http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 1 of 4  

PETITIONER: V.K. DUBEY & ORS.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       07/04/1997

BENCH: K. RAMASWAMY, D.P. WADHWA

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                          O R D E R      Leave granted.  We have  heard learned  counsel on both sides.      This appeal,  by special  leave, arises  from the order dated 16.12.1996  by the  Central  Administrative  Tribunal, Allahabad Bench in O.A. No.1024/95.      The appellants  were initially  drafted on  the  diesel side  of   the  locomotive   operations.  Subsequently,   on introduction of  electrical engines they were given training and were  absorbed on  the electrical  locomotive side,  The question of  inter se seniority of employees already working on the electrical locomotive side and those shifted from the diesel locomotive side to the electrical locomotive side had arisen. The  Tribunal has held that since they were deployed to the  electrical side  for the first time, their seniority was  required   to  be  adjudged  from  the  date  of  their deployment in  the electrical  locomotive operations and the previous service  cannot  be  counted  for  the  purpose  of determination of  inter se  seniority.  This controversy was considered  by   this  court  in  Rama  Kant  Chaturvedi  V. Divisional Supdt.  Northern Railway  [1980  supp.  SCC  621] where in this court had held as under:      "The Diesel Unit of the Railway was      constituted  for   the  first  time      apart from  the steam  Unit already      existing.  The   two   units   were      treated as  separate  and  distinct      having   different    avenues    of      promotion.  As   considerable  time      might elapse before Diesel Cleaners      could be  promoted as  shunters and      Drivers" Assistant  in  the  diesel      unit  it   was  decided   to  draft      Firemen   on    the   steam   side,      possessing the  minimum educational      qualification of  matriculation, to      the   diesel   side   as   Drivers"      Assistants after  giving  them  the      requisite training.  That was done.      All the  initial appointments  were

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 2 of 4  

    on officiating  basis. As result of      the  appointments,   some   Firemen      Grade "B" and Firemen Grade "A" but      who happened to possess the minimum      education qualification  which many      of the  Firemen Grades  "A" and "B"      did not   possess,  were drawn into      the diesel  unit earlier  than some      of the  Firemen Grades  "A" and "B"      who came  in later  as a  result of      the   relaxation    of   the   rule      prescribing   minimum   educational      qualification.     The      Railway      Administration  issued  instruction      that the  Juniormost Firemen  Grade      ‘C’ officiating  as  Diesel  Driver      Assistant  should  be  reverted  in      order  to  accommodate  the  senior      staff.       Pursuant   to    these      instructions the appellants, all of      whom were  drawn from  the category      of Firemen  Grade "C"  and who  had      been   appointed   as   officiating      Drivers" Assistants, were  reverted      to the  steam side as Firemen Grade      "C "  and who has been appointed as      officiating  Drivers"   Assistants,      were reverted  to the steam side as      Firemen Grades "A" and "B" who were      appointed as Drivers" Assistants on      the  diesel  side  long  after  the      appointment   of the  appellants as      Drivers"    Assistants    on    the      diesel    side.    Questions    for      determination  were   whether   the      earlier  appointees   could   claim      seniority over the later appointees      and     whether     the     Railway      Administration  was   justified  in      reverting   the   appellants to the      old unit.  Allowing the appeals the      supreme court      Held:      Those who  were  drafted  into  the      diesel unit earlier  would not lose      the  benefit  of  their  continuous      service on  the diesel  unit merely      because the appointments were on an      officiating   basis   and   because      others who  were senior  to them on      the steam  side came in or chose to      come in  at a  later stage.      If      seniors on  the steam  side did not      come in earlier it was because they      were barred  from coming  in by the      requirement    of     a     minimum      educational   qualification.    The      subsequent relaxation  of the  rule      cannot enable them to take a " frog      leap" over  the heads  of those who      had come into the diesel side is of      no   relevance    in    determining      seniority on  the diesel  side when      they are  appointed on  the  diesel      side on different days."

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 3 of 4  

    The ratio therein was followed by another Bench of this court in  South  Eastern  Railway  through  Chief  personnel Officer &  ors.   V. Ramanarain  Singh  &  Ors.  etc.  (C.A. No.2530/81 and batch), dated July 29,1988.      Shri Vijay  Bahuguna, learned  senior counsel appearing for the  appellants,  contends  that  since  they  had  been working on  the diesel  side  for  along  number  of  years, merely because  they were  sent to training for three months to be  absorbed in  the  electrical  locomotive  operations, their entire previous length  of service cannot be wiped out causing detriment to their length of service and promotional avenues on  account of  the change in the policy. Therefore, the view  taken by  this court  requires reconsideration. We find no  force in the contention. it is seen that the diesel engine drivers  and the  staff working with them operates in one  sector,   namely,  diesel   locomotive  sector,   while electrical engine  drivers and  the staff  operating on  the electrical engines operate on a different sector. Consequent upon the  gradual displacement of diesel engines, instead of retrenching them  service they were sought to be absorbed by giving  necessary   training  in  the  trains  operating  on electrical energy.  As a consequence, they were shifted to a new cadre.  Under these  circumstances, they  cannot have  a lien  on   the  posts   on  electrical   side  nor  they  be entitled to  seniority over  the staff  regularly working in the   electrical    locomotives   detriment.   Under   those circumstances, this  court has  held that they cannot have a seniority over  them. However,  the Tribunal in the impugned order has  well protected  the rights which they had already accrued as under:      "We  have   been  informed  by  the      departmental representative that on      such  a   re-determination  of  the      seniority   a   large   number   of      convertees   who    have    already      advances  several    steps  in  the      electrical    side    would    face      reversion  resulting  in  not  only      hardship   to such  individual  but      also functional  problem in running      the  Locomotives.   We,  therefore,      provide   that    on    such    re-      determination  of   seniority,  the      persons  who   have  already   been      promoted  to   higher   grades   in      Electrical  side,   shall  not   be      reverted   but   their   subsequent      advancement to  still higher grades      shall  be  dependent  on  such  re-      determined seniority.  However,  no      further promotions shall be made by      the respondents,  in the electrical      side  in   contravention   of   the      aforesaid principle of seniority."      In view  of the above direction, the accrued rights are protected  and   being  enjoyed  by  the  appellants.    The Tribunal’s  order,  therefore,  directed  to  safeguard  the rights  already   had  by  the  appellants  However,  future promotions depends  upon the  inter se seniority that may be determined by  the authorities  as directed by the Tribunal. Thus we  find no  flaw in  the order  passed by the Tribunal warranting interference.      The appeal is accordingly dismissed.  No costs.

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 4 of 4