Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud, J. - (1.) Leave granted.
(2.) This appeal has arisen from the judgment of a Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court in a Writ Appeal against a judgment of a learned Single Judge. The learned Single Judge, by a judgment dated 7 September 2016, held that Ramakrishna Mission is 'State' within the meaning of Article 12 of the Constitution of India. In appeal, the Division Bench held that while Ramakrishna Mission may not be 'State' within the meaning of Article 12 in the strict sense of the term, nonetheless its hospital at Itanagar performs a public duty and in consequence would be amenable to the writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution on a liberal interpretation of the expression 'authority' in that Article.
(3.) The first respondent joined the Ramakrishna Mission Hospital at Itanagar on 15 March 1980 as a General Duty Worker. He was regularised with effect from 1 August 1980 by a letter dated 23 July 1980. On 31 March 1982, the first respondent was promoted to the substantive post of Nursing Aid. He was made permanent on 13 April 1984. Subsequently on 31 December 2005, he was promoted as an Office Assistant with effect from 1 October 2005.;