State of Haryana & Ors Vs. Rajindra Sareen [1971] INSC 317 (22 November 1971)

VAIDYIALINGAM, C.A.

MATHEW, KUTTYIL KURIEN

CITATION: 1972 AIR 1004 1972 SCR (2) 452 1972 SCC (1) 267

CITATOR INFO:

E&D 1992 SC 604 (112)

ACT:

Punjab Public Relations Department (Gazetted) Service Rules 1958--Post of Deputy Director (Press) held for more than three years without order of termination of probation being passed-Post held in officiating capacity-Proviso to Rule 10(3) does not apply.

Civil Service-Appointment made co-terminus with postTermination of appointment while post continues attracts Art. 311(2) of Constitution.

Mala fides--Several incidents cited to show mala fidesCumulative effect of all allegations must be seen--Considering each incident by itself not proper.

HEADNOTE:

The respondent joined the service of the composite State of Punjab and Haryana on June 22, 1957 as the State's Press Liaison officer at Delhi in the Public Relations Department of the State. The original appointment was to last till February 28, 1958 but was continued by orders passed from time to time. The respondent went on leave for about six months from November 21, 1959 to May 18, 1960 with permission to act in Pakistan as a Special Correspondent of The Hindustan Times Delhi. On return from leave he was posted in the same service in the post of Deputy Director (Field) from July 19, 1960 to September 19, 1960. Later on he was again posted as Officer on Special Duty which was also an equivalent post, from September 20, 1960 to June 26, 1962. When he crossed the efficiency bar in 1960 his salary was raised with effect from December 24, 1960. He was appointed as Deputy Director (Press) which post was held by him from June 27, 1962 to June 14, 1966. By order dated June 24, 1966 the Governor of Punjab appointed him as State Press Liaison Officer with effect from June 14, 1966 and he was posted to Delhi. This post had been kept in abeyance during the period when he was Deputy Director (Press). On the reorganisation of the composite State of Punjab and its bifurcation into the States of Punjab and Haryana the post of State Press Liaison Officer. Delhi, held by him was allocated to the State of Haryana with effect from November 1, 1966. He was also allotted to the State of Haryana. He remained on deputation with the Punjab Government from December 1, 1966 to March 24, 1967 and again resumed his duty as State Press Liaison Officer, New Delhi, from March 25, 1967 under the Government of Haryana. By order dated October 31, 1968 the Haryana Government terminated his services. The respondent filed a writ petition in the High Court. The High Court rejected the plea of mala fides raised by the respondent but allowed the writ petition holding in the respondent's favour that (a) under Rule 10(3) of the Gazetted Service Rules the respondent on completing three years service as Deputy Director (Press) had become a permanent employee of the Government-, (b) the appointment of the respondent to the post of State Press Liaison Officer was co-terminus with the existence of the post and the respondent was entitled to continue in the post while it was in existence i.e. UP to February 28, 1969. On the above grounds the High Court quashed the order dated October 31, 1968. Following the High Court's order the State Government reinstated the appellant but filed an appeal in this Court challenging the High Court's judgment. Apart from the merits, the Court 453 had to consider the preliminary objection of the respondent to the effect that in view of the fact that the respondent had been reinstated in service the question of the validity of the original order passed on October 31, 1968 terminating the services of the respondent, did not survive for consideration.

HELD : (i) The circumstance that the respondent was areinstated in service by the order dated December 5, 1969 could not and does not debar the State from challenging the judgment of the High Court. In fact immediately after passing the order dated December 5, 1969. the State had been taking very active-steps to challenge the decision of the High Court. It followed that the State was entitled in the present appeal to challenge the decision of the High Court setting aside the order dated October 31, 1968. The preliminary objection must accordingly be over-ruled. [457 D-E] (ii) The approach of the High Court in considering the allegation of mala fides was not proper. The High Court had taken each allegation by itself and had held that it was not sufficient to establish mala fides. The proper approach should have been to consider all the allegations together and find out whether those allegations had been made out and whether those allegations when established were sufficient to prove malice or ill-will on the part of the officials concerned and whether the impugned order was the result of such malice or ill-will, [472 B-C] On the facts of the case the plea of mala fides alleged by the respondent against the second and third appellants could not be accepted [475 F] Principles laid down in S. Pratap Singh v. State of Punjab, [1964] 4 S.C.R. 733, followed.

(iii) When the respondent was appointed Deputy Director (Press) the former incumbent of the post R who was promoted as Joint Director, continued to have lien on it under r.

3.14 of the Civil Service Rules. Under r. 3.11(c) of the Civil Service Rules a Government servant cannot be appointed substantively to a post on which another Government servant holds a lien. Therefore on the date when the respondent was appointed as Deputy Director (Press) he could not have been appointed to that post substantively as R was having a lien on the post. The various pay slips which are on record also show that the respondent's appointment must have been on an officiating basis as defined in r. 2.42 of the Civil Service Rules. The objections of the Public Service Commission to the respondent's appointments as Deputy Director (Press) were also on record. All these circumstances were against the contentions of the respondent of his having been appointed against a permanent vacancy. [481 A-D] The essential requisite for the applicability of r. 10 is that a person must have been appointed against a permanent vacancy. As the respondent had been working in the post of Deputy Director (Press) only in an officiating capacity the question of extending hi-, probation or confirming him tinder r. 10 of the Gazetted Service Rules did not arise, and if so the question of calculating the total period of probation of three years which is necessary for the application of the Proviso to r. 10(3) did not arise. [482 G] The circumstance that with effect from April 1. 1964 the post of Deputy Director (Publicity Material) was made permanent could not help the respondent as he had not been at all appointed in the first instance against a permanent vacancy. The view taken by the High Court, to the contrary, could not be sustained. [484 E] State of Punjab v. Dharam Singh, [1968] 1 S. C. R. 1, C . 1.

T . Mysore v. Indore Mercantile Bank, Ltd., [1959] Supp. 2 S.C.R. 256, Tahsildar 454 Singh v. State of U.P., [1959] Supp. 2 S.C.R. 875, State of Madhya Pradesh v. Lal Bhargavendra Singh, [1966] 2 S.C.R.

56, Dr. Deep Kaur v. State of Punjab, [1967] 1 S.L.R. 34 and Devi Shanker Parbhakar v. State of Haryana [1971] 73 P. L.

R. 644, referred to.

(iii) No orders had been placed before the Court to show that the appointment of the respondent as State Press Liaison Officer was on a temporary basis and was not coterminus with the post. On the other hand the Assistant Accounts Officer had issued payslip dated April 22, 1968 which was on record to the Treasury Officer, Delhi stating that the payslip issued in favour of the respondent who was the State Press Liaison Officer, Haryana, New Delhi, on August 31, 1967 may be deemed as operative upto and inclusive of February 28, 1969. It was not disputed that at the time when the said payslip was issued, the duration of the post had been extended upto February 28, 1969. In view of all the circumstances it is reasonable to infer that the appointment of the respondent as State Press Liaison Officer was co-terminus with the continuance of the post. It followed that the State had no power to terminate the services of the respondent when the post itself was continuing. If any action by way of disciplinary proceedings was being taken then the State should have complied with Art. 311(2) of the Constitution which they had admittedly not done in this case. The order of the State Government dated October 31, 1968 terminating the services of the respondent was accordingly held to be illegal, [489 H, 490 A, E, G]

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 1543 of 1970.

Appeal from the judgment and order dated September 18, 1969 of the Delhi High Court in Civil Writ No. 851 of 1968.

V. M. Tarkunde, C. D. Dewan, 0. N. Mohindroo and R. N. Sachthey, for the appellants.

M. K. Ramamurthi, P. P. Rao and T. V. S. Narasimhachari, for the respondent.

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by Vaidialingam, J. This appeal by the State of Haryana, the Chief Minister of the State and the Registrar Co-operative Societies, on certificates is directed against the judgment and order of the High Court of Delhi dated September 18, 1969 allowing Civil Writ No. 851 of 1968 and quashing the order of the State Government dated October 31, 1968 terminating the services of the respondent.

Before we proceed to set out the facts leading up to the filing of the writ petition by the respondent, it is necessary to deal with a preliminary objection to the maintainability of the appeal that has been raised by Mr. M. K. Ramamurthy, learned counsel for the respondent. The objection is that the order dated October 31, 1968 terminating the services of the respondent, which was quashed 455 by the High Court and which order again is sought to be canvassed in the appeal has been cancelled by the State on December 5, 1969. In consequence of the latter order, the counsel pointed out, the respondent has been reinstated in service. It is the contention of Mr. M. K. Ramamurthy that in view of the fact that the officer has now been reinstated in service, the question of the validity of the original order passed on October 31, 1968 terminating the services of the respondent no longer survives for consideration in this appeal.

This preliminary objection has been contested by Mr. V. M. Tarkunde, learned counsel for the appellants.

We are satisfied that the preliminary objection, raised on behalf of the respondent, to the maintainability of the appeal, cannot be sustained for the reasons stated below.

The order of termination was passed on October 31, 1968.

The respondent filed Civil Writ No. 851 of 1968, before the High Court, challenging the said order. The judgment of the High Court setting aside the said order and allowing the writ petition was rendered on September 18, 1969. It is no doubt true that on December 5, 1969, the State Government passed an order canceling the previous order of termination dated October 31, 1968 and posted the respondent as Deputy Director (Publicity) at Narnaul. The said order further directed the payment to the respondent full pay and allowances that he would have been entitled, if his services had not been terminated. But there is a very significant recital in the order to the effect that the State is canceling the previous order dated October 31, 1968, in view of the, acceptance by the High Court of the writ petition filed by the respondent. A copy of the order dated December 5, 1969, was also forwarded by the Government to the Assistant Registrar of the High Court of Delhi.

The State filed on December 19, 1969, an application S.C.A.

No. 1 of 1970 in the High Court praying for grant of certificate to enable the State to file an appeal in this Court against the decision in Civil Writ No. 851 of 1968.

On the next day, i.e. December 20, 1969 the State filed a petition C.M. No. 15 of 1970 in S.C.A. No. 1 of 1970 praying for restraining the respondent from claiming arrears of salary and allowances for the period he was out of service from October 31, 1968 or in the alternative to direct the respondent to furnish sufficient bank guarantee before recovering those amounts from the State. This request was made to enure till the disposal of the application filed by the State for grant of certificate. Both in the petition C.M. No. 15 of 1970 as well as in the affidavit filed in support thereof, it was specifically mentioned that the copy of the judgment of the High Court was received by the Chief Secretary to the Government on November 25, 1969 456 and that in compliance with the judgment of the High Court, the respondent had been posted as Deputy Director (Publicity) at Narnaul by order dated December 5, 1969. A copy of this order was also annexed to the petition. It was further stated that the amount payable to the respondent being very large, there will be considerable difficulty in obtaining restitution in case the judgment of the High Court is set aside by this Court. After setting out the above facts, the State prayed for a stay of payment of the amounts or the respondent being asked to draw the amounts on furnishing bank guarantee pending the disposal of S.C.A. No 1 of 1970.

The respondent filed counter-affidavits, both to the main application S.C.A. No. 1 of 1970 as well as to the stay petition No. 15 of 1970. In his counter-affidavit to the stay petition he bad referred to the decision of the High Court in his favour and to the order dated December 5, 1969 passed by the State reinstating him in service. No doubt, he has averred that this order was passed without any reservation or qualification. He also opposed the said application on merits. In his counter-affidavit opposing S.C.A. No. 1 of 1970, the respondent had again stated that the previous order of termination, which was set aside by the High Court, was cancelled on December 5, 1969 by the State without any reservation or qualification. In view of this the respondent averred that the position in law is that the order dated October 31, 1969 should be considered to have never existed at any time and therefore there was nothing further for the State to agitate in this Court.

After hearing both the parties, the learned Judges of the High Court, who were fully aware, of the averments made by the respondent as well as the order dated December 5, 1969, passed by the State, by their order dated February 13, 1970, granted the certificate of fitness. Regarding the stay petition, the High Court has stated that as the respondent herein, has been reinstated and also been paid his full salary and allowances, no further question of staying the payment or directing the respondent to furnish bank guarantee arises for consideration. In this view, while granting the certificate and allowing S.C.A. No. 1 of 1970, the stay petition C.M. No. 15 of 1970 was dismissed.

In view of what is stated above, it is clear that the order dated December 5, 1969 was passed by the State in obedience to the judgment of the High Court setting aside the previous order dated October 31, 1968. It has been specifically stated by the State in the order dated December 5, 1969 as well as in the various affidavits and applications, referred to above, that the State had taken steps to come to this Court against the decision of the High Court of Delhi. The order dated December 5, 1969 read in the context 457 in which it was made and taking into consideration the other circumstances, mentioned above, it will be seen that the State was not unconditionally canceling the order dated October 31, 1968 with a view to take back the respondent in service for all times. If the intention of the State was to cancel the order dated October 31, 1968 and reinstate the respondent in service with ail the attendant benefits that he will be entitled to, then it was totally unnecessary on the part of the State to have filed an application for grant of certificate and also pray for stay regarding payment of arrears of salary and allowances. The State was bound to comply with the judgment passed by the High Court. In this case, it must be stated that the State acted quite properly in so complying with the judgment of the High Court when the order dated December 5, 1969 was passed. Therefore, the order dated December 5, 1969 must, in the circumstances, be considered to be a purely provisional one pending the ultimate decision of this Court. Therefore, the circumstances that the respondent was reinstated in service by the order dated December 5, 1969 cannot and does not debar the State from challenging the judgment of the High Court. In fact, immediately after passing the order dated December 5, 1969, the State has been taking very active steps to challenge the decision of the High Court. In view of all these above circumstances, it follows that the State is entitled, in this appeal, to challenge the decision of the High Court setting aside the order dated October 31 1968. The preliminary objection, in consequence, is overruled.

Having disposal of the preliminary objection, we will now proceed to state the facts leading up to the filing by the respondent of the writ petition in the High Court. His averments in the writ petition were as follows :

He joined the services of the composite State of Punjab on June 22, 1957 as States Press Liaison Officer in Delhi on a starting salary of Rs. 600/p.m. in the grade of Rs.

500-25-650/30-800 in the Public Relations Department of the State By order dated June 28, 1957 the Governor of Punjab created a post of State Press Liaison Officer at Delhi in the scale mentioned above with effect from June 22, 1957 till February 28, 1958 in the Public Relations Department, Punjab and also approved his appointment to the said post.

This order further directed that the expenditure is to be met from within the budget grant under the head stated therein for the year 1957-58. A copy of the order was also communicated to the Accountant General, Punjab for information. By order dated August 1, 1957, dealing with the appointment, posting and 'transfer, the Governor of Punjab appointed him as State Press Liaison Officer at Delhi, in the grade mentioned in the order, in the Public Relations Department. The order further referred 458 to the fact that the officer has taken charge of his duties with effect from June 22, 1957 afternoon. The creation of the post of the State Press Liaison Officer as well as his appointment to the said post were done simultaneously by one and the same order dated June 28, 1957. In July, 1962, the Governor of Punjab, ,created the Punjab Public Relations Service and the post of State Press Liaison Officer in Delhi was included in the said service as a cadre post. He went on leave for about six months from November 21, 1959 to May 18, 1960 with permission to act in Pakistan as a Special Correspondent of the Hindustan Times, New Delhi, on a salary of Rs. 1500/p.m. On return from leave, he was posted in the same service in the post of Deputy Director (Field) from July 19, 1960 to September 19, 1960. Later on, he was again posted as Officer on Special Duty, which was also an equivalent post, from September 20, 1960 to June 26, 1962.

When he crossed the efficiency bar in 1960, his salary was raised with effect from December 24, 1960. He was appointed as Deputy Director (Press), which posit was held by him from June 27, 1962 to June 14, 1966. By order dated June 24, 1966 the Governor of Punjab appointed him as State Press, Liaison Officer with effect from June 14, 1966 and was posted to Delhi. The order states that his appointment in Delhi to his original post is "consequent upon the revival of the State Press Liaison Officer, Delhi." This post of 'State Press Liaison Officer had been held in abeyance during the period when he was Deputy Director (Press). On the reorganisation of the composite State of Punjab and its bifurcation into the States of Punjab and Haryana, the post of State Press Liaison ,Officer, Delhi, held by him, was allocated to the State of Haryana with effect from November 1, 1966. He was also allotted to the State of Haryana. He remained on deputation with the Punjab Government from December 1, 1966 to March 24, 1967 and again resumed his duty as State Press Liaison Officer, New Delhi, from March 25, 1967 under the Government of Haryana. He continued to work in the said post till October 31, 1968, on which date the impugned order terminating his services was passed by the State Government.

The respondent claimed that since his appointment in June, 1957, no fault has been found in his work by the successive Chief Ministers and other superior officers, under whom he worked. Even when he was working under the State of Haryana, his duties were to maintain liaison between the State and the press in Delhi and to explain the policies of the State Government to leading public men in Delhi. It was also part of his duty to arrange interviews to the Chief Ministers with the gentlemen of the "fourth Estate" and other authorities and agencies at Delhi. The second appellant was elected on May 19, 1968 as the leader of the Haryana Congress Legislative Party and was due to be sworn in as Chief 459 Minister of the State at New Delhi on May 21, 1968. The respondent refers to a series of incidents which took place between him and the second and the third appellants. In view of these circumstances, both the Chief Minister and the third appellant, who was the Head of the Department, mala fide passed the order dated October 31, 1968 terminating his services with effect from the date of the receipt of the order. The order itself is dated October 31, 1968 passed by the Governor of the State of Haryana terminating the services of the respondent from the date of the receipt of the order. One month's salary in lieu of notice was also ordered to be paid. The respondent was directed to relinquish charge of his post at once on receipt of the order. The order was delivered to the respondent on November 1, 1968.

The respondent filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging the order dated October 31, 1968 on various ,rounds.

According to him, the order is one by way of punishment imposed upon him and passed in violation of Art. 311(2) of the Constitution. The order has been passed mala fide and vindictively by or at the instance of the Chief Minister, the second appellant, in collaboration with the third appellant, who was the Head of the Department, and both of whom had become hostile and inimical to him without any fault of his. The post of State Press Liaison Officer, which was held by him, being a permanent post included in the Public Relations Service of the State, his appointment enured for the duration of the post and as such the termination of his service on October 31, 1968, when the post was still in existence, was illegal and void. Under the Service Rules, governing the Public Relations Department, in which the post held by him was included, no person appointed to a post shall continue to remain on probation for more than three years. He having worked for over II years, is to be deemed to be a permanent employee under the Government of Haryana. On all these grounds, he prayed for quashing the order dated October 31, 1968 as illegal and void.

It will be seen from the averments, noted above, that the respondent attacked the order dated October 31, 1968 on the round that he was a permanent employee of the State having been in the service of the, Public Relations Department for over II years and as such the termination of his services contravened Art. 311 (2 ) of the Constitution. His further case is that the post of State Press Liaison Officer, which post he was occupying, was a permanent, post included in the Public Relations Service of the State and hence he was entitled to hold the said post so long as the post itself was in existence. He has also attacked the order as one passed mala fide by the Chief Minister in collusion and collaboration with the Head of the Department, the third appellant. The point 6--L500SuP. CI/72 460 to be noted is that the respondent rested his case almost entirely on the post, that he was holding, namely, that of State Press Liaison Officer.

Both the Chief Minister as well as the Head of the Department (third appellant) filed separate affidavits.

While the Chief Minister, (second appellant) mainly controverted the allegation of mala fides made in the petition against him, the third appellant, apart from controverting the allegation of mala fides, also referred to the various other averments made in the writ petition regarding the nature of the right in respect of the post occupied by the respondent. As we have not set out the allegation of mala fides made in the writ petition, we are, also not referring to the averment made in these two affidavits with regard to those allegations. The question of mala fides will be dealt with by us later. But, it must be noted that the Chief Minister, in his affidavit had stated that the decision to terminate the services of the respondent was taken by him on October 29, 1968 and not on October 31, 1968, as alleged by the respondent. After the decision was taken, necessary action was also taken by the Administrative Department in consultation with the Law Department and the order was actually issued on October 31, 1968 . He has further stated that after he had taken a decision to terminate the services of the respondent on October 29, 1968, the file did not come to him thereafter, nor did he have any occasion to talk to the Chief Secretary or to the third appellant in connection with the same.

The Chief Minister has further stated that the respondent was a temporary employee and as such his services could be terminated under the rules without assigning any reason of giving one month's notice or one month's salary in lieu thereof. It is further stated by him that the impugned order is valid and does not contravene Art. 311(2) of the Constitution, as no punishment has been inflicted on the respondent. It has been further stated that the impugned order has been made bona fide and for purely administrative reasons.

The second appellant, who had by then become the Registrar of Co-operative Societies and Deputy Secretary to the Government in the Panchayat Department, very strenuously controverted the allegation of mala fides made against him.

He further denied that he was in collusion or collaboration with the Chief Minister, resulting in the passing of the impugned order. In his counter-affidavit he has stated as follows :

The post of State Press Liaison Officer in the Public Relations Department was created by the Punjab Government with effect from June 22, 1957 and it was to last till February 28, 1958. By the gazette notification of July, 1962 the said post was not included 461 in the cadre of Public Relations Service. By the said order no new service was created, nor was the post in question, included in the cadre of post in the Service. Even the initial appointment of the respondent as State Press Liaison Officer was irregular, as it had been made in violation of rules relating to recruitment to Government Service. Though there was only one post of State Press Liaison Officer and the respondent was appointed. thereto, the said post was being continued by the Government on annual sanctions. The respondent, as long as he held the said post, was holding the same, on purely temporary basis as the post itself was a temporary post and continued from time to time. The respondent's statement that he had been in service for more than 11 years is correct, but his further averment that he has been all these years holding the post of State Press Liaison Officer is not correct. The respondent had gone on leave and on return he joined as Deputy Director in the Public Relations Department. The post of Deputy Director is a cadre post. The Public Service Commission took exception to his appointment to the cadre post of Deputy Director. The decision to terminate the respondent's services had been taken by the Chief Minister as early as October 29, 1968, though the orders were passed only on October 31, 1968. As the orders had to be served urgently on the respondent, it was sent for service through a special messenger on November 1, 1968. The respondent was a temporary employee, inasmuch as the post occupied by him was itself temporary, having been created initially for one year and later extended from time to time. The said post was held in abeyance for four years from June 1962 to June 1966., during which period the respondent was occupying the cadre post of Deputy Director.

As the Public Service Commission objected to his appointment as Deputy Director, the post of State Press Liaison Officer was revived and the respondent was appointed to that post in June 1966. At no time was he ever made permanent by any order of the Government. His appointment to the post of State Press Liaison Officer was initially made for one year and no special terms or conditions were stipulated. The Government has got absolute power under the Service Rules to terminate the services of a temporary employee on giving one month's notice without assigning any reason. Equally, the Government has got full power to so terminate the services of a temporary employee by giving one month's salary in lieu of notice. The impugned order has been passed bona fide and due to administrative reasons. In particular, it is further stated that the allegation of the respondent that the post of State Press Liaison Officer was permanent and that the same was included in the Public Relations Service of the State, is not correct. The respondents further averment that he was appointed to the said post for the duration thereof is baseless. On the other hand, the respondent wag a temporary emplo462 whose services could be terminated in, the manner in which it has been done. The rules relied on by the respondent are not applicable either to him or to the post held by him. As the respondent was not appointed against any permanent vacancy, rule 10 of the Punjab Public Relations Department (Gazetted) Service Rules, 1958 (hereinafter to be referred as the Gazetted Service Rules) do not apply.

The respondent in his reply affidavit dated February 19, 1969 reiterated that the post of State Press Liaison Officer had been included in the cadre of the Punjab Public Relations Service by the gazette notification No. 6244-IPP62/14270 dated July 11, 1962 and he also filed a copy of the said notification. He denied the allegation of the appellants that the post, he was holding, was a temporary one and that he was holding the said post on a temporary basis. On the other hand, by a reference to an order bearing on 'the same, he averred that his appointment was for the duration of the post of State Press Liaison Officer at Delhi and the post having been continued without any break, and his appointment also having been automatically continued against that post without any interruption, he had a right to hold the same so long as the post existed. As the said post had been included in the Gazetted Service Rules, in 1962 he also automatically became a permanent member of the Service under r. 10(3) of the said Rules, which applied to the cadre created by the notification. He further denied that he was holding a temporary post and stated that he was not aware of any orders passed extending the duration of the post on the basis of annual sanction. He was also not aware of any objections raised by the Public Service Commission to his appointment as Deputy Director. As he was not a temporary employee, the State has no power to summarily terminate his services in violation of Art. 311(2) of the Constitution.

It is seen that on February 24, 1969, the High Court permitted the respondent's counsel to inspect the note file titled as "termination of services of Rajindra Sareen" leading to the passing of the impugned order. On the same day, the respondent, along with his counsel, inspected the file in the presence of an officer of the Public Relations Department of the Government of Haryana. After inspection the respondent filed a supplementary affidavit dated March 10, 1969. In this affidavit he refers elaborately to the various notes made by different officers in the said note file and averred that his allegations in the writ petition that the order has been passed mala fide by the Chief Minister in collusion and collaboration with the third appellant are fully borne out.

On March 25, 1969 the High Court passed an order directing this supplementary affidavit of the respondent to be placed on 463 record without prejudice to the rights of the appellants 'lo object that the note file is not relevant. By the same order the Court gave the appellants time to file their counter-affidavits, if any.

There is no controversy thatthe, Chief Minister did not file any further counter-affidavit, though allegations of mala fides have been repeated by the respondent in his affidavit dated March 10, 1969. The third appellant filed a counter-affidavit on April 12, 1969. He also refers to the order passed by the High Court on March 25, 1969 taking on record the supplementary affidavit filed by the respondent on March 10, 1969 on the 'oasis of the inspection of the note file as per order, dated February 24, 1969. The third appellant very elaborately again controverted the allegations of mala fides made against him and the Chief Minister.

On April 12, 1969 the third appellant again, filed an affidavit regarding the copy of the notification dated July 11, 1962 filed by the respondent along with his reply affidavit dated February 19, 1969. The third appellant also averred that the said notification did not make the post of State Press Liaison Officer a cadre post nor did it include the said post in the Punjab Public Relations Service. The applicability of the Gazetted Service Rules to, ',lie post held by the respondent was also denied. It was further averred that the post of State Press Liaison Officer, held by the respondent was an ex-cadre post and his appointment had not been made with the concurrence of the Public Service Commission. The appointment of the respondent to the said post having been made la 1957, his service conditions are not governed by the Gazetted Service Rules, which came into existence only in 1968 and more specially when the said post was not mentioned in the appendix A of the said Rules.

There was a further reply affidavit filed by the respondent on May 26, 1969 regarding the matter mentioned in the two affidavits dated April 12, 1969 filed by the, third appellant. The respondent reiterated his plea that the post of State Press Liaison Officer, New Delhi, is a cadre post and it has been treated as such ever since the notification dated July 11, 1962. He also made certain further allegations against the third appellant to support his plea of mala fides. He again pointed out that he was appointed to, the post of Deputy Director (Press) in a permanent vacancy. Even assuming that any objections have, been raised by the Public Accounts Committee or the State Public Service Commission to his appointment to the post of Deputy Director (Press), they have no bearing when the State had appointed him to the said post.

Obviously, in view of the conflicting stand taken by the respondent and the third appellant, in several affidavits, referred to above, regarding the effect of the notification dated July 11, 1962, in 464 respect of the post of State Press Liaison Officer, New Delhi, the Division Bench of the High Court, during the course of the hearing of the writ petition passed an order on July 21, 1969. In the said order the High Court had referred to the fact that the writ petition had been heard on several occasions. But, nevertheless, regarding the point urged 'by the writ petitioner that he holds the status of a permanent government employee, in view of the fact that the post of State Press Liaison Officer, has been made a cadre post and included in the cadre of Punjab Public Relations Service as per notification dated July 11, 1962, requires, according to the High Court, clarification, specialty when the writ petitioner had filed a copy of the gazetted notification. The High Court prima facie is of the view that the said notification created a new service entitled Punjab Public Relations Service and that it refers to the various posts in the said Service, one of which is that of the State Press Liaison Officer, New Delhi. The High Court adverted to the contention raised on behalf of the State that the said notification has not created any new Service nor has it made the post in question a cadre post. , The High Court, in the circumstances, felt that sufficient material has not been placed before it to enable it to give a finding whether a new Service called Punjab Public Relations Service was created by the notification dated July 11, 1962, and also as to the effect of the notification about the nature of the post of State Press Liaison Officer.

In view of these circumstances, the High Court gave an opportunity to the writ petitioner. as well as to the State, to file supplementary affidavits in support of their respective contentions and also to file documents, if any, on which the parties proposed to rely. In particular, the High Court indicated that the counter-affidavits, that may be filed on behalf of the State should include the affidavit of the then Chief Secretary who dealt with the matter at the material time leading up to the issue of the notification dated July 11, 1962. The High Court has also expressed the opinion that if necessary they will have to examine the officer, who was at the material time, the Chief Secretary in the State.

In pursuance of the above direction given by the High Court, the respondent, the third appellant as well as certain officers including the then Chief Secretary filed various affidavits. But it is rather strange that though the directions of the High Court related only to the post of State Press Liaison Officer, the controversy was unfortunately enlarged, in the first instance, in the affidavit filed by the writ petitioner on July 21, 1969 as also in the affidavits filed on behalf of the State, even regarding the nature of the appointment of the writ petitioner to the post of Deputy Director (Press) held by him from June 27, 1962 to June 14, 1966. We are particularly referring to this aspect as a contention 465 has been raised by Mr. Tarkunde, learned counsel for the appellants that the writ petitioner has made a shift from the stand originally taken by him in the writ petition which related almost exclusively to the post held by him as State Press Liaison Officer. According to the learned counsel, in the affidavits filed in pursuance of the order of the High ',Court dated July 21, 1969, the writ petitioner made a further claim that he is entitled to be treated as a permanent government servant in view of his appointment to the post of Deputy Director (Press) which post was occupied by him from June 27, 1962 to June 14, 1966 and on this basis lie had laid a claim to have become a permanent employee of the government on the basis of Rule 10 of the Gazetted Service Rules. The High Court has also ultimately granted relief to the writ petitioner on the basis of his appointment to the post of Deputy Director (Press). We understood the counsel to urge that the High Court should not have permitted the writ petitioner to claim permanency on the basis of his having been Deputy Director (Press) during the period mentioned above.

Mr. Ramamurthy, learned counsel for the respondent, however, drew our attention to the averment made even in the original writ petition as well as to the claim made by the writ petitioner of being a permanent government servant on the basis of Rule 10 of the Gazetted Service Rules. This stand was only clarified by him in his affidavit filed on July 21, 1969. The State also did raise any objection at any stage before the High Court regarding the averment made by the writ petitioner in the said affidavit. On the other hand, the officers of the State had filed very elaborate and detailed affidavits after July 21, 1969 dealing with the nature of the appointment of the writ petitioner' to the post of Deputy Director (Press). The State was well aware of the foundation of the claim of being a permanent government servant even on the basis of the post of the post of Deputy Director (Press) held by the writ petitioner and that explains why no objection, similar to the one that is now being raised before, this Court, was raised at any time before the High Court.

Though we see considerable force in the contention of Mr. Tarkunde that the original claim made by the writ petitioner has been enlarged by the affidavit filed by him on July 21, 1969, there is nothing on record to show that the State raised any objection in the various affidavits filed by its officers after this date, that the writ petitioner was not entitled to base a claim of being a permanent servant on the basis of his having held the post of Deputy Director (Press) for over four years. On the other hand, they also very elaborately controverted the claim made by the writ petitioner and gave their own versions regarding the nature of the right of the writ petitioner in respect of the said post also. That 466 clearly shows that they have also met the claim made by the writ petitioner on the basis of his having been a Deputy Director (Press) in the service of the then State of Punjab.

It is further seen from the judgment of the High Court that very elaborate arguments were advanced by both the parties even in respect of this post. Therefore, under those circumstances, we are of the opinion that the State cannot have any real grievance that the High Court was not justified in granting any relief to the writ petitioner on the basis of his having held 'he post of Deputy Director (Press), if he was otherwise entitled to make such a claim.

As to whether the High Court's view on the interpretation of Rule 10 of the Gazetted Service Rules in relation to the writ petitioner's appointment as Deputy Director is correct or not, is a totally different matter and that aspect will be considered by us in the later part of the judgment.

To resume the narration of facts, the respondent filed an affidavit on July 21, 1969 on the basis of the High Court's order of the same date, referred to earlier. In this affidavit, for the first time, he raised the contention that he was appointed on June 27, 1962 as Deputy Director (Press) which is a permanent post included in the appendix A of the Gazetted Service Rules. His claim was that the order of appointment dated June 6, 1962 made no mention that his appointment as Deputy Director Press was ,on a temporary or officiating basis. He further averred that on the date of his appointment as Deputy Director the then incumbent of that post Mr. Rajendra Nath had been promoted as Joint Director Public Relations, a new post created by the order dated June 21, 1962. As Mr. Rajendra Nath had been promoted to a permanent post of Joint Director, the respondent claimed that his appointment as Deputy Director on June 27, 1962 was against a permanent vacancy, in a permanent post in the Punjab Relations Service. As he continued in the said post for over 4 years, he had acquired the status of a permanent employee by virtue of Rule 10(3) of the Gazetted Service Rules. The respondent further averred that by the notification dated July 11, 1962 a new service by name Punjab Public Relations Service was created and the post of State Press Liaison Officer was made a cadre post and included in the said Service Cadre.

It will be seen from the above affidavit that for the first time he specifically made a claim of having become a permanent government servant by virtue of his having occupied the post of Deputy Director (Press) for over 4 years and for this purpose he relied on Rule 10(3) of the Gazetted Service Rules.

Mr. E. N. Mangat Rai, I.C.S., who was the Chief Secretary to the Government of Punjab at the time when the notification 467 dated July 11, 1962 was issued, filed an affidavit on August 7, 1969. He had set out the circumstances under which the said notification was issued. But he had admitted that the original draft of the notification was not available in the concerned file. According to the Chief Secretary, the notification dated July 11, 1962 did not create any new service but it only changed the name of the service from Punjab Public Relations Department (Gazetted Service) to Punjab Public Relations Service and the notification only classified the posts in the said service into Classes 1 and

11. It added also certain other posts in the service including that of the. State Press Liaison Officer. He has further referred to the fact that a particular service may contain posts, both temporary as well as permanent and that the post of State Press Liaison Officer was a temporary post.

Another officer Mr. K. D. Vasudeva, I.A.S., who was the Deputy Secretary, at the time when the above notification was issued, also filed an affidavit dated August 8, 1969.

Broadly, he adopted as correct the averments made 'by the Chief Secretary in his affidavit and reiterated that no new service was created by the said notification and that the post of State Press Liaison Officer was not made a cadre post.

The third appellant also filed a detailed affidavit on August 8, 1969. He controverted the allegations of the respondent that the latter had been appointed to a substantive vacancy as Deputy Director (Press) and that he had thus acquired the status of a permanent government servant having been in that post for over four years. He averred that the respondent so 'on,, as he occupied the post of Deputy Director (Press) held the same only in an officiating capacity. In this connection he relied on the pay slips issued by the Accountant General authorising disbursement of salary to the respondent describing him as an officiating Deputy Director (Press). It was further averred by the said officer the respondent could not have been appointed as Deputy Director (Press) against a permanent vacancy as Rajendra Nath, who was holding the said post had been promoted as Joint Director, Which was a temporary post. The post of Joint Director, which was created on temporary basis on June 21, 1962 continued to be so till September, 1968. During the period when Rajendra Nath was working in the temporary post of Joint Director he was retaining his lien on his permanent post, namely, Deputy Director (Press) to which the respondent was appointed on June 27, 1962.

The, third appellant further averred that in the year 1962 there were only two permanent posts of Deputy Directors; one in charge of Press and another of field. The post of Deputy Director (Press) was then held by Rajendra Nath on permanent basis since September 3, 1958 and he was promoted as Joint Director, which was a 468 temporary post. The post of Deputy Director (field) was occupied by Mrs. A. Mardhekar since March 2, 1960.

Therefore, in June 1962, when the respondent was posted as Deputy Director (Press) there was no permanent vacancy in the said post. In view of these circumstances, it was further averred that the appointment of the respondent was only on a purely officiating or temporary basis and he was not entitled to invoke Rule 10 of the Gazetted Service Rules.

Dealing with the post of State Press Liaison Officer, the third appellant, adopted the stand taken by the Chief Secretary that the notification of July, 1962, did not create any new service and that, it did not also make the post of State Press Liaison Officer a cadre post. He further averred that the respondent cannot claim to have become a permanent government servant by having occupied the post of State Press Liaison Officer, which was a temporary post. In fact he further averred that the notification dated July 11, 1962 was not in accordance with the proposals made by the Director or the decision taken by the Government.

Mr. R. S. Verma, I.A.S., Deputy Secretary to the Government of Haryana, Public Relations Department, filed an affidavit dated August 27, 1969. In this affidavit he has stated that he has examined the files connected with the posts included in the cadre shown in Appendix A of the Gazetted Service Rules. He has referred to the fact that though the post of Administrative Officer is shown in the said Appendix as a cadre post, that post continued to be temporary till September 25, 1964, on which date it was made permanent.

Regarding the notification dated July 11, 1962, he again referred to the fact that the post of State Press Liaison Officer had all along been temporary and it was held in abeyance from June 1962 till June 1966 and that there was no order of the Government making the post a permanent one. He has again reiterated that there was no permanent vacancy of Deputy Director (Press) in 1962 when the respondent was appointed as Mr. Rajendra Nath had a lien on the said post.

In particular, he has stated that at the time of the, appointment of the respondent as Deputy Director (Press) in June, 1962 by notification dated June 6, 1962, there were two other posts of Deputy Directors; one for Deputy Director (Field) and the other for Deputy Director (Publicity Material). The post of Deputy 'Director (Field) was held by Mrs. A. Mardhekar. The post of Deputy Director (Publicity Material) was a temporary post and it was made permanent only in 1964.

The respondent filed his reply affidavit on August 29, 1969.

Naturally he took advantage of the averment contained in the affidavit of Mr. R. S. Verma to the effect that there were three 469 posts of Deputy Directors, namely, of Press, Field and Publicity Material at the time when he was appointed as Deputy Director (Press) in 1962. He has also taken advantage of the further fact stated by Mr. R. S. Verma that the post of Deputy Director (Publicity Material) was made permanent from April 1, 1964. Based upon these facts, the respondent pleaded that he having been appointed to the post of Deputy Director (Press) on June 27, 1962, and having completed three years of service on June 27, 1965 in the said post, he became a permanent employee of the Government as Deputy Director in the Punjab Public Relations Service, under the proviso to Rule 10(3) of the Gazetted Service Rules. He relied on this rule in support of his plea that at any rate, there was a clear permanent vacancy in the third permanent post of Deputy Director, with effect from April 1, 1964, in which vacancy he could be confirmed on June 27, 1965, having completed three years of service as Deputy Director. In particular, he relied on the proviso to Rule 10(3) of the Gazetted Service Rules. He further averred that the fact that Mi. Rajendra Nath had a lien on the post of Deputy Director (Press) is of no consequence so far as he was concerned as he could be made permanent in the third post of Deputy Director, namely, Deputy Director (Publicity Material) .

We have elaborately referred 'to the various affidavits filed on behalf of the State as well as by the respondent as full particulars regarding the claim made by the respondent and the stand taken on behalf of the State has been fully dealt with in those affidavits.

Before the High Court it was conceded by the learned counsel appearing for the State that if the plea of mala fides alleged against the Chief Minister and the third appellant herein, was accepted, 'the impugned order should be quashed straightaway. Therefore, the High Court considered the question regarding the impugned order being vitiated by mala fides, in the first instance.

So far as the Chief Minister was concerned, the respondent had alleged four incidents which caused misunderstanding between him and the Chief Minister and, therefore, the order was passed by him in collusion with the third appellant mala fide. But so far as the fourth incident was concerned, that related to the respondent's alleged failure to arrange for publication of a declaration made by Shri Nijalingappa, the Congress President, at Faridabad on October 30, 1968, assuring his support to the Ministry headed by the second appellant. According to the respondent, the Chief Minister was greatly upset over the absence of the declaration of Shri Nijalingappa in the Delhi newspapers on October 31, 1968. In view of this the Chief Minister rushed to Chandigarh the same day and passed the order removing him from service.

470 The Chief Minister denied This allegation and has stated that the decision to terminate the service of the respondent, had been taken by him even as early as October 29, 1968 and that the formal order was issued by the concerned Department on October 31, 1968. This statement of the Chief Minister has been accepted by the High Court and therefore, the allegation of mala fides regarding this fourth incident is groundless, because whatever may or may not have happened on October 31, 1968 between the respondent and the Chief Minister, the decision to terminate his services had been taken as early as October 29, 1968.

The respondent then relied on three other incidents, in which, according to him, he had come into conflict with the Chief Minister. The High Court has considered the explanation given by the Chief Minister. Though the High Court has stated that the explanation given by the Chief Minister is disingenuous and that it is prepared to place more reliance on the version as spoken to by the respondent, ultimately the High Court has held that the plea of mala fides is not established. In coming to this conclusion, it has no doubt taken each incident 'by itself and recorded a finding against the plea of mala fides.

Regarding the third appellant, there was only one incident, which, according to the respondent, brought him into conflict with the third appellant who-was then Head of the Department. Even here, the High Court is of the view that there is a substratum of truth in the version of the respondent regarding the incident, which must have prejudiced the mind of the third appellant. But, according to the High Court that incident by itself does not lead to the conclusion that the third respondent has colluded with the Chief Minister in passing the impugned order. On the above grounds, 'the High Court rejected the plea of 'he respondent that the impugned order has been passed mala fides.

The High Court then considered the claim of the respondent that he had become a permanent member of the Service by virtue of his appointment as Deputy Director (Press) with effect from June 27, 1962. The High Court relied on the Proviso to, Rule 10(3) of the Gazetted Service Rules and is of the view that inasmuch as even according to the State, the third post of Deputy Director (Publicity Material) had become a permanent post on April 1, 1964, , the respondent on completion of three years of service from June 27, 1962, had become a permanent Deputy Director and as such a permanent employee of the Government. It is the further view of the High Court that the fact that at the time when the respondent was appointed as Deputy Director (Press) on June 27, 1962, Mr. Rajendra Nath, who had been promoted as Joint Director, had a lien on his former post, was not relevant 471 as 'the third post of Deputy Director (Publicity Material) was available and to that post the respondent had acquired, a right at the end of three years from June 27, 1962. As he had become a permanent employee of the Government, the termination of his services was in violation of Art. 311(2) of the Constitution.

Regarding the claim of the respondent that his appointment to the post of State Press Liaison Officer is co-terminus with the existence of the post, the High Court is of the view that as the post itself was being renewed from year to year, the respondent can. at the most be held entitled to continue in that post till February 28, 1969. According 'to the High Court the State has no power to terminate the services of the respondent, when the post was still in existence.

For the above reasons, the High Court quashed the order dated October 31, 1968.

From the facts stated above, as well as the findings of the High Court, the following questions arise for consideration in the appeal : (1) whether the impugned order is vitiated by mala fides; (2) whether the respondent became a permanent Government servant on his appointment as Deputy Director (Press) with effect from June 27, 1962 on the expiry of three years, namely, June 27, 1965; and (3) the nature of the right that the respondent had as State Press Liaison Officer.

We are aware that if once the respondent is able to establish that the impugned order is vitiated by mala fides, on the part of the second and the third appellants, no further question will arise. Therefore, though the finding of mala fides is in favour of the appellants, we permitted Mr. Ramamurthy, learned counsel for the respondent, to convass the correctness of the finding recorded against his client on this question by the High Court. Though we are not satisfied with the approach made by the High Court in dealing with the allegation of mala fides made by the respondent, ultimately, after going through the entire materials placed before us and after hearing the contentions of the learned counsel on both sides, we are of the opinion that the conclusion arrived at by the High Court is correct.

It is not possible to accept 'the plea of the respondent that the impugned order has been passed mala fide by the second appellant, in collusion with or in collaboration with the third appellant. Nor are we satisfied that the said order has been passed by the second appellant, actuated by malice and ill-will against the respondent. But we must say that the record does show that certain incidents have happened, which must have resulted in some misunderstanding between the respondent on the one hand, and the Chief Minister and the third appellant on the other. Certain incidents have been 472 placed on record which will show that the respondent may have incurred the displeasure of the second appellant. But that circumstance, by itself, cannot lead to the conclusion that the impugned order has been passed mala fide.

Why we are saying that the approach made by the High Court in this regard in considering the allegation of mala fides is not proper is that the, High Court has taken each allegation by itself and has held that it is not sufficient to establish mala fides. The proper approach should have been to consider all the allegations together and find out whether those allegations have been made out and whether those allegations when established, are sufficient to prove malice or ill-will on the part of the official concerned, and whether the impugned order is the result of such malice or ill-will. We are emphasising this aspect because in certain cases even a single allegation, if established, will be so serious to lead ,to an inference of mala fides. But, in certain cases each individual allegation, treated separately, may not lead to an inference of mala fides; but when all the allegations are taken together and found to be established, then the inference to be drawn from those established facts may lead to the conclusion that an order has been passed male fide, out of personal ill-will or malice. The incidents, referred to by 'the respondent, due to which the Chief Minister is alleged to have acted mala fide, in passing the impugned order, in our opinion, taken individually or collectively, cannot lead to the conclusion that the order has been passed out of malice or ill-will Even accepting that the incidents took place in the manner alleged by him, it is not possible to hold that the Chief, Minister has acted with malice when passing the impugned order. The allegations made by the respondent, as well as the denial of those allegations by the Chief Minister and the third appellant are dealt with by us in the later part of the judgment.

We have already referred to the fact that the respondent had made four allegations against the Chief Minister, on the basis of which he alleged that the impugned order had been passed mala fide. We have also referred to the fact that the fourth incident relating to the non-publication of the, declaration made by the Congress President Sri Nijalingappa on October 31, 1968. The respondent's allegation was that the Chief Minister was anxious that the statement made by Sri Nijalingappa regarding his support to the Ministry headed by the second appellant should be published in all the daily newspapers in Delhi on the morning of October 31, 1968, itself and when the news item was not so published, he got annoyed. It is the further case of the, respondent that in view of the fact that the Chief Minister was very much annoyed, he rushed to Chandigarh and had the order of termination passed forthwith. So far as this is concerned, the Chief 473 Minister's statement that he had already taken the decision to terminate the services of the respondent on October 29, 1968, has been accepted by the High Court. It so, the incident mentioned above, which took place later, even if true, could not have influenced the Chief Minister.

We will now refer to the three other allegations made by the respondent against the Chief Minister. The first allegation was that he had incurred the displeasure of the Chief Minister in connection with a Press Conference the Chief Minister had in Delhi after assuming office. In that conference, according to the respondent, the Chief Minister made a statement that personally he was not convinced that the interest of the State of Haryana required inclusion of Chandigarh in that State. The respondent appears to have suggested that such a statement should not appear in the Press, as it will have very serious political repercussions.

The second appellant, though be resented the advice of the respondent, agreed to have that observation to be deleted by the Press correspondent. This incident took place sometime in early June, 1968. The Chief Minister has denied this incident. The second cause for unpleasantness of the Chief Minister, according to the respondent, arose on his close association with Mr. G. L. Nanda. According to the respondent, the Chief Minister had told him, after assuming office that Mr. G. L. Nanda is his Guru and that he should act in Delhi according to Mr. Nanda's advice. But, later on by about August, 1968, the relationship between Mr. Nanda and the Chief Minister became strained, but the respondent, however, wag friendly with Mr. Nanda. This association with Mr. Nanda was resented by the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister has stated that he had always held Mr. Nanda in high esteem and that ha had no occasion to become unfriendly with Mr. Nanda in his personal relationship. He has further stated that he had no occasion to find fault with the respondent for being friendly with Mr. Nanda. The third allegation made against the Chief Minister was that on or about June 23, 1968, the Chief Minister had a talk with him from Srinagar on telephone and t