(1.) By order September 2, 1997, following two questions have been referred to a Full Bench for consideration:
(2.) All these writ petitions pertain to service matters in relation to employees in the Universities. Dr. Y.S. Parmar University is a part to C.W.P. No. 170 of 1990 and C.W.P. No. 582 of 1990. Himachal Pradesh University is a party to C.W.Ps. No. 203 of 1990 and 130 of 1992. Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishva Vidyalaya is a party to C.W.P. No. 1327 of 1995.
(3.) The questions referred to us arose on account of a preliminary objection raised by the second Respondent in C.W.P. No. 582/1990 to the maintainability of the writ petition in this Court. According to learned Counsel for the said second Respondent, all the three Universities will fall within the expression 'local or other authorities' found in Section 15(2) of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 (hereinafter referred to as the 'Act'). It is also his contention that it is not necessary that local or other authorities mentioned in the section should be controlled or owned by the State Government in order to enable the State Government to issue a notification under that sub-section. According to learned Counsel, the expression 'controlled or owned by the State Government' would apply only to Corporations or societies mentioned in the section immediately prior to the said expression. It is pointed out by him that the State Government has issued a notification on 29.8.1986 under Section 15(2) of the Act making the provisions of Sub-section (3) of Section 15 of the Act applicable to the local or other authorities and Corporations or societies controlled or owned by the State Government with effect from Ist day of September, 1986. Thus, according to him, from 1st September, 1986 onwards the Act became applicable to all local or other authorities and to all corporations or societies controlled or owned by the State Government. It is his contention that for the purpose of making the Act applicable to local or other authorities it is not necessary that they should be controlled or owned by the State Government.