the recommendation
of the Board. They also denied the allegation of malafides in the
ad hoc appointment of other persons and further pleaded that the D
refusal of the Government to appoint them was not hit by Articles 14
and 16 of the Constitution.

On a consideration of the material on the record the learned
Single Judge came to the conclusion that there was neither any
vacancy in the quota of direci recruits of Assistant Sub-Inspectors E
nor a single post ·meant for direct recruits is manned by an ad hoc
employee, that no case of ma/afides or favonritism has been made
~'11, and that there was no violation of Articles 14 and 16 of the
Constitution.' A letters patent appeal preferred by the petitioners
before the High Court was also dismissed. The petitioners in the writ F
petition feeling aggrieved have filed the present appeal by special
leave.

The petitioners before this Court in appeal categorically stated
on oath that 500 promotions had been made by the State of Punjab
and that the petitioners were entitled to 25 per cent of those posts
according to quota rule. They also alleged that 250 vacancies of G
• AsSistant Sub-Inspectors were available in the C.I.D. wing alone in
the Punjab Police and 250 persons had been promoted against those
vacancies on ad hoc basis. This Court by its order dated 9th Jaunary,
1984 directed the State to supply detailed information to the petitio-
ners of the names '!nd designations of the Head Constables
H
904 SUPREME COURT REPORTS {1935} l S.C.R.

promoted as Assistant Sub-Inspectors between the period from 1979
to 1983. Pursuant to that order the State gave full details of the
various promotions made by them during the period 1979 to 1983.
Jt revealed that the promotions made in various ranges totalled 646
-
and according to the State during 1979-1983, 576 vacancies of
Assistant Sub-Inspectors in promotee quota became avali\able on
B account of promotion of 576 Assistant Sub-Inspectors to the rank of
Offg. Sub-Inspectors, 5 against retirement of such officers, 13 due to
death, 2 due to dismissal and 4 due to reversion of promotee Assis-
tant Sub-Inspectors. In addition, a total of 60 additional temporary
posts of Assistant Sub-Inspectors were sanctioned by the Government
duriug the period against which such promotions were made. Thus, ."
c out of the total 660 vacancies of promotee quota during the afore-
said period 646 promotions had been made and on 31 December,
1983 there were 14 vacancies in the rank of Assistant Sub-Inspectors
against promotee quota.

Before we deal with the points raised by Mr. Frank Anthony
D in support of the appellants we must record our disapproval of the
inconsistent pleas taken by it at various stages. To start with, it took
up the plea that there were no ad hoc appointments of Assistant Sub-
Jnspectors from 1979 but later on it went back upon its previous
statement and admitted that there were ad hoc appointments made
but ·explained the position by subsequent affidavits wherein it was
E
stated that the C.I .D. has no cadre strength of its own and all the
posts, except language Stenographers, are filled in by taking officers,
on deputation from other units of the Police department and no ad
hoc appointments were made in the rank of Assistant Sub-Inspecto;s
and that the petitioners could not be appointed as no posts for the •<
F petitioners were avalible with the department, but it is not necessary
to refer to those explanations in any detail.

Be that as it may, the fact remains that in anticipation of the
proposal for disbandment of the Punjab Armed Police Battalion and
instead creation of some additional posts for the district police a
requisition was made for selecting 170 more candidates for direct
G appointment to the post of Assistant Sub-Inspectors. But the pro-
posal havmg been turned down by the Government there were no
vacancies and, therefore, the question arises whether the petitioners
have got an unfettered right to be appointed even though the afore-
said proposal had not been accepted and consequently there were no
vaca11cies.
tt'
JATJNDRA KUMAR v. PUNJAB (Misra, J.) 905

We no\> take up the contentions raised by Mr. Frank Anthony A
counsel for the appellants, that they have a right to be appointed to
the post of Assistant Sub-Inspectors on the basis of the selection
made by the Board.

Article 320 of the Constitution enumerates the duties to be
B
performed by the Union or the State Public Service Commissions :

(i) to conduct examinations for appointments to the services
of the Union, and the services of the State respectively;

-'• (ii) if requested by any two or more States so to do, to
assist those States in framing and operating schemes of
joint recruitment for any services for which candidates c
possessing special qualifications are required;

(iii) to advise on matters enumerated under cl. (3) of Article
320; and

(iv) to advise on any matters so referred to them and any D
other matter which the President, or as the case may be,
the Governor of the State may refer to them.

The fact that there is no provision in' the Constitution which makes
the acceptance of the advice tendered by the Commission, when
consulted, obligatory renders the provisions of Art. 320(3) only direc· E
tory and not mandatory.
.. The establishment of an independent body like Public Service
Commission is to ensure selection of best avaliable persons for
appointment in a post to avoid arbitrariness and nepotism in the
F
matter of appointment. It is constituted by persons of high ability
varied experience and of undisputed integrity and further assisted by
experts on the subject. It 1s true that they are appointed by Govern-
ment but once they are appointed their independence is secured by
various provisions of the Constitution. Whenever the Government is
required to make an appointment to a higher public office it is requi-
red to consult the Public Service Commission. The selection has to G.
be made by tbe commission and the Government has to fill up the
posts by appointing those selected·and recommended by the Commis·
sion adhering to the order of merit in the list of candidates sent by
the Public Service Commission. The selection by the Commission,
however, is only a recommendation of the Commission and the final
11uthority for appointment is the Government. The Governm~nt mar
906 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1985] 1 S.C.R.

A accept the recommendation or may decline to accept the same. But
if it chooses not to accept the recommendation· of the Commission
the Constitution enjoins the Government to place on the table of
the Legislative Assembly its reasons and report for doing so. Thus,
the Government is made made answerable to the House for any
departure vide Article 323 of.the Constitution, This, however, does
B
not clothe the appellants with any such right. They cannot claim as of
right that the Government must accept the recommendation of the
Commison. If, however, vacanc; is to be filled up, the Government
has to make appointment strictly adhering to the order of merit as
recommended by the Public Service Com111ission. It cannot disturb
the order of merit according to its own sweet will expect for other
c good reasons viz., bad conduct or character. The Government also
cannot appoint a persons whose names does not appear in the list.
But it is open to the Government to decide how many appointments
will be made. The procest for selection and selection for the purpose
of recruitment against anticipated vacancies· does not create a right
to be appointed to the post which can be enforced by a mandamus.
D We are supported in our view by the two earlier decisions of this
Court in A.N.D' Silva v. Union of India'" and State of Haryana v.
Subash Chander Marwaha & Ors."' The contention of Mr. Anthony
to the contrary cannot be accepted.

It was next contended for the appellants that the Punjab and
E Haryana High Court itself had taken a different view in G.S.Kalkat v.
State of Punjab and Ors'"· from the one taken in the instant case and
a copy of the judgment in that case has been filed. We have perused
the judgment but find that the facts of the case were materially .-
different from the facts of the case in band.
F
The next contention raised on behalf of the appellants was that
the action of the Government in not appointing them in spite of the
fact that they were selected and their names were recommended by the
Board for appointment, was malafide. The allegations about mala-
fides are more easily made than made out. There are no materials
before us to warrant the conclusion that the action of the State
G Government in not appointing them was malafide especially when the
posts in anticipation where of the Board was asked to select more

!. [19621 Supp. 1 S.C.R. 968.
2. (1974] 1 S,C.R. 165.
H 3. pronounced on]15th July, 1980.
JATINDRA KUMAR v. PUNJAB (Misra, J.) 907

candidates came to an end. There was no question of their appoint- A
men! against those vacancies.

Likewise, the contention that the action of the Government is
hit by Art.14 and 16 of the Constitution has no substance. The case
of the appellants is not identical with those of the persons who were
appointed as against 57 vacancies for which original requisition was B
made to the Board for selecting them.

An argument of desperation. was further advanced about pro-
missory estoppel stopping the State Government from acting in the
manner it did in not appointing the appellants although their names
had been recommended. The notification issued by the Board in this c
case was only an invitation to candidates possessing specified quali-
fications to apply for selection for recruitment for certain posts. It
did not hold.out any promise that the selection would be made or if
it was made the selected candidates would be appointed. The candi-
dates did not acquire any right merely by applying for selection or
D
for appointment after selection. When the proposal for disbandment
of the Punjab Armed Police Battalion and instead creation of addi-
tional posts for the district police was turned down by the State
Government, the appellants were duly informed of the situation and
there was no question of any promissory estoppel against the State.
E
It was further contended by Mr. Anthony that the recommenda-
tion made by the 11oard would remain effective even after the body
-. bad become defunct. It is no~ necessary to go into detail in this
contention in as much as the fate of the case depends npon whether
the appellants had a right to get appointed on the basis of the
. selection and recommendation made by the Board. The appellants
came to Court to vindicate their right but if they had no right there
F

was no question of enforcing that right.

For the foregoing discussion the appeal has no force and there·
fore, it must fail. It is accordingly dismissed but in the circumstances
of the case the parties should bear their own costs. d

S,R, Appeal dismissed