IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA LPA No.14/2021 with LPA No.8/2021, Civil Writ Petition Nos.1622, 3581, 3607, 3706, 3707, 3709, 3790, 3839, 3840, 3843, 4098, 4099, 4100, 4379, .
5977, 6311, 7349, 7350, 7351, 7352, 7353, 7798, 7815, 8001, 8002 of 2021, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 769, 901, 1160, 1435, 2174, 2175, 3176, 5382, 5525, 5526, 5630/2022 and 825 & 4036/2023. Date of Decision:15th September, 2023.
1. LPA No.14/2021 Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, District Solan, H.P, through its Registrar. .....Appellant Vs.
2. Mansa Ram & ors.
LPA No.8/2021
to .....Respondents.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, District Solan, H.P, through its Registrar.
.....Appellant Vs.
Anant Ram & Ors. .....Respondents.
3. CWP No.1622/2021 Non-Teaching Employees (Driver & Mechanic) Union. .....Petitioner.
Vs.
State of H.P & Ors. .... Respondents.
4. CWP No.3581/2021 Devi Saran & Ors. .....Petitioners.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ......Respondents.
5. CWP No.3607/2021 Savita Thakur & ors. .....Petitioners.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents.
6. CWP No.3706/2021 Raj Kumar Sood & ors. .....Petitioners.
Vs.
::: Downloaded on - 20/09/2023 20:33:58 :::CIS 2Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents.
7. CWP No.3707/2021 Arun Kumar Lamba & ors. ....Petitioners.
.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents.
8. CWP No.3709/2021 Ramesh Chand Sharma & Ors. ....Petitioners.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents.
9. CWP No.3790/2021 Nagesh Chandel & Ors. ....Petitioners.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ......Respondents
10. CWP No.3839/2021 Babu Ram Sharma ....Petitioner.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
11. CWP No.3840/2021 Dev Brat Negi & ors. ....Petitioners.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
12. CWP No.3843/2021 Manohar Lal Sharma ....Petitioner Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
13. CWP No.4098/2021
Kanta Thakur ....Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ......Respondents
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14. CWP No.4099/2021
Uttam Chand Sharma .....Petitioner
Vs.
.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ....Respondents
15. CWP No.4100/2021
Surender Kumar Sharma & anr. ....Petitioners.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
16. CWP No.4379/2021
Khazana Ram ....Petitioner
Vs.
Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
17. CWP No.5977/2021
Urmila Pathania & Ors. .....Petitioners.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ......Respondents
18. CWP No.6311/2021
Jia Lal Sharma ....Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ......Respondents
19. CWP No.7349/2021
Chet Ram ....Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
20. CWP No.7350/2021
Budhi Ram Sharma ....Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
21. CWP No.7351/2021
Sukh Ram .....Petitioner
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Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ......Respondents
22. CWP No.7352/2021
.
Som Parkash .....Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
23. CWP No.7353/2021
Kirpa Ram ...Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
24. CWP No.7798/2021
Brahma Nand Sharma & Ors. ...Petitioners
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ......Respondents
25. CWP No.7815/2021
Parma Nand & Ors. ...Petitioners.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ......Respondents
26. CWP No.8001/2021
Dhan Bahadur & Ors. ....Petitioners.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
27. CWP No.8002/2021
Ramesh Kumar & Ors. ....Petitioners.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
28. CWP No.8/2022
Ram Krishan ....Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
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29. CWP No.10/2022
Puran Singh ....Petitioner
Vs.
.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
30. CWP No.11/2022
Hem Parkash ...Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
31. CWP No.12/2022
Thakur Dass ...Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ......Respondents
32. CWP No.13/2022
Chiranji Lal ....Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ......Respondents
33. CWP No.14/2022
Sita Ram Sharma ....Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
34. CWP No.15/2022
Kalavati Justa ....Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
35. CWP No.16/2022
Gulab Singh ....Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
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36. CWP No.769/2022
Kapoor Singh & anr. ....Petitioners
.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
37. CWP No.901/2022
Suresh Chand Jaryal ....Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
38. CWP No.1160/2022
Ganesh Dutt & ors. ....Petitioners
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
39. CWP No.1435/2022
Gian Singh Kanwar ...Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
40. CWP No.2174/2022
Kali Ram Sweeta & Ors. ....Petitioners
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
41. CWP No.2175/2022
Rajinder Singh & ors. ....Petitioners.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ......Respondents
42. CWP No.3176/2022
Mamta Bharti & ors. ....Petitioners.
Vs.
State of H.P & ors. ....Respondents.
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43. CWP No.5382/2022
Jawala Nand ...Petitioner
Vs.
.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
44. CWP No.5525/2022
Leela Devi ....Petitioner
Vs.
Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
45. CWP No.5526/2022
Chet Ram Verma ....Petitioner
r Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
46. CWP No.5630/2022
Jai Parkash ....Petitioner
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
47. CWP No.825/2023
Hari Singh & Ors. ....Petitioners
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University & Ors. ...Respondents
48. CWP No.4036/2023
Joginder Singh & anr. ...Petitioners.
Vs.
Dr. Y.S. Parmar University. ......Respondent.
Coram
The Hon'ble Mr. Justice Vivek Singh Thakur, Judge. The Hon'ble Mr. Justice Bipin Chander Negi, Judge. Whether approved for reporting?1 Yes.
For the Appellant(s)/Petitioner(s):Mr. Ramesh Chand Sharma, Advocate, for the appellant(s) in LPA No.14 and 8/2021.
1Whether reporters of Local Papers may be allowed to see the judgment? Yes.
::: Downloaded on - 20/09/2023 20:33:58 :::CIS 8M/s Naresh Kumar Gupta, P.P. Chauhan, R.S. Gautam, Rajesh Verma, Anil Kumar God, Mr. Ravi Tegta, Advocates and Ms. Babita Chauhan, Advocate vice Mr. A.K. Gupta, Advocate, for the respective petitioners.
.
For the Respondents: Mr. J.L. Bhardwaj, Sr. Advocate with Mr. Sanjay Bhardwaj, Advocate, for private respondents in LPA No.8/2021 and Mr. P.P. Chauhan, Advocate, for private respondents in LPA No.14/2021.
Mr. Anup Rattan, Advocate General with Mr. Rajesh Mandhotra, Addl. Advocate General, for the respondents/State.
Mr. Prince Chauhan, Advocate, for respondent No.3/CSK, Krishi Vishwavidyalya, Palampur, in CWP No.1622/2021.
Mr. Ramesh Chand Sharma, Advocate, for the r respondents/Y.S. Parmar University.
Vivek Singh Thakur, Judge (oral).
These Letter Patent Appeals and Writ Petitions, for involvement of common question of law and fact required to be adjudicated, are being decided by this common judgment.
2. Respondents in appeals (hereinafter referred to as 'petitioners') and Writ Petitioners in all petitions have approached the Court for payment of allowances to them at par with their counter parts in Himachal Pradesh Secretariat/Government.
3. Petitioners are employees of respondents/Dr. Y.S. Parmar University and CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalya, Palampur, serving on various posts. Admittedly, the Statutes in force and governing the relation between parties, in both Universities, are ::: Downloaded on - 20/09/2023 20:33:58 :::CIS 9 identical. Clause 5.6 (1) of Statutes is relevant for adjudication of the issue involved in present cases, which reads as under:-
"5.6 (1) The scale of pay of the posts of grade A, B, C and .
D employees of the University shall be as prevalent at present. The Recruitment and Promotion Rules and conditions and rules for the release of higher scales of pay for admissibility of special pay and other allowances to the employees shall be the same as applicable from time to time to the employees holding corresponding posts in the concerned department of HP Govt. with which the present scales have been equated. For example, for the ministerial staff including drivers the scales of pay and R & P rules will correspond to the Secretariat staff of the H.P. Govt. for the scales and R & P rules of posts in the Estate Cell with the Public Works Department (except the workshop staff in whose case the HPU/HRTC pattern of pay scales and R & P rules shall be applicable) and for Technical staff (other than Laboratory staff) with the Department of Horticulture/Forest/Fisheries/Animal Husbandry/Education or where the University has evolved its own pay scales, the same will be revised by keeping in view the relative position of the pre-revised scales. The rates of local allowances shall be as admissible to the State Govt. servants at the concerned stations of posting. However, the release of higher scales or allowances will not be automatic consequent upon a revision in the State Govt. but shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Management.
Provided that, if the University adopts the pay scales in respect of some category of employees from some other organization in view of anomalies of pay scales, working conditions etc. then the corresponding R & P rules of that organization will automatically apply in the case of that category of employees. However, if upon adoption of a pay scale from some organization, the R & P rules that category of employees are not existent in that organization, the University will make its own R & P rules in respect of that category of employees."::: Downloaded on - 20/09/2023 20:33:58 :::CIS 10
4. We have heard learned counsel for parties and have gone through the impugned judgment assailed in the appeals and also the pleadings in the Writ Petitions.
.
5. The issue involved in present matters has also adjudicated long ago in the year 1993-1994, by a Division Bench of this High Court in CWP No.1551 of 1993, titled P.C. Sharma and another vs. Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya. Observations made therein, relevant in the present controversy, are as under:-
"Admittedly, Statutes 5.6 (1) and 6 (3) ...........govern the matter under consideration. ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...........Under Statute 5.6 (1), conditions and rules for the release of higher scales of pay; for admissibility of special pay and other allowances to the employees of the respondent/University shall be the same as applicable from time to time to the employees holding corresponding posts in the concerned department of the Himachal Pradesh Government. Similarly, Statute 6 (3) provides the conditions and rules for the grant of scales of pay, for admissibility of special pay and allowances shall be the same as applicable from time to the employees holding corresponding posts and status in Himachal Pradesh Government and performing identical duties when approved by the Board of Management. Clearly, therefore, under these rules, the employees of the respondent/University are entitled to get special pay and allowance on the same terms and conditions as are applicable, from time to time, to the employees holding corresponding posts in the Government. ..... .....
.......As long as the Statutes remain in force and operative, the claim of the petitioners could not be denied. In this view of the matter, we do not find any justification to the objection taken by the Government in the matter.
.... .... .... ..... ....
...........The respondents are, therefore, directed by a writ in the nature of mandamus to pay the benefit of the special ::: Downloaded on - 20/09/2023 20:33:58 :::CIS 11 allowance to them, pursuance to the aforesaid order, within a period of three months from today."
6. In view of the provisions of Statutes referred (supra) and also .
for reasons assigned by learned Single Judge, in the judgment impugned in appeals, we are of the considered opinion that there is no illegality, irregularity or perversity in the judgment dated 22.7.2020, under challenge, passed in CWPOA No.122 of 2019, titled Anant Ram & ors. vs. Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni & others, CWPOA No.4666 of 2019, titled Mansa Ram Sharma and others. vs. Dr. Y.S.
Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni & others, as well as in order dated 30.10.2020, passed in Review Petition No.40 of 2020, titled Mansa Ram Sharma and others vs. Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Nauni.
7. Learned counsel for the University, apart from assailing the claim of the petitioners on merits, has also contended that keeping in view the financial statutes of the University interest imposed upon the University, for delayed payment of the arrears to the petitioners, is on higher side and it should be in consonance with or nearer to the Bank rate applicable. Taking into consideration the submissions made by learned counsel for the University, rate of interest payable by the University for delayed payment is reduced from the awarded 12 % per annum to 6 % per annum.
::: Downloaded on - 20/09/2023 20:33:58 :::CIS 128. The issue involved in all other Writ Petitions listed with two appeals is also similar, and therefore, reasons assigned for allowing CWPOA Nos.122 of 2019 and 4666 of 2019 as well as Review Petition .
No.40 of 2020 and also for deciding LPAs, shall be applicable to all Writ Petitions mutatis mutandis for all intents and purposes, and petitioners therein shall also be entitled for the relief in aforesaid terms.
9. Accordingly, respondents are directed for release of scales of pay, admissible special pay and other allowances etc. to its employees as applicable from time to time from due date in consonance with provision contained in the Statutes especially Clause 5.6 (1) thereof.
10. Petitioner(s) shall also be entitled for interest at the rate of 6 % per annum on the arrear from due date till final payment thereof.
11. In view of above, Letter Patent Appeals No.8 of 2021 and 14 of 2021, are dismissed and all Civil Writ Petitions are allowed in aforesaid terms with modification in the rate of interest from 12 % to 6 % per annum on the arrears payable to the petitioner, from due date.
All pending application(s), if any, also stand disposed of.
(Vivek Singh Thakur) Judge (Bipin Chander Negi) Judge 15th September, 2023 (CS) ::: Downloaded on - 20/09/2023 20:33:58 :::CIS