Allahabad High Court

Communication of disapproval after thirty-day statutory period results in deemed approval of ministerial staff appointments.

C/M St. Johns Girls Junior High School vs State Of U.P. And Another

Allahabad High CourtJUDGMENT: April 03, 20262 MIN READSOURCE JUDGMENT
THE ORIGINAL LAWLENS SUMMARY
01

Facts

The petitioner, a recognized minority aided institution, conducted a selection process for the post of Clerk on 25.05.2017

Source reference: para 3-7

The Management had sought a nominee from the District Basic Education Officer (BSA), and one Shri Jitendra Kumar Pandey participated as the representative

Source reference: para 6

The selection papers were submitted to the BSA on 04.09.2017

Source reference: para 7

The BSA issued an order dated 28.09.2017 disapproving the appointment, citing an improperly constituted selection committee (due to lack of official nomination), delay in submitting papers, and issues with the advertisement

Source reference: para 11, 31

This order was posted on 05.10.2017 and received by the institution on 07.10.2017

Source reference: para 9, 17
02

Issues

1. Whether the delay in communicating the BSA's decision beyond the 30-day statutory period resulted in "deemed approval" of the appointment under Rule 15(5)(iii) of the 1984 Rules

Source reference: para 14, 65

2. Whether the participation of a nominee not formally authorized by the BSA, or the delay in forwarding selection papers, vitiated the recruitment process

Source reference: para 50, 59, 68

3. Whether the writ petition was maintainable at the behest of the Committee of Management

Source reference: para 79
03

Law Applied

Rule 15(5)(iii) of the U.P. Recognized Basic Schools (Junior High Schools) (Recruitment and Conditions of Service of Ministerial Staff and Group D Employees) Rules, 1984, which mandates that if the BSA does not communicate a decision within one month of receipt of papers, approval is deemed granted

Source reference: para 42, 65

Rule 14 regarding the constitution of the Selection Committee

Source reference: para 42

The principle from State of U.P. v. Gunjan Singh that the management cannot be penalized for the BSA’s failure to formally nominate a representative

Source reference: para 67

The principle that procedural timelines (Rules 15(3) and (4)) are directory unless the statute provides penal consequences

Source reference: para 59
04

Reasoning

The court found that since the selection papers were received by the BSA office on 04.09.2017, the 30-day window for communication expired on 04.10.2017. Because the disapproval order was only communicated on 07.10.2017, "deemed approval" took effect by operation of law

Source reference: para 18, 64-66

Regarding the Selection Committee's constitution, the court reasoned that since a representative (Shri Pandey) actually participated and signed the proceedings, the lack of a formal nomination letter was a "hyper-technical" irregularity that did not invalidate the selection

Source reference: para 50-52, 69

The court further noted that the delay in forwarding papers was reasonably explained by a flood situation in Gorakhpur and, as Rule 15 is directory, such a post-selection procedural lapse did not justify disapproval

Source reference: para 58-62

Finally, the court dismissed the challenge to maintainability, noting the petition had been pending since 2018 and the objection was a belated afterthought

Source reference: para 80-82
05

Holding

The court held that the appointment of Vikas Alexander was perfected by "deemed approval" under Rule 15(5)(iii) of the 1984 Rules because the BSA failed to communicate its decision within the mandatory 30-day period

The court quashed the impugned order dated 28.09.2017, allowed the writ petition, and directed that all consequential benefits, including salary payment, be provided to the selected candidate

Source reference: para 83-86
Allahabad High Court

Original Court PDF

C/M St. Johns Girls Junior High SchoolvsState Of U.P. And Another

Allahabad High Court · April 03, 2026

Click to open original judgment

Original judgment, available to read, download and summarize on LawLens.in

Click to open original judgment