# ~74 O. R. LUTHRA, ADDITIONAL DISTRICT' JUDGE, DELHl v. LT, GOVERNOR, DELHI & ORS . • September 3, 1974

- **Citation:** [1975] 1 S.C.R. 974
- **Court:** Supreme Court of India
- **Decided:** 1974-09-03
- **Case number:** Civil Appeal No. 777 of 1973
- **Bench:** A. N. Ray, K. K. Mathew
- **Source:** https://unisonlegal.in/judgment/supreme-court-of-india/74-o-r-luthra-additional-district-judge-delhl-v-lt-governor-delhi-ors-september-6274
- **Pages:** 11

## Headnote

Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1970--Rule 6(3 )-''Length of service
,,.endered by them in the cadre to lvhich they belong", meaning-Seniority if deJermined on the basis of confirmation or length of service.
Rule 6(3) of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1970, provides that
the seniority of the candidates appointed at the initial constitution of the service
shall be in accordance with the "length of service rendered by them in the cadre
to which they belong" at the time of their initial recruitment to the service. Under
Rule 6(1) the appointment is to be made substantially from amongst District
Judges and Additional District Judges, functioning as such in the union territory
of Delhi on deputation from other States and those recommended by their respective States.
-
Respondents 2, 3 and 4 were appointed prior to the appellant as temporary
Additional District and Sessions Judges in the Cadre of District and Additional
District and Sessions Jud&e in tb,eir respective States. The appellant was confumed against permanent post in his parent State; before respondent 3, while
xespondents 2 and 4 were not confirmed.
When the appellant and the respondents were appointed substantively, in May 1971, to the Delhi Higher Judicial
Service the respondents were given seniority over the appellant since the length
.of service rendered by the respondents in the cadre of District and Additional
District to Sessioris Judges to which they belonged at the time of initial recruitment was longer than that of the appe!Jant
The High Court rejected a writ
petition by the appellant against the fixation ·of seniority.
In the appeal to this Court the appellant contended that the expression "the
length of service rendered by them in the cadres to which they belong'' meant
the length of service in substantive appointment to permanent posts, and that
for purpose of seniority what was relevant was the date of confirmation and not
the date of appointment in an officiating or temporary capacity,
Dismissing the appeal,
A
B
c
D
E
HEID : that the respondents had been rightly treated as senior to the appelF
tant.
· (i) The words "in the cadre to which they belong" in rule 6 (3) cover the
.cases of perm.anent as well as temporary Additional District and Sessions Judges
at the time of initial recruitment. The Rules were framed for those who were
'functioning as Additional District and Sessions Judges at Delhi and the Delhi
Higher Judicial Service was constituted with persons who rendered service as
Additional District and Sessions Judges in temporary posts or in temporary capaG
-city against permanent posts.
The ward "cadre" includes both temporary and
permanent posts.
To confine cadre to permanent posts would render the rules
totally unworkable and impracticable, because at the time of initial recruitment
the persons came on deputation from States mostly in their temporary capacity
as Additional Dfatrict and Sessions Judges.
[983 C; A; 984 E-Fl
(ii) The important yardstick in the determination of seniority is the length
of service rendered in a cadre. Where confirmation is the decisive factor to determine the :i;eniorty, rules state so.
Confirmation depends on the accident of
H
permanent posts falling vacant.
To determine seniority according to confirma·
tion is to wipe out the length of service. The criterion for the determination of
•eniority under the Delhi rules is the length of service.
[983 B-C; 984 C-D]
8
c
D
E
F
G
, H
G. R, !.UTHRA v. LT. GOVERNOR (Ray, C.J.)
97 5

## Text

_Characters 0–39,779 of 41,065. This is a partial read: ask again with offset=39779 for what follows._

~74
O. R. LUTHRA, ADDITIONAL DISTRICT' JUDGE, DELHl
v.
LT, GOVERNOR, DELHI & ORS .
•
September 3, 1974.
[A. N. RAY, C.J., K. K. MATHEW, J.]
Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1970--Rule 6(3 )-''Length of service
,,.endered by them in the cadre to lvhich they belong", meaning-Seniority if deJermined on the basis of confirmation or length of service.
Rule 6(3) of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1970, provides that
the seniority of the candidates appointed at the initial constitution of the service
shall be in accordance with the "length of service rendered by them in the cadre
to which they belong" at the time of their initial recruitment to the service. Under
Rule 6(1) the appointment is to be made substantially from amongst District
Judges and Additional District Judges, functioning as such in the union territory
of Delhi on deputation from other States and those recommended by their respective States.
-
Respondents 2, 3 and 4 were appointed prior to the appellant as temporary
Additional District and Sessions Judges in the Cadre of District and Additional
District and Sessions Jud&e in tb,eir respective States. The appellant was confumed against permanent post in his parent State; before respondent 3, while
xespondents 2 and 4 were not confirmed.
When the appellant and the respondents were appointed substantively, in May 1971, to the Delhi Higher Judicial
Service the respondents were given seniority over the appellant since the length
.of service rendered by the respondents in the cadre of District and Additional
District to Sessioris Judges to which they belonged at the time of initial recruitment was longer than that of the appe!Jant
The High Court rejected a writ
petition by the appellant against the fixation ·of seniority.
In the appeal to this Court the appellant contended that the expression "the
length of service rendered by them in the cadres to which they belong'' meant
the length of service in substantive appointment to permanent posts, and that
for purpose of seniority what was relevant was the date of confirmation and not
the date of appointment in an officiating or temporary capacity,
Dismissing the appeal,
A
B
c
D
E
HEID : that the respondents had been rightly treated as senior to the appelF
tant.
· (i) The words "in the cadre to which they belong" in rule 6 (3) cover the
.cases of perm.anent as well as temporary Additional District and Sessions Judges
at the time of initial recruitment. The Rules were framed for those who were
'functioning as Additional District and Sessions Judges at Delhi and the Delhi
Higher Judicial Service was constituted with persons who rendered service as
Additional District and Sessions Judges in temporary posts or in temporary capaG
-city against permanent posts.
The ward "cadre" includes both temporary and
permanent posts.
To confine cadre to permanent posts would render the rules
totally unworkable and impracticable, because at the time of initial recruitment
the persons came on deputation from States mostly in their temporary capacity
as Additional Dfatrict and Sessions Judges.
[983 C; A; 984 E-Fl
(ii) The important yardstick in the determination of seniority is the length
of service rendered in a cadre. Where confirmation is the decisive factor to determine the :i;eniorty, rules state so.
Confirmation depends on the accident of
H
permanent posts falling vacant.
To determine seniority according to confirma·
tion is to wipe out the length of service. The criterion for the determination of
•eniority under the Delhi rules is the length of service.
[983 B-C; 984 C-D]
8
c
D
E
F
G
, H
G. R, !.UTHRA v. LT. GOVERNOR (Ray, C.J.)
97 5
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION Civil Appeal No. 777 of 1973.
Appeal by special leave from the judgment and order dated
the 21st March, 1972 of the Delhi High Court at New Delhi, in Civil
Writ No. 1211 of 1971.
M. K. Ramamurthi, Shyamla Pappu and J. Ramamurthi, for the
appellant.
F. S. Nariman, Additional Solicitor General of India, R. N. Sachthey and M. N. Shroff, for respondent no. I.
S. V. Gupte, L. R. Gupta and M. V. Goswami,
for responden
nos. 2 and 3.
L. R. Gupta and M. V. Goswami, for respondent no. 4.
ARGUMEI'iTS
For the Appellant : Under rule 6(3) requirement is length of service and
not "continuous length".
So the entire length of service as District or Addl.
District & Sessions Judge is to be taken even if it is by parts.
For correct interpretation of rule 6 (3) the words used therein have to be un~
derstood in their ordinary connotation as the rules themselvc! do not adopt any
such definition in this behalf. The word 'Cadres' used in plural has significance
and indicates that there must be more 'cadres' than one or at least two cadres.
Rule 6(1) enumerates the officers who are eligible for initial recruitment.
Acording to this rule, initial recruitment can be from District and Addi. District
Judges functioning as· such in Delhi and from those whose names were recommended by their respective states.
In case it is taken that temporary and permanent District Judges are in one and the same cadre, then only one cadre would
be fqrmed. Two cadres could be formed only if there is a cadre of permanent
District Judges separate fron1 that of Sub Judges who are working temporarily
as Addi. District Judges. The expression ''to which they belong'' -attached to the
word "Cadres" connotes belonging to any of the aforesaid two cadres, by whatever name called in different states.
The use of the word 'cadres' in plural was deliberate because in the corresponding seniority in Delhi Judicial Service Rules which were framed and notified
simultaneous the word 'Cadre' has been used in singular.
Rule 9 of Delhi Judicial Rules makes Sub Judges, Law Graduate, Magistrates
working in Delhi, member of Civil Judicial Cadres of States whose names had
been recommended by the State Government for appointment and members of
Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Andaman, and Nicobar Islands, Civil Service, who are
law graduates, eligible for initial recruitment.
They formed one category of
equivalent cadre :uid thereby necessitating the use of the word 'cadre' in singular in seniority rule 11.
On that interpretation, the Appellant and Respondent No. 2 were in the
'cadre' of permanent District Judges and hence their seniority is to be with re·
ference to the dates on which they became permanent District Judges.
As the
appe1Jant had become permanent earlier, he must rank snior to respendent
No. 2.
As respondent Nos. 3 & 4 were still in lower cadre of Subordinate
Judges kbown as Punjab Civil Service (Judicial Branch) they must rank junior
to the appellant.
It was contended on behalf of the respondents that having regard to the fact
the Delhi Higher Judicial Service was being consituted mainly for those who
were functioning as Addl. District Judges in Delhi who were 11 in number, and
out of whom only two or three .were permanent District Judges, the framers of
the rules must be intending to fix the senioritv having regard to the actual length
of service rendered as District _gr Addi. District Judges only, irrespective of wbe.
ther they were permanent or temporary and that therefore. it shoulrt be held
that the seniority shall be in accordance with the actual length of service as District & Additional District Judges functioning as such. It was also urged that the
use of the word 'cadres' in plural referred to number of cadres in different states
of India.
976
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1975] 1 s.c.R.
In the Presen~ context the relevant shade of ordinary dictionary meas.ing of
A
~e word 'cadre' t! "perma'!ent establishment. of unit forming nucleus for expan·
s1on at nee'!" and the 1n;ean1ng of the word. "Bel~g" is forming part of or a mem·
her of service. So the import of the rule 1s that 1t has reference to the service of
t4e c~ndidates in their substantive appointment against permanent posts. It wa!
held m 1958 S.C.~. 8~8 at 8~2 and 843 that substantive appointments against
permanent posts give nse to nghts to a Government servant which means that
if a person is temporary he can be reverted at any time aad :is such he does aot
belong to the cadre. None can belong to two cadres of permanent District Jodee•
B.
and Sub Judges at the same time and therefore, a temporary Adell. District Judge
i~ actually in the cadre .of .Sub Judges and cannot therefore belong at the same
time to the cadres of D1stnct Judges, -unless he is confirmed in cadre of District
Judges.
Applying the aforesaid principles for interpretation of the rule, only
permanent District and Sessions Judges were in higher cadre, and the length of
service inter-se means their length as permanent District Judges. Therefore, Shri
K. S. Sidhu, who had less length of service as permanent District Judge must
rank junior to the appellant.
Temporary District Judges who are actually substantive subordinate judges, as was the case with respondents nos. 3 and 4 must
C
rank junior to the appellant and respondent no. 2.
The aforesaid intervretation is harmonious with the provisions of Art. 14
and 16 of the Constitution of India and is reasonable, just and equitable. Treating equally the unequals i.e. permanent Subordinate Judges working as temporary
Add.I. District & Sessions Judges on the one hand and permanent District &: Sessions Judges on the other in the matter Of seniority of permanent District Judg~
will offend the provisions of Article 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India.
D
Therefore. the rules should be so constn1ed as to. render them constitutionally
valid and this can be done only if the expression, "length of service in the cadres
to which they belong" is understood as length of service in their respective aubstantive appointments. Further it will also render the action of the High Court
and Administrator (respondent no. I) consistent in as tnu:h as Shri R. N. Aggarwal had been placed senior to Shri Fauja Singh Gill, only because the former
had been confirmed earlier, though the latter had been appointed as Addl. District & Sessions Judge earlier.
The general principles enunciated by Government of India Ministry of Home
Aiairs vide memo dated 22-12-1959 clearly contemplate that for the purposes
of seniority what is relevant is the date of confirmation and not the date of appointment in officiating or temporary capacity. Depa1ture from this general rule
in a matter of construction cannot be inferred, unless it is stated in Delhi Higher
Judicial Service Rules unambiguously and categorically.
No such intention to
depart from the general rules can be spelt out on a plain reading of the provisions
contained in the aforesaid rules.
The length of service referred to in rule 6(3) 'in the cadres to which they
belong' when examined in the light of Punjab and Haryana Superior Judicial Service Rules in force at the time of initial constitution of service i.e. 17th May 1971
clearly shows that the length of service is to be considered only with reference
to the appointment to permanent posts ·which alone were included in the said
service. According to rule 3(2) cadre post means a permanent post in the service.
That means only permanent posts are i~uded in the cadre. According:
to rule 3 ( 4) ex-cadre pQst n1eans tetnporary post and the same rank as the cadre
post.
According to rule 15 ex·cadre posts for purposes of fixation of pay etc.
only were to be governed by the provisions .of those ~ules. 'P_iat mea.ns that t.e~~
porary posts were outside the cadre of PunJab Supenor Jud1c1al Service. This ts
also apparent from the definition of the word "appointed to service'' and ''mem~
ber of service" given in sub rule 1 and. 6 of Rule 3 respectively as meaning:
persons holding cadre posts. Therefore, only the appellant and respo~dent no.
2 beJonged to Superior Judicial Service of Haryana and Punjab respectively and
their seniority is to be in accordance with the length of service as perman~nt
District Judges.
Re_spondents nos. 3 and 4 did not belong to Punjab Supenor
Judicial Service but belonged to Punjab Civil Service (Judicial Branch) on
account of which they must rank junior.
E
p
G
H
A
B
c
D
E
F
G
G. R, LUTHRA v. LT. GOVERNOR (Ray, C.J.)
977
for respondent No. 1.
In construing Rule 6(3) of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1970 it
is important to bear in mind that these Rules were tramed prlIDaruy to ena_ble
those functioning as District Judges and Addl. District Judges in the Union
Territory of De1n1 (who were on deputation from other States) to opt for or juin
the Delhi Higher Judicial Service. The yardstick for d~term1nmg seruonty was
length of service reudered by these persons as District Judges,and Ad.dl. 1J1stnct
Juages. 'fhe key word in Rule 6(3) is not ''cadres" but "service" the '"length of
service renaered" is obviously the length of service rendered by such persons who
were functioning as District Judges and Addl. District Judges in the Union Ter·
rito1y of Delhi. lt was because they were on deputation from other .:::itates Lhat the
words "cadres to which they belong" find a place in Rule 6(3)(a) of the Rules.
The expression "cadres to which they belong" is to be read in the context of Rule
6; they mean the State-wise cadres [~ee Kule 6{4)J. '!hat "Cadres" does not
mean "posts" is clear from Rule 6(4) which uses the two expressions separately.
The decision cited by counsel for the petitioners on the meanirig of the express1on
"cadre" (1958 SCR 828 at 840) is not relevant. The ordinary general meaning
of the word "cadre" is ''framework" or ''scheme". The "framework' in the present
case was the Judicial Service to which each of these officers belonged at the time
of the initial constitution of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service.
the contention
urged on behalf of the petitioner must result in reading the word "cadres" in
Rule 6(3) as equivalent to "Higher Judicial Service". But this could never be
the meaning of the expression "cadres" especially in view of the admitted position that at the date of the promulgation of the Rules (27th August 1970) and at
the date of the initial constitution of the Service (15th May 1971) there were only
two persons (Mr. Gill and Mr. Joshi) out of the eleven District Judges and Addi.
District Judges functioning as such io the Union Territory of Delhi who "belonged" to the Higher Judicial Service; that is who were confirmed on permanent posts
in that Service. It would lead to the incongruous result that the seniority of the
other candidates who were admittedly absorbed into the Service was not at all
fixed by Rule 6(3 ). l!esides the proviso to Rule 6(3) furnished an additional
reason why the contention of the petitioner cannot be accepted. At the time cJf
the framing of the Rules the authorities obviously had before them the Punjab
Superior Judicial Service Rules 1963 which inter alia laid down a rule
as
to
seniority. Rule 12 of the Punjab Superior Judicial Service Rules 1963 (which at
the date of the promulgation of the Rules and at the date of the initial constitution
of the Service) was applicable both in Pun Jab and Haryana, the seniority of substantive members of the Service was ~o be determined with reference to the res~
pective dates of their confirmation. The language of this rule was not adopted by
those framin2 the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules.
Besides at the date of
the promulgation of the Rules and ar the date of the initial Constitution of the
Service, it was
known that there were eleven oersons (all
from Punjab and
Haryana) functioning as District Judges and Addl. District Judges in the Union
Territory of Delhi and it was also kp.own that out of the eleven posts of District
Judges and Addl. District Judges only five were permanent and the remaining
were temporary. It is submitted that such interpretation should be given to Rule
6(3) which would effectively make provision for a rule of seniority covering all
these eleven persons who were in fact appointed to the Delhi Higher Judicial
Service under the notification of 17th May 1971. Such an interpretation can only
be given if the contention of the R'espondents is accepted. [n construing statutory
provisions, absurd and inconveniilnt results must us far as possible be avoided.
(See Graise on Statutes p. 87).
~~r Resp'ondents Nos. 2-4
1. Before 1st November, 1966 when the re-organization of Punjab under the
Punjab Re-organization Act, 1966 took· place, the Petitioner admittedly ranked
junior to the Respondent Nos. 2 to 4.
H
2. Even after 1-11-1966 the Petitioner ranked junior to the Respondents Nos.
2 to 4 while functioning either as lst Addi. Senior Sub Judge or Addi. District
and Sessions Judge in Delhi on deputation from the State of Haryana till 17-5·71
when they were substantively appointed to the Delhi Higher Judicial Service.
97g
SUl'l\llMll COURT Rl!l'ORTS
[1975] 1 s.c.a.
3. The Petitioner was promoted and appointed as Addi. District & &,,:dons
Judge against a temporary post created. by tne uovernme1,L of lna1a on 2.5-l l-b 7
v1ae iUlnexure K-4/.) at paie l~.'.> or the t'aper ~oor. Vol. J .Part l whue the .Kesponaent .L"IO. 2 was promuced anu appointed as an ottic1atrng AdOJ . .UISlflCt I&
:sess1ons Juctie aaainst ~ temporary post in !"un1ab on 15-1-66 ana transterred to
De1h1 on cteputauon on 1-.5-67.
lhe l\esponaent No. 3 was promoted and appointed as an Ad.ct!. U1strict & Sessions Juuge on 24-4-67 against a permanent post
v1de Annexure 3 a! page 147 of the Paper Jjoo.k:.
'fhe .Kt:Sponuent No. 4 was
;q:ipo1nted on 12-10-66 as Senior Sub-Juage, Delhi, and was promoted and appo1nccd as temporary Addi. District & :Sessions J uctae aaainst a permanent post
with effect from 11-8-1%7 vide Annexure K-4/3 at pai:e 1n of the Paper Jlool<.
4. A select list was prepared by the High Court of Delhi in November 1966
showin& the names ot the Juc11c1al Utticers proposed to be recruited to tne De.Lhi
J uo1cuu .::>erv1ces to be formed. g1 ving their oraer ot senionty as aamuted by the
Petiuoner at page 217 ot the Paper .tlou.k. Vol. II. In the said select list the Petitioner was snown jumor to .Kesponaent Nos. 2-4. umcers menuoned m
the select list were promoted as Actdl. LJiStrict & Sessions Judges at Delhi in accordance with the said list. At the time ot giving his consent ror hIB absorption
· i.n tne De!ht Higher Judicial Service on 13·:>·71 the Peunoner knew very well
that if absorbed., he won1d rank juruo.r to Responoent Nos. 2-4.
Tnat is
why the petitioner vide his letter dated 11-5-1.Y71 addressed to the RegIStrar
Deihl Hi~ Court at pai;:e J97 of the Paper Book first opted out stating tnat
"keepin& in view my service interest I do not wish to be absorbed in the initial
recrwtment to the Delhi Higher Judicial Service'' and latter vide latter dated
13-5-1971 changed his mind not because of his service interest but because of the
advanta~s ot lJelhi of what he described as settled lire and continued a;ood
educanon of his daughter.
S. According to Rule 6(l)(a) of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules
(hereinafter referred to as Delhi Rules), District Juoge/Addl. District Juoges
functioning as such at Delhi formed very important class of officers from whom
selection for initial recruitment to the Delhi Higher Judicial Service was to be
made. This was so in view of Rule 6(4) which provided for inclusion of mini·
-mum number of officers belonging to Punjab and Haryana States in the initial
recruitment.
According to Rule 6(3) of the Delhi Rules the seniority ol the
candidates appointed at the initial recruitment was to be determined in accord~
ance with length of service rendered by them in the cadres to which they be·
longed at the time- of initial recruitment to the service. It is manifest that im·
portant wofds are 'functioning' and 'service'. An officer is said to function re·
gardless of the nature of post held by him or his status being substantive. offi.-
cl3.tina or temporary and "service'' means service whether in substantive capacity
or as temporary. After all for the purpose of initial recruitment when aj_l offi·
cers were to be taken substantively what was required was good officers with
experience i.e. length of service.
6. The basis for fixing seniority according to date of confirmation was de ..
signedly not accepted although it was very much there in Rule 12 of the Punjab
Superior Judicial Service Rules, 1963 which should be presumed to be to tho
knowledge -of the Delhi High Court and the Administrator as the offi~rs funC'r
tioning as Oistrict Judge/Add!. District Judges were all from Punjab & Haryana.
It was not a case of omission but a case of sigftificant consciousness as contirma·
tion was given recognition in the proviso to Rule 6(3) which says that seniority
as already fixed in the cadres would not be altered. Under Rule 12 of the Punjab
Superior Judicial Service ~ules 1963 a confirmed District Judge ranked senior
to the unconfirmed one.
7.-The petitioner wants to add certain
words in Rule 6(3) which do not
exist Viz he wants to read the Rule to the effec~ "length of service rendered by
them substantiveiy as confirmed District/ Addi. District & Sessions Judges in the
cadre of Higher Judicial Service to which they belong permanently". 'No can·
non of interpretation would permit the petitioner to add words in the Rules which
the Rule makin11 authority deliberately avoided to incorporate. The plain meanina of the words as they occur in this Rule do not permit any other construction
except that the len&th of service whether substantive or temporary rendered by
A
B
c
D
E
F
G
H
A
B
c
D
B
F
G
G. R. LUTHRA V. LT. GOVERNOR (Ray, C.J.)
979
the candidates is. to be recognised and compared for the fixation of seniority,
equated with ''cadre post" or the "service". The "cadre'', "cadre post'' and
"service" are different words having different connotations, meaning and import
and cannot be equated with each other. The meaning of cadre given in Webster's Dictionary is "frame or framework". The word "cadre" has been defined
in Fundamental Rules (FR) vide FR 9(4) which means "the strength of service
or a part of service sanctioned as a separate unit". Strength can be permanent
as well as temporary. Fundamental Rules are applicable to the services in
Union Territory of Delhi. Framers of the Delhi Rules obviously gave the same
meaning to the word "cadre" used in Rule 6 (3) as given in Fundamental Rules.
As the Fundamental Rules were applicable to Union Territory of Delhi, the
framers of the Rules advisedly did not think it neceSsary to incorporate the definition of "cadre" in the Delhi Rules. Cadre, as already stated, can consist of
permanent or both permanent and temporarv or even temporary post only.
8. Temporary posts are additions to and a part of the cadre. Even if the
Respondents were appointed as temporary Addi. District & Sessions Judges against
temporary posts, they were still holding the posts borne on the cadre of District/
Addi. District & Sessions Judges of Higher Judicial Service.
Kindly see 1969
Service Law Reporter page 622 Full Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High
Court and A.I.R.
1971 Punjab & Haryana High Court page 113 and
1973
Supreme Court Cases Vol. III page 1 (where this Hon'ble Court has held that
the cadre consists of permanent and temporary posts).
9. The words "belonging to" do not necessary mean that a person must belong to permanently. The construction put by the petitioner that these word!
have reference only to the permanent nature of association is fallacious.
The
meanin_g of words "being to" as given in the. Webster's Dictionary arc to the
following effect :
(a) pertain;
(b) to be a part of, to be related to or connected with;
( c) to be associated with.
10. Jn order to give a full working to rule 6(3) it is necessary that cadre
should be interoreted to contain both permanent and temporary posts and also
the judicial officers functioning as District/ Addl. District Judges on officiating
basis as belonging to it.
If any other interpretation to rule 15 (3) is given as
contended by the petitioner, serious difficulties would ari<ie and the rule wiJJ become wholly unw9rkable. That the District Judge/Addi. District Judges were
made eligible and could be recruited from all States in India and each State has
a variety of composition and character of Higher Judicial Service. The Higher
Judicial Service in various state! has two or more cadres such as Senior Branch,
Junior Branch and Sub-Junior Branch etc. The Rule making authority was obviously keeping in mind all the hetrogenous cadre structure when it drafted Rule
6(3). It used the term cadres ~ compendious exnres!\ion to take in any of the
diverse cadres of different states. The only workable rule for determining the
seniority a..q envisaged bv them was found as laid down in rule 6 (3) bv which
onlv the length of service is to form th"' ba(l;i(I; of the senioritv i.e. the 11"ngth of
judicial experience as Addi. District Judge/District Judges without reference to
the confirmation in a permanent capacity. in the Higher Judicial Service.
To
avoid dil'lastrous results and to make the harmonious construction of rule 6(a).
Rule 6(3), Rule 6(4) and Rule 29 it i• necessarv that seniority is to be fixed on
the ba<iis of length of service without any reference to the capacity, permanent,
substantive or temporary in which the judicial officer has worked.
H
11. The contention of the oetitioner that use of word "cadres" in Delhi Rules
and the use of word "cadre" in the Delhi JurJiciaJ Service: Rule~ is without ::lilV
sub<itance.
Tn Rule llf4) the word "cail'rf':" i<i u<ie<l in singul::ir when it Fhould
have hl"en in o1ura1. The u~e of word "Cadre" in ~ingular in Delhi Judicial Service Rule:-i aooears to have been U'\ed a:-i it i!\ well known that the sin.irular inrlud~I ti\e pl~ral and v\saversa. It niay be ~dded !\ere in tl\is ~OI\te~t that ti\e imo·
980
SUPREME CQURT REPORTS
[1975] 1 s.c.R.
ordinate Judicial Service in various states which is the source of initial recruitment to the Delhi Judicial Service consists in quite a few states of more than
one cadre. This would also confirm the interpretation submitted above that the
use of plural or singular in relation to the word Cadre in these Rules is of no
significance.
12. The contention raised by the petitioner that the general principle governing seniority is the date of confirmation and the reliance placed on Government
of India, Ministry of Home Affairs memo dated 22-12-1959 are equally misplaced.
The rule of ·seniority which is relevant is the one contained in Rule
6 (3) of the Delhi Rules. No other rule or instruction or decision made in different context has any bearing. Furthermore the general rule is that seniority goes
from the date
of appointment regardless to the nature
of appointment being
temporary or permanent.
This rule has been followed in all cases arising under
different States Re-organisation Acts.
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
RAY, C. J. This is an appeal by special leave from the judgment
dated 21 August, 1972 of the Delhi High Court.
The appellant challenged the notification dated- 15 May,
1971
determining the respondents K. S. Sidhu, 0. N. Vohra and J. D. Jain
to be senior to the appellant in the Delhi Higher Judicial Service.
,
The appellant and the respondents were recruited to the Delhi
-Higher Judicial Service in accordance with the provisions of the belhi
Higher Judicial Service Rules hereinafter referred to as the Delhi
Rules.
The respondent Sidhu was appointed as a Subordinate Judge on
27 October, 1948 in the former Pepsu State. The respondents Vohra
and Jain and the appellant were selected and appointed as Subordinate
Judges in the Provincial Civil Service (Judicial Branch) in the Punjab
State on the result of the competitive examination. The respondents
Vnhra and Jain were appointed as Subordirate Judges on 4 August,
1950 and the appellant was appointed on 7 August, 1950.
The respondent Sidhu was appointed as an cfficiating or temporary
Additional bistrict and Sessions Judge on 15 January, 1966 in the
State of Punjab.
The respondent Jain was appointed as Senior Subordinate Judge
in belhi on 12 October, 1966. The appellant was also made first the
Additional Senior Subordinate Judge on 12 October, 1966.
The belhi High Court was established on 31 October, 1966.
On 1 November, 1966 the State of Punjab was reorganised. Two
different States of Punjab and Haryana were formed.
The Central Government in exercise of its powers under the Punjab
Reorganisation Act, 1966 allocated the respondents Sidhu, Vohra
and Jain to Punjab and the appellant to the State of Haryana with
effect from 1 November, 1966.
A
B
c
D
E
F
G
A
B
c
D
E
F
G
H
G. R, LUTHRA v. LT. GOVERNOR (Ray, C.J.)
981
On or about 2/3 November, 1966 a select list of officers to be recruited to the Delhi Judicial Service showing the order of seniority was
prepared.
The respondent Vohra was ?ppointed on 17 March, 1967 as Assistant
Sessions Judge, Delhi. On 24 April, 1967 the respondent Vohra was
promoted and appointed as temporary Additional District and Sessions
Judge, Delhi against a permanent· post.
The respondent Sidhu was transferred to Delhi and appointed on
1 May, 1967 as Additional District and Sessions Judge on deputation.
He had already been appointed as officiating Additional District and
Sessions Judge on 15 January, 1966 in Punjab.
The respondent Jain was given promotion on 23 June, 1967 as
Additional District and Sessions Judge in his parent State of Punjab
in the Punjab Superior Judicial Service while he was still on deputation.
On 11 August, _1967 the respondent Jain was promoted and appointed
as temporary Additional District and Sessions Judge, Delhi against
one of the temporary posts.
On 28 July, 1967 the appellant was given promotion as Additional
District & Sessions Judge in his parent State of Haryana while he was
still working on deputation as Senior Subprdinate Judge, Delhi.
On 27 August, 1970 the Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1970
were promulgated.
·
On 2 October, 1970 the appellant was confirmed as District &
Sessions Judge in his parent State of Haryana whilst he was still functioning as Additional District & Sessions Judge on deputation.
On 22 February 1971 the respondent Sidhu was confirmed as District & Sessions Judge in his parent State of Punjab whilst he was still
functioning in Delhi as Additional District and Sessions Judge
on
deputation.
On 15 May, 1971 the Administrator of Delhi issued a Gazette
Notification appointing substantively the respondents and the appellant
to the Delhi Higher Judicial Service on its initial constituticn. The
respondents Sidhu, Vohra and Jain and the appellant were shown
one after another in the order of seniority.
On 17 May, 1971 the appellant and the respondents assumed charge
as Additional District and Sessions Judges, Delhi as members of the
Delhi Higher Judicial Service.
On I September, 1971 the appellant made a representation to the
High Court of Delhi, against the fixation of his seniority and claimed
seniority over the respondents Sidhu, Vohra ana Jain. On 23 October,
1971 the High Court rejected the representation of the appellant.
The seniority of the respondents and the appellant depends on the
construction of Rule 6(3) of the Delhi Rules. Rule 6(3) states that
the seniority of the candidates appointed at the initial constitution
~hall ])e in accordance with the length of service rendered by theDJ. j11
982
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1975] 1 s.c.R.
cadre to which they belong at the time of their initial recruitment to
the service provided that the inter se seniority as already fixed in such
cadres shall not be altered.
Rule 6(1) of the Delhi Rules states that for initial recruitment to the
service which mean~ the Delhi Higher Judicial Service the Administrator shall, in consultation with the High Court, appoint persons to
the service substantively from amongst the (a) District Judges and
Additional District Judges functioning as such in the Unicn Territoryl;
of Delhi on deputation from other State; (b) District Judges and Ad-:!!
ditional District Judges whose names may be recommended by their
respective States for appointment.
The appellant's contentions are twofold.
A
B
First, the expression "the length of service rendered by them in the
C
cadres to which they belong" means that the length of service has to
be considered only with reference to the substantive appointment to
permanent posts which alone were included in the service on 17 May,
1971, which is the relevant date for the purpose of determining seniority. The appellant was confirmed on 2 October, 1970, as District
11nd Sessions Judge in his parent State of Haryana. The respondent
Sidhu was confirmed on 22 February, 1971 as District and Sessions
D
Judge in his parent State of Punjab. Therefore the appellant is senior
to the respondent Sidhu because the appellant is confirmed earlier in
point of time than the respondent Sidhu. Both of them belong to the
cadres of District Judges. The respondents Vohra and Jain are not
yet confirmed as District Judges. They belong to the cadres of Additional District and Sessions Judges. Therefore, they cannot be
senior to the appellant.
E
Second, the length of service rendered by the candidates in the
cadres to which they belong at the time of their initial recruitment to
the service can have reference only to the cadre of Additional District
and Sessions Judges and the cadre of District and Sessions Judges from
which recruitment was made in accordance with Rule 6(1 ). Cadre is
a permanent establishment. The word "belong" in the expression
F
"cadres to which they belong" means that a person is a member of the
cadre in a substantive appointment against a permanent post. The
. use of the expression "cadres" in contrast to the expression "cadre"
which is used in Delhi Judicial Service Rules shows that recruitment
is from two distinct cadres of Additional District and Sessions Judges
and District and Sessions Judges. For purpose of seniority what is
relevant is the date of confirmation and not the date of appointment in
G
an officiating or temporary capacity .
. In order to examine the contentions of the appellant it is necessary
to appreciate as to why and for whose benefit these 'Delhi Rules were
framed. These Rules were framed for those who were functioning as
Additional District and Sessions Judges at Delhi. There were II
such persons. In Rule 6(3) the concentration is on the length of service
rendered by the candidates appointed at the initial constitution. At
H~
the initial constitution of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service it appears
th!\t the respondents and the appellant were all rendering service 11,s
A
B
c
D
F
G
H
Cil. R. LUl'WltA v. LT. GOVl!ltNOit (ltlllY, (!.J.)
983
Additional District and Sessions Judge. The fallacy of the appellant
is that the appellant wants to equate cadre with substantive appointment to a permanent post. This construction totally overlocks the
fact that the Delhi Higher Judicial Service was constituted with persons who rendered service as Additional District and Sessions Judges
in temporary posts or in temporary capacity against i::ermanent posts.
There were altogether five permanent and six temporary posts of
District and Sessions Judges and Additional District and Sessions
Judges. The respondents and the appellant were all recruited as
temporary Additional District and Sessions Judges. The important
yardstick in the determination of seniority is the length of service
rendered by them in the cadre. "Cadre post" in the Fundamental
Rules means a post as specified in the Schedule and includes a temporary post. The Delhi Higher Judicial Service Rules does not define
"cadre" but defines "cadre post" to include a temporary post. The
words "in the cadre to which they belong" in Rule 6(3) cover the
cases of permanent as well as temporary Additional District and Sessions Judges at the time of initial recruitment.
In Fundamental Rule 9(22) "permanent post" means a post carrying a definite rate of pay sanctioned without limit of time. Funda- ,
mental Rule 9(30) defines "temporary post" as a post carrying a
definite rate of pay sanctioned for a limited time. Temporary posts may
be posts created to perform the ordinary work for which permanent
posts already exist. Temporary posts may also be temporary addition to the cadre of a service. "Cadre" in Fundamental Rule 9(4)
means the strength of a service or part of a service sanctioned as a
separate unit. In the case of a temporary addition to the cadre of a
service the power of the authorities to create such a post will depend
on the provisions of the Rules. Isolated posts may be created for
the performance of special tasks unconnected with the ordinar} work
which a service is called upon to perform. Such temporary posts are
treated as unclassified and isolated ex-cadre posts. Here again the
power to create the post depends on the provisions contained in the
Rules. Where however temporary posts are considered as temporary
additions to the cadre of a service the incnmbents of those posts wiJI
draw their time scale pay.
The Punjab Superior Judicial Service Rules, 1963 defines "cadre
post" mean a permanent post in the service and "ex-cadre" post means
a post of the same rank as a cadre post. The aforesaid Punjab
Rules show that cadre means incumbents of both permanent and
temporary posts. Rule 12 of those Punjab Rules states that the seniority of the substantive members of the service, whether permanent or
temporary, shall be determined with reference to the respective dates
of their confirmation. These Punjab Rules are referred to only for
the purpose of showing that where confirmation is the decisive factor
to determine the seniority the Rule states so.
The appellant was appointed a temporary Addi'tional District and
Sessions Judge on 25 November, 1967 against one of the temporary
posts created by the Government of India. The respondents Sidhu,
9i4
SUP!ll!ME COURT REPORTS
[1975] 1 s.c.R.
Vohra and Jain had all be~n appointed temporary Additional Judges
on !st May 1967; 24 Apnl, 1967; and 11 August 1967 respectively
earlier than the appointment of the. appellant.
'
It is apparent that the respondents Sidhu, Vohra and Jain were
rendering longer se~vice as Additional District and Sessions Judge
than the appellant m the cadre of District and Additional District
and Sessions Judge to which they belonged.
.
The appellant wa.s .confirm~d on 2 October, 1970 as District Judge
m the Haryana Judicial Sernce and the respondent Sidhu was confirm~d as District Judg~ on 22 February, 1971 in the Punjab Judicial
Service. The confirmatmn of the appellant and the respondent Sidhu
was against perm~nent posts in Haryana and Punjab Judicial Services
because of the accident of permanent posts falling vacant at that time
in their home States from which they came on deputation. To determine seniority according to confirmation in permanent posts is to wipe
out .the length of service rendered by the candidates appointed at the
initial constitution of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service. The respondents are in fact senior to the appellant in regard to appointment
as Additional District and Sessions Judges.
The criterion for the determination of seniority under the Delhi
Rules is the length of service rendered by the candidates during the
period when they were rendering service either as District Judge or
as Additional District and Sessions Judge in permanent or temporary
capacities.
Rule 6(4) of the Delhi Rules show that the respondents and the
appellant were absorbed in the Delhi Higher Judicial Service from the
States of Punjab and Haryana. The length of service rendered by
them as Additional District and Sessions Judges is the criterion to fix
the seniority. The word "cadre" includes both permanent and temporary posts.