Yash Pal v. Director General, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research & Ors.

Delhi High Court · 24 Nov 2016 · 2016:DHC:7642-DB
Sanjiv Khanna; Chander Shekhar
W.P.(C) No. 11175/2016
2016:DHC:7642-DB
administrative appeal_dismissed

AI Summary

The Delhi High Court dismissed the petition challenging the dismissal of an Original Application on grounds of res judicata, emphasizing finality of litigation and barring repetitive challenges to the same recruitment scheme.

Full Text
Translation output
WP. (C) No. 11175/2016 HIGH COURT OF DELHI
W.P.(C) 11175/2016
Date of Decision: 24th November, 2016.
YASH PAL ..... Petitioner In person.
VERSUS
DIRECTOR GENERAL, COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC & INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH & ANR ..... Respondent
Through
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJIV KHANNA
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDER SHEKHAR SANJIV KHANNA, J. (ORAL)
JUDGMENT

1. The petitoiner, Yash Pal has appeared in person and we have examined the merits of the impugned order dated 9th September 2016, whereby OA No.4190/2013 has been dismissed as not maintainable on the ground of res judicata and constructive res judicata.

2. We are in agreement with the reasoning given by the tribunal.

3. The petitioner is a retired employee from the National Physical Laboratory, a constituent unit of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. He had earlier field an OA Nos.2990/1991 claiming that he had been wrongly denied promotion under the New 2016:DHC:7642-DB Recruitment and Assessment Scheme. He had filed another Original Application, OA No.1757/1994, challenging the vires of the letter dated 5th March, 1983 by which cut-off date for educational qualification was fixed as 31st December, 1981. These OAs were dismissed by the tribunal vide order dated 8th August, 1997. The petitioner had then preferred a Writ Petition(C)No.4817/1997, which was dismissed. SLP filed against the order of dismissal was also dismissed.

4. The petitioner thereafter initiated the third round of litigation by filing OA No.1755/2003 challenging the New Recruitment and Assessment Scheme. Primarily the ground of challenge relating to the cut-off date for acquisition of educational qualification fixed as 31st December,

1981. The petitioner had acquired the said qualification on 1st September, 1982, i.e. after the cut-off date. This OA was dismissed vide order dated 6th May, 2004.

5. Order dated 6th May, 2004 and another order passed by the tribunal dated 9th September, 2005 relating to promotion under the Merit and Normal Assessment Scheme implemented w.e.f. 1st April, 1988, were challenged by the petitioner in the Writ Petition Nos.10395/2004 and 23790/2005. These writ petitions were dismissed vide judgment dated 23rd May, 2011 passed by one of us (Sanjiv Khanna, J.), upholding the order passed in OA.No.1755/2003 on the principle of res judicata and constructive res judicata.

6. The petitioner, who appears in person accepts that he had preferred an SLP against this judgment, which was dismissed.

7. Notwithstanding the said dismissal, the petitioner in 2013 filed OA No.4190/2013 again challenging the New Recruitment and Assessment Scheme which was in operation from 1st November, 1981 till 31st March, 1988. In the meanwhile, the petitioner had retired on 31st January, 2013.

8. Petitioner submits that the principles of res judicata and constructive res judicata have been wrongly understood and were not applicable. In other words, the decision in OA NO.1755/2003 was incorrect and that the judgment dismissing the Writ Petition No.10395/2004 dated 23rd May, 2011 is contrary to law or incorrectly apprieciates the principle of res judicata and constructive res judicata.

9. We do not think that the petitioner can be permitted and allowed to raise the same plea and contention once again. There has to be end to the litigation, and the issue once decided cannot be made subject matter of a new litigation after the earlier orders have attained finality.

10. The tribunal in the impugned order has stated that the petitioner is a cronic litigant and has imposed costs of Rs.50,000/- while dismissing the OA. The judgment dated 23rd May, 2011 dismissing the writ petition (C)No.10395/2004 and 23790/2005, refers to a list of cases filed by the petitioner. For the sake of convenience, we would reproduce the said list. “

┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│     Sl.No. Applicant         Vs.      Respondent     Case No.                         │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│     01.        Yash Pal     vs        CSIR & Ors     OA No.2990/1991 with             │
│                                                      OA No. 1757/1994                 │
│     2.         Yash Pal     vs       CSIR & Ors      RA No. 219/1997 in OA            │
│                                                      No. 2990/91 with OA No.          │
│                                                      1757/94                          │
│     3.         Yash Pal     vs       CSIR & Anr      CWP No. 4817/1997                │
│     4.         Yash Pal     vs       DG, CSIR &      LPA No. 512/2000                 │
│                                      Anr.                                             │
│     5.         Yash Pal     vs       DG, CSIR &      SLP (C) No. 4127/99              │
│                                      Ors                                              │
│     6.         Yash Pal     vs       DG, CSIR        RA No. 6616/2000                 │
│     7.         Yash Pal     vs       Dr. R.A.        CP (Civil) 383 of                │
│                                      Mashelkar,      2001                             │
│                                      DG, CSIR &      MA No. 1647 of 2001 OA           │
│                                      Ors             No. 2990 of 1991                 │
│ WP. (C) No. 11175/2016                                                  Page 4 of 5   │
│                                                                    2016:DHC:7642-DB   │
│  8.          Yash Pal    vs    DG, CSIR        CMP No. 4971/99 & RA                   │
│                                                No. 6616/2000                          │
│  9.          Yash Pal    vs    -do-            CW No. 5282/2001                       │
│                                                CM No. 9053/2001                       │
│ 10.          Yash Pal    vs    DG, CSIR &      OA No. 2493/2001                       │
│                                Ors             MA No.2095/2001                        │
│ 11.          Yash Pal    vs    -do-            CM(RA)           No.                   │
│                                                11180/01 in CW No.                     │
│                                                5282/2001                              │
│ 12.          Yash Pal    vs    -do-            OA No. 399/2003                        │
│                                                MA No. 420/2003                        │
│ 13.          Yash Pal    vs    -do-            OA No. 1755/2003                       │
│                                                MA No. 1486/2003                       │
│                                                                           ”           │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

10. Yash Pal vs DG, CSIR & Ors OA No. 2493/2001 MA No.2095/2001

11. Yash Pal vs -do- CM(RA) NO. 11180/01 in CW NO. 5282/2001

12. Yash Pal vs -do- OA No. 399/2003 MA No. 420/2003

7,328 characters total

13. Yash Pal vs -do- OA No. 1755/2003 MA No. 1486/2003 ”

11. However, at the same time, the petitioner, we find is 64 years of age and had retired from service on 31st January, 2013. The petitioner has pleaded before us that he has lost his wife. It is stated his son is studying and he has to meet his expnses. He would face financial difficulty. In these circumstances, we waive the costs imposed by the Tribunal.

12. The writ petition is disposed of.

SANJIV KHANNA, J. CHANDER SHEKHAR, J. NOVEMBER 24, 2016 NA/ssn