SYNDICATE BANK Vs. SHANKAR PAUL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Leave granted.

(2.) Heard learned counsel for both the sides.

(3.) The Deputy General Manager in charge of Calcutta Zone of the appellant bank wrote to the Sub-Regional Employment Exchange, North Calcutta, sometime in July, 1986, to send a list of candidates for selection and empanelment for the post of attenders for some of its branches in Calcutta. The empanelled candidates were to be appointed in the temporary vacancies which were likely to arise on account of absence of or casual leave taken by the regular attenders. The nine respondents, whose names were sponsored by the employment exchange, were selected and included in the panel of eligible candidates. By its letter dated 6/7-2-1987, the Bank informed the respondents that their names were included in the panel and they could be considered for appointment as and when temporary vacancies arose. They were also informed that the validity of the panel was one year from 7-2-1987. During that year, the respondents were given appointments from time to time as Badli attenders. Towards the end of 1987, when they came to know that a fresh panel was likely to be prepared by the Bank, they represented to the Bank not to cancel the said panel and thereafter filed a writ petition in the Calcutta High Court seeking a writ of mandamus directing the Bank to absorb them as attenders on permanent basis. It was dismissed by a learned single Judge of that Court as he was of the view that the panel being valid up to 6-2-1988 only the writ petitioners had no right to claim appointment on its basis after that date and the petition had thus become infructuous.