{"id":58323,"date":"2010-09-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2010-09-26T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/the-food-corporation-of-india-vs-krishan-kumar-sodhi-on-27-september-2010"},"modified":"2018-04-03T00:02:57","modified_gmt":"2018-04-02T18:32:57","slug":"the-food-corporation-of-india-vs-krishan-kumar-sodhi-on-27-september-2010","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/the-food-corporation-of-india-vs-krishan-kumar-sodhi-on-27-september-2010","title":{"rendered":"The Food Corporation Of India &amp; &#8230; vs Krishan Kumar Sodhi on 27 September, 2010"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"docsource_main\">Delhi High Court<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_title\">The Food Corporation Of India &amp; &#8230; vs Krishan Kumar Sodhi on 27 September, 2010<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_author\">Author: Dipak Misra,Chief Justice<\/div>\n<pre>*                   THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI\n\n                             Judgment Reserved on: 20th September, 2010\n%                            Judgment Pronounced on:27th September, 2010\n+         LPA 234\/2008\n\n          THE FOOD CORPORATION OF INDIA &amp; ANR.             ..... Appellant\n                             Through:   Mr. Virender Kumar Sharma &amp;\n                                        Mr. Deepak Diwan, Advs.\n                    versus\n\n          KRISHAN KUMAR SODHI                               ..... Respondent<\/pre>\n<p>                             Through:   Mr. S.R. Singh, Sr. Adv. With<br \/>\n                                        Mr.M.M. Singh, Adv.\n<\/p>\n<pre>+         LPA 235\/2008\n\n          THE FOOD CORPORATION OF INDIA &amp; ANR.             ..... Appellant\n                             Through:   Mr. Virender Kumar Sharma &amp;\n                                        Mr. Deepak Diwan, Advs.\n                    versus\n\n          NIRMALA DEVI SHARMA                               ..... Respondent\n                             Through:   Mr. S.R. Singh, Sr. Adv. With\n                                        Mr.M.M. Singh, Adv.\n\n           CORAM:\n           HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE\n           HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MANMOHAN\n\n<\/pre>\n<p>1. Whether reporters of the local papers be allowed to see the judgment? Yes\n<\/p>\n<p>2. To be referred to the Reporter or not? Yes\n<\/p>\n<p>3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? Yes<\/p>\n<p>DIPAK MISRA, CJ<\/p>\n<p>          In these two appeals, the vulnerability of the composite order dated<\/p>\n<p>17th January, 2008 passed by the learned Single Judge in WP(C) 3720\/2006<\/p>\n<p>and WP(C) No. 14198\/2004 being called in question, they were heard<\/p>\n<p>analogously and are disposed of by a singular order. For the sake of clarity<\/p>\n<p>and convenience, the facts in WP(C) No.14198\/2004 are unfurled herein.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">LPA No. 234 &amp; 235 of 2008                                              Page 1 of 12<\/span><br \/>\n This Court shall also advert to the necessitous facts in brief in the other writ<\/p>\n<p>petition.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>2.        The respondent-petitioner (hereinafter referred to as \u201ethe respondent\u201f)<\/p>\n<p>was appointed as a typist on daily wage basis on 17.6.1972 at the<\/p>\n<p>Headquarters, New Delhi of the Food Corporation of India, the appellant-<\/p>\n<p>herein, vide letter dated 13.6.1972 and her services were regularized on<\/p>\n<p>26.2.1976.             From 1972 till the date of regularization, she worked<\/p>\n<p>continuously as daily wage typist and thereafter was promoted to the post of<\/p>\n<p>Assistant Grade-II on 14.8.1987 and to the post of Assistant Grade-I in<\/p>\n<p>October, 2002. It was contended before the learned Single Judge that in the<\/p>\n<p>case of similarly placed typists, namely, Shri S.K. Bassi and Shri V.<\/p>\n<p>Shekhar, the period spent on daily wage basis was taken into consideration<\/p>\n<p>while fixing their seniority, but similar benefits were not extended to her.<\/p>\n<p>She made representations from time to time and eventually vide<\/p>\n<p>communication dated 3.5.2000, she was given a reply that the Zonal Office<\/p>\n<p>was not competent to decide and fix the seniority of daily wagers. She was<\/p>\n<p>advised to approach the concerned appointing authority. As set forth, the<\/p>\n<p>respondent made further representations but there was no response and her<\/p>\n<p>seniority was not fixed as sought for. In this backdrop, a prayer was made to<\/p>\n<p>issue a writ of mandamus to re-fix the seniority giving the benefit of the<\/p>\n<p>period spent as a daily wager and after computing the seniority on that<\/p>\n<p>foundation extend the consequential benefits of promotion, etc.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">LPA No. 234 &amp; 235 of 2008                                              Page 2 of 12<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p> 3.        The averments made in the writ petition were disputed by the present<\/p>\n<p>appellant contending, inter alia, that five typists in all were given the benefit<\/p>\n<p>of the period spent on daily wage basis by the competent authority at the<\/p>\n<p>headquarters in terms of Regulation 15(5) of the Food Corporation of India<\/p>\n<p>(Staff) Regulation, 1971 (for short \u201ethe Regulations\u201f) but the petitioner<\/p>\n<p>approached the zonal authority.        It was also contended that the writ<\/p>\n<p>petitioner was claiming seniority after expiry of 28 years and, hence, her<\/p>\n<p>case did not deserve to be considered for re-fixation of seniority. Quite apart<\/p>\n<p>from the above, it was urged that the appointing authority had not been<\/p>\n<p>impleaded as a party.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>4.        The learned Single Judge took note of the fact that the Food<\/p>\n<p>Corporation of India is a statutory authority; that the plea put forth by the<\/p>\n<p>writ petitioner to the extent that there was no ground for discrimination has<\/p>\n<p>gone undisputed; the other daily wagers had been given the benefit and the<\/p>\n<p>same has been sought to be justified on the foundation that it was done by<\/p>\n<p>the appointing authority or at the headquarter, but the said explanation does<\/p>\n<p>not stand to reason; that the Food Corporation of India is unable to explain<\/p>\n<p>how some of the employees, namely, Shri S.K. Bassi, Shri V. Shekhar and<\/p>\n<p>five other typists were extended the benefit and the cases of the writ<\/p>\n<p>petitioners were ignored; that the discretion exercised by the Food<\/p>\n<p>Corporation of India was arbitrary and the explanation proferred was<\/p>\n<p>unacceptable; that the appointing authority has no unfettered discretion to<\/p>\n<p>act in such a manner and; that the doctrine of delay and laches does not get<\/p>\n<p>attracted to the case at hand and, accordingly, he directed the corporation<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">LPA No. 234 &amp; 235 of 2008                                              Page 3 of 12<\/span><br \/>\n and its functionaries to fix the seniority of the petitioner taking into<\/p>\n<p>consideration her date of appointment, i.e., 17.6.1972.<\/p>\n<p>5.        Be it noted, in CWP No.3720\/2006, the petitioner was appointed as a<\/p>\n<p>typist on daily wage basis on 30.12.1971 and his services were regularized<\/p>\n<p>on 29.8.1972.               He was promoted to the post of Assistant Grade-II on<\/p>\n<p>14.5.1977 and to the post of Assistant Grade-I with effect from 4.10.2000.<\/p>\n<p>He has placed reliance on the decision in <a href=\"\/doc\/1828062\/\">V. Shekhar v. Food Corporation of<\/p>\n<p>India<\/a> passed in CWP No. 5256\/1998 wherein the Petitioner has been given<\/p>\n<p>seniority with effect from 26.6.1970.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>6.        We have heard Mr. Virender Kumar Sharma, learned counsel for the<\/p>\n<p>appellant and Mr. S.R. Singh, learned senior counsel along with Mr. M.M.<\/p>\n<p>Singh for the respondents.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>7.        The learned counsel for the Appellant has submitted that there is no<\/p>\n<p>provision for fixation of seniority of a daily wager.            It is his further<\/p>\n<p>submission that if the period has to be computed, it has to be on the basis of<\/p>\n<p>a direction from the appointing authority, i.e., the competent authority from<\/p>\n<p>headquarter and from a zonal authority.              Learned counsel has further<\/p>\n<p>proponed that the claim for re-fixation of seniority is hit by the doctrine of<\/p>\n<p>delay and laches and also defeated by non-impleadment of necessary parties.<\/p>\n<p>8.        The learned counsel for the respondents, in support of the order<\/p>\n<p>passed by the learned Single Judge, has contended that the doctrine of delay<\/p>\n<p>and laches is not applicable to the cases at hand as the respondents were<\/p>\n<p>submitting representations and the same came to be dealt with in 2000. It is<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">LPA No. 234 &amp; 235 of 2008                                               Page 4 of 12<\/span><br \/>\n urged by him that the Food Corporation of India, being a statutory authority,<\/p>\n<p>cannot exercise unfettered discretion as such exercise of unbridled power is<\/p>\n<p>impermissible in law. It is propounded by him that there was no necessity to<\/p>\n<p>implead any other party as the writ petitioners were claiming the benefit<\/p>\n<p>under the Regulations which has been extended to others and it was<\/p>\n<p>incumbent upon the Food Corporation of India to treat them with parity.<\/p>\n<p>9.        The question that emerges for consideration is whether the learned<\/p>\n<p>Single Judge is justified in directing re-fixation of seniority of the writ<\/p>\n<p>petitioners by treating the period spent by them on daily wage basis to be<\/p>\n<p>counted towards seniority. Regulation 15 of the Regulations deals with<\/p>\n<p>probation. Sub-regulation (5) on which emphasis has been laid reads as<\/p>\n<p>follows:\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                    &#8220;15. Probation:-<\/p>\n<pre>                    (1)     xxx\n                    (2)     xxx\n                    (3)     xxx\n                    (4)     xxx\n                    (5) Where an employee has rendered continuous\n<\/pre>\n<blockquote><p>                    temporary service or continuous service on deputation in<br \/>\n                    any post immediately preceding his regular appointment<br \/>\n                    to such post, the period of service so rendered or no<br \/>\n                    deputation may be counted against the period of<br \/>\n                    probation if the appointing authority so directs.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>          Regulation 16 deals with the mode and method of determination of<\/p>\n<p>seniority.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>10.       As far as grant of fixation of seniority by computation of the period<\/p>\n<p>spent on daily wage basis as a typist is concerned, the same, in our<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">LPA No. 234 &amp; 235 of 2008                                                Page 5 of 12<\/span><br \/>\n considered opinion, need not be adverted to in the case at hand though<\/p>\n<p>learned counsel for the appellants has emphatically urged that such<\/p>\n<p>computation is not automatic but subject to the direction or order of the<\/p>\n<p>appointing authority who has never been approached and further there has to<\/p>\n<p>be recording of satisfaction by the said authority. We are disposed to think<\/p>\n<p>so as on the other two grounds, namely, the delay and laches and non<\/p>\n<p>impleadment of the necessary parties, the order of the learned Single Judge<\/p>\n<p>can be dislodged.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>11.       As has been indicated earlier, the writ petitioner in CWP No.<\/p>\n<p>14198\/2004 was appointed on 13.6.1972 and her services were regularized<\/p>\n<p>on 26.2.1976. The writ petitioner in CWP No. 3720\/2006 was appointed on<\/p>\n<p>30.12.1971 and his services were regularized on 29.8.1972. Both of them<\/p>\n<p>were promoted to the post of Assistant Grade-II in 1987 and 1977<\/p>\n<p>respectively and Assistant Grade-I in the year 2002 and 2000 respectively.<\/p>\n<p>The learned Single Judge has applied the doctrine of parity and addressed<\/p>\n<p>himself with regard to the discriminatory treatment meted to the writ<\/p>\n<p>petitioners. As is evincible, regularization took place sometime in the years<\/p>\n<p>1972 and 1976 respectively as far as both the writ petitioners are concerned.<\/p>\n<p>They got promoted to the next post in the years 1977 and 1987 respectively<\/p>\n<p>and they were further promoted to Assistant Grade-I in 2000 and 2002<\/p>\n<p>respectively. In the course of hearing on a query being made, we have been<\/p>\n<p>apprised that presently they are holding the post of Managers. Therefore,<\/p>\n<p>the hub of the matter is whether at this juncture they should be extended the<\/p>\n<p>benefit of computation of the period when they worked as daily wage typists<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">LPA No. 234 &amp; 235 of 2008                                          Page 6 of 12<\/span><br \/>\n towards fixation of their seniority. The learned counsel for the respondents<\/p>\n<p>urged that the question of seniority never arose. We are unable to appreciate<\/p>\n<p>the same inasmuch as the respondents have been given more than three<\/p>\n<p>promotions during this period and it is difficult to fathom that the seniority<\/p>\n<p>factor never arose. Thus, it is quite clear that the respondents had really<\/p>\n<p>prayed for re-fixation of seniority w.e.f. 1971 and 1972 respectively there<\/p>\n<p>can be no shadow of doubt that the cause of their grievance arose at the time<\/p>\n<p>of regularization or even if a liberal approach is adopted, when they were<\/p>\n<p>promoted to the post of Assistant Grade-II almost more than two decades<\/p>\n<p>back.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>12.       <a href=\"\/doc\/1949685\/\">In P.S. Sadasivaswamy v. State of Tamil Nadu, AIR<\/a> 1974 SC 2271, a<\/p>\n<p>two-Judge Bench of the Apex Court has held thus:\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                    &#8220;It is not that there is any period of limitation for the<br \/>\n                    Courts to exercise their powers under Article 226 nor is it<br \/>\n                    that there can never be a case where the Courts cannot<br \/>\n                    interfere in a matter after the passage of a certain length<br \/>\n                    of time. But it would be a sound and wise exercise of<br \/>\n                    discretion for the Courts to refuse to exercise their<br \/>\n                    extraordinary powers under Article 226 in the case of<br \/>\n                    persons who do not approach it expeditiously for relief<br \/>\n                    and who stand by and allow things to happen and then<br \/>\n                    approach the Court to put forward stale claims and try to<br \/>\n                    unsettle matters.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>13.       <a href=\"\/doc\/179187\/\">In Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. &amp; Anr. v. K. Thangappan &amp;<\/p>\n<p>Anr., AIR<\/a> 2006 SC 1581, their Lordships have held thus:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                    &#8220;6. Delay or laches is one of the factors which is to be<br \/>\n                    borne in mind by the High Court when they exercise their<br \/>\n                    discretionary powers under Article 226 of the<br \/>\n                    Constitution. In an appropriate case the High Court may<br \/>\n                    refuse to invoke its extraordinary powers if there is such<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">LPA No. 234 &amp; 235 of 2008                                                   Page 7 of 12<\/span><br \/>\n                     negligence or omission on the part of the applicant to<br \/>\n                    assert his right as taken in conjunction with the lapse of<br \/>\n                    time and other circumstances, causes prejudice to the<br \/>\n                    opposite party. Even where fundamental right is involved<br \/>\n                    the matter is still within the discretion of the Court as<br \/>\n                    pointed out in <a href=\"\/doc\/124778\/\">Durga Prasad v. Chief Controller of<br \/>\n                    Imports and Exports (AIR<\/a> 1970 SC 769). Of course, the<br \/>\n                    discretion has to be exercised judicially and reasonably.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>14.       In City Industrial Development Corporation v. Dosu Aardeshir<\/p>\n<p>Bhiwandiwala &amp; Ors., AIR 2009 SC 571, the Apex Court has opined thus:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                    &#8220;19. It is well settled and needs no restatement at our<br \/>\n                    hands that under Article 226 of the Constitution, the<br \/>\n                    jurisdiction of a High Court to issue appropriate writs<br \/>\n                    particularly a writ of Mandamus is highly discretionary.<br \/>\n                    The relief cannot be claimed as of right. One of the<br \/>\n                    grounds for refusing relief is that the person approaching<br \/>\n                    the High Court is guilty of unexplained delay and the<br \/>\n                    laches. Inordinate delay in moving the court for a Writ is<br \/>\n                    an adequate ground for refusing a Writ. The principle is<br \/>\n                    that courts exercising public law jurisdiction do not<br \/>\n                    encourage agitation of stale claims and exhuming matters<br \/>\n                    where the rights of third parties may have accrued in the<br \/>\n                    interregnum.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>                    20. The appellant in its reply opposing the admission of<br \/>\n                    Writ Petition in clear and categorical terms pleaded that<br \/>\n                    the writ petitioner has kept silent for more than 35 years<br \/>\n                    and filed belated writ petition. It was asserted that on<br \/>\n                    account of inordinate delay and laches the writ petition<br \/>\n                    suffers from legal infirmities and therefore liable to be<br \/>\n                    rejected in limine. The High Court did not record any<br \/>\n                    finding whatsoever and ignored such a plea of far<br \/>\n                    reaching consequence.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>15.       In Eastern Coalfields Ltd. v. Dugal Kumar, AIR 2008 SC 3000, the<\/p>\n<p>Apex Court has ruled thus:\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                    &#8220;20. Suffice it to say that in <a href=\"\/doc\/1177944\/\">Express Publications v.<br \/>\n                    Union of India,<\/a> (2004) 11 SCC 526, this Court referring<br \/>\n                    to <a href=\"\/doc\/20762\/\">Tilokchand Motichand, Rabindranath Bose and<br \/>\n                    Ramchandra Deodhar v. State of Maharashtra<\/a> (1974) 1<br \/>\n                    SCC 317, explained the principle thus;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">LPA No. 234 &amp; 235 of 2008                                                  Page 8 of 12<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                             &#8220;No hard and fast principle can be laid down that<br \/>\n                            under no circumstances delay would be a relevant<br \/>\n                            consideration in judging constitutional validity of a<br \/>\n                            provision. It has to be remembered that the<br \/>\n                            constitutional remedy under Article 32 is<br \/>\n                            discretionary. In one case, this Court may decline<br \/>\n                            discretionary relief if person aggrieved has slept<br \/>\n                            over for long number of years. In another case,<br \/>\n                            depending upon the nature of violation, court may<br \/>\n                            ignore delay and pronounce upon the invalidity of<br \/>\n                            a provision. It will depend from case to case.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>16.       From the aforesaid enunciation of law, it is manifest that while issuing<\/p>\n<p>a writ of mandamus the court has to be guided by the concept of<\/p>\n<p>applicability of doctrine of delay and laches. For a litigant who invokes the<\/p>\n<p>extra-ordinary and inherent jurisdiction of this Court, it is obligatory on his<\/p>\n<p>part to come to the court at the earliest and at least within a reasonable span<\/p>\n<p>of time.          When there is a belated approach in claiming seniority or<\/p>\n<p>promotion, it is not permissible to issue any direction because with the efflux<\/p>\n<p>of time the interest of third parties get ripened. Quite apart from the above,<\/p>\n<p>the equity that might have gone in his favour does not deserve adjudication<\/p>\n<p>as the said equity with the passage of time becomes extinct. Interference<\/p>\n<p>after enormous delay is likely to create a state of anarchy or chaos. True it<\/p>\n<p>is, no straight-jacket formula can be laid down for fixing any kind of<\/p>\n<p>limitation but the factual matrix has to be taken into consideration for the<\/p>\n<p>courts cannot be totally oblivious of the same. In the cases at hand, the<\/p>\n<p>respondents knew about the rules in force. After their regularization they<\/p>\n<p>were promoted to the post of Assistant Grade-II, Assistant Grade-I and<\/p>\n<p>thereafter to the post of Manager. The spacious plea that they were not<\/p>\n<p>aware of the fixation of seniority does not appeal to us. We are disposed to<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">LPA No. 234 &amp; 235 of 2008                                                     Page 9 of 12<\/span><br \/>\n think they have approached this Court for fixation of seniority almost after<\/p>\n<p>20 years. Definitely, such a claim for seniority is a stale one. It would not<\/p>\n<p>be out of place to say that they have actually waived the claim. It is worth<\/p>\n<p>noting that their singular prayer is for re-fixation of seniority and hence,<\/p>\n<p>issue of writ of a mandamus at this stage, according to us, is totally<\/p>\n<p>unwarranted.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>17.       The next aspect which weighs against the respondents is that though<\/p>\n<p>they have made the allegations that five of the employees have been<\/p>\n<p>extended the benefit for the period they had worked as daily wagers, yet they<\/p>\n<p>have been discriminated. From the nature of averments, there cannot be any<\/p>\n<p>trace of doubt that the said persons have been treated as seniors to the<\/p>\n<p>respondents. Even if we understand differently, in case the seniority of the<\/p>\n<p>respondents are fixed on the basis of the claim put forth by them the<\/p>\n<p>seniority of others is likely to be affected. Despite the said fact situation, the<\/p>\n<p>respondents have chosen not to implead anyone of them as a party.<\/p>\n<p>18.       Regard being had to the fact situation, we may profitably refer to the<\/p>\n<p>decision in <a href=\"\/doc\/52905\/\">Indu Shekhar Singh &amp; Ors. v. State of U.P. &amp; Ors., AIR<\/a> 2006<\/p>\n<p>SC 2432, wherein the Apex Court has held thus:\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                    &#8220;55. There is another aspect of the matter. The<br \/>\n                    Appellants herein were not joined as parties in the writ<br \/>\n                    petition filed by the Respondents. In their absence, the<br \/>\n                    High Court could not have determined the question of<br \/>\n                    inter se seniority. [See Prabodh Verma and Ors. v. State<br \/>\n                    of U.P. and Ors. (AIR 1985 SC 167)]. <a href=\"\/doc\/958562\/\">In Ram Janam<br \/>\n                    Singh v. State of U.P.<\/a> (1994 AIR SCW 1582) this Court<br \/>\n                    held:\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">LPA No. 234 &amp; 235 of 2008                                                Page 10 of 12<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                             &#8220;&#8230;It is now almost settled that seniority of an<br \/>\n                            officer in service is determined with reference to<br \/>\n                            the date of his entry in the service which will be<br \/>\n                            consistent with the requirement of Articles 14 and<br \/>\n                            16 of the Constitution. Of course, if the<br \/>\n                            circumstances so require a group of persons, can<br \/>\n                            be treated a class separate from the rest for any<br \/>\n                            preferential or beneficial treatment while fixing<br \/>\n                            their seniority. But, whether such group of persons<br \/>\n                            belong to a special class for any special treatment<br \/>\n                            in matters of seniority has to be decided on<br \/>\n                            objective consideration and on taking into account<br \/>\n                            relevant factors which can stand the test of Articles<br \/>\n                            14 and 16 of the Constitution. Normally, such<br \/>\n                            classification should be by statutory rule or rules<br \/>\n                            framed under Article 309 of the Constitution. The<br \/>\n                            far-reaching implication of such rules need not be<br \/>\n                            impressed because they purport to affect the<br \/>\n                            seniority of persons who are already in service.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>19.       Recently, in Public Service Commission, Uttaranchal v. Mamta<\/p>\n<p>Bisht &amp; Ors., AIR 2010 SC 2613, the Apex Court was dealing with the<\/p>\n<p>concept of necessary party and the effect of non-impleadment of such a<\/p>\n<p>party in the matter wherein the selection process is challenged.                    Their<\/p>\n<p>Lordships have held thus:\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>                    &#8220;7. &#8230;.in <a href=\"\/doc\/1401120\/\">Udit Narain Singh Malpaharia v. Additional<br \/>\n                    Member, Board of Revenue, Bihar &amp; Anr., AIR<\/a> 1963 SC<br \/>\n                    786, wherein the Court has explained the distinction<br \/>\n                    between necessary party, proper party and proforma<br \/>\n                    party and further held that if a person who is likely to<br \/>\n                    suffer from the order of the Court and has not been<br \/>\n                    impleaded as a party has a right to ignore the said order<br \/>\n                    as it has been passed in violation of the principles of<br \/>\n                    natural justice. More so, proviso to Order I, Rule IX of<br \/>\n                    Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (hereinafter called CPC)<br \/>\n                    provide that non-joinder of necessary party be fatal.<br \/>\n                    Undoubtedly, provisions of CPC are not applicable in<br \/>\n                    writ jurisdiction by virtue of the provision of Section<br \/>\n                    141, CPC but the principles enshrined therein are<br \/>\n                    applicable. <a href=\"\/doc\/1298255\/\">(Vide Gulabchand Chhotalal Parikh v. State<br \/>\n                    of Gujarat<\/a>; AIR 1965 SC 1153; <a href=\"\/doc\/522631\/\">Babubhai Muljibhai Patel<br \/>\n                    v. Nandlal, Khodidas Barat &amp; Ors., AIR<\/a> 1974 SC 2105;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">LPA No. 234 &amp; 235 of 2008                                                     Page 11 of 12<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>                     and <a href=\"\/doc\/1994144\/\">Sarguja Transport Service v. State Transport<br \/>\n                    Appellate Tribunal, Gwalior &amp; Ors. AIR<\/a> 1987 SC 88).\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>                    8.     In Prabodh Verma &amp; Ors. v. State of U.P. &amp; Ors.<br \/>\n                    AIR 1985 SC 167; and Tridip Kumar Dingal &amp; Ors. v.<br \/>\n                    State of West Bengal &amp; Ors. (2009) 1 SCC 768 : (AIR<br \/>\n                    2008 SC (Supp) 824), it has been held that if a person<br \/>\n                    challenges the selection process, successful candidates or<br \/>\n                    at least some of them are necessary parties.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>20.       From the aforesaid pronouncement of law, it is clear as crystal that an<\/p>\n<p>affected party has to be impleaded inasmuch as that is the mandate of the<\/p>\n<p>doctrine of audi alteram partem. The respondents have, in a way, claimed<\/p>\n<p>advantage of seniority on the base of a rule while knowing fully well some<\/p>\n<p>have been extended the benefit of the rule as has been stated earlier. The<\/p>\n<p>contention of the learned counsel for the appellant is that extension of the<\/p>\n<p>benefit is not automatic. Be that as it may, when the seniority of others is<\/p>\n<p>likely to be affected and their rights are likely to be jeopardized, it was<\/p>\n<p>imperative on the part of the writ petitioners to implead them as parties. The<\/p>\n<p>same having not been done, no relief could have been granted to the<\/p>\n<p>respondents by the writ court.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>21.       In view of our preceding analysis, we are unable to concur with the<\/p>\n<p>view expressed by the learned Single Judge and resultantly the appeals are<\/p>\n<p>allowed and the order impugned is set aside. In the facts and circumstances<\/p>\n<p>of the case, there shall be no order as to costs.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>                                                          CHIEF JUSTICE<\/p>\n<p>                                                          MANMOHAN, J.\n<\/p>\n<p>SEPTEMBER 27, 2010<br \/>\ndk<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">LPA No. 234 &amp; 235 of 2008                                                  Page 12 of 12<\/span>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Delhi High Court The Food Corporation Of India &amp; &#8230; vs Krishan Kumar Sodhi on 27 September, 2010 Author: Dipak Misra,Chief Justice * THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Judgment Reserved on: 20th September, 2010 % Judgment Pronounced on:27th September, 2010 + LPA 234\/2008 THE FOOD CORPORATION OF INDIA &amp; ANR. &#8230;.. Appellant [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-58323","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-delhi-high-court","category-high-court"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Food Corporation Of India &amp; ... vs Krishan Kumar Sodhi on 27 September, 2010 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court &amp; High Court | Legal India<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/the-food-corporation-of-india-vs-krishan-kumar-sodhi-on-27-september-2010\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Food Corporation Of India &amp; 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