IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 3062 OF 2023
Arising out of SLP(C) No. 12635 of 2020
THE STATE OF KARNATAKA & ORS. ....APPELLANT(S)
VERSUS
SMT. BHARATHI S. ...RESPONDENT(S)
O R D E R
1. This Civil Appeal by the State of Karnataka impugns the
judgment of the High Court directing appointment of the
Respondent to the post of Assistant Teacher, as her name appears
in the Additional List (Wait List) of candidates. Having considered
the rules and the principles that govern the services, we have held
that enlistment of name in the Additional List neither creates a
right nor a co-relative obligation for appointment. For reasons that
follow, we have allowed the appeal filed by the State and set aside
the directions of the High Court. Facts that are necessary for
disposal of the appeal are as follows:-
2. Pursuant to a notification issued by the Department of Public
Signature Not Verified
Digitally signed by
CHETAN KUMAR
Date: 2023.05.19
18:46:24 IST
Reason:
Instructions, the Respondent applied for the post of Assistant
Teacher in Government Primary School at Chikkaballapur District.
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Post the selection process, the selection authority, issued the final
select list of five candidates on 20.01.2016. The Respondent was
not one of them. However, an Additional List (which is in the nature
of a wait list) was published on 29.02.2016, which comprised of
just one candidate, the Respondent herein. The Additional List had
a note which stated that mere inclusion in the list would not confer
a right to appointment and that the selection of the candidates
named in the Additional List is provisional and subject to the
directions received by the government from time to time.
3. A few months later i.e., on 21.07.2016, when a selected
candidate made a representation that she was not inclined to take
up the post, the Respondent addressed a letter to the Appellants
on 08.09.2016 to consider her candidature since she was the only
candidate in the Additional List .
4. Respondent’s request for appointment was rejected by the
State on 17.02.2017 on the basis of Proceedings of Govt. of
Karnataka dated 11.04.2003, which provides that an Additional
List shall remain valid up to six months from the date of its
publication or the date when all the posts are filled up, whichever is
earlier . Since the Additional List was published on 29.02.2016, it
would be valid up to 28.08.2016. As the Respondent made a
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representation only on 08.09.2016, which was beyond the six-
month period, the request of the Respondent was rejected. This
decision was challenged by the Respondent before the Karnataka
Administrative Tribunal (hereinafter referred to as ‘Tribunal’). The
Tribunal dismissed the Application by relying on the Proceedings
dated 11.04.2003. This decision was challenged by the
Respondent before the High Court of Karnataka in a writ petition
under Article 226 of the Constitution.
5. The High Court, by the judgment impugned herein, set aside
the order of the Tribunal, holding that the State failed in its
obligation to inform the respondent about the existence of the
vacancy that has arisen, and also that, there were “latches in filling
up the vacancy”. For this reason, the High Court was of the opinion
that the respondent was not at fault when she made her
application after expiry of six months. The appellants were directed
to give effect to the Additional List within three months from the
date of the order.
6. We have heard learned counsel for the parties. At the outset,
the Appellant has placed reliance on the Proceedings of the
Government of Karnataka dated 11.04.2003, which is essentially
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a clarification about the life of the Additional List . The relevant
portion of the clarification as under: -
“ And for the question of till how long the Additional list
is valid?
For this, answer is up to 6 months of the announcement
of additional list or by filling all the posts which has
been already announced, whichever occurs first is to be
taken into consideration.”
7. As per the above referred clarification, the Additional List
(wait list) will subsist for a period of six months from the date of
its announcement. In the present case, the selection process which
commenced on 23.03.2015, culminated in the issuance of a
selection list on 20.01.2016. Thereafter, the Additional List has
been notified on 29.02.2016. If the period of six months is
calculated from the date of notification of the Additional List , the
said list would expire by 28.08.2016. The respondent is said to
have applied for the post only on 08.09.2016.
8. The learned counsel for the Writ Petitioner made an alternate
submission that the clarification Proceedings dated 11.04.2003,
relied on by the State, is only an executive instruction. It is
submitted that the relevant Rules which govern the recruitment
are the Karnataka Education Department Services (Department of
Public Instructions) (Recruitment) Rules, 1967. These Rules have
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undergone an amendment and the relevant portion of the amended
Rule, being Entry 66 of the Schedule to the Rules, concerning
‘Primary School Assistant Cadre’, relied on is as under:
“
The Selection authority shall prepare an
additional list of candidates not included in the main
list not exceeding ten per cent of the vacancies
available. The list so prepared shall be published in the
Official Gazette and shall cease to be operative from the
date of publication of Notification for the subsequent
recruitment of Primary School Teachers under these
rules or any other rules specifically made for the
recruitment of primary school teachers. However, the
recruitment shall be limited to the extent of notified
vacancies only.
Relying on Entry 66, it is submitted on behalf of the respondent
that the Additional List would continue to subsist till a subsequent
notification for recruitment of primary school teachers is issued.
9. It is true that Proceedings dated 11.04.2003 is only an
executive instruction and cannot override the application of Rules
that govern services. The Rules that govern the services are the
Karnataka Education Department Services (Department of Public
Instructions) (Recruitment) Rules, 1967 as amended in 2001. On
a close reading of the relevant rule applicable to the services i.e.
Entry 66, it is clear that there is no obligation on the State to make
appointments. Mere publication of the Additional List does not
create any right to be appointed. There is no such mandate in the
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Rule. Entry 66 of the Rules merely provides that the Selection
authority shall prepare and publish an Additional List of
candidates not exceeding ten percent of the vacancies and the said
list shall cease to operate from the date of publication of
notification for subsequent recruitments.
10. The position of law is also clear. In Subha B. Nair & Ors. v.
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State of Kerala & Ors. , which has also been relied upon by the
State, it has been held that:
| “8. A decision on the part of an employer whether to fill up the | |
|---|
| existing vacancies or not is within its domain. On this limited | |
| ground in the absence of discrimination or arbitrariness, a writ | |
| court ordinarily would not interfere in such matters. | |
| 9. Similar view has also been expressed by this Court in K. | |
|---|
| Thulaseedharan v. Kerala State Public Service Commission, | |
| (2007) 6 SCC 190. | |
| 19. The question as to whether there existed 7 vacancies or 16 | |
|---|
| vacancies in the aforementioned situation loses all significance. | |
| We would assume that as per the requisition, 9 more vacancies | |
| could be filled up but it is trite that if the employer takes a policy | |
| decision not to fill up any existing vacancy, only because a | |
| person's name is found in the select list, the same by itself would | |
| be a ground to compel the Bank to fill them up.” | |
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Further, in Shankarsan Dash v. Union of India , this Court held
that:
“ 7. It is not correct to say that if a number of vacancies are
notified for appointment and adequate number of candidates are
found fit, the successful candidates acquire an indefeasible right
to be appointed which cannot be legitimately denied. Ordinarily
the notification merely amounts to an invitation to qualified
candidates to apply for recruitment and on their selection they
do not acquire any right to the post. Unless the relevant
1
(2008) 7 SCC 210.
2
(1991) 3 SCC 47.
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| recruitment rules so indicate, the State is under no legal duty to | |
|---|
| fill up all or any of the vacancies. However, it does not mean that | |
| the State has the licence of acting in an arbitrary manner. The | |
| decision not to fill up the vacancies has to be taken bona fide for | |
| appropriate reasons. And if the vacancies or any of them are | |
| filled up, the State is bound to respect the comparative merit of | |
| the candidates, as reflected at the recruitment test, and no | |
| discrimination can be permitted. This correct position has been | |
| consistently followed by this Court, and we do not find any | |
| discordant note in the decisions in State of Haryana v. Subhash | |
| Chander Marwaha, (1974) 3 SCC 220; Neelima Shangla v. State | |
| of Haryana, (1986) 4 SCC 268 or Jatinder Kumar v. State of | |
| Punjab, (1985) 1 SCC 122.” | |
11. The position that emerges from the above decisions is that
the duty to fill up vacancies from the Additional List ( waiting list)
can arise only on the basis of a mandatory rule. In the absence of
such a mandate, the decision to fill all the vacancies from the
Additional List , is left to the wisdom of the State. We will however
add that State cannot act arbitrarily and its action will be subject
to judicial review.
12. Returning to the facts of the present case, we are of the
opinion that the High Court has committed an error in assuming
the existence of a right to be appointed on the basis of Entry 66 in
the Schedule to the 1967 Rules. We have seen that the Rule by
itself does not create any right. Such a position is also not
supported by any principle of law. Finally, the conclusion of the
High Court that the Respondent was unaware of the resignation of
the appointed candidate will have no bearing on the operation of
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the Rule. The operation of the Additional List , which is to be
published in the official Gazette will depend upon the time
specified in the Rule and not as per the knowledge of individual
candidates.
13. In conclusion, we are of the opinion that the High Court
committed an error in directing the State to give effect to the
Additional List and appoint the respondent within three months
from the date of the order. Under these circumstances, the Civil
Appeal No. 3062 of 2023 filed by the State of Karnataka stands
allowed and the decision of the High Court in Writ Petition No.
51904 of 2019 dated 31.01.2020 is set aside.
14. No order as to costs.
……..……………………………….CJI.
[Dr Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud]
……………….………………………….J.
[Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha]
New Delhi;
May 19, 2023
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