U P JAL NIGAM Vs. NARINDER KUMAR AGARWAL
LAWS(SC)-1996-1-118
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
Decided on January 31,1996

U P JAL NIGAM Appellant
VERSUS
Narinder Kumar Agarwal Respondents

JUDGEMENT

- (1.) Delay condoned. Leave granted.
(2.) The appellant-U. P. Jal Nigam was formed under the U. P. Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1975. Consequentially, the persons working in the Local Self-Government Engineering Department of U. P. were transferred to the appellant's administrative control. In exercise of power under Section 97 of the Act, U. P. Jal Nigam Engineers (Public Health Branch) Services Regulations, 1978 (for short 'regulations') were framed. Rule 5 of the Regulations envisaged that: "5.Keeping into consideration Rules 6, 17 and 18, recruitment from the following sources: (1 Assistant Engineer; A. Direct recruitment on the basis of result of competitive examination or as prescribed in Part 5 of the rules for recruitment. But in case of emergency the Nigam can make recruitment on the basis of interview also. Note.- Initial recruitment to the post of Assistant Engineer will be made against only temporary vacancies. (2 Junior Engineers and Computers of the former Local Self- government Department and/or in the service of Jal Nigam by promotion of those candidates who have rendered continuous service of ten years in the former LS-GD and/or U. P. Jal Nigam or any other department. Temporary service will be counted for this purpose. The candidates fulfilling these conditions and also falling within the ambit of Rule 16 (3 will be considered. Note.- The details for recruitment to the post of Junior Engineer and Computer is given in Condition I. But recruitment will be done in such a way that 25% of the vacancies are filled by promotion and the rest by direct recruitment. Any relaxation in this percentage will be permitted only when suitable candidates are not available.
(3.) Rule 10 prescribes that no person will be recruited direct in the civil side unless he holds a degree in Civil Engineering or its equivalent from a recognised university or he has passed Parts A and B of AMIE. Clause B thereof also provides that no person shall be recruited to the mechanical side on similar conditions. The ratio for direct recruitment is 75% and for promotees 25% and while calculating the vacancies, the ratio of 25% for promotees be always maintained. Rule 10 (3 which is relevant for the purpose envisages that Computers and Junior Engineers in the service of former LS-GD or Jal Nigam will not be promoted to the post of Assistant Engineering (Civil) or (Mechanical) under Rule 5 (1) (ka) (two) unless he has passed the condition prescribed in Rules 10 (1 and 10 (2 of the Regulations. The note appended thereto gives lever for relaxation of conditions of recruitment and can adopt any other criteria for the selection and promotion of Junior Engineers and Computers to the post of Assistant Engineer. In other words, the note enabled them only to relax the rules prescribed for passing the qualifying examination for selection to the posts of Assistant Engineers. At this juncture, we would observe that the rule runs contrary to the settled service jurisprudence and the law laid down by this court and deleterious to augment efficacy of service and would dry out the source to improve excellence and honest service. However, since the note is not the subject-matter of attack, we need not observe any further,;


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