14

SUPREME COURT OF AZAD JAMMU AND KASHMIR

[Appellate Jurisdiction]

PRESENT:

Mohammad Azam Khan, C.J.

Raja Saeed Akram Khan, J.

Civil Appeal No.91/2014

(P.L.A filed on 17.12.2013)

Aurangzeb s/o Manzoor Hussain r/o Sahre Hanjalkot, Tehsil Pallandri, District Sudhnoti,/Pallandri,

…...APPELLANT

VERSUS

1. Muhammad Zia Khan s/o Muhammad Alam Khan r/o Afzalabad, Tehsil Pallandri, District Sudhnoti, Pallandri.

2. Assistant Director Veterinary Animal Husbandry Department, Sudhnoti, Pallandri,

3. District Accounts Officer, District Sudhnoti, Pallandri.

…..RESPONDENTS

[On appeal from the judgment of the High Court

dated 10.10.2013 in Writ Petition No.1502/2012]

FOR THE APPELLANT: Mr. Asghar Ali Malik,

Advocate.

FOR RESPONDENT No.1: Sardar Muhammad Habib Zia, Advocate.

FOR RESPONDENTS No.2 Mr. Mansoor Pervaiz Khan, & 3: Advocate-General.

Date of hearing: 03.12.2015.

JUDGMENT:

Mohammad Azam Khan, C.J.– In response to an advertisement published in different newspapers on 25th June, 2012, apart from others, the appellant, herein, also applied for appointment against the post of Chowkidar/Naib Qasid in the Animal Husbandry Hospital, Pallandari. In the result of test and interview, he was placed at serial No.1 in the merit list and was appointed on 4th July, 2012. Respondent No.1, herein, challenged the said order by way of a writ petition in the High Court. A learned single Judge in the High Court through the impugned judgment dated 10th October, 2013, accepted the writ petition and set aside the appointment order of the appellant on the ground that the post of BPS-1 falls within the limits of constituency No.5 and the appellant, herein, does not belong to the area of said constituency, therefore, he was not eligible to be appointed. This judgment of the High Court is subject of the instant appeal by leave of the Court.

3. Mr. Asghar Ali Malik, Advocate, the learned counsel for the appellant, submitted that the order passed by the High Court is against law and the record. The post of Chowkidar/Naib Qasid fell vacant in the Animal Husbandry Hospital at District Headquarter, Pallandari. The posts district headquarter cannot not be reserved only for the residents of the constituency concerned but the residents of the whole district are eligible to apply and be appointed against such posts. The learned single Judge failed to consider the same.

4. While controverting the arguments, Sardar Muhammad Habib Zia, Advocate, counsel for the private respondent, submitted that the post is of BPS-1 which fell vacant within the limits of constituency No.5. According to the notification dated 9th February, 1994, the posts of BPS-1 to 5 falling vacant or created within the constituency have to be filled in from the said constituency. Admittedly, the appellant is not the resident of constituency No.5, therefore, he was not entitled to be appointed against the said post. He requested for dismissal of the appeal.

5. Mr. Mansoor Pervaiz Khan, Advocate-General, submitted that the judgment of the High Court is illegal and against law. The notification dated 9th February, 1994 is not applicable to the posts at district headquarter and central offices.

6. We have heard the learned counsel for the parties and perused the record. The post of Chowkidar (BPS-1) fell vacant in the Animal Husbandry Hospital at district headquarter, Pallandari/Sudhnoti. Apart from others, the appellant applied for the said post and was appointed as Chowkidar on the recommendations of the selection committee. Respondent No.1 by filing a writ petition in the High Court, challenged the appointment order of the appellant on the ground that the post falls within the limits of constituency No.5, whereas, the appellant, herein, is not the resident of the said constituency. In the light of the notification dated 9th February, 1994, the appellant is not entitled to be appointed against the post which is reserved for the residents of the constituency. For proper appreciation the notification dated 9th February, 1994 is reproduced as under:-

"سروسز اینڈ جنرل ایڈمنسٹریشن ڈیپارٹمنٹ

آزاد حکومت ریاست جموں و کشمیر۔

مظفرآباد

مورخہ 9 فروری1994

نوٹیفکیشن

نمبر انتظامیہ/ایس او/ششم/۱۱۱۱-۱۲۶۱ /۹۴ء-جناب صدر آزاد جموں و کشمیر نے ڈیل منظوری صادر فرماِی ہے۔

پے سکیل ۱ تا ۵ تک کے ملازمین کی تقرری حلقہ انتخاب کے امیدواروں سے میرٹ کی بنیاد پر عمل میں لا َئی جاےَ گی۔ البتہ محکمہ تعلیم شعبہ خواتین میں پرائمری معلمہ کی خالی آسامی پر حلقہ انتخاب کے بجاے صرف متعلقہ لوکل کونسل کی امیدوارہ ہی کی تقرری ہو گی۔ عدم دستیابی موزوں امیدوارہ متعلقہ لوکل کونسل کی صورت میں ملحقہ لوکل کونسل کی موزوں امیدوارہ کی تقرری میرٹ کی بنیاد پر کی جاے گی۔

دستخط

سیکشن آفیسر (قواعد)""

A bare reading of the notification reveals that the posts of BPS-1 to 5 in constituency have to be filled in on merit from the residents of the constituency. Notification cannot be read in isolation, it has to be considered with the whole quota system.

The quota system was introduced for the first time in Azad Jammu & Kashmir through notification dated 12th March, 1972. The said notification is reproduced as under:-

"سرکاری ملازمتوں میں ضلع وار نمائندگی

از دفتر چیف سیکرٹری

سروسز اینڈ جنرل ایڈ منسٹریشن ڈیپارٹمنٹ

آزاد حکومت ریاست جموں و کشمیر

نمبر انتظامیہ/۴۵۲۶-۴۴۷۶/چ-س/۷۲ مورخہ-12-03-1972

بخدمت:

۱) جملہ سیکرٹری صاحباں حکومت

۲) جملہ سربراہان محکمہ جات

عنوان: سرکاری ملازمتوں میں علاقہ وار کوٹہ

کونسل قرار داد نمبری۷۱/۴۸ کی روشنی میں سرکاری ملازمتوں میں علاقہ وار کوٹہ حسب ذیل مقرر کیا گیا ہے۔

۱) مہاجرین جموں و کشمیر مقیم پاکستان۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۲۵ فیصد

۲ ) ضلع میر پور۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۳۰ فیصد

۳) ضلع پونچھ۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۲۵ فیصد

۴) ضلع مظفرآباد۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۲۰ فیصد

۲۔ پسماندہ علاقوں کے لیے ملازمت میں دس فیصد نمائندگی کے سلسلہ میں نوٹیفکیشن مجریہ زیر نمبر انتظامیہ/۳۴-۳۰۰۳/سی-ایس/۷۱ مورخہ۱۹۷۱-۳-۱۶ کونسل قرار داد محولہ بالا کی روشنی میں منسوح تصور فرمایا جاءے۔ اب انہیں اپنے اپنے ضلع کے کوٹہ ہی میں کھپایا جائے گا۔

۳۔ ضلعی دفاتر میں ایک بنیادی اصول کے طور پر اسی ضلع کے باشندے بھرتی کئے جائیں گے۔ بمہربانی اس کے مطابق آئندہ عمل کیا جائے۔

(عبدلخالق خان)

تمغہ قائد اعظم

ایڈیشنل چیف سیکر ٹری،

The perusal of notification reveals that prior to issuance of this notification, a notification was issued on 16th March, 1971, whereby 10% seats in service were reserved for the backward areas. Through the notification, the quota reserved for the backward areas was abolished and quota was fixed for the refugees settled in Pakistan, districts Mirpur, Poonch and Muzaffarabad as there were only three districts at that time. Para 3 of the notification provides that as a principle, the residents of a district shall be employed in the posts falling vacant or created in that district.

It has been observed in a case titled Azad Government & 2 others vs. Muhammad Naseer Chaudhry and 2 others [2010 SCR 186] that whole service structure of Azad Jammu & Kashmir is based upon quota system, it was observed in para No.7 as under:-

“We may observe that the observance of district-wise quota in view of rules is mandatory. The whole service structure of Azad Jammu & Kashmir is based on district-wise quota.”

The district-wise quota was further clarified through notification dated 5th July, 1972, which is reproduced as under:-

" ملازمت میں ضلع وار نمائندگی

از دفتر چیف سیکرٹری'

سروسز اینڈ جنرل ایڈ منسٹریشن ڈیپارٹمنٹ

آزاد حکومت ریاست جموں و کشمیر، مظفرآباد

نمبر انتظامیہ/۱۲۷۱۶-۱۲۶۶۶/چ-س/۷۲ مورخہ1972.07.05

بخدمت:

۱) جملہ سیکرٹری صاحباں حکومت

۲) جملہ سربراہان محکمہ جات

عنوان: ملازمت میں ضلع وار نمائندگی۔

ملازمت میں ضلع وار نمائندگی کے حکومتی فیصلہ سے پہلے ہی آپ کو آگاہ کیا جا چکا ہے۔ اس فیصلہ کے بتسلسل حسب ہدایت تحریر ہے کہ جب بھی کوئی آسامی پر کرنی ہو۔ تو اس کو مشتہر کرتے وقت متعلقہ محکمہ یہ تذکرہ کرنے کا پابند ہو گا کہ آسامی فلاں ضلع کے لئے مختص کوٹہ کے خلاف پر ہونی ہے۔ اور اسی ضلع کے امیدواران کو زیر غور لایا جائے گا۔البتہ اگر متعلقہ ضلع سے اس اہلیت کا کوئی بھی موزوں امیدوار دستیاب نہ ہو تو دوسرے اضلاع کے موزوں امیدواروں کے ذریعے تقرری عمل میں لائی جائے گی۔

یہ اصول ان تمام آسامیوں کے لئے لاگو ہو گا جن کے بارے میں مقابلے کے امتحان لئے جاتے ہیں، اور وہ جریدہ ہیں۔ جہاں تک غیر جریدہ اور چھوٹے ملازمین کا تعلق ہے، انہیں اپنے اپنے ضلع ہی سے بھرتی کیا جائے گا اگر بامر مجبوری آسامی پر کرتے وقت متعلقہ ضلع سے موزوں امیدوار نہ ملے تو ایسی صورت میں بھرتی کنندہ افسر مجاز اپنے بالا افسر کے ساتھ رابطہ قائم کرے گا۔ اور اس کے بعد دوسرے اضلاع سے موزوں امیدوار کو بھرتی کرے گا۔

پبلک سروس کمیشن کے ذریعے تقرریوں کے وقت بھی اشتہار میں یہ بات درج ہو گی کہ کمیشن کی سفارشات ضلع وار کوٹہ کی بنیاد پر ہوں گی۔ البتہ اگر اس طرح مطلوبہ اہلیت کا موزوں امیدوار میسر نہ ہو سکا تو کمیشن موزوں ترین امیدوار کی سفارش کرے گا۔ چاہے اس کا تعلق کسی بھی ضلع سے ہو۔

بمہربانی اس کے مطابق آئندہ عمل فرمایا جائے۔

تابع فرمان

(عبدلخالق خان)

تمغہ قائد اعظم

ایڈیشنل چیف سیکر ٹری،

In this notification it has been clarified that there are two categories of the posts; one gazetted and the other non-gazetted. The gazetted posts shall be advertised for the quota reserved for the said district and in the result if any candidate is not available on merit then a suitable candidate from the other districts can be appointed against the said post. For the non-gazetted posts, it is categorically laid down that the non-gazetted and lower grade posts shall be filled from the said district and if while filling in the post no suitable candidate is available then the competent officer shall consult the higher officer and suitable candidate from the other district can be appointed. Later on, due to creation of new districts further notifications were issued for reserving the quota for the newly created districts. The notification dated 9th February, 1994 which has been reproduced herein above was issued for meeting two eventualities for the posts of BPS-1 to 5. The posts of BPS-1 to 5 shall be filled in from the residents of constituency on merit and posts of primary teacheresses in the Education Department shall be filled in on local council basis and not on the constituency basis. There is wisdom behind this notification that the employees of lower grade shall be appointed within their constituency and primary teacheresses shall be appointed within their local councils so that they may serve near to their residence. There is no ambiguity in the notification. The said notification has been issued for facilitating the lower grade civil servants.

The effect of notification dated 9th February, 1994 has been considered in a recent judgment of this Court titled Faisal Iqbal vs. Deputy Director Commercial & 5 others [2014 SCR 553], wherein a post fell vacant in the Electricity Division Mirpur, it is clarified that the status of Electricity Division is not like that of the Revenue Administrative Division. In Electricity Department Division is established at constituency level, it was observed that notification dated 9th February, 1994, posts of BPS-1 to 5 are reserved for the residents of the relevant constituency. In the said report, it was observed as under:-

“According to the notification dated 9th February, 1994, the posts of B-1 to B-5 have been specifically reserved for the residents of the constituency, wherein the posts fell vacant or created. If a post falls vacant in the territorial limits of any particular constituent, only a person from the said constituency can be appointed against the said posts and none else. The wisdom behind the notification is that the persons in lower grade may be appointed near to their homes station. This notification has been issued to facilitate the employees of the lower grade so that they can be appointed near to their home station. The notification No.S&GAD/R-4/(347)-99, dated 26th May, 2003, through which 20% quota for the children for disable servants of grade B-1to B-5 either serving or retired is reserved does not override or supersede the provision of notification dated 9th February, 1994. The former notification shall be acted upon in the light of notification dated 9th February, 1994, which reserved the posts of grade B-1 to B-5 for the residents of the relevant constituency. The children of serving or retired civil servants B-1 to B-5 are entitled to avail 20% quota in their respective constituencies.”

7. While considering the above reproduced notifications, it is to be seen that whether the posts of BPS-1 to 5, like chowkidar, Qasid, Naib Qasid and like posts in the offices at district headquarter are reserved only for the residents of the constituency where such offices are situated or the candidates of whole districts are eligible to apply. Similarly, the posts of BPS-1 to 5 in offices, at Secretariat, Special institutions, the High Court, the Supreme Court and autonomous bodies, whether, only the candidates from the constituency where these offices are situated, can apply or the candidates from whole of the Azad Jammu & Kashmir are eligible, needs resolution. A combined study of the notification dated 12th March, 1972, 5th July, 1972 and 9th February, 1994 makes it clear that there is no ambiguity in the quota notifications. The non-gazetted posts in a district have to be filled in from the residents of a district. The notification dated 9th February, 1994 carves out a special situation, where a right to apply and be inducted against the posts of BPS-1 to 5 in the constituency and for the primary teacheresses in the union council has been provided. Such posts can only be filled in from the residents of the constituency and the union council.