# STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH v. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA & ORS

- **Citation:** [1977] 2 S.C.R. 555
- **Court:** Supreme Court of India
- **Decided:** 1977-01-05
- **Case number:** Civil Appeal No. 1870 of 1968
- **Bench:** A. N. Ray, M. H. Beg, Jaswant Singh
- **Source:** https://unisonlegal.in/judgment/supreme-court-of-india/state-of-madhya-pradesh-v-state-of-maharashtra-ors-7070
- **Pages:** 10

## Headnote

Code of Civil Procedure, Order 2 Rule 2, bar
under,
when
operatesWhether applicable when omission to sue has occurred by lack of knowledge
or absence of right to claim.
Limitation Act, s. 2(1), application to claim for salary-Whether effected
by su~pension or dismissal order-Whether salary accrues while such
orders
remain operative.
Dismissing the appeal, the Court,
HELD : ( l) A litigant will be barred under Order 2 Rule 2 of the C.P.C.
only when he omits to sue for or relinquishes the claim in a suit with knowledge that he has a right to sue for that relief.
A right which he does
not
know that he possesses or a right which is not in existence at the time of the
first suit is not a "portion of his claim" within the meaning of Order· 2 Rule
2 of the C.P .C. The crux of the matter is presence or Jack of awareness of
the right at the time of first suit.
[561D-E, 562-B]
Amant Bibi v. Imdad Hussai1' 15 I.A. 106 at 112, applied.
Om Prakash Gupta v. State of Uttar Pradesh [1955] 2 S.C.R.
391, distinguished.
High Commissioner for India v. I. M. Lall 75 I.A. 225; Provim;e of Punjab
v. Pandit Tara Chand [1947] F.C.R. 89; Stqte of Bihar v. Abdul Majid [1955]
1 S.C.R. 286, referred to.
The bar under Order 2 Rule 2 of the C P .C. cannot operate when the litigant's cause of action in an earlier suit is totally different from the cause of
actio!l in a later suit.
[562-C]
Pawana Reena Saminathan v. Palaniappa 41 I.A. 142, applied.
(2) During the period of suspension the plaintiff was not entitled to salary
under Fundamental Rule 53.
The cause of action for his
salary for
such
period did not accrue until he was reinstated as a result of the decree setting
aside the orders of suspension and of dismissal. [563C-D]
Jai Chand Sawhney v. Union of India, (1970] 3 S.C.R. 222 and Sakal Dean
Sahai Srivastava v. Union of India, [1974] 2 S.C.R. 485, distinguished.
(3) Under Fundamental Rule 52 the pay and alfowance of ,a Government
servant who is dismissed or removed from service, cease from the date of his
dismissal or removal. Therefore, there would be no question of salary . accruing or accruing due so long as orders of suspension and dismissal stand.
[564
B-C]
Klzem Chand v. Uriion of India, (1963] Supp. 1 S.C.R. 229, followed.

## Text

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555
STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH
v.
STATE OF MAHARASHTRA & ORS.
January 5, 1977
[A. N. RAY, C.J., M. H. BEG AND JASWANT SINGH, JJ.]
Code of Civil Procedure, Order 2 Rule 2, bar
under,
when
operatesWhether applicable when omission to sue has occurred by lack of knowledge
or absence of right to claim.
Limitation Act, s. 2(1), application to claim for salary-Whether effected
by su~pension or dismissal order-Whether salary accrues while such
orders
remain operative.
Dismissing the appeal, the Court,
HELD : ( l) A litigant will be barred under Order 2 Rule 2 of the C.P.C.
only when he omits to sue for or relinquishes the claim in a suit with knowledge that he has a right to sue for that relief.
A right which he does
not
know that he possesses or a right which is not in existence at the time of the
first suit is not a "portion of his claim" within the meaning of Order· 2 Rule
2 of the C.P .C. The crux of the matter is presence or Jack of awareness of
the right at the time of first suit.
[561D-E, 562-B]
Amant Bibi v. Imdad Hussai1' 15 I.A. 106 at 112, applied.
Om Prakash Gupta v. State of Uttar Pradesh [1955] 2 S.C.R.
391, distinguished.
High Commissioner for India v. I. M. Lall 75 I.A. 225; Provim;e of Punjab
v. Pandit Tara Chand [1947] F.C.R. 89; Stqte of Bihar v. Abdul Majid [1955]
1 S.C.R. 286, referred to.
The bar under Order 2 Rule 2 of the C P .C. cannot operate when the litigant's cause of action in an earlier suit is totally different from the cause of
actio!l in a later suit.
[562-C]
Pawana Reena Saminathan v. Palaniappa 41 I.A. 142, applied.
(2) During the period of suspension the plaintiff was not entitled to salary
under Fundamental Rule 53.
The cause of action for his
salary for
such
period did not accrue until he was reinstated as a result of the decree setting
aside the orders of suspension and of dismissal. [563C-D]
Jai Chand Sawhney v. Union of India, (1970] 3 S.C.R. 222 and Sakal Dean
Sahai Srivastava v. Union of India, [1974] 2 S.C.R. 485, distinguished.
(3) Under Fundamental Rule 52 the pay and alfowance of ,a Government
servant who is dismissed or removed from service, cease from the date of his
dismissal or removal. Therefore, there would be no question of salary . accruing or accruing due so long as orders of suspension and dismissal stand.
[564
B-C]
Klzem Chand v. Uriion of India, (1963] Supp. 1 S.C.R. 229, followed.
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 1870 of 1968.
(From the Judgment and Decree dated 6-3-1967 of the Bombay
High Court (Nagpur Bench) in Appeal No. 101/59.)
I. N. Shroff and H. S. Parihar, for the appellant.
S. B. Wad and M. N. Shroff, for respondent No. 1.
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SUPREME COURT REPORTS
(1977) 2.S.C.R.
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A. S. Bobde, G. L.'Sanghi, V. K. Sanghi, Miss Rama Gupta and
M. S. Gupta, for respondent No. 2.
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The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
RAY, C.J.-This appeal is by certificate from the judgment dated
6 March, 1967 of the High Court of Bombay.
T?e appellant is the State of Madhya Pradesh.
The first respondent 1s the State of Maharashtra. The second respondent is the
plaintiff-decree holder.
They will be referred to, for short, as Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra and the plaintilI.
The trial court passed a decree in favour of the plaintiff. It was
declared that the order dated 9 January, 1954 of the suspension of
the plaintiff as well as the order of removal of the plaintiff from service passed on 2 February 1956 is illegal, void and inoperative.
The
further declaration was thoat the plaintiff shall be deemed to be continuing in service from 16 September, 1943.
A sum of Rs. 64, 588-2-0
was decreed in favour of the plaintiff and Bombay the predecessor of
Maharashtra was ordered to pay the same with interest.
Both Madhya
Pradesh and Maharashtra were ordered to pay costs to the plaintiff.
Maharashtra preferred an appeal against the
decree.
Madhya
Pradesh preferred objections against the order of costs.
The High Court confirmed the decree and the declarations.
The
High Court however modified the decree 'alld held Madhya Pradesh
liable.
The claim of the plaintiff against Maharashtra was dismissed.
The plaintiff was appointed Assistant Medical Officer in
1938.
In 1939 he was appointed officiating Assistant Surgeon. He was posted
at Elichpur (now Achalpur).
Jn
1942 he was
transferred to
Hoshangabad.
In 1943 he applied for medical leave for four months.
The Civil Surgeon recommended leave for six weeks.
The plaintiff
again applied for leave in the month of August,
1943.
The
le<tve
was sanctioned by the Civil Surgeon.
The plaintiff then requested
the Civil Surgeon in anticipation of sanction of leave by the Government for relief because he was not keeping good health.
The Civil
Surgeon then reported to the Government that the plaintiff absented
himself from duty from 10 August, 1943 without leave.
The Government sanctioned leave for six weeks.
On 28 September, 1943 the
pfaintiff was suspended by an order with effect from 16 September,
1943.
The plaintiff was served with a notice dated 30 September, 1943
to show cause why he should not be dismissed from service.
Four
charges were levelled against the plaintiff.
First, that he refused to
come to duty at the time of epidemic in August, 1943; Second, that
he left his station without permission.
Third, that he refused
to
attend the Departmental enquiry when ordered to do so.
Fourth,
that he wilfully and delibei\ltely acted in total disregard of orders and
absented himself from duty though he was declared to be fit to resume
duty.
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MADHYA PRADESH V. MAHARASHTRA (Ray, C.J.)
557
The Enquiry Officer by report dated 22 February, 1945 gave his
findings that the first charge was not proved; that the second charge
was proved but mitigated and the third and the fourth charges were
technically proved.
I
On 21 June, 1945 the plaintiff was asked to show cause why he
should not be dismissed or reduced in rank.
On 18 August,
1945
the Government of Central Provinces and Berar intimated to the plaintiff that the Government accepted the report of the Enquiry Officer
and proposed to remove the plaintiff from service with effect from
the date of the passing of the final order.
By order dated 7 ~ovem
ber, 1945 the. Provincial Government passed an order removmg the
plaintiff from service with effect from that date.
On 10 May, 1945
the plaintiff filed an appeal to the Governor but it was dismissed.
On 6 January, 1949 the plaintiff filed a suit in the court of the
Second Additional District Judge, Nagpur.
By judgment dated . 31
August, 1953 the District Judge held that the suspension order and
the order of dismissal were illegal and declared the plaintiff to be
deemed to co_ntinue in service.
The plaintiff was thereafter reinstated
in service as Assistant Surgeon on 12 December, 1953.
He was
posted at Rays Hospital, Nagpur on 15 September, 1953.
On 13 January, 1954 the plaintiff was 'again suspended from service under order dated 9 January, 1954. The plaintiff handed over
charge on 13 January, 1954.
On 1 February 1954 the plaintiff was
served with a notice dated 29 Janwary, 1954 to show cause why he
should not be removed from service.
The former report of the
Enquiry Officer dated 22 February, 1945 was also given to the plaintiff.
On 2 February, 1956 the plaintiff was removed from service.
He appealed to the Governor.
The appeal was dismissed.
On 6 October, 1956 the plaintiff filed this suit in the court of the
Joint Civil Judge, Nagpur •against Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
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The plaintiff asked for a declaration that the order dated 9 January,
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1954 suspending the plaintiff as well as the order dated 2 February,
1956 is illegal.
The
plaintiff
asked for •a declaration
that he is
deemed to continue in service. He claimed recovery of Rs. 64,588-2-0
as arrears of salary.
The plaintiff in his suit alleged that both Maharashtra and Madhya
Pradesh are "liable to make good the plaintiff's claim the liability for
which is not exclusive but joint and several".
The alternative case
of the pla'intiff in the suit was that "if it will be held that the State
of Maharashtra and not the State of Madhya Pradesh is liable or viceversa the p1'aintiff will claim the decree against such State as would
be liable".
The Civil Judge passed the decree on 25 April 1959 declaring
thei order dated 9 January, 1954 suspending the plaintiff as well as
the order dated 2 February, 1956 removing the plaintiff from service
as μlegal, void and inoperative.
The decree further stated that the
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558
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1977] 2 S.C.R.
plain~ .was deemed to continue in service from 16 September, 1943.
T_he <;1vil Judge passed a decree against the State ofBombay with the
drrect10n to pay Rs. 64,588-2-0 with interest at 6 per cent.
·
.. B.oth Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh went up in appeal.
The
D1v1S1on Bench of the Bombay High Court placed the matter before
a larger Bench and referred these two questions for the decision of the
Larger Bench.
(1) Whether in the events
that have
happened
which of these two States of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh can
be compelled to take the plaintiff in service. (2) Whether both · or
only one of the two States can be made liable for the payment of
arrears of salary of the pl'aintiff, if so, which State is liable.
The larger Bench of the Bombay High Court said that the State
of Madhya Pradesh is constituted after the States Reorganisation Act
referred to as the Act came into force on 1 November, 1956 is the
principal successor State. of the former State of Madhya Pradesh.
The High Court further said that the State of Maharashtra is
the
successor State of the former J\'Iadhya Pradesh inasmuch as certain
territories, namely, Vidharbha which formed part of the former State
of Madhya Pradesh became a part of t'Je new State of Maharashtra.
The High Court then referred to clause
(B)
of section
88
of
the Act and said that Maharashtra would be liable for the claim of
the pl'aintiff only if the cause of action has arisen in its entirety within
the territories which formed part of Maharashtra, otherwise
initial
liability for the plaintiff's claim will be on the principal successor State
Madhya Pradesh under section 88(c) of the Act.
The larger Bench
therefore referred the matter to the Division Bench to consider the
question whether the cause of action for the plaintiff's claim arose in
its entirety within the territories which formed part of the Maharashtra.
The High Court held that under section 88(c) of the Act Madhya
Pradesh is responsible for the claim of the plaintiff.
The High Court
further held that the plaintiff was appointed under conditions of service Prescribed for him and accepted by him, and, therefore, the plaintiff's claim for arrears of salary would be governed by section 87 of
the Act and not by section 88 of the Act.
The High Court said that
the plaintiff's claim for arrears of salary and allowance was based on
contract, either express or implied,
on the basis of the terms
of
appointment and the conditions of service prescribed by the Government and accepted by the plaintiff.
The High Court also said thut at
the time of the plaintiff's appointment in 1939 the plaintiff's services
were available for the then enfire Province of Central Provinces and
Berar and not only for those districts which formed part of Madhya
Pradesh.
Therefore; the High Court said that section 87 (b) of the
Act would not apply.
Under the residuary clause of section 87(c)
of the Act Madhya Pradesh would be liable as the principal successor
State because the purpose of the contract were as from the aopointed
day not exclusively purposes of any of the two successor States.
Madhya Pradesh raised three contentions.
First, the plaintiff
did not claim salary and allowances for the period subsequent to 15
September, 1943 in the suit filed by the plaintiff in 1949 and was
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MADHYA PRADESH V. MAHARASHTRA (Ray, C.J.)
559
therefore by reason of the provisions contained in Order 2 Rule 2 of
the Code of Civil Procedure precluded from claiming the salary and
allowances for the period of 16 September, 1943 to 31 August, 1953
in the second suit which was filed on 6 October, 1956. Second, the
plaintiff's claim in the second suit for salary and allowances prior to
6 October, 1953 would be barred by the reason of Article 102 of
the Limitation Act 1908. Third, the liability, if any, would be under
section 88 (b) of the Act of Maharashtra which succeeded the State
of Madhya Pradesh on 1 November, 1956 in so far as Nagpur District
of the then existing State of Madhya Pradesh was concerned. Reference was made to section 8 ( 1) ( c) of the Act for the purpose. Further
it is said by -the appellant that on or after 1 November, 1956 the
plaintiff could continue the suit only against the State of . Bombay
later known as State of Maharashtra and not against the State
of
·Madhya Pradesh as constituted on or after 1 November, 1956.
Maharashtra contended that the liability was of Madhya Pradesh
because of the provisions contained in section 88 ( c) of the Act. It
was said on behalf of Maharashtra that the plaintiff had been appointed to serv'ice in Central Provinces and Berar which became the
principal successor State of Madhya Pradesh. The order of removal
was also by the existing State which became the principal successor
State of Madhya Pradesh.
In order to appreciate the rival contentions reference is necessary
to two sections of the Act.
Section 8 7 speaks of liability in the case
of contracts.
Broadly stated, the provisions of section 87 of the Act
are that where before the appointed day "1
November, 1956" an
existing State has made any contract in the exercise of its executive
power for any purposes of the State, that contract shall be deemed
to have been made in the exercise of the executive power-(a) if
there be only one successor States of the State; and (b) if there be
two or more successor States and the purposes of the contract are,
as from the appointed day, exclusively purposes of
any
one
of
them,-of
that
State;
and
(c)
if
there
be two
or
more successor States and the purposes
of the contract
are,
as from that day, not exclusively purposes of any one of them,-of
the principal successor State; and all rights and liabilities which have
accrued or may accrue, under any such contract shall, to the extent
to which they would have been rights or liabilit;es of the existing
State be rights or liabilities of the successor State or the principal
successor State.
The proviso to section 87 of the Act is that where
the Jiab'li'y attaches under clause (c) the initial allocation of rights
and liabilities made by this sub-section shall be subject to such financial adjustment as may be agreed upon
between all the · successor
St>ates concerned, or in
default of such
agreement, as the Central
Government may by order direct. ·
Section 88 of the Act nrovides that where before the apoointed
day, an existing State is subject to any l;ab;Iitv in re~nect of an actionable wrong- other than breach of contract. that liability shall (a) if
there be only one successor State, be a 'liability of that State; (b) if
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SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1977] 2 S.C.R.
there be two or more succeissor States and the cause of action arose
wholly within the territories which as from that day are the territories
of one of them, be a liability of that successor State, and ( c) in any
other case, be initially a lrabi!ity of the principal successor State, but
subject to such financial adjustment as may be agreed upon between
all the successor States concerned, or in default of such agreement, as
the Central Government may by order direct.
The claim for declaration tlrat the order of suspension as well as
the order of dismis:sal was void is in respect of an actionable wrong
other than breach of C\l!ltract.
In order to determine as to which
of the two States would be lialfe under section 88 of the 1956 Act
it has to be found out whether the cause
of
action
arose
wholly within the territories of one of the States or arose partly
C
in the tenitories of one State and partly in the territories ot
thel other.
The departmental enquiry which was alleged to be illegal
was held at Hoshangabad which has all along been a part of
the
State of Madhya Pradesh only.
The final orders which were challenged in the suit were passed at Nagpur which became part of the
St!:ite of Bombqy and later on known as Maharashtra.
The plaintiff's cause of action comprises of every fact which is necessary to be
D
proved.
The plaintiff based his claim with regard to departmental
enquiry which was held at Hoshangabad and also
with regard to
impugned. order p•assed at Nagpur.
The appellant State is the principal snccessor State of the former State of Madhya Pradesh.
Maharashtra was one .of the successor States, like Madhya Pradesh.
Section 88 (a) of the 1956 Act in the present case has no application
because it speaks of only one successor State.
Section 88 (b) of the
E
1956 Act refers to the State where the cause of action wholly arose
within the territories of either of the two successor States.
In the
present case, it cannot be said that the cause of action arose wholly
within the successor Sl'ate of Maharashtra.
Therefore, the residuary
provision contained in section 88(c) of the 1956 Act applies
and
the liability is of the principal successor State,
namely, Madhya
Pradesh.
The High Court was right in arriving at the conclusion that
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Madhya Pradesh is liable.
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The plaintiff's suit in 1949 was only for setting aside the impugned
orders.
The plaintiff did not ask for relief for arrears of salary ~or
the obvious reason that the plaintiff in the l 949 suit asked for settmg
aside of the impugned orders and an order that the phintiff was deemed
to be continuing in service.
The plaintiff proceeded on the existing
law as it stood by reason of the decision in High Commissioner for
India v. I. M. Lall(').
The Judicial Committee in that case held
that a civil servant was not entitled to sue the State for recovering
arrears of salary and pay.
Counsel for Madhya Pradesh rdied .on
the decision in Province of Punjab v. Pandit Tara Chand 0 which
held that a public servant had a right to bring a suit for arrears of
pay.
The decision of the Judic~a! Comm::tee in Lall's case. (supra~
takes a contrary view to the dec1s1on of the Federal Court m Pandit
(I) 75 T.A. 225.
(2) [1947] F.C.R. 89.
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MADHYA PRADESH V. MAHARASHTRA (Ray, C.J.)
5 61
Tara Clumd's case (supra).
lt it true that the decision of the Federal Court in Pandit Tara Chand's case (supra) was not brought to
the notice of the Privy Council.
Under section 208 of the Government of India Act 1935 the law declared liy the Judgment of the Privy
Council had to be followed by all the Courts includmg the
Federal
Court.
Therefore, the earlier decision of the Federal Court though
not expressly overruled by the Judicial Committee must be deemed
to have overruled by implication by the decision of the Judicial Committee in La/l's case (supra).
This Court in State of B:i/iar v. Abdul Majid(')
stated that a
Government servant could ask for arrears of salary.
Counsel for
Madhya Pradesh said that the decision of this Court in Abdul Majid's
case (supra) deelared what the existing law has been,
and, therefore, the plaintiff could not contend that it was not open to him to
ask for arrears of salary in the 1949 suit.
It is in that background
that Madhya Pradesh contends that the plaintiff not having asked for
relief under Order 2 Rule 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure would
not be entitled to claim salary in the 1956 suit.
The contention of Madhya Pradesh cannot be accepted.
The
plaintiff will be barred under Order 2 Rule 2 of the Code of Civil
· Procedure only when he omits to sue for or relinquishes the claim
in a suit with knowledge that he has a right to sue for that relief.
It
will not be correct to say that while the decision
of the
Judicial
Committee in Lall' s case (supra) was holding the field the plaintiff
could be said to know that he was yet entitled to make a claim for
arrears of salary.
On the contrary, it will be correct to say that he
knew that he was not entitled to make such a claim.
If at the date
of the former suit the plaintiff is not a ware of the right on which he
insists
in the latter suit the plaintiff cannot be said to be disentitled
to the relief in the latter suit.
The reason is that at the date of the
former suit the plaintiff is not aware of the right on which he insists·
in the subsequent suit.
A right which a litigant does not know that
he possesses or a right which is not in existence at the lime of the
first suit can hardly be regarded as a "portion of his claim" within
the meaning of Order 2 Rule 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
See
Amant Bibi v. lmdad Husa'n( 2 ). The crux of the matter is presence
or lack of awareness of the right at the time of first suit.
This Court in Om Prakash Gupta v. State of Uttnr
Pradesh( 3 )
considered the prayer for refund of court fees on a claim which was
abandoned.
The plaintiff in that case asked for a declaration that
the order of dismissal was void and also asked for arrears of salary
or in the alternative damages for wrongful dismissal.
In view of the
decision in Lall's case (supra) the plain' in that case was amended
by delet;ng the claim for arrears of salarv anrl
Hl<o
for
1famHizes.
The plaintiff thereupon oraved for refund of the court fees which had
been paid on arrears of salary for damages.
Both the trial Court
(I) [l 955] 1 S.C.R. 286.
(2) 15 I.A. 106, 112.
(3) [1955] 2 S.C.R. 391.
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SUPREME COURT REPORTS
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and the High Court rejected the claim for
refund of court fees
This Court also upheld the same view.
The reason given by th~
Court was that at the time the suit was instituted the law as it then
stood permitted such a claim to be made.
The decision of the
Privy Council made it clear that no such claim could be made.
The
decision of the Privy Council clarifying the position was held by this
Court not to be a ground for refund of court fee which was paid in
accordance with law as it then stood.
The appellant Madhya Pradesh is, therefore, not right in contending that the plaintiff is barred by provisions contained in Order
2 Rule 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure from asking for arrears of
salary in the 1956 suit.
The plaintiff could not have asked
for
arrears of salary on the law as it then stood.
The plaintiff did not
know of . or possess any such right.
The plaintiff, therefore, cannot be said to have omitted to sue for any right.
Another reason why the bar under Order 2 Rule 2 of the Code
of Civil Pt'ocednre cannot operate is that the plaintiff's cause of action
in the 1956 suit is totally different from the cause of action in the
1949 suit.
See Pavana Reena Saminathan v. Palaniappa(').
This Court in Jai Chand Sawhney v. Union of India (') held that
in a suit for setting aside the order of dismissal and for arrears of
salary a claim for salary for the period prior to three years of the
suit would be barred. The reason given is that when the order of dismissal is set aside the Government servant is deemed to be in Fcrvice
throughout the period during which the order of dismissal remains
operative.
Once an order of dismissal is declared bad it is held to be
bad from the date of dismissal and salary would be due from the date
when the dismissal order was bad.
The same view has been taken by this Court in Sakal Dean Sahai
Srivastava v. Union of lndia( 3 ). In that case the plaintiff filed a
suit on 27 November, 1962 for a declaration that from 1 July, 1949
the date of illegal reversion up to 30 September, 1959 the date of his
retirement he was a railway employee.
Relying on the decision of this Court in Jai Chand Sawhney's
case and Sakal Deep's case (supra)
counsel for Madhya Pradesh
contended that the plaintiff would not be entitled to more than three
years' salary.
The present case is not one of setting aside an order
of dism;ssal simpliciter.
When the plaintiff filed a suit in 1949 he
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could not ask for arrears of salary.
Pursuant to the decree dated
30 August, 1953 in his favour he was reinstated on 12 December,
1953.
Three features are to be borne in mind in appreciating the
plaintiff's case from the point of view of limitation. First the plaintiff became entitled to salary for the period 16 September, 1943 up to
the date of reinstatement on 12 December, 1953, only when pursuant
to the decree dated 30 August, 1953 there was actual reinstatement
H
of the plaintiff on 12 December, 1953.
Second, the plaintiff was
(1) 41 LA. 142.
(2)
[1970] S.C.R. 222.
c) [19741 2 S.C.R 485.
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MADHYA PRADESH V. MAHARASHTRA (Ray, C.J.)
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again suspended on 19 January, 1954 and was dismissed on 23 February 1956.
The Madhya Pradesh Government on 5 March, 1954
decided that during the period of first suspension till bis reinstatement on 12 December, 1953 he was not entitled to salary.
Again
on 29 January,
1956 the Madhya Pradesh
Government decided
under Fundamental Rule 54(iii) that during the period of suspension
from 16 September 1943 to 12 December 1953 and again from 19
January 1954 to 23 February 1956 he would not be entitled to any
payment of allowances.
On these facts two consequences arise in
the present appeal.
First, since the plaintiff was under suspension from 16 September,
1943 till 12 December, 1953 when he was reinstated and again suspended from 19 January, 1954 till 23 February, 1956 when he was
dismissed, his suit on 6 October, 1956 is within a period of three
years from the date of his reinstatement on 12 December,
1953.
Second, during the period of suspension he was not entitled to salary
under Fundamental Rule 53.
Further decision to that effect
was
taken by the Madhya Pradesh Government on 28 January,
1956
under Fufidamental Rule 54.
Therefore, the plaintiff's cause
of
action for salary for the period of suspension did not accrue until he
was reinstated on 12
December, 1953.
The
plaintiff's
salary
accrued only when he was reinstated as a result of the decree setting
aside the orders of suspension and of dismissal.
The rulings of this Court in Jai Chand Sawhney's case (supra)
and Sakal Deep's case (supra) do not apply to the present appeal
because there was no aspect of any suspension
order remaining
operative until the fact of reinstatement pursuant to the decree.
The plaintiff's cause of action for arrears of salary is this. When
the plaintiff was reinstated on 12 December, 1953 pursuant to the
decree dated 30 August, 1953 the plaintiff became entitled to salary
which was sus2ended during the period of suspension._ The plaintiff
was again suspended from 19 January, 1954 and he was dismissed
from service on 23 February, 1956.
Therefore, when the plaintiff
filed the suit on 6 October, 1956 his entire claim for salary is founded
first on his reinstatement on 12 December,
1953 pursuant to the
decree and second on the order of suspension dated 19 January,
1954 and the order of dismissal on 23 February 1956 which the
plaintiff challenged as illegal.
The ori~nal order of suspension on 16 September, 1943 as well
as the original dismissal dated 7 November, 1945 was declared to be
illegal by ·the decree dated 30 August, 1953.
Therefore, when the
plaintiff was reinstated on 12 December, 1953 it is then that
the
plaintiff's claim for salary accrued due.
This salary was again
suspended from 19 January, 1954.
Dismissal on
23
February,
1956 was at a time when the plaintiff was still under
suspension.
The order of suspension does not put an end to his service.
Suspension merely suspends the claim to salary.
During suspension
there is suspension allowance.
See
Khem
Chand v.
Union
of
2-112'.SCJ/77
A
B
c
D
E
F
II
564
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1977] 2. S.C.R.
A
India(') where this Court said that the real effect of the order of suspension is that though he continues to be a member of the service he
is not permitted to work and is paid only subsistence ~llowance which
is less than his salary. Under Fundamental Rule 52 the pay and
allowance of a Government servant who
is dismissed or
removed
from service, cease from the date
of_ his dismissal or
removal.
Therefore, there would be no question of salary accruing or accruing
B
due so long as orders of suspension and dismissal stand.
The High
Court was correct in the conclusion that the plaintiff's claim for salary
accrued due only on the order of dismissal dated 23 February, 1956
being set aside.
For the foregoing reasons the appeal is dismissed.
There will
be costs only to the plaintiff respondent to be paid by the State of
C
Madhya Pradesh.
M .R.
Appeal dismissed.
(I) [1963] Suppl. 1. S.C.R. 229.
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•