Thursday, April 11, 2013

The fate of AD HOC ASCs and their regularization after retirement ??? Juniors are promoted in their places???


RAILWAY PROTECTION FORCE PENSIONER’S WELFARE ASSOCIATION
SOUTH CENTRAL RAILWAY, SECUNDERABAD.
(REG.No.1126/2012)
(Affiliated To All India Retired Railwaymen’s Federation)
Head office: Block No.303, Railway Colony High School, Chilkalguda,
            Secunderabad-500025.
     President:                                                                General Secretary                                   Treasurer
  V.SESHADRI.                                                               G.V.V.N.RAJU.                             M.SRINIVASULU.
   9642164777                                                                    9652347477                                       9948089970  

Letter No. RPFPWA/SCR/2013                                                                       Date: 31-01-2013

To                                                                                         
Honorable Minister of State,
Prime Minister’s Office,
Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, GOI,
North Block, New Delhi-110001

Honoured SIR,
Sub: Representation from-V. Seshadri, Asst. Security Commissioner, RPF,               
         Waltair Division/East Coast Railway, Visakhapatnam /Retired- senior's  
         Names dropped from the Inspectors/ASCs' Ad hoc list and juniors given
         Regularization and Promotion as Commandants/DSCs in RPF –
         Pray justice and to remove Disparity and Anomaly - reg.
Ref: 1).Honorable PMO’s Office, New Delhi – Dy.No.2475/VIP/MOS (PP)/12  
            Dated 17-9-2012 ;(2)- PRSEC/E/2013/000152 dated 03-01-2013;
        3).Honorable President of India’s Secretariat, New Delhi –
             Sl.No.P1/D/1407110087;( 4).Hon’ble MR, Reg. No.MORLY/E/2012/03392 dated 31-
            5-2012; and 
         5).Railway Board. Reg.No. MORLY/E/2013/00062 dated 03-01-2013.
                                                         <><><><><>

May I take this opportunity to put forward my heartfelt happiness and to express that highest Ministries, like  PMO’s Office-MOS(PP);President’s Secretariat; the Ministry of P, in India are taking very prompt action on my representations/letters/Minutes reflected on the subject referred to above and sending reply to me. Ironically, the same effect is not forthcoming from the Railway Board, and/or from the Director General, Railway Protection Force, New Delhi who are the ultimate authorities to decide and issue Orders.

As per the Dept. of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, Office Memorandum No. 22011/4/98-ESTT. (D), dated 12-10-1998 etc , DPCs have to be conducted in time, to promote and appoint the RPF Inspectors as ASCs, Group ‘A ‘ Cadre Posts. In the event of failure to conduct the same in time schedule, due to any administrative delay, the names of those Inspectors/ ad hoc ASCs  retired in the intervening period should find place in the DPCs held in the later years against the post(s) as selected for that year of vacancy, if need be, by preparing extended Panel(s). Though such retired employees do not get actual promotion from the date of vacancy, they are entitled to pro-forma fixation and benefits thereof, such as Railway passes, pensionary benefits at par with their juniors and pay fixation/pension.

Unfortunately, in sheer violation of the above Orders, ironically,  joining hands with some vested interests at the helm of affairs of RPF department , Railway Board, unscrupulously have wantonly either delayed to conduct the DPCs , or by unduly misinterpreting the DoP&T OM cited, not included the eligible retired Inspectors/AD HOC ASCs names in the DPCs-Panel List(s) conducted in later years, with ulterior motive to suppress actual promotions of the seniors in time, thereby benefitted the juniors  of their choice, and thus, perpetrated great injustice to the seniors, by illegal means and even by not adhering to the Orders of Hon’ble High Court of Delhi, and that of the Hon’ble Supreme Court on AD HOC issues cases to suit to their choice of management system.

 As a result, even from 1990s to 2007, some Inspectors/ ad hoc ASCs likely to be retired in the rank of ASCs/DSCs have retired as Inspectors/ad hoc ASCs only. In my considered opinion, this injustice continued till 2007 when myself and some other retired ASCs-ad hoc started bringing above facts to the notice of all concerned. Suffice to mention their state of mind on this issue, is the reply given in the RTI queries-- Railway Board, RTI Cell/RPF Reply—Para-ii, iv, and v: of the Letter No. 2007/Sec (E)/RTI/2 dated 19/22-Sep/2008.(COPY ENCLOSED ALONG WITH DoP&T OM CITED ABOVE,WHICH IS CONNECTED IN THE RTI CELL REPLY).
           
Despite the fact that this matter has been highlighted in the Minutes of many meetings, individual representations,  and brought to the notice of the officials of the Ministry of Railways; DoP&PW; Honorable PMO’s Office; and the Honorable President’s Secretariat, no action to remove this injustice and prepare a separate year wise Panel List(s) as per the senior’s eligibility and place them above to the juniors who are/were already been regularized and promoted to higher rank as Security Commissioners, RPF, and fix pay/pension as per their entitlement. No action is taken yet and therefore, it is still continued.

  I am submitting this representation to YOUR kind honor with a great hope and aspiration that some miracle can happen if YOUR kind self give some time-bound Order to the Railway Board, Director General for submitting  their Action Taken Report and Reply on this issue, by which, I presume, the DG,RPF may have some impact and revise the year wise DPC(s) Panel(s) lists of Asst. Security Commissioners’, RPF- Group ’A’ Cadre Post, duly rectifying their error/mistake even by making out extended Panels as detailed in the DoP&T Office Memorandum No. 22011/4/98-Estt (D) dated 12-10-1998, and at least from now onwards follow the DoP&T OMs on the issue of AD HOC promotions; holding of DPCs in time schedule; and regularization and promotion to higher ranks ,etc. This can happen only when YOUR kind honor direct them to scrupulously follow and conduct DPCs for departmental RPF officers as per Orders of the GOI unscrupulously and without misinterpretations, etc. and the seniors are protected as per Law and Rules without suppression of promotions to them also and treat them at par with the direct ASCs who are now promoted as DSCs, immediately on completion of three years of service in the post of ASCs.

  In brief, it is to submit that I have joined the Railways, as Sub-Inspector, RPF in the year 1969, promoted and worked as Inspector from 1983 to 2002. On promotion as Asst. Security Commissioner, RPF, Group ‘A’ cadre Post, I was transferred to South Eastern Railway, worked there till August,2003 and on transfer to East Coast Railway , on posting at the Waltair Division, Visakhapatnam as ASC, RPF I worked till my retirement ,that is,  up to 31-8-2006, after serving the Railways for over 37 years.

 Kindly help me - all the other similarly placed ASCs, RPF/now retired will be benefitted by your great gesture towards them, and do the needful to get justice to one and all in this and to get benefit of fixation of pension at par with their juniors.

    Most respectfully and humbly, submitted for kind consideration and Orders please.
                                         
                                                                                        Yours faithfully,
Encl: (-11- ).                                               
                                                                                        (V.SESHADRI)
ADDRESS:                                                                      ASC/RPF/Retd.
V.SESHADRI,ASC/RPF/Retd.
H.No.24-147/4/2, East Anandbagh,
MALKAJGIRI, Secunderabad-500047.

List of EnclL1).Minutes of the Meeting of the RPFPWA,SCR,SC dated 12-01-13;(2)PMO’s Office,MOS(PP)Ltr.No.Dy.No.2475/VIP/MOS(PP)/12dated27-9-12;(3)President’s-Secretariat-Sl.No.P1/D/1407110087 dated 14-7-12;(4)Ltr.No.PRSEC/E/2013/000152 dated 02-01-13;(5) RTI Cell/Rly.Bd. Reply Ltr.No. 2007/Sec(E)/RTI/2 dated 19/22-9-2008;(6) DoP&T- OM No.22011/4/98-Estt.(D) dated 12-10-1998;(7) My Ltrs. dated 26-11-12; 16-10-12 submitted to Hon’ble MR; and (8) My letter dated 24-01-2013 submitted to Hon’ble the President of India.
           

(A):
Railway Board, RTI Cell/RPF Reply—Para-ii, iv, and v: of the Letter No. 2007/Sec (E)/RTI/2 dated 19/22-Sep/2008-(copy enclosed): (1).Sri. GnanaSambandham, ASC/RPF/AD HOC since 1991 retired in June, 2004- (Names of the retired employee dropped by quoting the DoP&T OM No. 22011/4/98-Estt (D) dated 12-10-1998);
(2). While the actual meaning is very clear to include the names of the retired employees also in the DPC Panel List(s), even by making out extended Panels, the interpretation of the DoP&T  OM No. 22011/4/98-Estt (D) dated 12-10-1998 by RPF Directorate, Railway Board is reflected in the following Para. This clearly reflects the minds and determination of the vested interests sitting at the Railway Board level who are stage managing entire affairs at the Railway Board level even by misdirecting the other higher officials the UPSC, the Honorable President of India’s Secretariat, and getting sanction and approval of their choice Panel(s) names lists duly dropping the names of the retired RPF Inspectors/ad hoc ASCs by making out delayed DPCs to eliminate the eligible person’s names out of the list/s on this pretext of retirement.

“…the DPC recommendations were given effect to from 04-06-2004. Since Shri. Gnanasambandham (DOB-12-03-1944) had ceased to be in service as on              04-06-2004, the promotion order in his case was not issued, in terms of DOP&T’s instruction contained in its OM No. 22011/4/98-Estt(D) dated 12-10-1998…”;

What a typical type of interpretation made to suit to their choice of inclusion and the same is being followed for the last 3 decades in RPF.  In addition to the above, it seems , the RPF, Railway Board, as Respondents in one of the case filed by the above named have also submitted the same (above ) information to the Honorable High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, which if you require, we can get from him…
 (B). DoP&T OM No. 22011/4/98-Estt.(D) dated 12-10-1998—very imp. Minutely read…
II:
Prescribed period of Ad-hoc service in Central Government...
Prescribed period of Ad-hoc service in Central Government Services…The period prescribed for ad hoc service under the Central Government and rules laid down for making ad hoc service permanent…The total period for which the appointment/promotion may be made, on adhoc basis, is limited to one year. In case there are compulsions for extending any adhoc appointment/promotion beyond one year, the approval of the Department of Personnel & Training has to be sought. Also, the Department of Personnel & Training has delegated powers to the administrative Ministries/Departments for appointing the officials of Group ‘C’ and erstwhile Group ‘D’ posts on ad-hoc basis upto a period of three years, in consideration of exigency of work.
As per the extant policy of the Government, all posts are to be filled in accordance with provisions of the applicable Recruitment Rules. Promotions/appointments on ad-hoc basis are resorted to in exceptional circumstances, to a post which cannot be kept vacant in consideration of its functional/operational requirement. Such ad-hoc appointees have to be replaced with regular incumbents, selected in accordance with procedure prescribed in the relevant applicable statutory Recruitment Rules, at the earliest. In view of this, there is no Minister Shri.V.Narayanasamy
III:
Requirement of making ad-hoc service permanent.
The above information was submitted as a written reply to a question in the Parliament by the
(A).
DoP&T OM No.  28036/8/87-Esst. (D) dated 30-3-1998: AD HOC Appointments through promotions will be subject to the overall restriction of one year. Ad hoc appointments through promotions made on seniority-cum-suitability by “Selection” after proper screening by the Appointment Authority, if made, will be limited to one year only. Beyond one year, approval of the DoP&T to be obtained in advance of two months before completion of one year of ad hoc service…
For example: in the CSS posts made on ad hoc arrangements, the DoP&T vide Order No. 5/11/2006-CS-II(C) dated 13-01-2012 issued letter and given approval and permission for extending such ad hoc continuance in the CSS posts…
III (B).DoP&T OM No. 28036/1/2001-Estt.(D) dated 23-7-2001- Ad hoc appointments and continuation beyond one year;
III(C).DoP&T OM No. 39021/1/94-estt.(B) dated 22-7-1994; OM No.28036/3/97-Estt.(D) dated 17-2-1998- reporting of ad hoc appointments to the UPSC-Orders reiterated in OM NO. 39036/02/2007-Estt. (B) dated 14-11-2008…
IV:
Honorable Supreme Court Judgments:
1): Prem Devi Vs. Delhi Admn.—SCC-SLPL-1989ATLJ 330 (or check up for 730) dated 17-4-1989…
The facts as are not in dispute the case of one of the employees having been decided by the Court it was expected that, without resorting to any of the methods, the other employees identically placed would have been given the same benefits which would have avoided not only un-necessary litigation but also of the waste of time and the movement of files and papers which only waste public time..”
2). Yanamandra Guananada Sharma Vs. Union of India and others— 1991 (2) ATJ 123 (Calcutta)—30-5-1991.
       “… We have noticed that, in spite of several judgments of the Tribunal and confirmation of the said decisions by the Supreme Court, the respondents, the Union of India are sticking to their own views & are not extending the benefits of decided cases to the persons similarly circumstanced until they are constrained to move the Tribunal. In short, the respondents are indirectly fomenting unnecessary litigations and wasting public money, making it prestige issue. This attitude of the respondents is deplorable and we express our deep displeasure over the same. The respondents as model employers are expected to take reasonable attitude and rational view of the whole thing and to act according to settled law of the land instead of bittering the relationship of the master and servant in this manner. We expect in future, respondents (Govt.) will behave rationally as a model employer instead of driving the desperate employee to take to legal recourse. All decisions of this type should be treated as judgments in rem and be applied to the persons similarly circumstanced…””… as we are opinion that the respondents could have prevented this unnecessary litigation by themselves extending the benefits to the applicant as prayed by him, by treating earlier decisions on this issue as judgments in rem, which they actually are, we direct the respondents to pay the assessed costs of Rs.1000 to the applicant.”


Cit
tion:2007AIR259,2006(6)Suppl.SCR456,2006(10)SCC145,2006(9)SCALE485,2006 (12 )JT331
Ap
pears in collections:  SCI Judgement:
http://JUDIS.NIC.IN  SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 1 of 3
CASE No.:Appeal (civil)  4222 of 2006
PETITIONER: Union of India & Anr.                                  
RESPONDENT:Tarsen Lal & Ors.                                              
DATE OF JUDGMENT: 21/09/2006
BENCH:ARIJIT PASAYAT & LOKESHWAR SINGH PANTA
JUDGMENT:J U D G M E N T(Arising out of SLP (C) No. 23021 of 2005)
ARIJIT PASAYAT, J.
Leave granted.

Union of India and its functionaries call in question correctness of the judgment rendered by a Division Bench of  the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissing the writ petition filed by the present appellants and affirming the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Chandigarh Bench, Chandigarh (in short the ’CAT’). Background facts in a nutshell are as follows :

Respondent filed the Original Application claiming that  he was entitled to pay and allowance from the date on which proforma promotion was given and not from the date of actual promotion. Appellants relied on circular dated 15/17 September, 1964 to contend that the claim was untenable.    

According to CAT the only question which was to be decided was whether the respondent was entitled for his pay and allowance from August, 2001 on which date he was actually promoted as M.C.M. or with effect from 9.9.1997 from which date he has been given promotion on proforma basis.  Appellants denied him the arrears with effect from 9.9.1997 on the ground that he has not worked on the promotional post during the said period and as such he was not entitled for the revised pay from that date.  Reliance was placed on paragraph 228 of Indian Railway Establishment Manual (in short ’IREM’) Volume I dealing with employees who have lost promotion on account of administrative error. It inter alia provides that in such cases the pay should be fixed on proforma basis and the enhanced pay was to be allowed from the date of actual promotion and no arrears on this account was to be paid for the past period as he did not actually perform duties and responsibilities of the higher post.  The Tribunal relying on a decision of this Court in Harbans Singh v. State of Punjab and Others (1995 Supp. (3) SCC 471) held that the stand was unsustainable. Tribunal’s order was assailed before the High Court.

The High Court as noted above dismissed the writ petition relying on the judgment in Harbans Singh’s case http://JUDIS.NIC.IN  SUPREME COURT OF INDIA .

 Learned counsel for the appellant submitted that the view of the Tribunal as affirmed by the High Court does not reflect the correct position in law.  Para 228 of IREM was pressed into service to contend that the Tribunal or the High Court in the instant case did not express any view on the legality of the provision.  The CAT and the High Court merely relied on Harbans Singh’s case (supra) without indicating as to how the factual scenario of that case has any application to the facts of the present case. There is no appearance on behalf of the respondent in spite of notice. Para 228 of IREM reads as follows:"228. Erroneous Promotions \026 (I). Sometimes due to administrative errors, staff are over looked for promotion to higher grades could either be on account or wrong assignment of relative seniority of the eligible at the time of ordering promotion or some other reasons.  Broadly, loss of seniority due to the administrative errors can be of two types:-i. Where a person has not been promoted at all because of administrative error, and ii. Where a person has been promoted but not on the date from which he would have been promoted but for the administrative error.Each such case should be dealt with on its merits.  The staff who have lost promotion on account of administrative error should on promotion be assigned correct seniority vis-‘-vis their juniors already promoted, irrespective of the date of promotion. Pay in the higher grade on promotion may be fixed proforma at the proper time.  The enhanced pay may be allowed from the date of actual promotion.  No arrears on this account shall be payable as he did not actually shoulder the duties and responsibilities of the higher posts."  This court has occasion to deal with the same issue in Union of India and Ors. v. P.O. Abraham and Ors. in C.A. 8904 of 1994 decided on 13.8.1997.  In that case the appeal was filed against the order of the Ernakulam Bench of CAT. Reliance was placed by the Union of India and its Functionaries in that case on Railway Board’s Circular dated 15/17 September, 1964 which inter alia provided as follows: "No arrears on this account shall be payable as he did not actually shoulder the duties and responsibilities of the higher post. "
One Bench of CAT held that clause to be invalid.  But in Virender Kumar, General Manager, Northern Railways, New Delhi  v. Avinash Chandra  Chadha and Others (1990(3) SCC http://JUDIS.NIC.IN  SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 3 of 3 472) the view was held to be not correct. The order in Abraham’s case (supra) reads as follows: "This appeal is directed against the order of  the Central Administrative Tribunal, Ernakulam Bench, in O.A.No. 649/90 dated 30th September, 1991. Though the appeal challenges the order in its entirety. Mr. Goswami, learned senior counsel for the appellants, fairly stated that the appeal is now confined only to the payment of back-wages ordered to be given by the Tribunal. By the order under appeal, the Tribunal has allowed the application which challenged the Railway Board Circular dated 15/17 September, 1964. The said Circular inter alia, contains the following clause: "No arrears on this account shall be payable as he did not actually shoulder the duties and responsibilities of the higher posts."
Consequent to the deletion of the above clause, further directions were given. Learned counsel submits that the clause, which has been directed to be removed, is in accordance with the judgment of this Court in Virender Kumar, General Manager, Northern Railways, New Delhi V. Avinash Chandra Chadha & Ors. (1990 (2) SCR 769). This Court, in that case, held on principle of ’no work no pay’ that the  respondents will not be entitled to the higher salary as they have not actually worked in that post. The clause, which has been directed to be deleted by the Tribunal, being in consonance with the ruling of this Court,  we are of the opinion that the Tribunal was not right in directing the deletion of that clause.
 Accordingly, to that extent this appeal is allowed. The result is that the respondents will be given deemed promotion, if any, before retirement and also the benefit in the matter of fixing pension.  No costs."

In view of what has been stated in Virendra’s case (supra) and P.O. Abraham’s case (supra), Tribunal and the High Court were not justified in granting relief to the respondent.  Reliance on Harbans Singh’s case (supra) was uncalled for. The orders are set aside. The appeal is allowed but in the circumstances without any orders as to costs.

<><><><><><> 
V: High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad- W.P. No. 971/1980—
Judgment dated 17-9-1982.--- L.N.Malgattikar, A.P.Purnanadam Vs. UOI and others—
“…  I do not consider the ground of delay urged by the Railways as valid ground to be taken note of. In the absence of such third party objections, I hold that no third party interests have intervened that would prevent the grant of relief to the petitioners against un-constitutional orders. Secondly in the matters of petitioners’’ rights guaranteed under article 16 this court should not normally accept what Bhagwati J., called this jejune objection and allow fundamental rights to be whisked away. Violation of fundamental rights by the State should be repaired unless the innocent third party interests suffer. No such third party appeared before me. I therefore reject this argument also …”
                 ”… The writ is allowed as indicated above. No costs…”


Reply to:


SECURITY DIRECTORATE/RPF: SECURITY (E)
 
1. Deputation of police officers and military officers in the R.P.F
below the rank of administrative officers.
2. Re-employment of Police and military officers in the R.P.F. below
the rank of administrative officers.
3. Terms and conditions of deputation and re-employment of
military and police officers in the R.P.F. in Class-III posts.
4. Rules and Regulations governing the R.P.F. administration on
Railways, i.e., recruitment, training and promotion, etc.
5. Discipline and appeal rules applicable to R.P.F.
6. Appeals and Petitions from R.P.F. staff (I.G. being the
appellate/reviewing authority for R.P.F. staff).
7. Training of R.P.F. personnel in R.P.F. Training Schools and
National Fire Service College, Nagpur, and other Police Training
Schools/Centres.
8. Inter-Railway transfers of R.P.F. Staff and transfers within
Railways.
9. Tours and Inspection Notes by I.G. and other superior officers.
10. Annual Administration Reports.
11. Complaints against superior officers of R.P.F.
12. Cash Rewards etc. and sanction thereof to R.P.F.
13. Promotion/Selection of Class-III posts in R.P.F. and formation of
panels thereof.
14. Training of Assistant Security Officers in the Police Training
College, Moradabad. 15. Constitution of Selection  
Board/Examination Boards  and
according approval to selection proceedings.
16. Setting up of Libraries at R.P.F. Training Schools, Centres; legal
assistance to R.P.F. personnel in a suit or proceedings against
them for any act done in the discharge of their duties.
******






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