High Court Patna High Court - Orders

Abdhesh Kumar vs The State Of Bihar & Ors on 22 July, 2011

Patna High Court – Orders
Abdhesh Kumar vs The State Of Bihar & Ors on 22 July, 2011
                    IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                                CWJC No.15678 of 2004
          ABDHESH KUMAR S/O SHRI RAM NARAIN SAH R/O VILLAGE- JANAKPUR
          ROAD POLICE STATION- PUPARI, DISTRICT- SITAMARHI
                                                             .............Petitioner
                                      Versus
     1.   THE STATE OF BIHAR THROUGH THE SECRETARY, URBAN DEVELOPMENT
          DEPARTMENT GOVERNMENT OF BIHAR, PATNA
     2.   THE JANAKPUR ROAD NOTIFIED AREA COMMITTEE/ NAGAR PANCHAYAT,
          JANAKPUR ROAD, POLICE STATION PUPARI DISTRICT- SITAMARHI THROUGH
          THE CHAIRMAN.
     3.   THE CHAIRMAN, JANAKPUR ROAD NOTIFIED AREA COMMITTEE/ NAGAR
          PANCHAYAT, JANAKPUR ROAD, POLICE STATION PUPARI DISTRICT-
          SITAMARHI
     4.   THE SPECIAL OFFICER, JANAKPUR ROAD NOTIFIED AREA COMMITTEE/
          NAGAR PANCHAYAT, JANAKPUR ROAD, POLICE STATION PUPARI DISTRICT-
          SITAMARHI
     5.   THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER, JANAKPUR ROAD NOTIFIED AREA COMMITTEE/
          NAGAR PANCHAYAT, JANAKPUR ROAD, POLICE STATION PUPARI DISTRICT-
          SITAMARHI
                                                              .........Respondents
                                     -----------

5. 22.07.2011 Heard the parties.

This writ petition has been filed, inter alia, for

quashing of the Memo No. 123 dated 29.5.2004

(Annexure-1) whereby the respondent no.4 has refused 18

months salary to the petitioner being for the months of

January, 2001 to March, 2001 and from April 2002 to

June 2003 along with interest thereon and for other

consequential benefits.

It is not in dispute that the petitioner had

initially been appointed as License Inspector on temporary

basis in the Janakpur Road Notified Area Committee as

an unsanctioned post. Subsequently the committee

resolved and regularized the services of the petitioner

while also writing to the concerned authority of the State
Government for sanctioning of post which, however, did

not come to pass. After about 14 years of continuous

service, the petitioner was terminated vide Memo No. 114

dated 1.7.2003 (Annexure-7).

On an earlier occasion, this court in C.W.J.C.

No. 14247 of 2003 had by its order dated 11.2.2004 held

that the petitioner could not be allowed to continue in

service against unsanctioned post. However, as regards

non payment of salary the petitioner was at liberty to

make a representation to the respondents for redressal of

his grievances.

The matter has since been disposed of by the

concerned authority in terms of Memo No. 123 dated

29.5.2004 and the petitioner’s claim for arrears has been

rejected on the solitary ground that when the appointment

itself was illegal being against non-sanctioned post,

payment of salary for the period under consideration

would not be in accordance with law.

Thereafter, the petitioner has also issued a

legal notice dated 12.7.2004 for payment of his arrears but

to no avail. He has therefore approached this court for

appropriate relief.

This court is unable to appreciate the

respondents’ stand for their refusal to make payment to

the petitioner. It is not in dispute that the services of the
petitioner were duly taken by the respondent. It is also a

matter of record that the petitioner has been serving for

over 14 years against unsanctioned post and payments

were throughout being made in the past without demur. It

further transpires that the respondent had written to the

State for sanctioning of post since the services of the

petitioner were required by the respondent.

Having taken the services of the petitioner, the

respondents’ arbitrary stance in not paying the petitioner

for the period in question cannot be countenanced much

less endorsed.

In these circumstances, it is directed that the

respondents would make payment for the entire 18

months period under reference for which services had

admittedly been taken from the petitioner but he has not

been paid for the same. The payment should be made as

expeditiously as possible preferably within a period of four

months hereof.

With these directions, the writ petition is

disposed of.

Fahad.                                   ( Vikash Jain, J. )