KUM C. YAMINIversusTHE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH & ANR.

                           [2019] 10 S.C.R. 595                             595


                          KUM C. YAMINI                                     A
                                   v.
          THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH & ANR.
                   (Civil Appeal No. 6296 of 2019)
                          AUGUST 14, 2019                                   B
[S. A. BOBDE, R. SUBHASH REDDY AND B. R. GAVAI, JJ.]
       Judiciary: Fast Track Court – Ad hoc District Judges –
Selection to the post of District Judges in regular cadre from adhoc
Fast Track Court District Judges – Claim for seniority based on
                                                                            C
adhoc appointment – Appellant was appointed to a Fast Track Court
(FTC) as an ad hoc District Judge in 2003 – On 28.5.2004, the
second respondent-High Court issued notification inviting
applications for regular appointments to the posts of District Judge
in the Higher Judicial Service – A set of ad hoc District Judges
appointed to the FTCs filed writ petition questioning the notification      D
and praying for absorption against regular vacancies – High Court
dismissed the writ petition – On appeal, the Supreme Court while
declining to grant relief of absorption directed that the direct recruits
to FTCs who opted for regularization shall be subjected to written
examination and interview for being entitled to be appointed to the
                                                                            E
regular cadre of the Higher Judicial Services of the respective States
– In compliance of these directions, the second respondent-High
Court issued notification inviting applications, to fill up the posts
of District Judges in regular cadre from the working/former ad hoc
FTC District Judges – Appellants responded to the said notification
and was selected and appointed by G.O. MS No. 68 dated 2.7.2013             F
– Appellant availed the benefit of such appointment and completed
probation of two years – Nearby four years of her appointment,
she filed writ petition questioning G.O. MS No. 68 dated 2.7.2013
and claiming seniority from date of her initial appointment as adhoc
District Judge – High Court rejected her claim – Hence instant
                                                                            G
appeal – Held: The appointments which came to be made for
selecting District Judges for FTCs sanctioned under the 11th Finance
Scheme are totally different and distinct, compared to appointments
which are to be made for regular vacant posts of District Judges –
Merely on the ground that they were selected by following the same
                                                                            H
                                  595
596            SUPREME COURT REPORTS                       [2019] 10 S.C.R.


A     procedure akin to that of regular selections, is no ground to consider
      their claim for grant of seniority from the date of initial appointment
      – When their claim for regularisation/absorption and challenge to
      notification issued in the year 2004 for making selections to the
      vacant regular posts of District Judges was rejected, the appellants
      have no basis to claim seniority from the date of initial appointment
B
      – In any event, having applied in response to the notification issued
      by the High Court in 2013 after availing the benefit of appointment,
      it is not open to the appellants to question the conditions imposed
      in the order which is in conformity with rules – Undisputedly,
      appellant was appointed as ad hoc District Judges to preside over
C     the FTCs only – Initially when she was not appointed to a post or
      category of posts, forming part of cadre strength in such category,
      appellant cannot claim any seniority over the persons regularly
      appointed in the category of posts forming part of cadre strength –
      Andhra Pradesh State Higher Judicial Service Special Rules for Ad
      Hoc Appointments, 2001 – rr.1, 2, 7 – Estoppel.
D
            Disposing of the appeals, the Court
             HELD : 1. When the Fast Track Courts were established
      in the State of Andhra Pradesh out of the grants made available
      by the 11th Finance Commission, for making appointments to
E     preside over such courts, a separate set of rules, namely, Andhra
      Pradesh State Higher Judicial Service Special Rules for Ad Hoc
      Appointments, 2001 were issued. The appellant was initially
      appointed as per the said Rules. Rule 1 of the said Rules dealt
      with the constitution of service and Rule 7 laid down the terms
      and conditions of the appointment. Rule 7(1)(B) states that a
F     person appointed under Rule 2(i) shall not be regarded as a
      member of permanent cadre covered under Rule 2 of Special
      Rules and is not entitled to any preferential right to any other
      appointment. The said Rules are framed only for the purpose of
      selecting District Judges on ad hoc posts for presiding over Fast
G     Track Courts. The Fast Track Courts were established initially
      for a limited period of five years. All these selections which were
      made on ad hoc basis, are not for any posts in the regular cadre of
      A.P. Higher Judicial Service. [Para 11] [604-B-E]


H
   KUM C. YAMINI v. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH                       597


       2. The claim of the appellants that they were appointed as     A
ad hoc District Judges by following the procedure which is similar
to the procedure for appointments to the sanctioned posts in the
regular cadre, is no ground to accede to their request to reckon
their seniority in the permanent cadre of District Judges, from
their initial appointment as the District Judges for the Fast Track
                                                                      B
Courts. The appointments which came to be made for selecting
District Judges for Fast Track Courts sanctioned under the 11th
Finance Scheme are totally different and distinct, compared to
appointments which are to be made for regular vacant posts of
District Judges covered under A.P. Higher Judicial Service. If a
person is not appointed to any post in the cadre, such person         C
cannot claim any seniority over the persons who are appointed in
vacant posts in the cadre. The Fast Track Courts which were
sanctioned initially for five years from the grants of 11th Finance
Commission, were continued in some States beyond such period
with the assistance, from States and such Fast Track Courts were
                                                                      D
discontinued in some other States. Merely on the ground that
they were selected by following the same procedure akin to that
of regular selections, is no ground to consider their claim for
grant of seniority from the date of initial appointment.
Undisputedly, appellant was appointed as ad hoc District Judges
to preside over the Fast Track Courts only. Initially when she        E
was not appointed to a post or category of posts, forming part of
cadre strength in such category, appellant cannot claim any
seniority over the persons regularly appointed in the category of
posts forming part of cadre strength. There is yet another ground
to reject the claim of the appellant. Though the appellant claims
                                                                      F
seniority over the persons who are appointed in regular vacant
posts forming part of cadre strength but they are not even made
parties. On this ground also, the claim of the appellants deserves
rejection. [Para 13] [605-C-F; H; 606-A-B]
      3. The claim of seniority will depend upon several factors,
nature of appointment, rules as per which the appointments are        G
made and when appointments are made, were such appointments
to the cadre posts or not etc. When the appellants were not
appointed to any regular posts in the A.P. Judicial Service,

                                                                      H
598            SUPREME COURT REPORTS                      [2019] 10 S.C.R.


A     appellants cannot claim seniority based on their ad hoc
      appointments to preside over Fast Track Courts. [Para 14]
      [606-E-F]
            V. Venkata Prasad & Ors. v. High Court of Andhra
            Pradesh & Ors. (2016) 11 SCC 656 : [2016] 3 SCR
B           834 ; Mahesh Chandra Verma v. State of Jharkhand &
            Ors. (2018) 7 SCC 270 : [2018] 5 SCR 719 – relied
            on.
            Brij Mohan Lal (2) v. Union of India & Ors. (2012) 6
            SCC 502 : [2012] 5 SCR 305 ; Rudra Kumar Sain &
C           Ors. v. Union of India & Ors. (2000) 8 SCC 25 : [2000]
            2 Suppl. SCR 573 ; Brij Mohan Lal (1) v. Union of
            India & Ors. (2002) 5 SCC 1 : [2002] 3 SCR 810 ;
            Debabrata Dash & Anr. v. Jatindra Prasad Das & Ors.
            (2013) 3 SCC 658 : [2013] 2 SCR 331 – held
            inapplicable.
D
                             Case Law Reference
      [2012] 5 SCR 305                held inapplicable       Para 4
      [2000] 2 Suppl. SCR 573         held inapplicable       Para 8
      [2002] 3 SCR 810                held inapplicable       Para 8
E
      [2013] 2 SCR 331                held inapplicable       Para 8
      [2016] 3 SCR 834                relied on               Para 9
      [2018] 5 SCR 719                relied on               Para 16
            CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 6296
F     of 2019.
            From the Judgment and Order dated 17.04.2017 by the High Court
      of Judicature at Hyderabad for the State of Telangana and the State of
      Andhra Pradesh in writ Petition No. 13022 of 2017.
            With
G
            Civil Appeal Nos. 6297, 6298 and 6299 of 2019.
            Ms. Kum. C. Yamini (Appellant-in-person).
            R. Venkataramani, Sr. Adv., Venkateswara Rao Anumolu,
      Chandra Mohan A., Sridhar Potaraju, Ms. Shiwani Tushir, Ms. Shwetha
H     Parihar, Ms. G Ushasri, Advs. for the Appellant.
    KUM C. YAMINI v. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH                                599


     G. N. Reddy, T. Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy, Mrs. Sujatha Bagadhi,                A
Ms. Uttara Babbar, Ms. Bhavana Duhoon, Manan Bansal, S. Udaya
Kumar Sagar, Ms. Bina Madhavan, Ms. Swati Bhardwaj, Tanmaya
Agarwal, Advs. for the Respondents.
      The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
      R. SUBHASH REDDY, J.                                                      B

      1. Leave granted.
       2. Relief claimed in these matters is same, as such they are heard
together and disposed of by this common judgment and order. For the
purpose of disposal, we refer to the facts stated in the civil appeal arising   C
out of S.L.P.(C)No.20990 of 2017.
       3. This civil appeal is filed, aggrieved by the impugned judgment
and final order dated 17.04.2017 passed by the High Court of Judicature
at Hyderabad for the State of Telangana and the State of Andhra Pradesh
whereby writ petition filed by the appellant in Writ Petition No.13022 of       D
2017 was dismissed. In the writ petition, appellant has questioned
paragraph nos.5 and 6 of G.O.MS. No.68 dated 02.07.2013 of Law (LA
& J-SC.F) Department as unconstitutional and illegal.
       4. The appellant was appointed to a Fast Track Court, as an ad
hoc District Judge in the year 2003. The appellant was practising as an
                                                                                E
advocate at the relevant time, and the appointment was made pursuant
to selections made for appointment to the post of ad hoc District Judges.
Pursuant to her selection to preside over a Fast Track Court, she joined
duty on 25.10.2003. On 28.05.2004, the second respondent-High Court
issued notification, inviting applications for regular appointments to the
posts of District & Sessions Judges in the A.P. Higher Judicial Service.        F
A set of ad hoc District Judges appointed to the Fast Track Courts filed
writ petition in W.P.No.11273 of 2004 questioning such notification. In
the aforesaid writ petition all the ad hoc District Judges who were
selected to preside over the Fast Track Courts, prayed for absorption
against regular vacancies. The writ petition was dismissed by the High
                                                                                G
Court by order dated 13.07.2004. Aggrieved by the aforesaid judgment,
a Special Leave Petition (C)No.17338 of 2004 was filed by the ad hoc
District Judges. While granting leave, this Court, by interim order dated
09.03.2006 passed in Civil Appeal No.1276 of 2005, has observed that
any appointments that would be made in regular selections, will be subject
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600               SUPREME COURT REPORTS                         [2019] 10 S.C.R.


A     to the result of the civil appeal. Subsequently, the above said civil appeal
      was disposed of along with a batch of matters, which were decided on
      19.04.2012 which is reported as Brij Mohan Lal (2) v. Union of India
      & Ors.1. While considering the validity of notification dated 28.05.2004,
      which was issued for making appointments to the posts of District &
      Sessions Judges and the claim of absorption made by the ad hoc District
B
      Judges, who are appointed to preside over Fast Track Courts, this Court
      in paragraph 175 has observed as under :
               “175. The petitioners from the State of Andhra Pradesh have
               also prayed for identical relief claiming that the advertisement
               dated 28-5-2004 issued for filling up the vacancies in the regular
C              cadre should be quashed and not processed any further and the
               petitioners instead should be absorbed against those vacancies.
               In view of the above discussion, we find no merit even in these
               submissions.”
            5. In the aforesaid judgment, while considering their claim for
D     absorption in the regular cadre, while declining to grant the relief of
      absorption certain directions were issued as contained in paragraph 207.9.
      The directions issued in the aforesaid paragraph read as under :
               “207.9. All the persons who have been appointed by way of direct
               recruitment from the Bar as Judges to preside over FTCs under
E              the FTC Scheme shall be entitled to be appointed to the regular
               cadre of the Higher Judicial Services of the respective States
               only in the following manner :
                      (a) The direct recruits to FTCs who opt for regularisation
                  shall take a written examination to be conducted by the High
F                 Courts of the respective States for determining their suitability
                  for absorption in the regular cadre of Additional District Judges.
                     (b) Thereafter, they shall be subjected to an interview by a
                  Selection Committee consisting of the Chief Justice and four
                  seniormost Judges of that High Court.
G
                     (c) There shall be 150 marks for the written examination
                  and 100 marks for the interview. The qualifying marks shall
                  be 40% aggregate for general candidates and 35% for SC/ST/
                  OBC candidates. The examination and interview shall be held
      1
H         (2012) 6 SCC 502
    KUM C. YAMINI v. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH                               601
               [R. SUBHASH REDDY, J.]

          in accordance with the relevant Rules enacted by the States          A
          for direct appointment to Higher Judicial Services.
             (d) Each of the appointees shall be entitled to one mark per
          year of service in the FTCs, which shall form part of the
          interview marks.
              (e) Needless to point out that this examination and interview    B
          should be conducted by the respective High Courts keeping in
          mind that all these applicants have put in a number of years as
          FTC Judges and have served the country by administering
          justice in accordance with law. The written examination and
          interview module, should, thus, be framed keeping in mind the        C
          peculiar facts and circumstances of these cases.
             (f) The candidates who qualify the written examination and
          obtain consolidated percentage as aforeindicated shall be
          appointed to the post of Additional District Judge in the regular
          cadre of the State.                                                  D
             (g) If, for any reason, vacancies are not available in the
          regular cadre, we hereby direct the State Governments to
          create such additional vacancies as may be necessary keeping
          in view the number of candidates selected.
             (h) All sitting and/or former FTC Judges who were directly        E
          appointed from the Bar and are desirous of taking the
          examination and interview for regular appointment shall be given
          age relaxation. No application shall be rejected on the ground
          of age of the applicant being in excess of the prescribed age.”
       6. In compliance of directions issued in the judgment in the case       F
of Brij Mohan Lal (2) v. Union of India & Ors. (supra) as referred
above, the second respondent-High Court has issued notification dated
13.08.2012 inviting applications, to fill up the posts of District Judges in
regular cadre from the working/former ad hoc Fast Track Court District
Judges. All the appellants herein who responded to the aforesaid
                                                                               G
notification, were selected and appointed by the Government to the posts
of regular District Judges (Entry Level) vide G.O.MS. No.68 dated
02.07.2013 issued by Law (LA & J-SC.F) Department. Paragraphs 4,5
and 6 of the aforesaid Order read as under :

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602             SUPREME COURT REPORTS                          [2019] 10 S.C.R.


A           “4. The appointments ordered above will take effect from the
            dates on which the respective officers assume charge.
            5. The probation of the officers will be governed by rule 9 of the
            A.P. State Judicial Service Rules, 2007, and they will be on
            probation for a period of two years from the date of joining duty
B           as decided by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh.
            6. The seniority of the persons appointed to the category of District
            Judges by direct recruitment as well as recruitment by transfer
            shall be fixed as per the roster prescribed in schedule A appended
            to the Andhra Pradesh State Judicial Service Rules, 2007.”
C             The appellant availed the benefit of such appointment and
      completed probation of two years from the date of joining duty. Nearly
      after four years of her appointment, she has filed the present writ petition,
      before the High Court questioning paragraphs 5 and 6 of the notification
      dated 02.07.2013, which resulted in the impugned order rejecting claim
D     of her seniority from the date of her initial appointment as ad hoc District
      Judge. In the impugned order, the High Court has observed that the
      appellant very conveniently took up the appointment subject to conditions
      and after getting a declaration of successful completion of probation and
      after ensuring berth in the judiciary, has chosen to come up with a
      challenge to the very Government Order by which she was appointed.
E     Further, taking note of the rejection of the claim of the appellant and
      similarly placed persons for their absorption and their challenge to the
      notification dated 28.05.2004 for selection to the regular cadre of District
      Judges, the High Court has opined that in view of the rules which govern
      the appointment to the post of ad hoc District Judge, the appellant is not
F     entitled to claim seniority from the date of initial appointment.
             7. We have heard Kum. C. Yamini, appellant-in-person in civil
      appeals arising out of S.L.P.(C)Nos.20990 of 2017 and 12535 of 2018;
      Sri R. Venkataramani, learned senior counsel appearing for the appellant
      in civil appeal arising out of S.L.P.(C)No.13046 of 2018; Sri Sridhar
G     Potaraju, learned counsel appearing for the appellants in civil appeal
      arising out of S.L.P.(C)No.28302 of 2018; and Ms. Uttara Babbar,
      learned counsel appearing for the then High Court of Judicature at
      Hyderabad for the State of Telangana and the State of Andhra Pradesh.
            8. Kum. C. Yamini, appellant appearing in person has mainly
      contended that when the appellant was appointed to the very same post
H
    KUM C. YAMINI v. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH                                603
               [R. SUBHASH REDDY, J.]

of District Judge in the year 2003 by following the procedure as applicable     A
to the regular appointments and when the appellant was selected and
appointed pursuant to the notification issued on 02.07.2013, there is no
reason or justification for denying her seniority in the cadre of District
Judges from initial date of appointment in the year 2003. She has relied
on a judgment of this Court in the case of Rudra Kumar Sain & Ors.
                                                                                B
v. Union of India & Ors. 2 . Learned senior counsel Sri R.
Venkataramani, by referring to the directions issued by this Court in the
case of Brij Mohan Lal (1) v. Union of India & Ors.3, has submitted
that, when the appellants were appointed to the post of District Judges
by following the procedure akin to that of regular District Judges, there
is no reason or justification for denying seniority to them from the date       C
of initial appointment. Learned senior counsel also relied on the judgment
of this Court in the case of Debabrata Dash & Anr. v. Jatindra Prasad
Das & Ors.4 and also the judgment in the case of Brij Mohan Lal (2)
v. Union of India & Ors. (supra).
       9. On the other hand, learned counsel Ms. Uttara Babbar,                 D
appearing for the High Court has submitted that the very appointment of
the appellants as ad hoc District Judges was only to preside over the
Fast Track Courts under the special rules framed for recruitment of ad
hoc Judges. It is submitted that in the very same rules, it is made clear
that they have no claim against regular vacancies. Further it is contended
that when their claim for absorption is rejected by the High Court and          E
confirmed by this Court, it is not open for the appellants to claim seniority
from the date of initial appointment. It is further submitted that all the
persons who will be affected, in the event of grant of relief as claimed
by the appellants are not even made party respondents. Learned counsel
has submitted that similar issue i.e. claim of seniority over persons who       F
are appointed against the substantive posts is considered and rejected
by this Court in the case of V. Venkata Prasad & Ors. v. High Court
of Andhra Pradesh & Ors.5. It is submitted that in the aforesaid
judgment Rules 2, 6 and 7 of Andhra Pradesh State Higher Judicial
Service Special Rules for Ad Hoc Appointments, 2001 were considered.
In the aforesaid judgment, this Court has categorically held that               G


2
  (2000) 8 SCC 25
3
  (2002) 5 SCC 1
4
  (2013) 3 SCC 658
5
  (2016) 11 SCC 656
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604            SUPREME COURT REPORTS                          [2019] 10 S.C.R.


A     appointments in respect of Fast Track Courts are ad hoc in nature and
      no right accrues to such appointees.
            10. Having heard the appellant appearing in person and learned
      senior counsel appearing for the appellant in Civil Appeal arising out of
      S.L.P(C) No.13046 of 2018 and other counsels, we have perused the
B     written submissions and other material placed on record.
              11. When the Fast Track Courts were established in the State of
      Andhra Pradesh out of the grants made available by the 11th Finance
      Commission, for making appointments to preside over such courts, a
      separate set of rules, namely, Andhra Pradesh State Higher Judicial
C     Service Special Rules for Ad Hoc Appointments, 2001 were issued.
      The said rules were framed in exercise of powers conferred by Article
      233 and the proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India. The
      appellant was initially appointed as per the aforesaid Rules. Rule 1 of
      the said Rules deals with the constitution of service and Rule 7 lays
      down the terms and conditions of the appointment. Rule 7(1)(B) states
D     that a person appointed under Rule 2(i) shall not be regarded as a member
      of permanent cadre covered under Rule 2 of Special Rules and is not
      entitled to any preferential right to any other appointment. The said
      Rules are framed only for the purpose of selecting District Judges on ad
      hoc posts for presiding over Fast Track Courts. The Fast Track Courts
E     were established initially for a limited period of five years as per the
      grant provided in the 11th Finance Commission. All these selections
      which were made on ad hoc basis, are not for any posts in the regular
      cadre of A.P. Higher Judicial Service. After the appointment of the
      appellant in the year 2003, when the second respondent has issued
      notification inviting applications for recruitment to the posts in regular
F     vacancies of District Judges, certain Fast Track Court Judges have
      questioned the very notification by claiming absorption in the regular
      vacancies. Such plea of the appellants was rejected and confirmed by
      this Court, in clear terms, while disposing of the matter in Brij Mohan
      Lal (2) (supra) para 175. Their challenge to the notification issued in
G     the year 2004 for recruitment to the regular cadre posts of District Judges
      is also rejected.
            12. While rejecting the claim for their absorption and challenge to
      the notification issued for the recruitment in the regular cadre posts,
      certain directions were issued in Brij Mohan Lal (2) (supra) for
H     considering the claims of ad hoc judges appointed to Fast Track Courts
    KUM C. YAMINI v. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH                              605
               [R. SUBHASH REDDY, J.]

into regular cadre posts. Following the directions only, the second           A
respondent has issued notification inviting applications for appointments
to the regular cadre of District Judges and appellants and others responded
to such notification and totally 12 of them were selected for regular
vacancies. In the appointment order dated 02.07.2013 in G.O.MS. No.68
issued by Law (LA & J-SC.F) Department, they were put on probation
                                                                              B
for a period of two years and after the declaration of successful probation
and nearly after four years of appointment, the present claim is made
claiming seniority from the date of their initial appointment, as ad hoc
District Judges.
        13. The claim of the appellants that they were appointed as ad
hoc District Judges by following the procedure which is similar to the        C
procedure for appointments to the sanctioned posts in the regular cadre,
is no ground to accede to their request to reckon their seniority in the
permanent cadre of District Judges, from their initial appointment as the
District Judges for the Fast Track Courts. The appointments which came
to be made for selecting District Judges for Fast Track Courts sanctioned     D
under the 11th Finance Scheme are totally different and distinct, compared
to appointments which are to be made for regular vacant posts of District
Judges covered under A.P. Higher Judicial Service. If a person is not
appointed to any post in the cadre, such person cannot claim any seniority
over the persons who are appointed in vacant posts in the cadre. The
Fast Track Courts which were sanctioned initially for five years from         E
the grants of 11th Finance Commission, were continued in some States
beyond such period with the assistance, from States and such Fast Track
Courts were discontinued in some other States. Merely on the ground
that they were selected by following the same procedure akin to that of
regular selections, is no ground to consider their claim for grant of         F
seniority from the date of initial appointment. When their claim for
regularisation/absorption and challenge to notification issued in the year
2004 for making selections to the vacant regular posts of District Judges
is rejected by the High Court and confirmed by this Court, we are of the
view that the appellants have no basis to claim seniority from the date of
initial appointment. In any event, having applied in response to the          G
notification issued by the High Court in the year 2013 after availing the
benefit of appointment, it is not open to the appellants to question the
conditions imposed in the order which is in conformity with rules.
Undisputedly, appellant was appointed as ad hoc District Judges to
                                                                              H
606             SUPREME COURT REPORTS                          [2019] 10 S.C.R.


A     preside over the Fast Track Courts only. Initially when she was not
      appointed to a post or category of posts, forming part of cadre strength
      in such category, appellant cannot claim any seniority over the persons
      regularly appointed in the category of posts forming part of cadre strength.
      There is yet another ground to reject the claim of the appellant. Though
      the appellant claims seniority over the persons who are appointed in
B
      regular vacant posts forming part of cadre strength but they are not
      even made parties. On this ground also, the claim of the appellants
      deserves rejection.
              14. We have perused the judgment relied on by the appellant party
      in person, in the case of Rudra Kumar Sain & Ors. v. Union of India
C     & Ors. (supra). In the aforesaid case, issue relates to claim of seniority
      between direct recruits and promotees. Learned senior counsel Sri
      Venkataramani, has also relied on the judgments of this Court in the
      case of Brij Mohan Lal (1) v. Union of India & Ors. (supra); in the
      case of Debabrata Dash & Anr. v. Jatindra Prasad Das & Ors.
D     (supra); in the case of V. Venkata Prasad & Ors. v. High Court of
      Andhra Pradesh & Ors. (supra) and in the case of Brij Mohan Lal
      (2) v. Union of India & Ors. (supra). We have looked into the judgments
      referred above by the learned senior counsel Sri Venkataramani and the
      party in person. Having regard to issue involved in the present appeals,
      we are of the view that the ratio decided in the aforesaid cases would
E     not render any assistance in support of their claim in these cases. The
      claim of seniority will depend upon several factors, nature of appointment,
      rules as per which the appointments are made and when appointments
      are made, were such appointments to the cadre posts or not etc. When
      the appellants were not appointed to any regular posts in the A.P. Judicial
F     Service, appellants cannot claim seniority based on their ad hoc
      appointments to preside over Fast Track Courts. We are of the view
      that the ratio decided in the said judgments relied on by the appellants
      would not render any assistance in support of their case.
             15. On the other hand, the judgment in the case of V. Venkata
G     Prasad & Ors. v. High Court of Andhra Pradesh & Ors. (supra),
      this Court has, in clear terms, while considering A.P. State Higher Judicial
      Service Special Rules for Ad Hoc Appointments, 2001 held that such
      appointments in respect of Fast Track Courts are ad hoc in nature and
      no right accrues to such appointees. The aforesaid view of this Court

H
       KUM C. YAMINI v. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH                                607
                  [R. SUBHASH REDDY, J.]

clearly supports the case of the respondents. Paragraph 25 of the said             A
case which is relevant for the purpose of these cases reads as under :
         “25. From the aforesaid two authorities, it is quite clear that the
         appointments in respect of Fast Track Courts are ad hoc in nature
         and no right is to accrue to such recruits promoted/posted on ad
         hoc basis from the lower judiciary for the regular promotion on           B
         the basis of such appointment. It has been categorically stated
         that FTC Judges were appointed under a separate set of rules
         than the rules governing the regular appointment in the State Higher
         Judicial Services.”
       16. In the civil appeal arising out of S.L.P.(C)No.28302 of 2018,           C
learned counsel for the appellants has submitted that the appellants be at
least given the benefit of counting the service rendered by them in Fast
Track Courts for pensionary and other benefits. In support of his claim,
learned counsel placed reliance on the judgment of this Court in Mahesh
Chandra Verma v. State of Jharkhand & Ors.6 wherein this Court
has considered the very same issue and held that the service rendered              D
as Fast Track Court Judges is to be counted for their length of service,
for the purpose of determining their pension and other retiral benefits.
       17. We have perused the aforesaid judgment and we are in
agreement with the view taken by a two Judge Bench of this Court.
Resultantly, while rejecting their claim for grant of seniority from the           E
date of their initial appointment as Fast Track Court District Judges and
other reliefs, we direct that the appellants and all others who are similarly
placed are to be given benefit of counting their service rendered as Fast
Track Judges, for the purpose of pensionary and other retiral benefits.
With the above directions and observations the civil appeals are disposed          F
of with no order as to costs.

Devika Gujral                                               Appeals disposed of.


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6
    (2018) 7 SCC 270                                                               H