ONKAR SINGH Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THESE are six writ petitions filed by railway employees challenging the order dated 21 6 77 and 6th July, 1977 issued by the Western Railway By order dated 21-6-1977 provisional panel of Station Masters and Assistant Station Masters in the pay scale of Rs, 455-700 issued on 19-11-1976 was cancelled.

(2.) THE petitioners and other persons who were included in that panel were reverted from the post of Station Masters and Assistant Station Masters from grade Rs 455-700 to the grade of Rs. 425-640, by order dated 6-7-77. Aggrieved from the cancellation of the panel and their reversion, all the six petitioners have filed these writ petitions on the ground that cancellation of the panel and their reversion were illegal.

(3.) MR. V. S. Dave on behalf of the petitioners submitted that the reasons given for cancellation of the panel are per se mis-conceived and untenable. According to the Railway Board circular, it is necessary that at the time of selection the Selection committee should, select 25%more of the vacancies in order to make provision for unforeseen contingencies. For this, MR. Dave relied upon Annexure R. 6 at page 87. In this letter MR. N. V. Somuel C P. O. , Western Railway Bombay, has written to the various Divisional Superintendents of Western Railway to add 25% for unforeseen contingencies while forming the panels. The exect direction is as under: "in forming panels, it may please been ensured that panels are sufficiently long so that they do not get exhausted quickly. You may add 25% for unforeseen contigencies. "