Jitender Singh and Ors. v. Union of India and Ors.

Delhi High Court · 18 Jan 2018 · 2018:DHC:494
Sunil Gaur
W.P.(C) 10119/2017
2018:DHC:494
administrative petition_dismissed

AI Summary

The Delhi High Court refused to quash an open recruitment advertisement for Watchmen posts but directed the employer to consider long-serving ancillary workers' representations regarding promotion and salary anomalies.

Full Text
Translation output
W.P.(C) 10119/2017
HIGH COURT OF DELHI
Date of Order: January 18, 2018
W.P.(C) 10119/2017
JITENDER SINGH AND ORS. ..... Petitioners
Through: Ms. Janani, Advocate
VERSUS
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. .....Respondents
Through: Mr. Om Prakash, Advocate for respondents No.2 to 4
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SUNIL GAUR O R D E R (ORAL)
C.M.1647/2018 (delay)
There is delay of 7 days in filing the accompanying counter affidavit.
Upon hearing, I find that averments made in the instant application provide sufficient cause to condone the delay occasioned. The application is allowed and the delay stands condoned and the counter affidavit is taken on record.
The application is disposed of.
W.P.(C) 10119/2017 & CM 41337/2017 (stay)
Petitioners are ancillary workers, who in this writ petition seek a mandamus to respondent-FCI to fill up the vacancies of Watchmen in the
Delhi Region of respondent-FCI from the ancillary workers/staff.
2018:DHC:494 Quashing of Advertisement of 14th October, 2017 (Annexure P-5) is also sought in this petition.
Vide aforesaid Advertisement (Annexure P-5), online applications have been invited for the posts of Watchmen and that the Written Test is to be followed by an Endurance Test. The stand taken by respondent-FCI in the counter affidavit is that the posts of Watchmen have to be filled up by an open recruitment and that it would be filled up from the ancillary workers/staff by adopting an in-house procedure as the nature of work of
Watchman is quite different from the work of ancillary workers/staff. It is so submitted by learned counsel for respondent-FCI. In the rejoinder filed by petitioner, it is stated that earlier also, several ancillary workers/staff have been appointed/converted to Watchmen or Class-III category. To illustrate it, RTI information (Annexure R-1) is appended to the rejoinder filed.
Upon hearing and on perusal of impugned Advertisement
(Annexure P-5) and the material on record, I find that the open recruitment process initiated in terms of Advertisement (Annexure P-5) cannot be halted as, by now, recruitment process has reached an advanced stage. The Written Test for the posts of Watchmen is said to be slated on
18th February, 2018. However, petitioners, who have rendered service for more than two decades, cannot be left high and dry. Respondent-FCI is required to explain as to what promotional avenues are available to employees like petitioners, as an anomalous situation is likely to occur within few years as the Watchmen employed in terms of impugned
Advertisement are likely to draw more salary than petitioners. This aspect needs to be addressed by respondent-FCI. To enable respondent-FCI to do so, let petitioners make a concise Representation to respondent No.3 within a week from today. If such Representation is received, then it be dealt with by authorities concerned in the respondent-FCI within a period of two weeks and the fate of Representation be made known to petitioners within three days thereafter, so that petitioners may avail of the remedies as available in law, if need be.
With aforesaid directions, this petition and the application are disposed of.
Copy of this order be given dasti under the signatures of the Court
Master to counsel for the parties.
(SUNIL GAUR)
JUDGE
JANUARY 18, 2018 s
JUDGMENT