# ass STATE OF ASSAM AND ANR. ETC v. BASANTA KUMAR DAS ETC. ETC

- **Citation:** [1973] 3 S.C.R. 158
- **Court:** Supreme Court of India
- **Decided:** 1972-12-22
- **Case number:** Civil Appeals Nos. 1561 to 1563 of 1969
- **Bench:** A. Alagiriswami, C. A. Vaidialingam
- **Source:** https://unisonlegal.in/judgment/supreme-court-of-india/ass-state-of-assam-and-anr-etc-v-basanta-kumar-das-etc-etc-5947
- **Pages:** 11

## Headnote

Civil Servant-Increase in age of retirement' on satisfaction fegarding
efficiency and physical fitness-Right to be in service.
Constitution of India, 1950, Art. 133-Certificate of leave to appeal
to Supreme Court granted by High Court-No mention of clause of
Art. 133 under which it was thought fit-Liability of appeal
to
be
.dismissed.
Jn March 1963, the appelllli!ll-state issued a memorandum
ra1smg
the age of retirement of the State government servants from 55 to SS.
The memorandum however; stated that no government servant would be
entitled to the benefit of the increased age unless he has been permitted
to continue i:n service after the age of S5 after the appointing authority
is satisfied that he is efficient and physically fit.
In the annexure to
the memorandum the procedure for finding out the efficiency and physical
fitness of the employee was laid down.
In the case o'f respondents BR and K, the· Board constituted to consider
their cases recommended the extension of their service, but the Minister
in charge did not agree.
In the case of respondents S and H, though the Deputy Commissioner
recommended their conti;nuance in service, the Commissioner, who was
1he appointing authority, was not satisfied that they were
fit
to
be
.continued in service and hence they were not -continued,
In the case of respondent BK, the appointing authority
was
not
safisfied with his work so as to ex.tend his services.
The Jive respondents filed petitions in the High Court. The High
-Court allowed the petition of BR, and following that judgment allowed
the other petitions without going into the facts and merits of each of
:those cases.
Allowing th~ appeals to this Court,
HELD : (!) The memoraindum was a mere executive instruction and
not a rule under Art. 309. It did not confer legal rights and no legal
.action can be founded on it [164CJ
(2) The petitioners did not get any right to continue
in
service
beyond the age of SS years as a result of the memoraindum.
A govern·
ment servant has no such right beyond the agio of superannuation and
if he is retained beyond that age it is only in exercise of the discretion
<>f the Government. [165-D)
Assam v. p,, madhar, [1971) I S.C.R. 503
and Kai/ash Chandra v.
Union of India, L1962) I S.C.R. 374 followed.
(3) The fact that certain persons were found fit to be continued in
service. does not !'lean that ot!'ers who. were not so found fit had been
d1scnmmated agamst. Otherwise. the whole idea of
OO!Dtinuing
only
efficient people in service after SS years becomes meaningless. [16S-Gj
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ASSAM v. B. K. DAS
159
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B. N. Mishra v. State, [1965] 1 S.C.R. 693, followed.
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Union of India v. J. N. Sinha, [1971] 82 J.T.R 561, referred to.
(4)(a) It is true that in the case of respondents BR and K, the
Screening Board recommended their c:o;ntinuance and there is no material
to show why the Minister formed a different impression
-about
their
capacity.
But once it is held that the memorandum is only an executive
instruction which confers no right on any body, the judgment Of the
M~nister cannot be questioned unless it could be shown that there was
ma/a (ides, or that Minister was guided by ullecior motives or that the
decision contravenes oome law.
In the present case, there is ino alle·
gation of any ma/a (ides on the part of any of the authorities. [161-HJ
(b) The High Court erred in merely following the judgment in the
case of BR and ignoring the facts in the other cases. It was its duty
to have considered the merits of each case.
[163G]
(5) The certificate of leave to appeal to this Court was granted by
the H_igh Court without mentioning under what paf.ticular clause or subclause of Art. 133 the leave was granted.
But in the present case, the
fact that the leave obtained was not a proper one is not a ground for
dismissing the appeal. A:i> objection to the certificate should be taken
by the respondent at the earliest possible moment, and this Court
is
always prepared to consider the request b

## Text

ass
STATE OF ASSAM AND ANR. ETC.
v.
BASANTA KUMAR DAS ETC. ETC.
December 22, 1972
[A. ALAGIRISWAMI AND C. A. VAIDIALINGAM, JJ.J
Civil Servant-Increase in age of retirement' on satisfaction fegarding
efficiency and physical fitness-Right to be in service.
Constitution of India, 1950, Art. 133-Certificate of leave to appeal
to Supreme Court granted by High Court-No mention of clause of
Art. 133 under which it was thought fit-Liability of appeal
to
be
.dismissed.
Jn March 1963, the appelllli!ll-state issued a memorandum
ra1smg
the age of retirement of the State government servants from 55 to SS.
The memorandum however; stated that no government servant would be
entitled to the benefit of the increased age unless he has been permitted
to continue i:n service after the age of S5 after the appointing authority
is satisfied that he is efficient and physically fit.
In the annexure to
the memorandum the procedure for finding out the efficiency and physical
fitness of the employee was laid down.
In the case o'f respondents BR and K, the· Board constituted to consider
their cases recommended the extension of their service, but the Minister
in charge did not agree.
In the case of respondents S and H, though the Deputy Commissioner
recommended their conti;nuance in service, the Commissioner, who was
1he appointing authority, was not satisfied that they were
fit
to
be
.continued in service and hence they were not -continued,
In the case of respondent BK, the appointing authority
was
not
safisfied with his work so as to ex.tend his services.
The Jive respondents filed petitions in the High Court. The High
-Court allowed the petition of BR, and following that judgment allowed
the other petitions without going into the facts and merits of each of
:those cases.
Allowing th~ appeals to this Court,
HELD : (!) The memoraindum was a mere executive instruction and
not a rule under Art. 309. It did not confer legal rights and no legal
.action can be founded on it [164CJ
(2) The petitioners did not get any right to continue
in
service
beyond the age of SS years as a result of the memoraindum.
A govern·
ment servant has no such right beyond the agio of superannuation and
if he is retained beyond that age it is only in exercise of the discretion
<>f the Government. [165-D)
Assam v. p,, madhar, [1971) I S.C.R. 503
and Kai/ash Chandra v.
Union of India, L1962) I S.C.R. 374 followed.
(3) The fact that certain persons were found fit to be continued in
service. does not !'lean that ot!'ers who. were not so found fit had been
d1scnmmated agamst. Otherwise. the whole idea of
OO!Dtinuing
only
efficient people in service after SS years becomes meaningless. [16S-Gj
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ASSAM v. B. K. DAS
159
A
B. N. Mishra v. State, [1965] 1 S.C.R. 693, followed.
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Union of India v. J. N. Sinha, [1971] 82 J.T.R 561, referred to.
(4)(a) It is true that in the case of respondents BR and K, the
Screening Board recommended their c:o;ntinuance and there is no material
to show why the Minister formed a different impression
-about
their
capacity.
But once it is held that the memorandum is only an executive
instruction which confers no right on any body, the judgment Of the
M~nister cannot be questioned unless it could be shown that there was
ma/a (ides, or that Minister was guided by ullecior motives or that the
decision contravenes oome law.
In the present case, there is ino alle·
gation of any ma/a (ides on the part of any of the authorities. [161-HJ
(b) The High Court erred in merely following the judgment in the
case of BR and ignoring the facts in the other cases. It was its duty
to have considered the merits of each case.
[163G]
(5) The certificate of leave to appeal to this Court was granted by
the H_igh Court without mentioning under what paf.ticular clause or subclause of Art. 133 the leave was granted.
But in the present case, the
fact that the leave obtained was not a proper one is not a ground for
dismissing the appeal. A:i> objection to the certificate should be taken
by the respondent at the earliest possible moment, and this Court
is
always prepared to consider the request by the appellant for grant of
special leave at any stage if the circumstances of the case so requires.
[168-B]
When the High Court decided these cases, the judgment
of this
Court in Premadhar's case had not be delivered. Therefore, a substantial
question of law are>se for decisio.n in these cases, and,. if the respondents
had raised the point about leave at the earliest possible time, this Court
would have been prepared to consider an oral request for special leave
by the appellant and for condonation of delay and would have directed
the appellant to file appropriate petitions. But the point was raised after
the appeals were taken up for hearing and hence, the appellant should
not be made to suffer by the respondent's negligence.
[168D]
Sardar Bahadur S. Indra Singh Trust v. CJ.T., [1971] 82 I.T.R .. 561,
The Union of India v. Kishori Lal Gupta & Bror. [1960] 1 S.C.R. 493,
Shri Durga Prasad v. The Banaras Bank Ltd., [1964] 1 S.C.R. 475,
a.nd Bijili Cotton Mills v. Industrial Tribunal ll, A.l.R. 1972 S.C.
1903 referred to.
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeals Nos. 1561 to
1563 of 1969 & 179 and 180 of 1971.
Appeals from the judgment and order dated August 19, 1968
of the Assam & NagaJand High Coun in Civil Rule No. 473, 350
and 319 of 1966.
Naunit Lal for the appellants (in all the appeals).
C. K. Daphtary and D. N. Mukherjee for respondents (in
H
C.As. Nos. 1561 & 1563/69 & C.As. Nos. 179 & 180/71).
D. N. Mukherjee and S. K. Nandy for respondent (in C.A. No.
1562/69).
160
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
(1973] 3 S.C.R.
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
ALAGIRISWAMI, J. These five appeals by leave are by the State
of Assam against the judgment of the High Court of Assam in five
petitions filed by the respondents in the respective appeals.
Shri Bansi Ram Das was Professor and Head of the Department
of Physics in the Government Cotton College, Gauhati.
Shri
1':anak Lal Das was Professor and Head of the Department of
Philosophy. Shri Basanta Kumar Das was a Physiological Chemist
in Class I of the Assam Veoterinary Service and on the relevant
date was the Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary
Department. Shri Khageswar Saikia was an Upper Division Assistant in the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Darrang Tezpur
Qll the relevant date, and Shri Anand Chandra Hazarika was an
Head Assistant in the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Darrang,
Texpur.
On 21st March, 1963 the Government of Assam issued
a memorandum raising the age of retirement of its servants from
55 years to 58 years. The relevant portion of the memorandum
was as follows :
"3. No Government servant will be entitled to the
~nefit of the increased age of compulsory retirement
unless he has been permitted to continue in service after
the age of 55 years after the appointing authority is satisfied that he is efficient and physically fit for
further
Government service. The procedure to be followed by
the appointing authorities before they permit a Government servant to continue in service is outlined in the
Annexure ..... .
4. Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing paragraphs, the appointing authority may require
a Government servant to retire after he attains the age
of 55 years on 3 (three) months' notice without assigning any reason.
8. Necessary amendments to the relevant rules will
be issued in due course."
In the Annexure to this memorandum the procedure to find out
the efficiency and the physical fitness of the employee concerned
was laid down. They were to be tested as to their efficiency by
a Board consisting of. the Chief Secretary, the Secretary of the
department concerned and the Head of the Department. As regards physical fitness such persons were to be examined by the
Civil Surgeon of the distriot: in which they were posted.
These five respondents were not allowed to continue in service
in accordance with this memorandum and they filed petitions
before the Assam High Court questioning the validity of the ordc;s
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181
r~g them from service.
The High Court first decided the
case of Shri Bansi Ram Das in Civil Rule No. 319 of 1966. They
itllowed his petition and di ected him to be put back in service to
continue there till he attained the age of 58 years. The other
four petitions were allowed on the basis. of tlJ!s judgment without
going into the facts of each case or their ments.
All the five officers had put forward the contention that under
terms of the memorandum dated 21-3-1963 they
had a "right
to continue in service even after they had completed their 55th
year.
All of them also contended that they had been picked
out for
special discrimination.
The
<;>9vemment's
rep~y
to these contentions was that no one got a nght to contmue m
service after completing 55 years and that there was no discrimination and the fact that some officers were allowed to continue
and some others who were found !!IOI fit were not continued did
not mean that there was any discrimination.
In the case of Shri Bansi Ram Das and Shri Kanak Lal Das,
who was the petitioner in Civil Rule No. 350 of 1966 (he is now
dead and his widow is the first respondent) the Board constituted
to consider their cases, after scrutinising their character roll and
after consideration of facts decided to recommend them for retention in service beyond 55 years.
But the Minister incharge
of Education made a !llOte as follows :
"I cannot agree to giving extension to Pro!. Kanak
Lal Das and Prof. Bansi Ram Das. I consider them to
be ou·tmoded in their intellectual development"
So it can be said these cases are alike. In their cases the co•-
tention in the Government's counter affidavit was that they were
not found fit to continue in service after attaining fifty five years.
The Minister's remark was also given as ·another reason.
These two officers in particular, therefore, contended that the
Board constituted to consider their fitness for further continuance
in service having recommended them for such continuance and
there being no material on record on the basis of which the
Minister could pass the order above extracted. the order retiring
them was invalid. It is true that the Screening Board had recommended the continuance of these two officers in service after their
attaining the age of 55. There is also no m~terial to show that
exactly was responsible for the impression which the Minister
formed about the caoacity of these two officers.
But once it is
held that the memorandum of 21-3-63 is merely an executive instruction which confers no right on any bodv. the iudqment of the
Minister cannot be questioned unless it could be shown that there ·
were anv ma/a Ides.
There was no allegation even of any malafides.
This Court would not go into the reasons which weighed
!2-L63!SupCI/73
182
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1973] 3 s.c.R.
with the Minister in coming to the decision, unless it could be said,
that he was guided by ulterior motives or Ille decision contravenes
some law.
The decision pf the Minister cannot,
theret0re, be
questioned.
The cases of the other three officers are different because in
their cases there is no reconunendation of the Board on record
showing that their contmuance had been reconunended. In Civil
Appeal 179 and 180 though the Deputy Conunissioner had reconunended their continuance, the Commissioner had taken a different view. In the case of Shri Khageswar Saikia the Conunissioner
wrote as follows :
"I have given careful consideration to this case and
feel that it will not be desirable to grant extension to
Shri Khageswar Saikia beyond 55 years.
The reports
for 1964 and 1966 recorded by different Deputy Commissioners are hardly favourable for his further retention.
On an overall consideration J regret my inability to
accept your recommendation for giving any extension to
Shri Khageswar Saikia He should retire on attaining
the age of 55 years."
In the case of Shri Anand Chandra Hazarika he wrote :
"It will be seen from the reports for '1960, 1965 and
1966 that Shri Hazarika has. been found to be lacking
in the capacity to manage the office and supervise work
to the satisfaotion of his superiors. In 1960 the Deputy
Commissioner conunented that he should exercise more
supervision over the junior hands. In 1965 another
Deputy Conunissioner commented on his lack ol supervisory capacity and referred to his identification with
some groups in the office. He also recorded that Shri
Hazarika was slow in carrying out orders. In 1966 the
same Depu<ty Commissioner repeated his adverse comments about lack of supervision. In the circumstances,
it seems to me that the public interest will not be served
by giving extension to Shri Hazarika as he will lnvertably hold a key supervisory post despite his lack of
sup¢rvisory ability.
As regards Shri Narasimhan's report I may state
that this report was received without bein<?; called for
and in view of the consistent adve·se remarks recorded
for 1960, 1965 and 1966 it is difficult to believe that
Shri Hazarika could have overni~ht become an excellent
R.S., improved the working of the office and proved as
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an asset to the Deputy Commissioner. I am afraid Shri
Narasimhan's superlatives are based on an inadequate
assessment for too short a period. I do not propose to
comment on the preparation of a new Character RJl by
Shri Hazarika containing uncertified remarks; I would,
however, invite Government's attention to the Deputy
Commissioner's letter in this regard.
I recommend that Shri Hazarika should be asked
to retire from service on attaining 55 years of age."
198
In the case of Shri Saikia and Shri Hazarika the Commissioner,
who was the immediate superior officer of the Deputy Commissioner, who recommended their case, was not satisfied that they
were fit to be continued in service beyond 55 years and he has
given very valid reasons for not recommending their continuance
in service. In Saikia's case, in their counter affidavit, the Government have pointed out that the· Deputy Commissioner's recommendation was only a recommendation which cannot bind the
Commissioner or the State Government and as the Commissioner
did not find him suitable and did not allow him to continue beyond
55 years of age, he had to retire at the age of 55 years and jhere
was no discrimination or favouritism or arbitrary action on the
part of-the Government. In Hazarika's case the Government, in
their "ounter affidavit, pointed out that though the Deputy Commissioner recommended his case for extension of service,
the
Commissioner did not do so and the Government had to decide
the matter not in the light of the recommendation of the Deputy
Commissioner but in the light of the merits ol the case judging
from the entire material on record. that as
he was not found
efficient and suitable by the
appointing authority, namely, the
Commissioner. he was not allowed to continue beyond 55 years
of age and that there was no discrimination or denial of equal
protection of law nor any infringement of any legal right of the
petitioner.
The High Court has ignored these facts and simply followed
its judgment in the case of Bansi Ram Das in these two cases
also. It was its duty to have considered the merits of each case
and it had failed to do so. It is obvious 'that these two respondents
were found not suitable for being continued in service.
We shall next take up the case of Ba,anta Kumar Das. In
his case also in their counter affidavit the Government had p1inted
out that the appointing authority was not satisfied with his work
so as to extend his services beyond the age of 55 years. It was
specifically contended that he was not entitled to automatic extension till 58 years only because the Medical Board and the
Screening Board found him efficient. It was further contended
164
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1973] 3 s.c.R.
that as Deputy Director he was not able to manage his work; quite
well lt was stated that with regard to the cattle feed deals, there
were large number of anom•l1es mcluding charges of questionab.Je
conduct, and that as ordered by the Minister, the Secretary had to
go to Gauhati to look into the anomalies and to set th.ngs right,
and that the Governmerrt did not see much of an advantage in
extending his services beyond the age of 55. There was no reply
filed by the respondent to this statement on behalf of the Government and the statement, therefore, stood unchallenged.
In the
circumstances it is not possible to say that the Government was
not justified in refusing to continue him in service beyond his 55th
year.
We shall now deal with the contentions raised by all the five
respondents. We must first of all point out that the memorandum
dated 21-3-63 is a mere executive instruction and nJt a rule made
under Article 309 of 'the Constitution. It did not confer any legal
rights on the persons covered by it. No legal action can be founded on it.
A similar view has been taken in a recent decision of
this Court in Assam v. Pramadhar( 1).
In Kailash Chandra v. Union of India(') this Court had to
consider the effect of Rule 2046(2) (a) of the Railway Establishment Code, which reads as follows :
·
"Clause (a )-A ministerial
servant who is not
governed by sub-cl. (b) may be required to retire at
the age of 5 8 years but should ordinarily be retained in
service if he continues to be efficient up to the age of 60
years. He must not be retained after that age except in
very special circumstances which must be recorded in
writing and with the sanction ot the competent authority."
This Court observed :
"This intention is made even more clear and beyond
doubt by the use of !he word "ordinarily". ''Ordinar'ly
means "in the large majority of cases but not invariably".
This itself emphasises the fact that the appropriate authority is not bound to retain the servant after he attains
the age of 55 even if he continues to be effic'ent.
The
intention of the second clause, therefore, clearly is that
while under the first clause the anpropriate authority
has the right to retire the servant who Nls within clause
(a) as soon as he attains the age of 55, it will, at that
stage, consider whether or not to retain him further.
This option to retain for the further period of five years
(!) [1971] 1 S.C.R. m.
(2) [1962] I S.C.R. 374.
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can only be exercised if the servant continues to be efficient; but in deciding whether or not to exercise this
option the authority has to consider circumstances other
than the question of effiiciency also; in the ab>ence of
special circumstances he "should" retain the servant; but
what are special circumstances is left
entirely to the
authority's decision. Thus, after the age of 55 is reached by the servant the authority has to exercise its discretion whether or not to retain the servant; and there is no
right in the servant to be retained, even if he continues
to be efficient."
165
This was a case where the rule was statutory. It need liardly
be emphasised that what applies to a statutory rule applies with
greate.r force to mere executive instructions. 'fhis is a complete
answer to the claim of the respondents in this case that as a result
of the memorandum of 21-3-63 they got a right to continue in
service beyond the age of 5 5 years. A Government servant has
no right to continue in service beyond the age of superannuation
and if he is retained beyond that age it is only in exercise of the
discretion of the Government.
In B. N. Mishra v. State(') it was held that:
"Government was not obliged to retain the services
of every public servant for the same length of time. The
retention of public servants after the period of retirement
depended upon their efficiency ruid the
exigencies of
public service. It cannot be urged that if Government
decides to retain the services of some Government servants after the age of retirement it must retain every
Government servant for the same length of time. Thl1
retention of public servants after the period of retirement depends upon their efficiency and the exigencies of
public service."
This again is a complete answer to the contention of the respondents that they had been discriminated
against.
The fact that
certain persons were found fit to be continued in service does not
mean that others who were not so found fit had been discriminated
against.
Otherwise the whole idea of continuln~ only efficient
people in service even after they had completed 55 years becomes
only meaningless.
In this connection we may refer to certa'n
observations of this Court in Union of India v. J. N. Sinha(') as
follows :
-
"There is no denying the fact that in all organizations and more so in government organisations, there is
---
(1) [1965] 1S.C.R.693.
(2) [1971] I S.C.R. i91 at ;!s.
186
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1973] 3 S.C.R.
good deal of dead wood. It is in public interest to chop
off the same."
With respect we agree with tllis observation. It is also to be
noticed that there is no alegation of any mala fides on the part
of .my of the authorities who had to deal with their cases, alkged
or proved in any of the cases.
We thus come to the conclusion that there are no merits in
any of the contentions put forward on behalf of the respondents
in these five appeals. This, however, leaves the question regarding
the certificate granted by the High Court of Assam in the case of
three respondents in three civil appeals Nos. 1961 to 1963 of 1969.
The certificates simply say "Leave to appeal to Supreme Court
is granted" but do not mention under wh~t particular clause or
sub--clause of Art. 133 leave was granted. Based on the decision
of this Court in Sardar Bahadur S. Indra Singh Trust v. C.l.T.(1)
where it was stated :
"In that certificate all that we find is a held statement bv the High Court that the case is a fit one for
appeal io this Court. This Court has ruled that such a
certificate is an invalid one and an appeal brou¢it on
the strength of such a certificate is not maintainable."
Mr. Daphtary who appeared for the respondent Bansi Ram Das
urged that the appeal should be dismissed on this simple ground.
If this contention is to be up-held it will apply to the other two
cases also.
On behalf of the State of Assam it was contended
that this point was not raised till the appeals were taken up for
argument, that they were taken by surprise and they would be prepared to file a petition for special leave if that was considered·
necessary, if the appeals were adj:>urned by a week. In the very
case relied upon by Mr. Daphtary the appellant filed a special
leave application and after hearing the parties the Court came to
the conclusion that the leave a.ked for should be granted.
We
may now consider some of the earlier decisions of this Court on
this point. In The Un;on of India v. Kishori Lal Guvta & Bros(')
special leave to appeal from the judgment of a single judge of the
High Court had been obtained without first appealing to the appellate bench of the High Court.
This Court held that the leave
could have been revoked if the 0hiection was taken at the earlie.<t
opoortunity, and im objection to the leave so granted and an applfcation for revocation of leave made ofter inordinate delav at a
later stage would prejudice the appellant, for if the objection had
-
(1) [1971] 82 fr.R. 561.
(2) [1960] I S.C.R. 493.
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been taken at the earliest point of time the appellant would have
the opportunity to prefer a Letters Patent Appeal and the appellant
cannot be made to suffer for the default of the respondent.
In Shri Durga Prasad v. The Banaras Bank Ltd.(1) the High
Court had certified the case under Art. 133(1)(a) of the Constitution for appeal to this Court. It was urged during the hearing
of the appeal on behalf of the other side that the appeal was not
competent on the ground that the High Court had no jurisdiction
to grant the certificate under Art. 133(1)(a) of. the Constitution
without certifying that the appeal involved some substantial question of law. This Court held that the appeal could not be entertained as it was a case of a judgment of the Hi~h Court which
affirmed the judgment of the single Judge and the High Court
had not certified that the decision involved any substantial question
of law. The counsel for the appellant, however, requested that in
any event special leave to appeal under Art ... 136 of the Constitution be granted.
But having regard to all the circumstances
this Court decided that it was not a fit case for granting leave to
appeal.
In Civil Appeal No. 578 of 1963, decided on 23rd July, 1965
1his Court, though it held that the certificate granted by the High
Court was incompetent, heard the Counsel for the appellant, who
made an oral request for grant of special leave undertaking to file
a petition supported by an affidavit and by an application for condonation of delay immediately. This Court thought that it was a
frt and proper case and that special leave should be granted because important questions of law had to be decided. It directed
the appellant to file the necessary special leave petition within a
week.
In the latest decision of this Court in Biji/i Cotton Mills v.
Indusrrial Tribunal//('), to which one of us was a party, it was
held that this Court under Art. 136 is fully comoetent to entertain
even an oral prayer for grant of special leave and condonation
of delay and if the cause of justice so demands, to grant •he same
and to consider the special leave to appeal on merits. On cnnsideratbn of all the circumstances of 'that case it was held that it
was fit for granting soecial leave to appeal and for condoning the
delay. The decision in C.A. 578 of 1963 was cited with approval.
The1e cases establish that the power1 of this Court to grant special
leave under Article 136 are very wide and that it would be prepared to exercise it at anv stage in a p·ooer case. Furthermore,
it would not allow an objection to the nature of the certificate to
be taken if it is done at a late stage making it impossible fJr the
s.c.R. 475.
(2) A.J.R. 1972 S.C. 1903
168
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1973] 3 S.C.R.
appellant to resort to the proper remedy as be could have done
if the objection had been taken at an early stage.
This Court does not simply dismiss an appeal on the ground
that the leave obtained was not a proper one and leave the matter
to rest there.
It is always prepared to consider the request for
grant of special leave at any stage if the circum;tances of the case
require.
An objection to the certificate should be taken at the
earliest possible moment and the respondent's failure to do so
would not be allowed to prejudice the appellant and he would not
be made to suffer for the failure of the respondents. In this case
also if the objection had been taken at the earliest point of time
the appellant could have applied for special leave and in the circumstances of this case we would have been prepared to grant
special leave.
When the High Court decided these
cases the
judgment of this Court in Assam v. Premadhar had not been delivered. Therefore, a substantial question of law arose for decision
in these cases. If the respondents had raised the point at the
earliest possible time we would have been prepared to consider
an oral request for special leave and for condonation of delay
and to direct the appellants to file petitions for this punmse. But
. as it has been done only at the last moment after the appeals were
taken up for hearing we are of opinion that the appellants should
not be made to suffer by the respondents' negligence. We, therefore, hold against this objection.
In the result all the five appeals are allowed and the judgments
of the Assam High Court are set aside. We, however, make no
order as to costs.
V.P.S.
Appeals allowed.
A
B
c
D
E