Aparna Das vs State Of Tripura And Ors

Heard Mr. B. Banerjee, learned counsel who appears along with Ms. R. Majumder, learned counsel for the petitioner as well as Mr. D. Bhattacharya, learned G.A. appearing for the respondents No.1 to 4 and Mr. C.S. Sinha, learned counsel along with Ms. S. Chisim, learned counsel appearing for the respondents No. 5 and 6.

By means of this petition, the petitioner urges this court for directing the respondents to regularise her services as Peon in term of the memorandum No.F.10(2)-FIN(G)/2008(Part) dated 21.01.2009 [Annexure-2 to the writ petition] and the circular under No. F.10(2)-FIN(G)/2008(Part) dated 03.01.2014 [Annexure-3 to the writ petition] within a specified time-frame.

Mr. Banerjee, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner was engaged as the Master Roll (MR) Worker under the Tripura Forest Development and Plantation Corporation Limited on 02.09.2003 and posted in the office of the Divisional Manager, Southern Forest Corporation Division No.II. On such engagement, the petitioner has been discharging the duties and responsibilities of a Group-D employee (Peon), even though, she is Madhyamik Passed at the time of her engagement. This fact-sheet has been certified by the respondent No.4 [see Annexure-1 to the writ petition]. Thus, the petitioner has completed her ten years of service as the (MR) Worker, Contingent on 01.09.2013.

Mr. Banerjee, learned counsel having referred the memorandum dated 21.01.2009 [Annexure-2 to the writ petition] has contended that a policy was taken to regularise DRWs/ Casual/Contingent Workers who are engaged on full-time basis in different Departments with or without concurrence of Finance Department other than the Permanent Labourers, Part-time Workers, Anganwadi Workers and Helpers, Home Guards, Teachers and Workers engaged under SSA and other Schemes/programmes had been declared to be considered for regularisation. It has been succinctly provided in the said memorandum as follows :

"The eligible workers will be provided pay scale in the relevant post who has complete 10(ten) years of services without any break from the date of their joining as Casual Worker."

The respondent No.2 issued the circular dated 03.01.2014 [Annexure-3 to the writ petition] and by that circular, it has been provided further that under the existing policy decision of the state government full-time DRW/Casual/Contingent Workers, other than Part-Time workers, contractual/ Contract Basis Workers, honorarium paid workers, Workers engaged under SSA and other Schemes/Programmes and who are engaged with or without prior concurrence of the Finance Department up to 31.03.2003 in different Department are eligible for regularisation of their services. No DRW/Casual/Contingent etc. workers are to be engaged after 31.03.20013 without prior concurrence of the Finance Department. In paras-2 and 3 of the said circular dated 03.01.2014 it has been provided as under :

"2. In some Departments, DRW/Casual/Contingent etc. Workers have been engaged with prior approval of Finance Department on full time basis after 31.03.2003 and some of them by this time have completed 10 years of continuous service. In this connection, proposals are being received from different Government Departments for regularisation of the services of such DRW etc workers who are engaged with prior concurrence of Finance Department on full time basis after 31.03.2003 and who had completed more than 10 years of continuous service.

Since the services of DRW etc workers who are engaged prior to 31.03.2003 were regularised on the next date of completion of 10 years of continuous service under the existing policy decision of the different departments with prior concurrence of Finance Department after 31.03.2003 on full time basis on the next date of completion of 10 years of continuous service like those DRW etc. Workers engaged prior to 31.03.2003."

Mr. Banerjee, learned counsel has submitted that the petitioner was appointed and her appointment received post facto approval in the 143rd meeting of the Board of Directors of TFDPC Limited held on 02.06.2015 [see Miscellaneous resolution No.1]. Such approval was accorded in respect of Ranjit Malakar, Nirmal Malakar, Subrata Singha, Smt. Mandadari Rupini and the petitioner. Thereafter, the Managing Director, TFDPC Limited had written a letter to the Deputy Conservator of Forest (HQ), the respondent No.4 requesting him for approval for regularisation of those five persons against the available vacant posts. Posts were available in the category of Group-D employee (Peon) under SC category. The petitioner is only MR worker who belongs to SC community.

Be that as it may no positive action yielded except the memorandum dated 11.12.2015 [Annexure-7 to the writ petition] whereby all the administrative departments were asked to furnish the detailed information in the prescribed format in respect of DRW/Casual/Contingent/Contract/Part time Workers engaged after 31.03.2003 department wise. Such information was sent to the Finance Department by the Forest Department, [the Administrative Department], [see Page-27 of the writ petition].

Mr. Banerjee, learned counsel has thereafter submitted that one of the five persons whose regularisation was proposed by the Board of Directors had approached this court to overcome the deletory tactic by filing the writ petition being WP(C)No.290 of 2017 titled as Ranjit Malakar versus State of Tripura and Others. By the judgment dated 14.07.2017, this court had observed inter alia as follows :

"10. As there is no dispute that the petitioner was engaged as DRW on 23.07.2004, which day had been categorically admitted by the respondents in para 5 of their reply, the other pertinent point that has emerged in course of the deliberation is as under:

(i) Whether the petitioner can be regularized in terms of the memorandum dated 21.01.2009 (Annexure R-3 to the reply filed by the respondents).

In paragraph 5 of the reply, the respondents have taken a stand affirmed by affidavit that even the Finance Department concurred the engagement of the DRWs. On that premise, by the memorandum dated 21.01.2009 those persons can be regularized. However, regarding interpretation, this court will definitely will not be guided by the averments made in the reply. But this is a conscious stand taken by the respondents. That apart, what has been submitted by Ms. Lodh, learned Additional GA that by virtue of the notification dated 21.01.2009 (Annexure R-3 to the reply), the petitioner‟s service cannot be regularized. In this regard, this court in Dharamjit Singha vs. State of Tripura [judgment dated 12.07.2017 delivered in WP(C) 1086 of 2016] has observed as under:

"12. To a query to this court, Mr. Sengupta, learned counsel has fairly admitted that those who were appointed as DRW/Casual/Contingent workers without concurrence from the Finance Department before 31.03.2003 were en bloc regularised. By virtue of the casual employment for more than ten years and for fulfilling all criteria as laid down in the memorandum dated 21.01.2009, the petitioner being in the same class like those who were engaged before 31.03.2003. The question therefore now arises is that when the petitioner was permitted to work for more than ten years and he is still continuing and further that when he has been paid from the government fund whether the respondents can deny his status as the casual employee. In such circumstances, this court would have deemed concurrence from the Finance Department but even if such concurrence is not deemed when the casual employees having the similar background have been considered for regularization, the petitioner has been denied only for his appointment being after 31.03.2003. In the perspective, whether the said cutoff date is rational or not is considered by this court. The government policy is very clear from the said memorandum dated 21.01.2009 where it has been clearly provided that the government has taken a policy decision to regularize the services of the full time DRW/Casual/Contingent workers from the next date of completion of ten years of service.

It is evident further that the concurrence of the Finance Department was waived for that class of employees for purpose of age and qualification. The cutoff date therefore according to the respondents has created a special class. It is well settled that unless the cutoff date is shown to be capricious or whimsical, the court does usually provide leeway in favour of the law-makers. But such classification on the basis of that cutoff date shall be founded on an intelligible differentia which distinguishes a person or things that are grouped together from those who are left out of that zone and the differentia must have a rational nexus to the object sought to be achieved by the policy. (In re the Special Courts Bill, 1978 reported in (1979) 1 SCC 380).

True it is that the court should not insist on delusive exactness or apply a doctrinaire test for determining the validity of classification in any given case. When the classification is justified, if it is not palpably arbitrary, the principal underlying the guarantee of Article-14 is not that the same rules should be applicable to all persons or that same remedy should be made available to them irrespective of difference of circumstances. It only means that all persons similarly circumstanced shall be treated alike both in privileges conferred and liabilities imposed. It has been clearly held in Special Courts Bill (supra) that : "There should not be any discrimination between one person and another, if as regards the subject matter of the legislation their position is substantially the same."

The subject matter of the legislation and the object sought to be achieved can be availed from the memorandum dated 21.01.2009 where it has been clearly stated that the government has taken a policy decision to regularize the services of the full time DRW/Casual/Contingent workers from the next date of completion of ten years of service. From a reading of the memorandum dated 21.01.2009, it would be apparent that the government has insisted to regularize those persons having the similar status but if anyone is engaged after that day i.e. 31.03.2003, their case could be differentiated if they were not allowed to complete the ten years of service. Even the government has subsequently framed a policy to regularize the part time workers to DRWs on completion of ten years of service much after 31.03.2003. Therefore, the subject matter of the policy is completion of ten years of service in the casual employment. The objective is to achieve regularization for those persons who have completed ten years of service thus. By setting up a cutoff date, the persons having similar status cannot be discriminated.

A welfare government is also bound to give protection of the employment. Cut off date is different subject matter and in different contexts may have substantially different impact. Since the respondents did not contest that the petitioner was allowed to continue as the contingent worker for more than ten years, this court does not find any reason why the benefits as provided by the memorandum dated 21.01.2009 should not be extended to the petitioner as well. A welfare government is not expected to take a hyper technical view. But this court does not find any rationality in setting up of a cut off date for completely banning such casual employment to a person. The government has taken a commendable step by giving those casual/contingent employees protection of their service. According to the court, such benefit shall be granted to the petitioner as well. After working for such a long time if a person is thrown out of the job for any reason or even if he does not have the protection of the regularization, it would be a great peril for his dignified survival."

Similar view has also been taken by this court in Ajit Debnath vs. State of Tripura and others [judgment dated 23.06.2017 delivered in WP(C) 1255 of 2016]

What is very unique in this case is that, the Corporation in its 143rd Board‟s meeting has clearly decided for granting post facto sanction of those engagements, but the Finance Department did not aver anything in this regard. With the counter affidavit filed by those respondents, Note no. 38 given by one Under Secretary of the Finance Department has been annexed alongwith the communication dated 05.07.2017. The said note reads as under:

"The Finance Department regrets its inability to concur the proposal of the department because the Government has not taken any policy decision for regularization of the services of the DRW who are engaged after the cut off date 31.03.2003 and also the Government has not taken any decision for regularization of the services of the PTW who were engaged in the undertaking/PSUs".

In the entire reply, this court did not find any averment relating to disposal of the reference made in respect of the ex post facto concurrence by the Finance Department. What the Finance Department has communicated to the Corporation is that in terms of the memorandum dated 21.01.2009, the DRWs/Contingent/Casual workers cannot be regularized. The Finance Department has not given the concurrence as urged for despite the fact that the petitioner was being paid by the Corporation from its own fund. This court is really startled by the approach adopted by the Finance Department.

Having regard to these aspects as surfaced from the inquiry, this court is of the view that the ex post facto concurrence be deemed in this case and in terms of the view expressed by this court in Dharmjit Singha (Supra) in respect of the memorandum dated 21.01.2009, the respondents are directed to regularize the service of the petitioner from the next date when the petitioner has completed 10 years of service in the grade where he has been working as DRW. Such decision shall be taken by the respondents within a period of 3(three) months from the date when the petitioner shall submit a copy of this order."

The said judgment has been implemented by the Tripura Forest Development and Plantation Corporation Limited by its order under No.F.2-5(579)/ESTT/TFDPC-2018/1393-96 dated 22.05.2018. From the said judgment dated 14.07.2017, it would be apparent that the petitioner of that writ petition [Ranjit Malakar] was engaged on 23.07.2004 meaning after 31.03.2003. Having referred the precedents in the context, this court had directed the respondents to regularise the service of the petitioner from the next date when the petitioner had completed ten years of service in the grade where the petitioner had been working as DRW.

The respondents have however stated that the Finance Department has regretted the regularisation of services of the petitioner on completion of ten years of service.

There is no dispute that the petitioner had been working as the MR Worker and she was discharging her duties and responsibilities on full time basis. She served the respondents more than ten years without break. But the respondents have submitted that the petitioner is not entitled to the benefits as claimed. But in their reply, they have admitted that [the respondents No.4 and 5] that in the 143rd Meeting of the Board of Directors their engagement was approved. Even, steps were taken for regularisation of their services but that was regretted by the Finance Department. The respondents No.1 to 4 as it appears from the record did not file any reply.

However, Mr. D. Bhattacharya, learned G.A. appearing for the respondents No.1 to 4 has submitted that the regularisation is not a right, it depends upon the policy of the government. At present, such policies are non-existent as all the memorandum in this regard are revoked prospectively. That apart, Mr. Bhattacharya, learned G.A. has submitted that the Board of Directors can only propose but cannot recruit anyone even by way of regularisation without prior consent of the administrative department and Finance Department.

Mr. C.S. Sinha, learned counsel appearing for the respondents No.5 and 6 has however categorically admitted the fact that the Board of Directors are inclined to regularise the petitioner.

Having appreciated the submission of the learned counsel for the parties, this court finds that when the petitioner had completed ten years of service as MR Worker she could have been regularised following the policy as reflected in the memorandum dated 21.01.2009 [Annexure-2 to the writ petition]. When the Board of Directors has clearly stated that there is existing vacancy to regularise the petitioner, the Finance Department or the Administrative Department would not have stalled the process. Moreover, this court in Ranjit Malakar(supra) has clarified this import of the policy as reflected in the memorandum dated 21.01.2009 and its ramification. When the Board of Directors has proposed for regularisation of the petitioner and others including Ranjit Malakar, the Finance Department would have taken a consistent view. So far this scheme of regularisation is concerned, it is a social welfare policy for regularisation. Thus, the regularisation rules must be given a pragmatic interpretation. In Narendra Kumar Tiwari versus State of Jharkhand and Others reported in AIR 2018 SC 3589 the apex court had observed having considered the constitution bench decision in Umadevi(3) reported in AIR 2006 SC 1806 that irregularly or illegally appointed daily rated workers may not get regular public employment as that would adversely affect those who could be employed in terms of the constitutional scheme. The concept of one time measure was explained in Kesari(supra) (2010) 9 SCC 247. In Narendra Kumar Tiwari(supra) the apex court having taken note of the fact that the State of Jharkhand continued with the irregular appointments for almost a decade after the decision in Umadevi(3) is a clear indication that it believes that it was alright to continue with irregular appointments and whenever required, terminate the service of the irregularly appointed employees on the ground that they are irregularly appointed. This is nothing but a form of exploitation of the employees by not giving them the benefits of regularisation and placing of the sword of Damocles over their head. This is precisely what Umadevi(3) and Kesari sought to avoid. Thereafter in Narendra Kumar Tiwari (supra), the apex court had observed as under:

If a strict and literal interpretation, forgetting the spirit of the decision of the Constitution Bench in Umadevi (3), is to be taken into consideration then no irregularly appointed employee of the State of Jharkhand could ever be regularised since that State came into existence only on 15th November, 2000 and the cut-off date was fixed as 10 th April, 2006. In other words, in this manner the pernicious practice of indefinitely continuing irregularly appointed employees would be perpetuated contrary to the intent of the Constitution Bench.

The High Court as well as the State of Jharkhand ought to have considered the entire issue in a contextual perspective and not only from the point of view of the interest of the State, financial or otherwise - the interest of the employees is also required to be kept in mind. What has eventually been achieved by the State of Jharkhand is to short circuit the process of regular appointments and instead make appointments on an irregular basis. This is hardly good governance.

Under the circumstances, we are of the view that the Regularisation Rules must be given a pragmatic interpretation and the appellants, if they have completed 10 years of service on the date of promulgation of the Regularisation Rules, ought to be given the benefit of the service rendered by them. If they have completed 10 years of service they should be regularised unless there is some valid objection to their regularisation like misconduct etc.

The impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court is set aside in view of our conclusions. The State should take a decision within four months from today on regularisation of the status of the appellants."

The regularisation rules, therefore, be given a pragmatic interpretation and if they have completed ten years of service and the regularisation scheme was still alive [see the circular dated 03.01.2014 [Annexure-3 to the writ petition], the petitioner shall be given the benefit of regularisation as she had completed ten years of service on 01.09.2013, but that was no so done. In the case of Ranjit Malakar(supra) he had completed his ten years of service on 22.07.2014. Considering that the regularisation scheme was alive on the day of his completing ten years of service, this court had directed the respondents to regularise him from the next date when he had completed ten years of service in the same grade where he had been working as DRW/MR Worker. The respondents were further directed that he shall be considered within a period of three months from the date when he shall submit a copy of the order. As stated earlier, the respondents have complied this order with all earnestness. The petitioner is accordingly entitled to the similar benefit.

Hence, the respondents are directed to regularise the services of the petitioner from the next day of her completion of ten years of service i.e. 02.09.2013 in the post of Peon and the order in this regard shall be issued within a period of three months from the date when the petitioner shall furnish a copy of this order. The pay and allowances be accordingly determined.

In terms of the above, this writ petition stands allowed.

There shall be no order as to costs.