Shrimali Kantilal Kashiram vs State Of Gujarat
2022 Latest Caselaw 1119 Guj

    C/SCA/7780/2019                              ORDER DATED: 02/02/2022



          IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD

          R/SPECIAL CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 7780 of 2019
                              With
 CIVIL APPLICATION (FOR FIXING DATE OF HEARING) NO. 1 of 2022
         In R/SPECIAL CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 7780 of 2019
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                      SHRIMALI KANTILAL KASHIRAM
                                 Versus
                          STATE OF GUJARAT
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Appearance:
MR MURALI N DEVNANI(1863) for the Petitioner(s) No. 1
MR.MEET THAKKAR, AGP for the Respondent(s) No. 1,2,3,4
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 CORAM:HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE BIREN VAISHNAV

                            Date : 02/02/2022

                             ORAL ORDER

1. In view of the averments made in the memo of the

Civil Application for fixing date of hearing, the same

is allowed and the main matter is taken up for final

hearing today.

2. Heard Mr.Krishnan Ghevariya learned advocate for

Mr.Murli Devnani learned advocate for the

petitioner and Mr.Meet Thakkar learned AGP for the

respondent State.

3. The case of the petitioner is that the petitioner is

entitled to the benefits of the resolution dated

17.10.1988 in view of the fact that the award of the

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Labour Court though silent on the aspect of

continuity of service which was actually meant to

have given such benefit.

4. Mr.Ghevariya would rely on the order dated

15.09.2021 passed by this Court in Special Civil

Application No.14297 of 2019.

5. Mr.Meet Thakkar would rely on paragraphs 4 to 6 of

the affidavit in reply filed to submit that the

petitioner was employed in the year 1987-88 in the

project 'Gramya Marg Yojna' as unskilled daily

wager. He was retained for the road site for this

particular project only and after completion of which

in the year 1988-1989, he was no more retained and

therefore he is not entitled to the benefits of the

resolution dated 17.10.1988. The petitioner after

the order was challenged in Special Civil Application

No.23927 of 2007 by respondent on a direction was

reinstated in service and the same was complied

with on 02.04.2013.

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6. This Court while dealing with the similar issue, in

Special Civil Application No.14297 of 2019, on

15.09.2021 has passed the order. The relevant

paragraphs of which read as under:

"8. I have heard the learned advocates appearing for the respective parties.

9. As noted herein above, the award of the Labour Court dated 30.10.2012 in Reference (LCR) No.219 of 2001 has become final. By the said award, the respondents were directed to reinstate the petitioner without any back wages, however, the Labour Court has failed to observe anything with regard to continuity of service. At this stage, it would be apposite to refer to the decision of the Division Bench. The Division Bench in a similar set of facts while examining the provisions of the Government Resolution dated 17.10.1988 has held thus:-

"8. The undisputed fact in the present appeal is that the respondent-workman was terminated from the service in the Year-1998 and his termination was quashed and set aside by the award dated 12.01.2007. The Labour Court had directed the present appellants to reinstate the present respondent-workman without backwages on his original post, however, no specific reference was made regarding continuity of service. The Apex Court in the case of Gurpreet Singh (Supra) has specifically observed that once the termination is set-aside, the workman will be entitled for continuity of service since the same is not fresh appointment, but it is a case of reinstatement.

Accordingly, the workman was reinstated by the order dated 06.10.2008 on his original post,

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and thereafter, also, it is undisputed fact he was conferred the benefit of regular pay-scale till he retired on 13.11.2013 after rendering 5 years of service.

9. It is no more res-integra that, as per Resolution dated 17.10.1988, the workman would be entitled to pension and other retirement benefits after completion of 10 years of service. In present case, the termination of the workman is found to be illegal and he was reinstated in service and was also paid regular pay scale. Thus, he was forced to remain unemployed for the interregnum period. The Labour Court, after examining the documents on record, has given a specific finding that the workman had worked for 12 years before his termination and he had also completed 240 days service. Thereafter, he was reinstatement on 06.10.2008 and till his retirement on 30.11.2013, he had completed 5 years. The learned Single Judge has allowed the writ petition and has only directed the Pension Fixation Authority to pass appropriate orders of fixation in accordance with law and it is further directed to forward the papers in that regard to the Pension Sanctioning Authority, who after receipt of the same, shall pass appropriate orders. The learned single judge has only given a direction to the appellants to pass appropriate orders to fix the pension in accordance with law. This Court does not find any illegality or infirmity in such directions of passing appropriate orders for fixing the pension."

10. The Coordinate Bench in the judgment dated 24.07.2018 passed in Special Civil Application No.2192 of 2017 while examining analogous facts has observed thus:-

"3. The Labour Court in its judgment and

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award, though directed the reinstatement of the petitioner, did not expressly confer the benefit of continuity of service, therefore, the moot question is whether the petitioner would be entitled to continuous service when the same was not expressly granted by the Labour Court while ordering reinstatement.

4. In Vasantika R. Dalia Vs. Baroda Municipal Corporation [1998 (2) LLJ 172], this Court was posed to interpret the judgment and award of the Labour Court which granted the relief of reinstatement to the workmen. The relief of back-wages was denied and the relief of continuity of service was not denied specifically and that in the relief of reinstatement granted, the word 'continuity' was not mentioned.

4.1 The Court observed to lay down that "It may be straighaway observed that once the relief of reinstatement is granted, the continuity of service is a direct consequence rather inherent in the relief of this nature." It was held that when the relief of reinstatement was granted and the continuity of service was not specifically denied, the workman has to be relegated to the same position as was held by it at the time of termination. When the order of termination was found to be void, the petitioner, it was held, would be entitled to hold the relief of reinstatement with continuity where there was no mention of specific denial to such continuity.

4.2 The Supreme Court in Gurpreet Singh Vs. State of Punjab and others [2002 (92) FLR 838], held that once the plaintiff was directed to be reinstated in service upon setting aside of the order of termination, continuity of service could not be denied. The Court observed that the case was not of fresh appointment but it was one of reinstatement and that being the

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position, it was observed that the High Court was in error in denying the continuity of service.

4.3 Thus and therefore, even though the judgment and award of the Labour Court had not expressly granted the continuity, at the same time it did not deny the continuity in any expressed terms. The grant of continuity would have to be read with the order of reinstatement. The petitioner would be entitled to be treated continuous in service upon reinstatement. Resultantly, the petitioner would be entitled to be granted the benefits of resolution dated 17.10.1988 accordingly by reckoning his service as continuous from the date of his initial appointment.

4.4 When the award of the Labour Court had not expressly denied the continuity is to be interpreted as per the principles of law laid down by the Supreme Court in Gurpreet Singh (supra), the concept of continuity could not be distinguished for the purpose of granting any other service benefits. Learned Assistant Government Pleader made a failed attempt to submit that the continuity for the purpose of granting benefits under resolution dated 17.10.1988 may be treated differently. Any such distinction would be artificial distinction."

11. Thus, the respondents are directed to grant the benefits of the Government Resolution dated 17.10.1988 by treating his service as continuous from the date of termination till reinstatement and accordingly, confer the benefits of the Government Resolution dated 17.10.1988."

7. In view of the above, the petition is allowed. The

respondents are directed to extent the benefits of

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resolution dated 17.10.1988 by treating his service

as continuous from the date of termination till

reinstatement. Such compliance shall be done within

a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of copy

of this order.

(BIREN VAISHNAV, J) ANKIT SHAH