D.K. Chhangani and Ors. v. Nitya Ranjan Mukherjee and Ors.

This appeal by special leave arises from the order of the Calcutta High Court made on September 14, 1979 and December 17, 1979 in Civil Rule No. 13393 (W).

The claims relate to the recognition to the rival union of Geological Survey of India Employees' Association. The controversy is : as to whether the Calcutta High Court has jurisdiction over the adjudication made by the ,Industrial Tribunal in Maharashtra on the rival questions of the member-ship and recognition of an association based thereon? It is not necessary to go into the question, though it is open to grave and grim jurisdictional fault for two reasons. Firstly, since elections were held on September 12, 1975 and more than two decades have passed by since then, it is· no longer a live issue. Moreover, the President exercising the power under Proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution and clause (5) of Article 148, after consultation with the comptroller and Auditor General, had issued rules called the Central Civil Services (Recognition of Service Associations) Rules, 1993, which came into force w.e.f. November 5, 1993. Rule 4 deals with Service Associations registered or yet to be registered. They are required to make an application under Section 3. Clause (5) prescribes conditions for recognition of a Service Association and provides as under:

"5. Conditions for recognition of Service Associations : A Service Association which fulfills the following conditions may be recog-nised by the Government, namely;

(a) An application for recognition of Service Association has

been made to the Government containing Memorandum of Association, Constitution, Bye-laws of the Association, Names of Office-Bearers, total membership and any other information as may be required by the Government;

(b) the Service Association has been formed primarily with the

object of promoting the common service interest of its mem-bers;

(c) membership of the Service Association has been restricted to

a distinct category of Government Servants having common interest all such Government servants' being eligible for mem-bership of the Service Association;

( d) (i) The Association represents minimum 35 per cent of total

number of a category of employees provided that where there is only one Association \vith second highest membership, although less than 35 per cent may be recognised if it com-mands at least 15 per cent membership;

(ii) The membership of the Government servant shall be automatically discontinued on his ceasing to belong to such category;

( e) Government employees who are in service shall be members

of office bearers of the Service Association;

(t) the Service Assotiation shall not be formed to represent the

interests, or on the basis of any caste, tribe or religious denomination or of any group within or Section of such caste, tribe or reli~ious denomination;

(g) tfle Executive of the Service Association has been appointed

from amongst the members only; and I (h) the lands of the Service Association consist exclusively of

subscriptions from members and grants, if any, made by the Government, and are applied Ot!.ly for the furtherance of the objects of the Service Association."

Rule 6 deals with conditions subject to which recognition is con-tinued to the Associations and Rule 7 gives power for verification of the membership. Rule 8 deals with withdrawal of recognition. Rule 9 gives power to the Government for relaxation. Rule 10 relates to interpretation of the Rules.

It would, thus, be seen that if there are more than one rival unions of the Service employees, the Government of India have evolved a policy as to how the Service Associations required to be recognised by the appropriate authority should represent the interest of the members of the respective unions. In this view, it would be open to the appropriate union to approach the Government in the light of the above rules and seek recognition in accordance with law to avoid any future litigation in this behalf.

The appeal is accordingly disposed of. No costs.

'G.N. Appeal disposed.

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 490 of 1980.

From the Judgment and Order dated 14.9.79 of the Calcutta High Court in Civil Rule No. 13393 (W) of 1979.

AK. Pandey, R.K. Khanna and R.P. Singh for the Appellants. B. Sen and P.P. Malhotra, Dilip Sinha, D. Krishnan, K.R. Nambiar .and C.V.S. Rao for the Respondents.