Holding

A single, isolated post in a particular discipline constitutes a separate cadre and reservation cannot be applied to it, as doing so would amount to 100% reservation violating Article 16(1).

Summary

The State of Karnataka challenged the appointment of K. Govindappa as Lecturer in History in an aided private college, arguing that the post formed part of a larger cadre of lecturers and should be subject to the reservation roster. The college had six lecturer posts across different disciplines, but the History post was the only one in its discipline. The High Court held that a single, isolated post in a specific discipline constitutes a separate cadre, and reservation cannot be applied to it because it would amount to 100% reservation, violating Article 16(1) of the Constitution. The Supreme Court affirmed this view, stating that plurality of posts is required for reservation within a cadre and that isolated single posts are exempt. Consequently, the appointment of Govindappa was deemed legal and the appeal was dismissed.

Issues considered

Whether the Lecturer in History post is a single isolated post or part of a larger cadre of lecturers for reservation purposes.
Whether reservation can be applied to a single isolated post under Article 16(4).

Subjects

reservationsingle postcadreArticle 16service lawisolated postKarnatakaappointmentconstitutional law

Judgment

[2008] 16 S.C.R. 457

I
r ~
STATE OF KARNATAKA & ORS. A
'
II.
K. GOVINDAPPA & ANR.
(Civil Appeal No. 6729 of 2008)

NOVEMBER 20, 2008 B
tli ~ [ALTAMAS KABIR AND MARKANDEY KATJU, JJ.]

Service law - Reservation, rule of- Applicability to single
and isolated posts in respect of different disciplines - Held:
Each discipline which consists of single post exists as
c
separate cadre for the said discipline - Rule of reservation
does not apply in respect of single post - Plurality of posts
is necessary for reservation - Jn absence thereof, if rule of
reservation is applied, Article 16(1) would be offended - On
facts, incumbent appointed to the single post of Lecturer in D
History in the college - Different disciplines taught in the
91 -11 college for which there were several lecturers - High Court
rightly held the said post as single isolated post forming
separate cadre in itself and not part of the cadre of Lecturers
of different disciplines, thus, reservation policy not applicable E
and appointment was just and legal.
Respondent no. 1 was appointed as a lecturer in
Hisfory in the aided private college owned and managed
by the respondent no. 2. The Government of Karnataka
"'+ did not approve the appointment of respondent no. 1
F
since he was appointed in the post reserved for
Scheduled Caste Candidate. Respondent no. 1. filed
review petition before the Government on the ground that
there was only a single post of lecturer in History in the
college and the reservation policy was not applicable to G
+ the said post. The review petition was rejected. Aggrieved,
respondent no. 1 filed writ petition. Appellant-State
contended that in the college there were six posts of
lecturers, hence, the post of lecturer in History could not
457. H
458 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 16 S.C.R.

)I-
A be considered as a single post. The Single Judge of High
Court held that the post of Lecturer in History in the
respondent No.2's college was a single isolated post
forming a separate cadre in itself and not part of the
cadre of Lecturers comprising all the different disciplines
B taught in the college and the reservation policy was not
applicable to the appointment made to the said post. It
held the appointment of the respondent no. 1 as just and
legal and directed the appellant to approve his
t '-
appointment. The Division Bench of High Court upheld
c the order of the Single Judge. ·Hence the present appeals.
Dismissing the appeals, the Court
HELD: 1.1. Isolated and separate posts can exist
within a cadre and in case of such posts, if there was only
one post, the same could not be set apart for a reserved
D
candidate. [Para 20] [467-C-D]
1.2. While there can be no difference of opinion that
the expressions "cadre", "post" and "service" cannot be
t· ...
equated with each other, at the same time the
E submission that single and isolated posts in respect of
different disciplines cannot exist as a separate cadre
cannot be accepted. In order to apply the rule of
reservation within a cadre, there has to be plurality of
posts. Since there is no scope of inter-changeability of
F posts in the different disciplines, each single. post in a 'f-•
particular discipline has to be treated as a sing1e post for
the purpose of reservation within the meaning of Article
· 16(4) of the Constitution. In the absence of duality of
posts, if the rule of reservation is to be applied, it will
offend the constitutional bar against 100% reservation as
G
envisaged in Article 16(1) of the Constitution. [Para 19]
[466-G-H; 467-A-B] +
1.3. The instant case falls within the category of
single isolated posts within a cadre in respect whereof
H the rule of reservation is inapplicable and the said
STATE OF KARNATAKA & ORS. v. K. GOVINDAPPA & 459
ANR.

-of principle has been correctly applied by the High Court in A
the facts of this case. Each discipline which consisted of
a single post will have to be dealt with as a separate cadre
for the said discipline and in view of the settled law that
there can be no reservation in respect of a single post,
the appointment of the respondent No.1 cannot be faulted. 8
This is particularly so having regard to the fact that the
' -'"
/
several disciplines are confined to one College alone.
; [Para 21] [467-E-F]

Arati Ray Choudhary vs. Union of India 1974 (1) SCC
87, distinguished.
c
.,
Dr. Chakradhar Paswan vs. Siate of Bihar 1988 (2) SCC
214 and Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and
Research VS. Faculty Association, 1998 (4) sec 1, relied on.
D
Dr. Rajkumar vs. Gulbarga University /LR 1990

.~ " Karnataka 2125; State of U.P. vs. Dr. Dina Nath Shukla and
Anr. 1997 (9) SCC 662; R.K. Sabharwal vs. State of Punjab
1995 (2) SCC 745; Union of India vs. Madhav 1997 (2) SCC
332; Suresh Chandra vs J.B. Agarwal 1997 (5) SCC 363;
E
Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research
vs. K.L. Narasimhan 1997 (6) SCC 283, referred to.

Case Law Reference:
ILR 1990 Karnataka 2125 Referred to. Para 5
~~ F
1997 (9) sec 662 Referred to. Para 12
1995 (2) sec 145 Referred to. Para 12
1997 (2) sec 332 Referred to. Para 12
G
1997 (5) sec 363
• .,_
1997 (6) sec 283
Referred to.

Referred to.
Para 18

Para 18
I 19ss (2) sec 214 Relied on. Para 20
H
460
.
SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 16 .S.C.R.

A 1998 (4) sec 1 Relied on. Para 20
1974 (1) sec a1 distinguished. Para 21
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No.
6729 of 2008. ·
B
From the Judgment and final Order dated 27.1.2006 of the
High Court of Karnataka at Bangalore in Writ Appeal No. 3125
of 2005 (S-PRO). ·•
WITH
c
Civil Appeal No. 6730 of 2008.

Sanjay R. Hegde, A Rohen Singh and Amit Kr. Chawla for
the Appellants.

D Girish Ananthamurthy, Vaijayanthi Girish, P.P. Singh,
Mallikarjun S., E.R. Sumathy, C.M. Angadi, Rameshwar Prasad
Goyal and N. Ganpathy for the Respondents.
1
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
E AlTAMAS KABIR, J. 1. Leave granted.
2. The respondent No.1, Shri K. Govindappa was
appointed as a Lecturer in History in an aided private college
owned and managed by the Vinayaka Rural Education Society,
F the respondent No.2 herein, with effect from 10th July, 1994.
The said college, which was situated at Hegalavadi, Gubbi
Taluk, Tumkur District, applied for approval of the appointment
of the respondent No.1, but such prayer was refused by the
Government of Karnataka on the ground that the appointment
G had been made in violation of the Roster Policy and that he had
been appointed in a post,which was reserved for a Scheduled
Caste~candidate. A review petition was filed t)y·the respondent
No.1 before the Government contending that since there was +'
'

only a single post of Lecturer in History in the college, the
H reservation policy would not apply to the said post in which the
STATE OF KARNATAKA & ORS. v. K. GOVINDAPPA & 461
ANR. [ALTAMAS KABIR, J.]

respondent No.1 had been appointed. As the claim of the A
respondent No.1 was rejected by the Government, he filed a
Writ Petition before the Karnataka High Court praying for
quashing of the orders passed by the Government and for a
direction upon the concerned authorities to approve his
appointment with effect from 21st July, 1994, from which date B
he had joined his duties. Contesting the claim of the respondent
~ No.1 the appeliants contended before the Writ Court that even
though the Management was running only one college, it had
different disciplines for which there were several Lecturers. It
was contended that the college had to maintain the Roster for c
the purpose of making appointments after taking into
consideration the entire cadre of Lecturer~. irrespective of
subjects. It was also contended that in the college in question
there were six posts of Lecturers and h~nce, the post of Lecturer
in History could not be considered as a single post. D
3. The submissions made on behalf of the appellants was
rejected by the learned Single Judge upon holding that since
the post of Lecturer in History was a single post, the reservation
policy would not apply to the appointment made to the said
post. The learned Single Judge quashed the orders passed by E
the Government upon holding that the appointment of the
respondent No.1 was just and legal and directed the appellants
to give approval to his appointment.

4. The matter was taken up to the Division Bench of the F
""r High Court by the State of Karnataka and its officers, who are
also the appellants in these proceedings. While considering the
matter, the Division Bench posed the following two questions
which it considered relevant for the purpose of deciding the
appeal, namely :-
G
"( 1) Whether the post of lecturer in History to which the writ
+ petitioner was appointed was a single post; and

(2) If the said post was a single post whether the fourth
respondent Management was bound to reserve the post H
462 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 16 S.C.R.

A for a member of the scheduled caste as contended by ,._ '
respondent No.1 to 3 in the writ petition."

5. The Division Bench confirmed the views expressed by
the learned Single Judge and relying on the decision of this
Court in the case of br. Chakradhar Paswan vs. State of Bihar,
B
[(1988) 2 SCC 214] and the Full Bench decision of the ,,
-1- .,_
Karnataka High Court in Dr. Rajkumar vs. Gulbarga University,
[ILR 1990 Karnataka 2125], held that the decision of the
learned Single Judge did not require any interference.

c 6. The State of Karnataka an.d its authorities are in appeal
against the decision of the Karnataka High Cou~t in Writ
Appeal No. 3125 of 2005 dated 27th January, 2006.

7. On behalf of the appellant, State of Karnataka, Mr.
D Sanjay Hegde, learned advocate, submitted that both the
learned Single Judge and the Division Bench of the High Court
erroheously applied the ratio of the decision in Chakradhar
1'- ~
Paswan's case (supra) upon holding that each discipline in the ~-
college constituted a separate cadre within a service in which •\
Lecturers were appointed and the isolated posts could not be
E
taken together for applying the roster by rotation for reservations
purposes. Mr. Hegde urged that the posts in the different
disciplines were meant to be filled by Lecturers who formed a
cadre and each discipline which consisted of a single post of
Lecturer did not constitute a separate cadre in respect of the
F said discipline as otherwise without applying the principle of -ti' ,.
roster rotation, the said single post would always have to be
filled up from amongst general candidates and a Scheduled
Caste or Scheduled Tribe candidate would always have to
compete against general candidate for such purpose which e
G would destroy and/or negate the very object and purpose of
Article 16(4) of the Constitution. +- -
8. Mr. Hegde submitted that all the posts of Lecturers,
irrespective of the subjects taught, were treated by the college
H as one cadre for the purpose of maintaining the roster system ..
STATE OF KARNATAKA & ORS. v. K. GOVINDAPPA & 463
ANR. [ALTAMAS KABIR, J.]
• -1 for reservation of posts. However, by applying the ratio in . A
Chakradhar Paswan case (supra), the High Court had quite
erroneously quashed the appointment of the respondent No.1
as Lecturer in History which, according to the roster, had been
reserved for a Scheduled Caste candidate.
B
9. It was next urged by Mr. Hegde that the expression
...,..' --t "cadre" could not be equated with the expression "post" as
defined in Fundamental Rules 9 and 4, nor could th~
expression "cadre" be understood as synonymous to the
expression "service". Mr. Hegde submitted that "cadre" as
defined in the Fundamental Rules refers to the strength of ~
c
service and has no concern with individual posts in a particular
discipline which all form part of one cadre, particularly when all
the posts in the cadre of Lecturer pertained to the same
institution.
D

- ~
10. Referring to the decision in Chakradhar Paswan's case
(supra) Mr. Hegde submitted that the facts of the said ca$e
were unique to that case as within the same Directorate three
separate branches of indigenous medicines, namely,
Homeopathy, Unani and Ayurvedic, were treated as isolated E
and separate posts, although, they carried the same scale of
pay, and the three separate posts of Deputy Director of each
branch could not be grouped together for the purpose of
applying the 50 point roster. It is in that context that it was held
by this Court that isolated and separate posts can exist in the F
':_-t same cadre without violating Article 16(1) and (4) of the
Constitution.

11. On the other hand, Mr. Hegde referred to the
Constitution Bench decision of this Court in the case of Arati
:;,,. Ray Choudhary vs. Union of India ((1974) 1 SCC 871, where G
-~ the Rule of "carry forward" was applied in the case of a
reserved vacancy which remained unfilled. The principle upheld
in the said case was with regard to two posts which were by
their nature isolated posts but belonging to the same cadre.
-- Although, when the first post.fell vacant it was meant to be H
464 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008J 16 S.C.R.

A reserved. for a reserved candidate, it was filled by a general
candidate, by applying the carry forward rule, the subsequent
vacancy had to be for a reserved candidate even if it was a
single post and would not amount to 100% reservation so as
to offend Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution.
s·
.. 12. Mr. Hegde also referred to the decision of this Court
in State ofU.P. vs. Dr. Dina Nath Shukla &Another[(1997) 9
1- \

'
sec 6~2], where the principle of rotation was upheld with
regard to isolated posts to give meaning to the provisions of
c reservations and Articles 15(2) to (4), 16(4) and 16(4-A) of the
Constitution. In dealing with the matters, the learned Judge also
took note of the decisions of this Court in i) R.K. Sabharwal
vs. State ~f Punjab, [(1995) 2 SCC 745 and ii) Union of India
vs. Madhav {(1997) 2 sec 332] where the same views were
expressed and it was reiterated that application of the rule of
D rotation for filling up a single post did not offend Articles 14 and
16(1) of the Constitution.
~
13. Reference 'was .lastly made to another Constitution "'
Bench decision in the case of Post Graduate Institute of
E Medical Education and Research vs. Faculty Association
[(1998) 4 sec 1), wherein the views expressed in the earlier
decisions relating to reservation in a single post again came
up for consideration. Reversing the views expressed earlier in
.Union of India vs. Madhav (supra) and in other similar cases,
F the Constitution Bench held that there could be no reservation -+'"
in respect of a single post cadre as by applying the rule of
rotation, the single post could become a reserved post, which
was contrary to the Constitutional scheme which did/ not permit
100% reservation in a single post. While trying to reconcile the
view of the Constitution Bench in Arati Ray Choudhary's case
G ....::.-
(supra), it was explained that the deci~ion rend~_red tbere!n was
in the context of the "carry .forwar.d" principle and .did not +
support reservation in a single cadr.e post.,

14; Mr. Hegde submitted that since the posts of Lecturers
H in the college constituted one single cadre, only the roster -
STATE OF KARNATAKA & ORS. v. K. GOVINOAPPA & 465
ANR. [AL TAMAS KABIR, J.]

___.. principle would apply, as had been made applicable in the A
instant case and the High Court had erred in treating, each
discipline as a separate unit for the purpose of reservation. It
was submitted that the impugned orders passed by the learned
Single Judge, as also the Division B~nch, were liable to be set
aside. B
15. Responding to Mr. Hegde's submissions, Mr. P.P.
--t Singh, learned advocate, reiterated the stand taken on behalf
""'
-r of the respondent No.1 before the High Court and submitted
that the post of Lecturer in History being a single post, the
question of reservation did not arise as that would amount to
c
100% reservation, which would offend the constitutional
mandate of Articles 14 and 16(1) of the Constitution. Mr. Singh
referred to the letter dated 28th July, 1994, addressed to the
Joint Director, Department of Public Instruction, Bangalore
Division, on behalf of the college seeking approval of the D
appointment of the respondent No.1 as permanent Lecturer in
History, wherein it had been explained that no application for
'
ma- ~ appointment had been received from any Scheduled Tribes
candidate and that the respondent No.1 was the only candidate
for the post. E

16. Mr. Singh submitted that the judgment of the High Court
was based on sound principles of law which did not warrant
any interference in the appeal.

17. Vi/hile adopting Mr. Singh's submissions, Ms. E.R.
F
- t Sumathy, learned advocate appearing for the respondent No.2
college, urged that the decision in Arati Ray Choudhary's case
involved two schools being run by the South Eastern Railways,
where plurality of posts existed which made it possible to apply
the rule of rotation since the bar of 100% reservation would not G
1

be applicable in the facts of the case. Mr. Sumathy submitted
-\ ~
that the principle enunciated in Arati Ray Choudhury's case
would not be applicable in the instant case where only one
institution was involved and Lecturers of such separate
H
466 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 16 S.C.R.

A discipline formed a single cadre. )--

18. We have carefully considered the submissions made
on behalf of the respective parties and the decisions cited by
learned counsel in support thereof. In dealing with the issue.
raised in this appeal, it has to be kept in mind that some of the
8
earlier decisions in Madhavi's case (supra), in the case of
Suresh Chandra as J.B. Agarwal [(1997) 5 SCC 363 and Post
Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research vs. K.L.
Narasimhan, [(1997) 6 SCC 283, in which reservation by
1-
-
/

rotation even in respect of a single post had been approved,
c was subsequently overruled in the Constitution Bench decision
in the case of Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education &
Research vs. Faculty Association (supra) and it was held that )
I
in no case could reservation be made applicable in respect of
a single post. The· Constitution Bench approved the views
D expressed in Dr. Chakradhar Paswan's case (supra) following
those expressed by the earlier Constitution Bench in Arati Roy
Choudhary's case (supra). In view of the above, the only ,
question which we are called upon to consider is whether the ~ "'!".-
High Court was right in treating the post of Lecturer in History
E in the respondent No.2 college as a single isolated post
forming a separate cadre in itself and not part of the cadre of
Lecturers comprising all the different disciplines taught in the
college.

F 19. In this regard, Mr. Hegde has explained the difference
between "post" and "cadre" and that the two expressions could
not be equated with each other. He has also explained that the
+'
expression "cadre" was not synonymous with "service" and that
merely because there were single posts in the different
disciplines taught in the college, it did not mean that each post
G
constituted a separate cadre within the cadre of Lecturers.
While there can be no difference of opinion that the expressions
"cadre!', "post" and "service" cannot be equated with each +.
other, at the same time the submission that single and isolated
posts in respect of different disciplines cannot exist as a
H
.. I
STATE OF KARNATAKA & ORS. v. K. GOVINDAPPA & 467
ANR. [AlTAMAS KABIR, J.]

separate cadre cannot be accepted. In order to apply the rule A
' -1
of reservation within a cadre, there has to be plurality of posts.
Since there is no scope of inter-changeability of posts in the
different disciplines, each single post in a particular discipline
has to be treated as a single post for the purpose of reservation
within the meaning of Article 16(4) of the Constitution. In the B
absence of duality of posts, if the rule of reservation is to be
applied, it will offend' the constitutional bar against 100%
"' reservation as envisaged in Article 16( 1) of the Constitution.

20. The decision in Dr. Chakradhar Paswan's case (supra),
which has been subsequently approved by the Constitution
c
Bench in the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education &
Research case· (supra) makes it clear that isolated and
'
separate posts can exist within a cadre and in case of such
posts, if there was only one post, the same could not be set
apart for a reserved candidate. D

21. In out view, the present case falls within the category
1 of single isolated posts within a cadre in respect whereof the
rule of reservation is inapplicable and the said principle has
-been correctly applied by the High Court in the facts of this E
case. As indicated by the High Court, each discipline which
consisted of a single post will have to be dealt with as a
separate cadre for the said discipline and in view of the settled
law that there can be no reservation in respect of a single post,
t
.,( the appointment of the respondent No.1 cannot be faulted. This F
i
~. t is particularly so having regard to the fact that the several
(
disciplines are confined to one College alone. That is what
distinguishes the facts of this case from those of Arati Roy
Choudhary's case (supra) in which the rule of rotation could be
applied on account of the fact that two posts of Headmistress
G
were available in two colleges run by the same management.
',,_
Moreover, in Dr. Chakradhar Paswan's case (supra) on which
--+ reliance was placed by the High Court it was noticed that while
upholding the rule of rotation the Constitution Bench in Arati F?oy
Choudhary's case (supra) did not support reservation in a
H
468 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 16 S:C.R.

A single cadre post. .

22. We, the·refore, have no hesitation in upho1ding the·
')-
decision of the Karnataka·High Court, ·in the facts of this case.
The appeal, therefore, m'ust fail, and is dismissed withdut any r
'
B order as to costs.

23. Since the question in issue in this appeal is the same
as that in Civil Appeal No. 6730 (@ Special Leave Petition
(Civil) No.5353 of 2007- The Government of Karnataka and r
another vs. Bidarambika Vidya Samasthe Regd. & others),
C which is being heard along with this appeal, the same is also
dismissed since the decision therein was rendered in the light
of the decision iri Writ Appeal No~3125 of 2005, out of which
the present appeal arises. The same is, therefore, dismissed
along with the instant appeal.
D
N.J. Appeals dismissed.

.,;