JUDGEMENT
SOUMEN SEN, J. -
(1.) THIS writ petition has a chequered history.
(2.) THE writ petitioner has approached this court on three previous occasions where in substance the petitioner has prayed for regularization and/or
absorption of the writ petitioner as Home Guard. The petitioner was
initially appointed as Home Guard Volunteer in terms of section 4
sub -section 1 of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Home Guard Regulation 1964
for a period of three years from 24th March, 1993. Since the service of
the petitioner was not regularized even after putting more than five
years of service continuously, the petitioner made a departmental
representation and ultimately filed an application along with other
applicant being OA No. 122/AN/99 for regularization. In the said
proceeding, an order was passed on 13th October, 1999 directing the
respondent authorities not to pass any order detrimental to the interest
of the said applicants including the petitioner in respect of their
status of Home Guard as being enjoyed and performance of duty being
performed by them till the disposal of the case. In spite of the
aforesaid, the petitioner was discharged from service on 22nd January,
2002 by the Area Commandant, Home Guard Andaman and Nicobar Islands prior to the disposal of the OA 122/AN/99 the reason for the discharge of the
petitioner was that the petitioner was not in proper uniform. In 2008,
the petitioner filed a writ application being WP No. 048 of 2008
challenging the said order of discharge and disciplinary proceeding in
which Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh as His Lordship then was before His
Lordship 's elevation to the Hon 'ble Supreme Court held that the said
dress code violation is not that fatal which would visit the petitioner
with an order of discharge and the writ petition was disposed of by
directing the respondent No. 3 to treat the writ petition as
representation and consider the same sympathetically and on humanitarian
ground.
Following the aforesaid the respondent No.6 passed an order by which the petitioner was enrolled afresh as Home Guard Volunteer with immediate
effect against existing vacancy for a period of three years. The said
appointment would be governed by Andaman & Nicobar Islands Home Guard
Regulation 1964 and Rules 1965. Thereafter the petitioner again
approached this court being WP 994 of 2010 inter alia for regularization
of his appointment on the ground that persons similarly situated have
been absorbed.
(3.) THE learned Single Judge by a judgement and order dated 07th February, 2011 in WP No. 994 of 2010 disposed of the said writ application by directing the authorities concerned to consider the case of the
petitioner in accordance with the scheme to be framed as directed by the
Hon 'ble Division Bench in judgement and order passed on 04th February,
2011 in MAT MAT No.064 of 2010, MAT No.065 of 2010 and MAT No.066 of 2010. The Hon 'ble Division Bench by which direction was issued upon the respondents to frame a scheme by issuing appropriate notification within
six months for regularization of the service of the Home Guard in
accordance with the judgement of the High Court in MAT No. 25 of 2006 and
decision of the Apex Court in SLP (C) 10496 of 2007 (Union of India and
other -vs - Parul Debnath and others). Thereafter the petitioner was
discharged from service on 13th May 2011 which gave rise to another writ
petition being WP No. 946 of 2011. In the said proceeding the petitioner
has challenged the order of discharge passed by the said respondent
authorities by which the petitioner was discharged from service on and
from 13th May 2011. The learned single judge disposed of the said writ
application on February 07, 2012 by observing that the petitioner had
earlier served the organization between the years 1993 to 2002. He was
discharged from service on disciplinary ground in the year 2002.
Subsequently he was given a fresh appointment after consideration of his
case in pursuance of the direction of this court passed on 08th April,
2008 in WP. No. 048 of 2008. On completion of three years, after he was given a fresh appointment, he was discharged from service. At various
point of time, different scheme is framed by the administration for
absorption of Home Guard in Police Force as well as other department of
the administration. Since the scheme is in operation with regard to
regularization of Home Guard being Regularization of Home Guard - Scheme
of Andaman & Nicobar Administration 2011 and having regard to the fact
that the representation of petitioner for absorption was still under
consideration, the authority was directed to take a decision for
regularization of the petitioner considering the applicable scheme and
the fact that he had served the organization in the past. The authority
concerned in purported compliance of the said order passed an order dated
24th February, 2012 rejecting the request for regularization in supernumerary post. The reasons for rejecting the said application is
that the petitioner did not fulfill the eligibility criteria as
stipulated in the scheme for regularization. He was appointed afresh in
terms of Andaman & Nicobar Island Home Guard Regulation, 1964 and Rules
1965 for specific period of three years with effect from 23rd June, 2008 and did not possess the five years of continuous service without any
break. Furthermore the scheme of 2011 does not envisage continuing of
past service rendered by the petitioner since he was discharged on
disciplinary ground.;
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