Prem Devi & Anor v. Delhi Administration & Ors.

Case Details & Bench

Court: High Court
Hon'ble Judges: G. L. Oza
K. N. Saikia
Judgment Date: 1989-04-17
Court Decision / Holding: Petitions allowed.
Final Disposition: Petitions allowed.

Parties to the Case

Appellants / Petitioners

Prem Devi

Respondents

Delhi Administration
ORS

Legal Representation & Advocates

Counsels for Petitioners

• R.P. Kapur

Counsels for Respondents

• V.C. Mahajan
• Mrs. Kitty K. Manglam
• Ms. A. Subhashini B

Case Synopsis & Summary

Prem Devi and other staff members of the Nari Niketan, an institution fully funded by the Delhi Administration and controlled by a Board, were taken over by the Administration and absorbed into its services in the time scale of pay after the takeover on 1 December 1979 and 27 February 1980. Upon retirement, these petitioners were denied pensionary benefits and accordingly approached this Court under Article 32, joined by another employee, Rekha Mehta, whose related case had already granted pensionary benefits. The respondents argued that Rekha Mehta’s decision applied only to that particular case and should not bind the petitioners. The petitioners contended that absorption into the Delhi Administration and placement on the time scale equates them with other Delhi Administration staff, entitling them to pensionary facilities as a matter of fairness and consistent treatment. Rekha Mehta had already directed calculation of pension and retiral benefits, considering antecedent service before absorption. The Court scrutinized the facts, emphasizing identical placement of staff and the need to avoid unnecessary litigation and public expenditure. It ultimately held in favour of the petitioners, ordering payment of pensionary benefits within three months, awarding costs, and directing the matter be reviewed to prevent future delays, thereby ensuring equal treatment for identically situated employees and preventing recurrence of delays in public service payments.

Provisions of Law Cited

Article 32 of the Constitution of India

Submissions & Arguments

Contentions of Appellants / Petitioners

The applicants argued that staff of Nari Niketan, being fully funded by the Delhi Administration and absorbed in its Service on the time scale, are entitled to pensionary benefits akin to other Delhi Administration employees. They relied on Rekha Mehta v. Delhi Administration (W.P. (C) No. 539 of 1987) which directed pensionary and retiral benefits for a similarly situated employee, urging that the principle should extend to identically placed staff to avoid arbitrary treatment and litigation, and to ensure continuity of service and fair remuneration after absorption. They criticized administrative delays, urged prompt computation and payment, and sought appropriate retiral dues, along with measures to prevent future delays and litigation. The argument stressed equality of treatment for staff in like situations and avoidance of administrative bottlenecks.

Contentions of Respondents

The respondents contended that Rekha Mehta’s decision applied only to that particular case and does not create a general precedent. They argued the petitioners may not be identically situated due to different records and antecedents, and that pensionary benefits across all absorbed staff require policy, procedure, and budgetary considerations. They pointed to delays and paper-flow issues within the administration and argued against automatic pension payments without a uniform policy or legislative action, emphasizing the need for careful verification and adherence to established rules.

Cited Precedents (1)

Case Name	Citation	Treatment	Explanation
Rekha Mehta v. Delhi Administration	W.P.(C) No. 539 of 1987	Positive	The Rekha Mehta decision directed payment of pensionary benefits in a similar case and was applied by the Court to grant pension to identically situated staff absorbed into the Delhi Administration.

Extracted Judgment Text

Exact text extracted from official judgment records.

A B SMT. PREM DEVI & ANOTHER _V._ DELHI ADMINISTRATION & ORS. APRIL 17, 1989 [G.L. OZA AND K.N. SAIKIA, JJ.] ~ _Civil Services: Nari Niketan-lnstitution funded and controlled_ ~ _by State taken over and staff absorbed_ _in_ _its_ _services-Whether_ _employees entitled to pensionary benefits._ C An institution being fully funded by the respondent-Administration was taken over and the affected staff absorbed in its services in + the time scale of pay. The petitioners who comprised the said staff were not given pensionary benefits upon retirement. They, therefore, filed these writ petitions. D This court in a petition by one of the affected employees _(Smt._ ###### ### E _Rekha Mehta_ v. _Delhi Administration,_ W.P. (C) No. 539 of 1987 decided on April 4, 1988) had directed payment of pensionary benefits. However, the case of the respondent was that the said decision having ).___ been rendered in a particular case, it wonld not be applicable to the petitioners _hi_ the instant case. Allowing the writ petitions, HELD: The services in an institution under the control of and fully funded by the respondent-Administration having been taken ~lf over by it and the staff absorbed in the time scale of pay, it could not be F said that they would not be entitled to ordinary facilities like the pensio-,. nary benefits available to other staff. [6020] ~ The case of one of the employees having been decided by this court, it was expected that without resorting to any of the methods, the other employees identically placed would have been given the same G benefit. l602G] ;i... H [The petitioners to be paid pensionary benefits within three months. The matter to be considered at the appropriate level to see that such things do not happen in future, so that unnecessary litigation is avoided and cost to the public exchequer is saved.] 600 PREM DEVI _v._ DELHI ADMN. !OZA, J.) 601 ORIGINAL JURISDICTION: Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1055 A and 1088 of 1988. (Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India.) R.P. Kapur for the petitioners. ~ V.C. Mahajan, Mrs. Kitty K. Manglam and Ms. A. Subhashini B ... for the Respondents. The Judgment of the Court was.delivered by ##### emerges that OZA, J. the After hearing the learned counsel for parties it two petitioners and one Smt. Rekha Mehta who had clearly filed a c ~ + [petition earlier were all the employees of one institution known ] [as ] Nari Kiketan. This institution was fully funded by Delhi Administration and was controlled by Board managing the affairs. It is also not in dispute that all the three persons mentioned above, the two petitioners and Smt. Rekha Mehta, are identically situated in respect of their D conditions of service. __,l__ #### ~ On 1.12. 79 the Board was superseded and the institution was taken over by the Delhi Administration and the staff of this institution Nari Niketan was absorbed in the Delhi Administration vide Order No. 4-2(3)-79-DSW-ESTI-dated 27.2.80. By this order about 20 offi- E cials were.absorbed in time scale and pay as were being drawn by them prior to 1.12.79. These facts are not disputed. It is also not in dispute that Smt. Rekha Mehta when after retirement was not given pensionary benefits she filed a petition in this Court No. (C) 539of1987. This ·~ [Court passed the order ][in ][the case of Smt. Rekha Mehta as: ] F "Rule issued and made absolute. Arguments heard. The respondents are directed to calculate the pension and other ## • retiral benefits of the petitioner taking into account her i "Rule issued and made absolute. Arguments heard. The respondents are directed to calculate the pension and other retiral benefits of the petitioner taking into account her antecedent of service before absorption and pay the same as early as possible and in any event not later than three months from today. The. respondent will pay costs quanti -'., fied at Rs.2,000 to the petitioner." months from today. The. respondent will pay costs quanti- G fied at Rs.2,000 to the petitioner." Thereafter these two petitioners have again filed writ petitions alleging that they have retired and therefore they are entitled to the same .pensionary benefits which were given to Smt. Rekha Mehta as they belong .to the services of Nari Niketan institution, subsequently H 602 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1989] 2 S.C.R. A absorbed in the services of Delhi Administration. It is also not in dispute that these petitioners repeatedly approached the respondent Delhi Administration and made representations for getting the pensionary benefits as were granted to Smt. Rekha Mehta after the orders were passed by this Hon'ble Court. Unfortunately in spite of all this nothmg was done consequently these two writ petitions were filed B before this Court. Learned counsel appearing for the Delhi Administration attempted to contend that the deci3ion in the case of Smt. Rekha Mehta will not be applicable but realising the difficulty he only reaa through the affidavit filed in return wherein a long story as to how the papers tossed from department to department and ultimately no decision was taken. There is also reference to the Govt. of India, C Ministry of Personnel & Training, Public Grievances & Pensions and it is stateJ that in the opinion of these departments the judgment of this Court in Smt. Rekha Mehta was a judgment in the particular case only and these petitioners are not entitled to pensionary benefits. It is unfortunate that such a simple affair where the services in an institution under the control of the Delhi Administration and fully funded by the D Delhi Administration when taken over and the staff absorbed in the Delhi Administration it could be said that they will not be entitled to ordinary facilities like the pensionary benefits when available to other staff of the Delhi Administration and apart from it when in one case of an employee of the institution whose services were absorbed in the Delhi Administration has been decided by this Court still the counter E affidavit indicates the working of the departmental officials who chose to opine that it is not binding on the Go.vt. That was a case only of a particular employee in spite of the fact that Union of India is alleged as a party. It has chosen not to keep a counsel present at the time of hearing of these petitions. All these circumstances go to indicate as to how the matters are handled by our Administration resulting in unF necessary litigation and heavy expenditure on the public exchequer. Apart from the expenditure of litigation the costs that have to be paid in such litigation. -+- \ # The facts as are not in dispute the case of one of the employees having been decided by this Court it was expected that without resortG ing to any of the methods the other employees identically placed would ~ have been given the same benefit, which would have avoided not only unnecessary litigation but also of the waste of time and the movement of files and papers which only waste public time. Learned counsel only read out the counter and stated that it was thought that the case of Smt. Rekha Mehta will not be applicable to the case of the present H petitioners although learned counsel had no argument in law to sup " PREM DEVI _v._ DELHI ADMN:[OZA, J.] 603 -~ port such a contention. The petitions are therefore allowed an\) it is A _,'{_ di~ected that the petitioners shall be paid their pensionary benefits within 3 months from today. It is further directed that the petitioners shall be entitled to costs of Rs.2500 in each case. It is also directed that the matter will be considered at the appropriate level to see that such things do not happen in future so that unnecessary litigation is avoided and costs to the public exchequer is saved. B '). P.S.S Petitions allowed. r ###