1

REPORTABLE

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 1007 OF 2021

UNIVERSITY OF DELHI …APPELLANT(S)

VERSUS

DELHI UNIVERSITY CONTRACT EMPLOYEES

UNION & ORS. …RESPONDENT(S)

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 1008 OF 2021

(Delhi University Contract Employees Union and anr. vs. University of Delhi and ors.)

J U D G M E N T

Uday Umesh Lalit, J.

1. These appeals arise out of the final judgment and order dated 22.11.2016

passed by the High Court of Delhi at New Delhi in LPA No. 989/2013. The

appeal preferred by University of Delhi (“the University” for short) i.e. Civil

Appeal No. 1007 of 2021 arising out of SLP(C) No. 17486 of 2017 is taken as

the lead matter.

2. While allowing the Letters Patent Appeal preferred by the Delhi

University Contract Employees’ Union (“the Union” for short) & Others,

2

following conclusions were arrived at and directions were issued by the Division

Bench of the High Court:-

“Conclusion

I.The decision of the University of Delhi to grant one

time age exemption to all contract labour who may have

served for over a year on such basis for participating in the

selection in effect is in the nature of the Scheme postulated

by the Supreme Court in para 53 of Umadevi. It cannot be

denied that such opportunity to participate in the selection

process has to be meaningful.

II. In view of the age relaxation given by the University of

Delhi, an opportunity to undergo the selection process was

made available to all contract employees who had worked

for one year or more on contract. As a result of such

opportunity, the contract workers were rendered entitled to

be tested on a realistic and fair scale and benchmark. There

is substance in the grievance of the contractual employees

that to test them on the same standards as new applicants is

to deprive them of a fair and meaningful opportunity to

participate in the selection process.

III. The Delhi University admits that the contract

employees who applied under the last recruitment drive i.e.

6

th

November, 2013 possessed the requisite qualifications

as per the recruitment rules of 2008. Regular vacant posts

were available when they were appointed. Therefore, so far

as all those who applied are concerned, their qualifications

stand verified. Furthermore, their original appointments

could also, at the worst, be termed irregular and not illegal.

IV. There is substance in the grievance of the appellants

that pursuant to the notification dated 6th November, 2013,

they have not been subjected to a test that is fair and

appropriate for them. The respondent-University ought to

have designed an appropriate mechanism for testing the

appellants having regard to the date when they would have

acquired their qualifications. Beside the appointment drive

conducted by the respondent-University, they have regular

post available for making appointments pursuant to a test

3

appropriately designed for the appellants and other persons

based like them.

V. The appellants and others like them have served the

organisation for long years, and, it is evident that even if

their having acquired academic qualifications much before

the new applicants, the deficiency, if any, is made good by

the valuable experience acquired by them by virtue of the

years of service. The learned Single Judge has fallen into

error in treating the writ petition as one seeking a relief of

regularisation.

VI. The respondents were unable to fill up the vacancies

pursuant to the process initiated by the notification dated 6

th

November, 2013 which are still available.

VII. In view of the passage of time, it would be unfair to

the appellants as well as the respondents to remand the

matter for consideration of the above. This court is

adequately empowered to mould the relief to ensure

complete justice to the parties.

Result

102. In view thereof, this appeal is disposed of with a

direction to the University of Delhi to design and hold an

appropriate test for selection in terms of the notification

dated 6

th

November, 2013 having regard to the fact that the

persons working on contract basis covered under the

notification dated 6

th

November, 2013 had obtained their

essential qualifications much before the fresh applicants;

that they have rendered satisfactory service and bring with

them the benefit of the knowledge acquired by experience

gained while working on contract basis with the Delhi

University.

103. It is also clarified that the same persons who shall be

so tested would be those who would be eligible pursuant to

the advertisement dated 6th November, 2013.

The impugned order of the Single Judge dated 16

th

December, 2013 is modified to this extent and the appeal is

disposed of with the above directions.”

4

3. The relevant facts for the present purpose, in brief, are as under:-

A) By communication dated 31.08.1999 the University Grants Commission

(“UGC”, for short) imposed a ban on filling up of non-teaching posts in all

institutes/universities and the affiliated colleges. The relevant part of the

directions issued by the UGC were:-

“(2)Ban on filling up of vacant posts.

Every University/College shall undertake a review of

all the posts, which are lying vacant in the Universities and

in the affiliated Colleges and subordinate offices, etc., in

consultation with the University Grants Commission.

Financial Advisers will ensure that the review is completed

in a time bound manner and full details of vacant posts in

their respective Universities etc. are available. TILL THE

REVIEW IS COMPLETED, NO VACANT POSTS

SHALL BE FILLED UP EXCEPT WITH THE

APPROVAL OF THE UNIVERSITY GRANTS

COMMISSION.”

These directions were reiterated by UGC in subsequent letters.

B) On 12.01.2011 the UGC sanctioned and allowed the University to fill up

255 posts of Junior Assistants while suggesting changes in Recruitment Rules of

the University. Accordingly, Recruitment Rules (Non-Teaching Employees)

2008 were amended by the University and an advertisement was published on

06.11.2013 in the leading newspapers inviting applications for 255 posts of

Junior Assistants in the University.

5

C) However, during the period from 2003 to 2013 various appointments

were made by the University on contract basis as a result of which about 300

Junior Assistants are presently in the employment of the University on contract

basis, most of whom are members of the Union.

D) Soon after the advertisement dated 06.11.2013, Writ Petition (C)

No.7929 of 2013 was filed by the Union seeking following reliefs:-

“(i)To direct the Respondents to formulate a scheme for

regularising the services of members of the petitioner

Union and other petitioners working on contract/ad

hoc/daily wage basis after relaxing age requirement so as to

confer on them permanent status;

(ii) To direct Respondent no. 1 to pay salary to all the

members of the petitioner Union and other petitioners at the

rate of the minimum salary of the grade to which they have

been appointed as is done by Respondent No. 1 in respect

of Assistant Professors of the University/Colleges;

(iii)To direct Respondent No. 1 to pay to all the members

of the petitioner Union and other petitioners who have

worked for six months or 240 days in each year of their

employment with Respondent No. 1 on ad

hoc/contract/daily wage basis non-productivity linked

bonus retrospectively from the date(s) of their employment;

(iv)To direct Respondent No. 1 to fill up all vacancies in

future as and when they arise within six months of

occurrence to avoid any ad hoc/contractual arrangement in

future;

(v) To direct Respondent No. 1 to grant maternity leave and

other benefits to women employees; To allow this writ

petition with costs; and

(vi) To pass any other appropriate order and/or direction

6

which this Hon’ble court deems fit and proper in the

interest of justice.”

E) A Single Judge of the High Court by his order dated 16.12.2013 rejected

said writ petition. Relying on the decision of this Court in Secretary, State of

Karnataka & Ors. vs. Umadevi & Ors.

1

, it was observed:-

“2. All the issues which have been urged in the present

petition stand settled against the petitioners by the

Constitution Bench judgment of the Supreme Court in the

case of Secretary, State of Karnataka & Ors. vs. Umadevi

& Ors., (2006) 4 SCC 1. The Supreme Court in the case of

Umadevi (supra) has laid down the following ratio:-

“(I)The questions to be asked before regularization

are:-

(a)(i) Was there a sanctioned post (court cannot order

creation of posts because finances of the state may go

haywire), (ii) is there a vacancy, (iii) are the persons

qualified persons and (iv) are the appointments through

regular recruitment process of calling all possible persons

and which process involves inter-se competition among

the candidates.

(b)A court can condone an irregularity in the

appointment procedure only if the irregularity does not

go to the root of the matter.

(II)For sanctioned posts having vacancies, such posts

have to be filled by regular recruitment process of

prescribed procedure otherwise, the constitutional

mandate flowing from Articles 14, 16, 309, 315, 320 etc.

is violated.

(III) In case of existence of necessary circumstances the

government has a right to appoint contract employees or

casual labour or employees for a project, but, such

persons form a class in themselves and they cannot claim

equality (except possibly for equal pay for equal work)

with regular employees who form a separate class. Such

1 (2006) 4 SCC 1

7

temporary employees cannot claim legitimate expectation

of absorption/regularization as they knew when they were

appointed that they were temporary inasmuch as the

government did not give and nor could have given an

assurance of regularization without the regular

recruitment process being followed. Such irregularly

appointed persons cannot claim to be regularized alleging

violation of Article 21. Also the equity in favour of the

millions who await public employment through the

regular recruitment process outweighs the equity in

favour of the limited number of irregularly appointed

persons who claim regularization.

(IV) Once there are vacancies in sanctioned posts such

vacancies cannot be filled in except without regular

recruitment process, and thus neither the court nor the

executive can frame a scheme to absorb or regularize

persons appointed to such posts without following the

regular recruitment process.

(V)At the instance of persons irregularly appointed the

process of regular recruitment shall not be stopped.

Courts should not pass interim orders to continue

employment of such irregularly appointed persons

because the same will result in stoppage of recruitment

through regular appointment procedure.

(VI) If there are sanctioned posts with vacancies, and

qualified persons were appointed without a regular

recruitment process, then, such persons who when the

judgment of Uma Devi

1

is passed have worked for over

10 years without court orders, such persons be

regularized under schemes to be framed by the concerned

organization.

(VII) The aforesaid law which applies to the Union and

the States will also apply to all instrumentalities of the

State governed by Article 12 of the Constitution.”

3.Para-4 of the judgment in the case of Umadevi

1

specifically directs that Courts should desist from issuing

orders preventing regular selection or recruitment at the

instance of persons who are only adhoc/contractual/casual

employees and who have not secured regular appointments

as per procedure established. The Supreme Court has

further observed that passing of orders preventing regular

recruitment tends to defeat the very constitutional scheme

of public employment and that powers under Article 226 of

the Constitution of India therefore cannot be exercised for

perpetuating illegalities, irregularities or improprieties or

8

for scuttling the whole scheme of public employment.

4. In the present case, it cannot be and could not be

disputed that employment to be given pursuant to the posts

which have been advertised by the advertisement dated

6.11.2013 is with respect to regular posts or permanent

posts. Accordingly, in view of the ratio of the judgment in

the case of Umadevi

1

, and more particularly para-4 thereof,

this Court cannot interdict the regular selection process. I

may note that the learned senior counsel for respondent no.

1 states that regular employment in the posts now

advertised could not be given earlier because of a ban on

regular recruitments imposed by UGC. Since that ban has

been lifted, regular posts are now being advertised for

being filled in. I may note that I take the statement on

record made on behalf of respondent no. 1 that the

University is going to give age relaxation to all candidates

in its employment which would be the length of service

which has been rendered by that employee in the

employment of respondent no. 1-University while working

on casual/adhoc/temporary status basis. This statement is

made pursuant to the letter dated 5.12.2013 which is placed

on record.

5. Learned counsel for the petitioner seeks to argue that

respondent-University is appointing persons on contractual

basis pursuant to the earlier advertisement dated 30.5.2013

and which should not be done in view of the ratio of the

judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Umadevi

1

.

This argument is misconceived for various reasons.

Firstly, Umadevi's case (supra) does not state that State is

not bound to make permanent appointment. In

fact, Umadevi

1

allows State and instrumentalities of State as

per exigency of situation also to make

contractual/casual/temporary appointments. In any case,

this argument is also rejected for the reason that learned

senior counsel on instruction states that posts advertised in

terms of the advertisement dated 30.5.2013 in fact merge

with the advertisement now issued on 6.11.2013 by

requiring appointments to such posts only to be made as

regular appointments and in permanent employment.”

F) In the recruitment process pursuant to the advertisement dated

9

06.11.2013, the Junior Assistants employed on contractual basis, also

participated. All contractual appointees were granted age relaxation. However,

only 120 regular appointments could be made by the University out of which 10

were contractual appointees and members of the Union.

G) The Union, being aggrieved by the dismissal of its Writ Petition, filed

LPA No.989/2013 before the Division Bench of the High Court. During the

pendency of said Appeal, factual details pertaining to the members of the Union

were placed on record, which show that the earliest contract employees were

appointed in the year 2003 while the last appointees were of the year 2013. The

details can be tabulated as under:-

Sl. No. Year of appointment No. of contract

appointees

1 2003 12

2. 2004 7

3. 2005 19

4. 2006 37

5. 2007 36

6. 2008 19

7. 2009 33

8. 2010 14

9. 2011 12

10. 2012 1

11. 2013 2

TOTAL 192

10

H) By its judgment and order dated 22.11.2016, the Division Bench of the

High Court allowed the appeal to the extent indicated above and the University

was directed to design and hold an appropriate test for selection in terms of

Notification dated 06.11.2013.

I) Being aggrieved, the University filed the instant appeal. The Union also

preferred an independent appeal i.e. Civil Appeal No.1008 of 2021 arising out of

SLP(C)No.4906 of 2021. By its interim order dated 04.07.2017, the direction to

hold special tests was stayed by this Court but it was directed that the contract

employees would continue to work in the positions held by them on provisional

basis until the next round of selections. The contract employees were however

granted liberty to participate in any selection process held in future.

4. When these appeals came up before this Court on 22.10.2019, it was

noted that even after the selection undertaken in the year 2013 there remained

regular vacancies. The University was therefore directed to file an appropriate

affidavit indicating the status.

In the affidavit dated 13.11.2019 the University indicated that 124 regular

posts of Junior Assistants were then lying vacant.

5. In the affidavit dated 09.03.2021 filed on behalf of the University, it is

11

submitted that a decision has been taken that in order to facilitate the contractual

employees to participate in the recruitment process, age relaxation as well as

certain advantage for the service rendered as contract employees will be given

by the University. Paragraphs 6 and 7 of said affidavit read are as under:-

“6.In view of the order of this Court, to enable the

contractual employees to participate in the recruitment

process, a comprehensive age relaxation with respect to the

upper age limit has been given to the contract employees

working at the University in the present recruitment

process.

7. In addition to the above, a maximum of upto 10 extra

marks, depending on the number of years of service of the

contract employee, would be given to them while finalizing

the merit.”

6. Heard Mr. Santosh Kumar, learned Advocate for the University and Mr.

Colin Gonsalves, learned Senior Advocate for the Union.

It was submitted by Mr. Santosh Kumar, learned Advocate that the

directions issued by the Division Bench of the High Court were not consistent

with the law declared by this Court in Umadevi

1

and the subsequent decisions of

this Court including that in Official Liquidator vs. Dayanand and Ors.

2

. With

regard to the ensuing selection to be undertaken where the benefits in terms of

paragraphs 6 and 7 of the affidavit dated 09.03.2021 would be extended, it was

submitted that the total marks in the test would be 300 and grant of 10 marks

2 (2008) 10 SCC 1

12

would mean 3.33% advantage.

On the other hand, Mr. Gonsalves, learned Senior Advocate submitted

that even after the decision of this Court in Umadevi

1

, this Court extended the

benefit of regularization in certain cases. He relied upon the decisions of this

Court in State of Karnataka and others vs. M.L. Kesari and others

3

; State of

Gujarat and others vs. PWD Employees Union and others

4

; Nihal Singh and

others vs. State of Punjab and others

5

; Sheo Narain Nagar and others vs.

State of Uttar Pradesh and others

6

; and Narendra Kumar Tiwari and others

vs. State of Jharkhand and others

7

.

7. The decision of the Constitution Bench of this Court in Umadevi

1

was

pronounced on 10.04.2006 by which time, the earliest contract employees had

put in only 3-4 years of service and most of the contract employees were engaged

after the decision in Umadevi

1

.

In paragraphs 47, 49 and 53 of the decision in Umadevi

1

, this Court

stated:-

“47. When a person enters a temporary employment or gets

engagement as a contractual or casual worker and the

engagement is not based on a proper selection as

recognised by the relevant rules or procedure, he is aware

3 (2010) 9 SCC 247 [Paras 7 & 8]

4 (2013) 12 SCC 417 [Para 27]

5 (2013) 14 SCC 65

6 (2017) 14 SCALE 247 [Para 8] = (2018) 13 SCC 432

7 (2018) 8 SCC 238

13

of the consequences of the appointment being temporary,

casual or contractual in nature. Such a person cannot

invoke the theory of legitimate expectation for being

confirmed in the post when an appointment to the post

could be made only by following a proper procedure for

selection and in cases concerned, in consultation with the

Public Service Commission. Therefore, the theory of

legitimate expectation cannot be successfully advanced by

temporary, contractual or casual employees. It cannot also

be held that the State has held out any promise while

engaging these persons either to continue them where they

are or to make them permanent. The State cannot

constitutionally make such a promise. It is also obvious that

the theory cannot be invoked to seek a positive relief of

being made permanent in the post.

… ……

49. It is contended that the State action in not regularising

the employees was not fair within the framework of the

rule of law. The rule of law compels the State to make

appointments as envisaged by the Constitution and in the

manner we have indicated earlier. In most of these cases, no

doubt, the employees had worked for some length of time

but this has also been brought about by the pendency of

proceedings in tribunals and courts initiated at the instance

of the employees. Moreover, accepting an argument of this

nature would mean that the State would be permitted to

perpetuate an illegality in the matter of public employment

and that would be a negation of the constitutional scheme

adopted by us, the people of India. It is therefore not

possible to accept the argument that there must be a

direction to make permanent all the persons employed on

daily wages. When the court is approached for relief by

way of a writ, the court has necessarily to ask itself whether

the person before it had any legal right to be enforced.

Considered in the light of the very clear constitutional

scheme, it cannot be said that the employees have been able

to establish a legal right to be made permanent even though

they have never been appointed in terms of the relevant

rules or in adherence of Articles 14 and 16 of the

Constitution.

… ……

14

53. One aspect needs to be clarified. There may be cases

where irregular appointments (not illegal appointments) as

explained in S.V. Narayanappa

8

, R.N. Nanjundappa

9

and

B.N. Nagarajan

10

and referred to in para 15 above, of duly

qualified persons in duly sanctioned vacant posts might

have been made and the employees have continued to work

for ten years or more but without the intervention of orders

of the courts or of tribunals. The question of regularisation

of the services of such employees may have to be

considered on merits in the light of the principles settled by

this Court in the cases abovereferred to and in the light of

this judgment. In that context, the Union of India, the State

Governments and their instrumentalities should take steps

to regularise as a one-time measure, the services of such

irregularly appointed, who have worked for ten years or

more in duly sanctioned posts but not under cover of orders

of the courts or of tribunals and should further ensure that

regular recruitments are undertaken to fill those vacant

sanctioned posts that require to be filled up, in cases where

temporary employees or daily wagers are being now

employed. The process must be set in motion within six

months from this date. We also clarify that regularisation, if

any already made, but not sub judice, need not be reopened

based on this judgment, but there should be no further

bypassing of the constitutional requirement and

regularising or making permanent, those not duly appointed

as per the constitutional scheme.” (Emphasis added)

8. The decision in Umadevi

1

and other relevant decisions on the point were

considered by a Bench of three Judges of this Court in Official Liquidator vs.

Dayanand and others

2

. In that case, the decisions of the Calcutta High Court

and the Delhi High Court were under challenge. The Single Judge of the

Calcutta High Court had directed absorption of Group ‘C’ staff, which direction

8 AIR 1967 SC 1071

9 (1972) 1 SCC 409

10 (1979) 4 SCC 507

15

was affirmed by the Division Bench. Similarly, a Single Judge of the Delhi

High Court had directed absorption of the writ petitioners in their appropriate

scales with benefits such as fitment and promotions which directions were

affirmed in appeal by the Division Bench. This Court accepted the challenge

and set aside the directions issued by the Calcutta High Court and the Delhi

High Court. During the course of its Judgment, this Court made following

observations:-

“52. … In this context, we may also mention that though

the Official Liquidators appear to have issued

advertisements for appointing the company-paid staff and

made some sort of selection, more qualified and

meritorious persons must have shunned from applying

because they knew that the employment will be for a fixed

term on fixed salary and their engagement will come to an

end with the conclusion of liquidation proceedings. As a

result of this, only mediocres must have responded to the

advertisements and joined as company-paid staff. In this

scenario, a direction for absorption of all the company-paid

staff has to be treated as violative of the doctrine of

equality enshrined in Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution.

[emphasis added]

… … …

75. By virtue of Article 141 of the Constitution, the

judgment of the Constitution Bench in Umadevi

1

is binding

on all the courts including this Court till the same is

overruled by a larger Bench. The ratio of the Constitution

Bench judgment has been followed by different two-Judge

Benches for declining to entertain the claim of

regularisation of service made by ad hoc/temporary/daily-

wage/casual employees or for reversing the orders of the

High Court granting relief to such employees — Indian

Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd. v. Workmen

11

, Gangadhar

11 (2007) 1 SCC 408

16

Pillai v. Siemens Ltd.

12

, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan v.

L.V. Subramanyeswara

13

, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. v.

Dan Bahadur Singh

14

. However, in U.P. SEB v. Pooran

Chandra Pandey

15

on which reliance has been placed by

Shri Gupta, a two-Judge Bench has attempted to dilute the

Constitution Bench judgment by suggesting that the said

decision cannot be applied to a case where regularisation

has been sought for in pursuance of Article 14 of the

Constitution and that the same is in conflict with the

judgment of the seven-Judge Bench in Maneka Gandhi v.

Union of India

16

.”

The Judgment of a Bench of two Judges of this Court in Pooran

Chandra Pandey

16

was then found to be inconsistent with the law laid down by

this Court in Umadevi

1

.

9.All the decisions relied upon by Mr. Colin Gonsalves, learned Senior

Advocate were by Benches of two Judges of this Court and in each of those

cases, the concerned employees had put in more than 10 years of service and

could claim benefit in terms of paragraph 53 of the decision in Umadevi

1

. In

the last of those decisions i.e. in Narendra Kumar Tiwari

7

, the submission was

that the employees had not put in more than 10 years of service with the newly

created State of Jharkhand and, therefore, there was no entitlement in terms of

the decision in Umadevi

1

. Relying on the concept of one-time measure

elaborated in M.L. Kesari

3

, it was observed:-

12 (2007) 1 SCC 533

13 (2007) 5 SCC 326

14 (2007) 6 SCC 207

15 (2007) 11 SCC 92

16 (1978) 1 SCC 248

17

“3. The appellants had contended before the High Court

that the State of Jharkhand was created only on 15-11-2000

and therefore no one could have completed 10 years of ser-

vice with the State of Jharkhand on the cut-off date of 10-

4-2006. Therefore, no one could get the benefit of the Reg-

ularisation Rules which made the entire legislative exercise

totally meaningless. The appellants had pointed out in the

High Court that the State had issued Resolutions on 18-7-

2009 and 19-7-2009 permitting the regularisation of some

employees of the State, who had obviously not put in 10

years of service with the State. Consequently, it was sub-

mitted that the appellants were discriminated against for no

fault of theirs and in an irrational manner.

…     …     …

6. The concept of a one­time measure was further ex­

plained in Kesari

3

 in paras 9, 10 and 11 of the Report

which read as follows: (SCC pp. 250­51, paras 9­11)

‘9. The term “one-time measure” has to be under-

stood in its proper perspective. This would nor-

mally mean that after the decision in Umadevi

1

,

each department or each instrumentality should

undertake a one-time exercise and prepare a list

of all casual, daily-wage or ad hoc employees

who have been working for more than ten years

without the intervention of courts and tribunals

and subject them to a process verification as to

whether they are working against vacant posts

and possess the requisite qualification for the post

and if so, regularise their services.

10. At the end of six months from the date of de-

cision in Umadevi

1

, cases of several daily-

wage/ad hoc/casual employees were still pending

before courts. Consequently, several departments

and instrumentalities did not commence the one-

time regularisation process. On the other hand,

some government departments or instrumentali-

ties undertook the one-time exercise excluding

several employees from consideration either on

the ground that their cases were pending in courts

or due to sheer oversight. In such circumstances,

the employees who were entitled to be considered

18

in terms of para 53 of the decision in Umadevi

1

,

will not lose their right to be considered for regu-

larisation, merely because the one-time exercise

was completed without considering their cases, or

because the six-month period mentioned in para

53 of Umadevi

1

has expired. The one-time exer-

cise should consider all daily-wage/ad hoc/casual

employees who had put in 10 years of continuous

service as on 10-4-2006 without availing the pro-

tection of any interim orders of courts or tri-

bunals. If any employer had held the one-time ex-

ercise in terms of para 53 of Umadevi

1

, but did

not consider the cases of some employees who

were entitled to the benefit of para 53

of Umadevi

1

, the employer concerned should con-

sider their cases also, as a continuation of the

one-time exercise. The one-time exercise will be

concluded only when all the employees who are

entitled to be considered in terms of para 53

of Umadevi

1

, are so considered.

11. The object behind the said direction in para 53

of Umadevi

1

is twofold. First is to ensure that

those who have put in more than ten years of con-

tinuous service without the protection of any in-

terim orders of courts or tribunals, before the date

of decision in Umadevi

1

was rendered, are con-

sidered for regularisation in view of their long

service. Second is to ensure that the

departments/instrumentalities do not perpetuate

the practice of employing persons on daily-

wage/ad hoc/casual basis for long periods and

then periodically regularise them on the ground

that they have served for more than ten years,

thereby defeating the constitutional or statutory

provisions relating to recruitment and appoint-

ment. The true effect of the direction is that all

persons who have worked for more than ten years

as on 10-4-2006 [the date of decision

in Umadevi

1

without the protection of any in-

terim order of any court or tribunal, in vacant

posts, possessing the requisite qualification, are

entitled to be considered for regularisation. The

19

fact that the employer has not undertaken such

exercise of regularisation within six months of the

decision in Umadevi

1

or that such exercise was

undertaken only in regard to a limited few, will

not disentitle such employees, the right to be con-

sidered for regularisation in terms of the above

directions in Umadevi

1

as a one-time measure.’

7. The purpose and intent of the decision in Umadevi

1

was therefore twofold, namely, to prevent irregular or ille-

gal appointments in the future and secondly, to confer a

benefit on those who had been irregularly appointed in the

past. The fact that the State of Jharkhand continued with

the irregular appointments for almost a decade after the

decision in Umadevi

1

is a clear indication that it believes

that it was all right to continue with irregular appoint-

ments, and whenever required, terminate the services of

the irregularly appointed employees on the ground that

they were irregularly appointed. This is nothing but a form

of exploitation of the employees by not giving them the

benefits of regularisation and by placing the sword of

Damocles over their head. This is precisely

what Umadevi

1

and Kesari

3

, sought to avoid.

10.The decision in Narendra Kumar Tiwari

7

has to be understood in the

backdrop of the facts of that case.

11.The contract employees in the present case cannot, therefore, claim the

relief of regularization in terms of paragraph 53 of the decision in Umadevi

1

.

The rejection of their petition by the single Judge of the High Court was quite

correct and there was no occasion for the Division Bench to interfere in the

matter.

20

12.It is true that, as on the day when the judgment in Umadevi

1

was

delivered by this Court, the contract employees had put in just about 3 to 4 years

of service. But, as of now, most of them have completed more than 10 years of

service on contract basis. Though the benefit of regularization cannot be

granted, a window of opportunity must be given to them to compete with the

available talent through public advertisement. A separate and exclusive test

meant only for the contract employees will not be an answer as that would

confine the zone of consideration to contract employees themselves. The

modality suggested by the University, on the other hand, will give them

adequate chance and benefit to appear in the ensuing selection.

13.We, therefore, direct that all the concerned contract employees engaged

by the University be afforded benefits as detailed in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the

affidavit dated 09.03.2021 with following modifications:

(a)The benefit of age relaxation as contemplated in paragraph 6 of the

affidavit without any qualification must be extended to all the contract

employees.

(b)In modification of paragraph 7 of the affidavit, those employees

who were engaged in the year 2011 be given the benefit of 10 marks in

the ensuing selection process while for every additional year that a

21

contract employee had put in, benefit of one more mark subject to the

ceiling of 8 additional marks be given. In other words, if a contract

employee was engaged for the first time in the year 2010, he shall be

entitled to the benefit of 11 marks, while one engaged since 2003 shall be

given 18 marks, as against the appointee of 2011 who will have the

advantage of only 10 marks. The contract appointees of 2012 and 2013

will have the advantage of 9 and 8 marks respectively.

(c)The Public Notice inviting applications from the candidates shall

specifically state that the advantage in terms of the order passed by this

Court would be conferred upon the contract employees so that other

candidates are put to adequate notice.

(d)All the contract employees shall be entitled to offer their

candidature for the ensuing selection in next four weeks and in order to

give them sufficient time to prepare, the test shall be undertaken only

after three months of the receipt of applications from the candidates.

14.We hasten to add that these directions are premised on two basic

submissions advanced by Mr. Santosh Kumar, learned advocate for the

University that;

(i)the total marks for the test will be 300 marks and thus the

22

maximum advantage which a contract employee will have is of 18 marks

which in turn is relatable to advantage of 6% as against other participants

in the selection process;

(ii)all the contract employees are otherwise entitled and eligible to

participate in the selection process.

15.In our view, paragraphs 6 & 7 of the affidavit with the modifications as

directed hereinabove will subserve the purpose. Such directions will not only

afford chance to the contract employees to participate in the selection process

regardless of their age but will also entitle them to some advantage over the other

participants. Similarly, those contract employees who have put in more number

of years as against the other contract employees, will also have a comparative

advantage.

16.Lastly, it must be observed that according to Mr. Santosh Kumar, there

are at present 300 Junior Assistants working on contract basis in the University

while the number of posts advertised are only 236. Even if it be assumed that all

these 236 posts are secured by the contract employees, that would still leave 64

of the contract employees as unsuccessful.

It may therefore possibly be said that as against the required posts of 236,

the University had engaged contract employees in excess of the required number

23

or that there may be further advertisement to fill up the remaining posts.

We need not go into this issue and we rest content by saying that in any

selections in future, one more chance and advantage in terms of this order shall

be given to such unsuccessful contract employees.

17.With the aforesaid observations, these appeals stand disposed of. No

costs.

…...……………………..J.

[UDAY UMESH LALIT]

..………………………..J.

[K. M. JOSEPH]

New Delhi

March 25, 2021.