Allowed

Tanu Sharma v. Rajasthan Pollution Control Board

Rajasthan HC8 Nov 2023CW/1631/2022

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The High Court of Rajasthan examined the suitability of filling posts reserved for widow candidates with divorcee candidates upon non-availability of widows. Relying on a 2016 Department of Personnel circular, the court held such inter-changeability permitted and allowed the petition, directing the offer of the post to the divorcee petitioner.

What did the court decide?

Petition allowed; respondents directed to offer the post of Junior Environmental Engineer to the divorcee petitioner if she is eligible and meritorious.

Tanu Sharma Vs Rajasthan Pollution Control… — Pension and Retirement Benefits | Rajasthan HC (2023)

¶1

[2023:RJ-JD:38902]

¶2

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT JODHPUR

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S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 1631/2022

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Tanu Sharma D/o Shri Neeraj Sharma, Aged About 24 Years, 103/6, Sector 10, Kumbha Marg, Pratap Nagar, Sanganer, Jaipur 302033

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----Petitioner

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Versus

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1. Rajasthan Pollution Control Board, Through Chairman, 4 Jhalana Industrial Area, Jhalana Doongri, Jaipur (Raj.).

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1. Member Secretary, Rajasthan Pollution Control Board, 4 Jhalana Industrial Area, Jhalana Doongri, Jaipur (Raj.).

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1. Malviya National Institute Of Technology, Through Registrar, Jhawarlal Nehru Marg, Jhalana Village, Malviya Nagar, Jaipur (Raj.).

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----Respondents

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Connected With

¶12

S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 5155/2021

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Shilpa Baheti D/o Shri Babu Lal Baheti, Aged About 39 Years, Resident Of A-265, R.k. Colony, Bhilwara (Rajasthan).

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----Petitioner

¶15

Versus

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1. The State Of Rajasthan, Through The Secretary, Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, 4 Jhalana Institutional Area, Jhalana, Jhalana Dungri, Jaipur (Rajasthan).

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1. The Chairman Of Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, Rajasthan, 4 Jhalana Institutional Area, Jhalana Dungri, Jaipur (Rajasthan).

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The Member Secretary Of Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, 4 Jhalana Institutional Area, Jhalana Dungri, Jaipur (Rajasthan).

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----Respondents

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For Petitioner(s)	: Mr. Yogendra S. Arnay on behalf of
	Mr. Trilok Joshi, (for petitioner Shilpa Baheti).
	None present for petitioner Tanu
	Sharma.
For Respondent(s)	: Mr. Sajjan Singh Rathore.

¶21

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE KULDEEP MATHUR

[2023:RJ-JD:38902]

[CW-1631/2022]

(2 of 5)

Order

08/11/2023

Heard learned counsel for the parties. Perused the material available on record.

¶28

On 21.12.2020, Rajasthan Public Service Commission (in short ‘”RPSC”), issued an advertisement inviting applications for filling up the post of Junior Scientific Officer and Junior Environment Engineer. In the advertisement out of 9 posts of General Category Female, 3 posts were kept reserved for Widow Female Candidates.

¶29

In SBCWP No. 4923/2021 Tanu Sharma v State Pollution Control Boards and Ors., the petitioner who is a general female candidate, has prayed that since after completion of the selection process initiated in pursuance to advertisement dated 21.12.2020, no widow candidate was available, the post thus kept reserved for widow candidate should be filled in by a female candidate belonging to General Category.

¶30

In SBCWP No.5155/2021, Shilpa Baheti v State of Rajasthan, the petitioner, who is a divorcee candidate, has prayed that in the event of non-availability of widow candidates, the posts kept reserved for widow candidates are required to be filled in from the female divorcee candidates.

¶31

A detailed reply to the writ petitions has been filed wherein, it is stated that while issuing advertisement dated 20.12.2020, the answering respondents in conformity with circulars dated 24.01.2011 and 13.01.2016 had kept 30 per cent vacancies for

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(3 of 5) [CW-1631/2022]

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[2023:RJ-JD:38902]

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woman candidates, out of which 8 per cent vacancies were reserved for widows and 2 percent vacancies were reserved for divorcee women candidates.

¶35

In the reply, it has further been stated that as per circular dated 13.01.2016 issued by Department of Personnel, in the eventuality of non-availability of widow candidates, the posts so reserved for widow candidates shall be first filled in from the candidates belonging to divorcee candidates. Further, if there is non-availability of suitable widow and divorcee candidates, then in that event, the vacancies so reserved for the candidates belonging to these candidates shall be filled in by General Female Candidates.

¶36

The circular dated 13.01.2016 issued by Department of Personnel is reproduced for ready reference:

¶37

“ jktLFkku ljdkj dkfeZd ¼d&2½ foHkkx

¶38

Øekad ia- 7¼2½dkfeZd@d&2@96@ikVZ t;iqj] fnukad% 13-01-2016

¶39

1- leLr vfrŒ eq[; lfpo@izeq[k “kklu lfpo@”kklu lfpo@ fof”k’V “kklu lfpoA

¶40

2- leLr foHkkxk/;{k ¼laHkkxh; vk;qDr ,oa ftyk dysDVlZ½ lfgrA ifji=

¶41

fo’k;%& jkT; ljdkj ds v/khu dh lsokvksa@inksa ij efgykvksa dks vkj{k.k ds laca/k esaA

¶42

lHkh lsok fu;eksa esa ;g izko/kku fd;k gqvk gS fd lh/kh HkrhZ ds inksa ij efgykvksa ds fy, fjfDr;ksa dk vkj{k.k izoxkZuqlkj 30 izfr”kr gksxk ftlesa ls ¼dqy inksa dk½ 8 izfr”kr fo/kokvksa ds fy,] 2 izfr”kr fofNUu fookg efgyk vH;fFkZ;ksa ds fy, gksxkA fdlh oxZ fo”ks’k esa ;k rks fo/kok ;k fofNUu fookg&efgykvksa esa ls fdlh esa ik= vkSj mi;qDr vH;fFkZ;ksa ds miyC/k u gksus dh n”kk esa fjfDr;ksa dks izFker% vUrj&ifjorZu }kjk vFkkZr fo/kokvksa ds fy, vkjf{kr fjfDr;ksa dks fofNUu fookg&efgykvksa ls ;k bldk mYVk (vice-versa) Hkjk tk ldsxkA Ik;kZIr :i ls fo/kok vkSj fofNUu fookg&vH;fFkZ;ksa ds miyC/k u gksus dh n”kk esa] u Hkjh x;h fjfDr;ka mlh izoxZ dh vU; efgykvksa }kjk Hkjh tk;saxh vkSj ik= rFkk mi;qDr efgyk vH;fFkZ;ksa ds miyC/k u gksus ds n”kk esa muds fy, bl izdkj vkjf{kr fjfDr;ka ml izoxZ ds iq:’k

(4 of 5)

[2023:RJ-JD:38902]

[CW-1631/2022]

vH;fFkZ;ksa }kjk Hkjh tk;saxh ftlds fy, fjfDr;ka vkjf{kr gSA ;g Hkh Li’V fd;k gqvk gS fd efgykvksa gsrq ;g vkj{k.k {kSfrt (Horizontal) izd`fr dk gksxkA

¶47

tgkW rd {kSfrt vkj{k.k dk iz”u gS blesa lacaf/kr oxZ ds fy, {kSfrt vkj{k.k dh fLFkfr esa ml oxZ ds fy, fu/kkZfjr leLr lhVksa ds fy, eSfjV ds vk/kkj ij lwph rS;kj dh tkuh pkfg;sa] mlesa ftruh efgyk vH;FkhZ eSfjV ds vk/kkj ij p;fur gqbZ gks] mUgsa efgykvksa ds fy, vkjf{kr lhVksa ds izfr fxuk tkuk pkfg,A bl izdkj eSfjV ds vk/kkj ij rS;kj lwph esa efgykvksa dh la[;k ;fn muds fy, vkjf{kr lhVksa ls de gks rks ftruh la[;k de gS mrus gh vH;FkhZ eSfjV ds vk/kkj ij rS;kj lwph esa ls lcls uhps ls de fd;s tkdj muds LFkku ij ml oxZ dh “ks’k efgyk vH;fFkZ;ksa esa ls eSfjV ds vk/kkj ij p;fur dh tkuh pkfg,A

¶48

gky gh esa] ekuuh; mPp U;k;ky; [k.MihB] t;iqj ds fu.kZ; fnukad 16-07-15 ¼Mh-ch- flfoy Lis”ky vihy fjV ua0 868@2013& jkT; cuke y{ehdWoj ,oa vU; rFkk leku izd`fr dh vU; fjV ;kfpdk,sa½ esa ;g er izfrikfnr fd;k x;k gS fd vkjf{kr oxZ dh efgyk vH;FkhZ }kjk vukjf{kr Js.kh dh efgyk ls vf/kd vad izkIr djusa ij ,slh efgyk dk vukjf{kr in ds fo:) p;u fd;k tkuk lgh gS vFkkZr efgykvksa ds ekeysa esa Hkh iq:’kksa dh gh HkkWfr ¼ifji= fnukad 04-03-2014 dk lanHkZ ysa½ vukjf{kr dV vkWQ ls Åij vad ykus okyh vkjf{kr oxZ dh efgykvksa dks vukjf{kr oxZ ds efgykvksa gsrq vkjf{kr inksa ij lek;ksftr fd;k tkuk pkfg,] u fd vkjf{kr oxZ dh fjfDr;ksa ds fo:)A jkT; ljdkj }kjk ekuuh; mPp U;k;ky; ds mDr er dks ekU; djrs gq,] fu.kZ;kuqlkj dk;Zokgh lqfuf”pr djus dk uhfrxr fu.kZ; fy;k gSA

¶49

rnuqlkj] bl foHkkx ds ifji= fnukad 07-09-2007 ds vfrØe.k esa vc ;g funsZf”kr fd;k tkrk gS fd ;fn fdlh vkjf{kr oxZ dh efgyk vH;FkhZ us mu izoxksZ ls lacaf/kr efgyk vH;fFkZ;ksa ¼e; fo/kok ,oa fookg fofNUu efgyk ds½ dks miyC/k vk;q vkSj Qhl laca/kh fj;k;rksa ds vfrfjDr fdlh vU; fj;k;r dk ykHk ugha mBk;k gS] rks vukjf{kr oxZ dh vfUre efgyk vH;FkhZ ls vf/kd vad izkIr djus dh fLFkfr esa mudk p;u vukjf{kr inksa ds fo:) fd;k tkosxkA mlds i”pkr vkjf{kr oxZ dh “ks’k efgykvksa ds] muds izoxkZuqlkj vkjf{kr inksa ds fo:) p;u ij fopkj fd;k tkosxkA

¶50

vr% leLr fu;qfDr izkf/kdkjh vkxs ls fjDr inksa dks Hkjus gsrq foKfIr tkjh djrs le; ,oa p;u lwph cukrs le; mDr funsZ”kksa dh ikyuk lqfuf”pr djkosaA fdUrq] ,sls izdj.k tks mDr Li’Vhdj.k ls iwoZ fuLrkfjr gks pqds gSa] mUgsa iqu% ugha [kksyk tkosxkA

¶51

lgh@& ¼vkyksd xqIrk½ “kklu lfpo”

¶52

A perusal of the circular dated 13.01.2016 reveals that

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inter-changeability in between widow and divorcee categories which are two sub-categories/classes under the women

[2023:RJ-JD:38902]

[CW-1631/2022]

(5 of 5)

reservation is permitted category-wise. Therefore, in the event of non-availability of suitable widow candidates, the post are first required to be offered/filled in by the divorcee candidates and in the event of non-availability of suitable candidates in both abovereferred sub-categories, the posts are required to be offered/filled in from the candidates belonging to General Category Female.

¶58

In view of aforesaid discussion, writ petition (SBCWP No.4923/2021 -Tanu Sharma v State Pollution Control Boards & Ors.) is dismissed.

¶59

The writ petition (SBCWP No. 5155/2021), Shilpa Baheti v State of Rajasthan is allowed. The respondents are directed to offer the posts of Junior Environmental Engineer advertised on 21.12..2020, to the petitioner who had applied in the recruitment process as a divorcee candidate, due to non-availability of widow candidates, if she finds place in merit and is otherwise eligible and suitable for appointment on the advertised post.

¶60

The respondents are directed to complete the exercise indicated above within a period of three months from the date of this order.

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No order as to costs.

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All pending applications are disposed of.

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A copy of this order be placed in each file.

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(KULDEEP MATHUR),J

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90-Tikam/-

Tanu Sharma v. Rajasthan Pollution Control Board

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Tanu Sharma v. Rajasthan Pollution Control Board

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

What the court decided

A compact analysis

Issues for consideration

Statutes considered

Parties & counsel

Coram

Case details

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