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PETITIONER: STATE OF KERALA

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: MOTHER ANASTHASIA, SUPERIOR GENERAL & ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       06/02/1997

BENCH: K. RAMASWAMY, S. SAGHIR AHMAD

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                          O R D E R      These appeals  by special leave arise from the judgment of the  Division Bench  of the  Kerala  High  Court  in  O.P Nos.868/77 and 4934/76.      The admitted position is that Smt. Mary Lily, the third respondent, was temporarily appointed in a leave vacancy for a period  of three  months effective from January 2, 1974 in St. Joseph’s  College for  Women ,  Irinjalakuda, After  the expiry of  the period, she ceased to be a Lecturer. In 1976, when a  permanent vacancy  hay arisen advertisement was made for  recruitment.   Pursuant  thereto,  when  27  candidates including the  third respondent  had applied  for and called for  selection   therein  Smt.   Mariamma   Chacko,   fourth respondent was selected. The third respondent challenged the validity of  the selection  and appointment of Smt. Mariamma on  the   ground  that  under  Section  57  (6)  of  Calicut University  Act,   1975,  she  had  preferential  claim  for appointment since she was a discharged employee. Sub-section (6) of Section  57 reads as under:      "Notwithstanding anything contained      in  sub-sections   (i)  and  (4)  a      teacher discharged  from a  private      college on or after the 14th day of      March, 1974,  due to abolition of a      course of  study in that college or      for   any   other   reason   except      disciplinary  action   against  him      shall be  given  reference  in  the      matter of  future  appointments  in      the private college or, as the case      may  be,  or  any  of  the  private      colleges under  the  management  of      the educational  agency within  the      university     area."     (emphasis      supplied)      A reading  thereof would  indicate that notwithstanding anything contained  in sub-section  (i)  and  Section  4  of Section 57,  a teacher  discharged from a private college on or after  March 14,  1974 due  to abolition  of a  course of course of  study in  college for  any other reason except on

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disciplinary action  against him,  shall be given preference in further  appointments in  a private college or any of the private colleges  under the  Management of  the  educational agency within  the university  area. Admittedly,  the  third respondent was  appointed in  a leave  vacancy for  a  short period of  three months.  The intendment  of sub-section (6) appears to  be only  that when  permanent teacher or teacher appointed on  a regular basis is discharged from service due to abolition  of the  course of study in that college or for any other  reason, obviously,  other analogous  causes other then disciplinary  action, such  a teacher who held the post was given  preferential treatment  for future appointment. A temporary teacher in a leave vacancy cannot be considered as discharged not  claimed the  status as  discharged employee. Discharge would  connote  for  any  other  reason  ujus  dem generis due  to abolition  of the post or course of study or such similar  circumstances  except  for  discharge  due  to misconduct. Such  a teacher  only will be eligible to set up preferential claim  for appointment  but not  a teacher  who fortuitously came  to be  appointed in  a leave vacancy much less for a limited period.      The appeals are accordingly disposed of. No costs.