http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 1 of 3  

PETITIONER: P. SIDDALINGAPPA

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: THE STATE OF KARNATAKA & ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       20/09/1996

BENCH: K. RAMASWAMY, G.B. PATTANAIK

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                          O R D E R      Leave granted.      We have heard learned counsel on both sides.      The admitted  position is  that the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Rules  were framed under the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act,  1976. The  appointing authority in respect of various posts governed under the provisions of the Act is regulated by  Sections 82  and   84 of  the Act.  Section 82 reads as under :-      "82.   Appointment   of   Engineer,      Health  Officer   etc.  -  (1)  The      Government shall  appoint for every      corporation such  officers  of  the      State   Civil    Services   as   it      considers  suitable   to   be   the      engineer, health  officer,  revenue      officer,  chief  accounts  officers      and  council   secretary  for   the      efficient   functioning    of   the      corporation and such officers shall      be subordinate to the Commissioner.      The Government may also appoint one      or more  Deputy  Commissioners  and      Assistant Commissioners  who  shall      exercise such  powers and discharge      such functions  as may be specified      in  the   rules.  They   shall   be      subordinate to the Commissioner.      (2)  The   Government   shall,   in      consultation   with    the   Mayor,      appoint an  officer not  below  the      rank of  an Assistant  Commissioner      to be  the council  secretary.  The      officer  appointed   shall  be   on      deputation ordinarily  for a period      of   three   years   and   if   the      corporation by  two thirds majority      of its  members so  desire he shall      be withdrawn  earlier  and  another      person appointed.  It shall  be the

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 2 of 3  

    duty of  the council  secretary  to      attend   every   meeting   of   the      corporation   and    the   standing      committees  and  he  shall  perform      such other duties as are imposed on      him by or under this Act.      (3) The  officers  appointed  under      sub-section (1) shall be whole-time      officers  of  the  corporation  and      shall  not   undertake   any   work      unconnected with their offices.      (4)   Every      officer   of   the      Government  appointed   under  sub-      sections (1)  and (2) shall be paid      by the  corporation such  salary as      may be determined by the Government      from time  to time  which shall  be      met out of the corporation fund and      shall  be  entitled  to  leave  and      other privileges in accordance with      the    rules     and    regulations      applicable   to    the   Government      service to  which he belongs and in      force for  the time  being, and the      corporation   shall    make    such      contribution  towards   his   leave      allowance, pension   and  provident      fund as  may be  payable under such      rules and  regulations by him or on      his behalf." Section 84 reads as under :      "84.  Appointment   to  the   other      posts    on     the     corporation      establishment. - (1) Subject to the      provision of  Section 85  and    86      appointment   to   posts   on   the      corporation   establishment   other      than those  borne on  the cadres of      the       Karnataka       Municipal      Administrative  Service   and   the      posts referred  to  in  Section  82      shall be  made by  the Commissioner      in accordance  with this  Act,  the      rules and   the  regulations framed      thereunder."      Rule 26  of the  Karnataka Municipal  Corporation Rule, 1977 (for  short,  the ’Rule’) envisages mode of appointment and the source of appointment as under : ------------------------------------------------------------ SL             Method of appointment of          No of Post. No  posts      Officer ------------------------------------------------------------ 1.     .......  By deputation of an Officer          1                 from the I.A.S. Cadre 2. Deputy       By deputation of an Officer   Commissioner  (Senior scale) from the K.A.S.                 Cadre in the Cadre of K.A.S.                 (Senior Scale)                 By promotion from the Cadre of Revenue                 Officers of Bangalore City Corporation      A reading  of Section  82(10 and  (40 conjointly  would indicate that  the Government is empowered to appoint to the every Corporation  such officers of the State Civil Services as it considers suitable to be the Engineer, Health Officer, Revenue  Officer,   Chief  Accounts   Officer  and   Council

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

Secretary. The  Government may  also  appoint  one  or  more Deputy Commissioners  and Assistant  Commissioners who shall exercise such  powers and discharge such functions as may be specified in  the Rules.  Sub-section  (4)  postulates  that every officer  of the Government appointed under sub-section (1) and  (2) shall be paid by the Corporation such salary as may be  determined by the Government from time to time which shall be  met out  of the Corporation fund shall be entitled to all the service benefits enumerated therein. Section  84, as stated  earlier, is subject to Sections 85 and  86 and it also says  that appointment  to posts other than those borne on the  cadres of  the   Karnataka Municipal  Administrative Service and  the posts  referred to  in Section  82 shall be made by  the Commissioner  in accordance  with the  Act, the rules and  the regulations  framed thereunder. It would thus be seen  that such  of the  officers of the State Government which are  appointed by  the State  would function under the Control of  the Commissioner.  In addition, the Commissioner also  has   power  under   Section  82   to  appoint  Deputy Commissioner or  Assistant  Commissioners  by  promotion  in accordance with  the procedure  of the  Act, the  rules  and regulations   framed thereunder.  Clause (2) in the Schedule of Rule 26 envisaged that Deputy Commissioners are appointed by the Government by deputation of an officer (senior scale) from K.A.S.  cadre in  the cadre  of K.A.S.  (senior scale); Deputy Commissioners  by promotion from the cadre of Revenue officers of  Bangalore City  Corporation.  In  other  words, under sub-section (1) of Section 82, the Government may also appoint one  or more  Deputy Commissioners  who are  the IAS officers or  senior scale  officers.  But,  as  regards  the Deputy Commissioners  promoted from the cadre of the Revenue Officers of  the Bangalore City Corporation, by operation of sub-section (1) of Section 84, it is the Commissioner who is empowered to make appointment to such posts according to the Act, rules  and regulations  framed thereunder. Resultantly, promoted Deputy  Commissioners from  the Revenue Officers of the Bangalore  City Corporation are required to be appointed by the  Commissioner and  Government have  no power  to make appointment of them.      The appeal is accordingly allowed. The judgment and order of the Division Bench made in Writ Appeal No. 1265 of 1993 dated January 23, 1996 stands set aside and that of learned single Judge stands confirmed but in the circumstances without costs.