Mohinder Singh v. Punjab State Electricity Board Patiala (Now Pspcl) And ORS
! "
# $
!"# $" %& %' !"# $" &&" (!&
&) !"# $"'" * "%) +,& " - .....
% " $ / )%( #" '' ( '$ ,$" & "% &
) & 0% )1"$ &&" (&"% ) 2 "% " & '%&&!&('' ( "//3"$/45465/6 #& "67//65/8 &&9 (
%&$" #( 1 "+&0%#&" $&( ,+ '" * & & -&"1 & & ,(
&, ,+(&1& &" 6 %& 9 # ,+ &!&( % ) %&" &!&&" "
&'% !& 0% )1 6:5765/6 & $ !"% "$
;'( &&$$9 ,+'" "/"7; $ "/"7 9 &# " #"& # "$ ;'( &&$$ $"
''"&1 & "$<"
)= 9$6/57/::4" #"1'
)"% > #% (, "'( &)" '# # ,
$ "$ ;'( &&$$9 9" &) $&&
& "$5?57/::89 &( &!&# ;'&&" ''"& 9" #
) 1 1 " 6/57/::4 " #"1'
)"% 9 '" & #"%#&" &!&&" " & '% @% (&$&# &""$ ;'&&"9 % 1 &# " '
&%#&" &( ", ''"&
%&) '&" ! $ ''"&1"$
;'( &&$$
''"& ' "$ # 1'("+ "#"1'
)"% 9 "9 ("% 1 &#' #"&""$ ;'( &&$$ %"$ #&"&&((#"&%&)
&%$$&)#" ("& & ( + (("9 #&# "$ &
''"&1 9"
) =1 &6/57/::4 8 "&#"$ %&9 )&!" '" ; $ "
$&( 9& 19 "# )"&# ((+%,1&
"$
;'( &&$$ 9 9" &) & % & + ( "0# $ #"1'(&""$ % & + ("0# 9 (&% &&) '
19 &$ "%0 , (#&#+ "
$
"$$ "$ ;'( &&$$ (' &! ''(& $"0", "#"1'
)"% "
9 '
19 ","% " )&! 9 " ",(&) &" " '
"$
" )&! 1'("+1"#"1'
)"% "9! ;'( &&$$ "$$ 0","$9"
)1 9 )( (+ ##' 9& "%
+)"% 9" &)" 1$"16/57/::4
7 & ( "% $ 1 $"(("9&) &% " , & "$ '( &)1 ,+ '
&" '&=
!
"#
? & ( "% ",!
&# # "$
;'( &&$$9 "#"& '&' &"1 ,+ &1 $" ''"&&) &1 $" "$ ;'( &&$$& (& ,(",#"& $" ''"&1 & "$<"
) =1 9$6/57/::4 & ("% $ # %& #( &) ;'( &&$$",&( " '""$ $% 9 &( #& &)&%"? # )"&# ((+ %"$ #&""
,&((#"&%&) ;'( &&$$&%$$&)#%&)("!+ 1" & & ( + (("9 # ,# %"$ &#&1& ,&) $ # 9& " 1'("+ 9 " 9 ''"& " #"1'
)"% 9& 1 %# (@% (&$&#
"$
;'( &&$$ < &( #& &)&% "/ 6&$ !"% "$
;'( &&$$ #$"1 "+&0%#&"9 )
4 & 0% )1 # 6:5765/6 9
(() ,$" "%"$ &&" (&&#% ) 2 "% " & '%,+'" "/"7; $ "/"7,+9 +"$$&(&) &!&('' (% #&":?"$&!&("# %" '' (9
(("9 !& " 67//65/8 &&)9& 0% )1 #'
,+ & ("% "9 )%( #" '' (
#"1%' ) & 0% )1 67/665/8 ##" &)"9
;'&&"&"&( " '""$ %&$&( & &1, 3 &#" &(&) 0% )1 #'
,+ ''(( #"% ,("9
'( '"! & ,&
''"&1 '& #
("
!&) 1@% (&$&# (& " ' 9 "9 ''"& %&) 1%,% ''(( #"%,("9 & " "9( ) 1$ # :
#"%($" 9"%( ("
$
@%&""$(&1& &"&#"# && #"&%&)# %"$ #&" &# '(
, ''"
&) $ ;'" '
1 &1 ) & '&) & )&!
#9 9 $% $ ''"
#"%"$( 9 % &' +&9((9& & '&" "$(&1& &" /5
#"%($" ("%,1&
& ( #"%
"(+&% &#&"" '" '
1"(""
&"
' &""$ "" (&$9 ) $" '' ($&( ,+ '" '
1& ''(( #"%,("9 & "# + +# %"$ #&" // ( #"%( '' &) "%) +,& 1" $" '" '
10%&$& (&+"$&1'%) 0% )1
# '
,+ ''(( #"% ,("9 &)
'( 9 "$$ 0","$9"
)=1 9 )( (+
##' 9" &)" & 0",9$6/57/::4""9 & "'' ,+ & # #" %# & $% %,1&
'( 0"& '""$9"
)=1 "6/57/::4
%& 9 $&( " 64546557 9 & "'((+ , ,+ (&1& && ( '&#&'("$( 9
(&1& &"$" #(
1 "+&0%#&"&>+ /6 9"%(
" ' %&)
'&"
9 ''"& " #"1'
)"% &
"
(!
#+9& "$ '( $"
" %$$ +(" /> ( #"%($" '
& /8 ( 9 "$ (&1& &" & $"% " '%,(&# '"(&#+ & & & (1 A&1B
$&& &$" ) (9($
'&" "$(&1& &",'%"(&&) &" ",0#&"'% "!+() (1 + "
! $&A '&" "$ (&$$"!+(&&) &&$%&(" ' +(&&) &"" &'% ' &)& $&&(+ !'%,(&#'"(&#+@%&
"%( , " (&&) &"" 9&&9"%( , &# ""1+&$ (&&) &"& &11" (!&= =!& (&&) &)'
&9 " 1" ( /7 !&) '% #" $ )"&) "%) !& #'%$" ,$" &"%$"1 #" "$''(( "% ,("9 &&!+1%# !&
'( )" &'""$ 9" #
) =1 " #"1'
)"% " 6/57/::4 $ $&( %&$"1 "+&0%#&""64546557& $ )"" 3+ "9! %&$" #( 1 "+&0%#&"
"%(
!,$&( ,+ &19& &>+ $"1 9 "$$ " '""$9"
)=1 ,+ '" '
1 /? & ( () ('"'"&&"
( 9"$(&1& &"1 +
(+ $$# '
&#%( '
+,%&
", ''(& 9& ((&&)"% %"'#&, #"%
"'"9"A '&"
"$(&1& &""@%& ,( )"% %($("9&) $"1 %"+ '"!&&"&! !&(#"%
"'"9"&)" '"!&&""
(&! 9
& #"& & %(&) $"1 & "' &" %"+'"!&&"1 +# %
&'"&#"!&#" '
&#%( '
+,% #"%
"# "&#,%"$"#&)&!&)$%(($$#" 1 (1 A&1 % %9 1 B( 9&
,% && ( 9C # &%# &% &" /4 'A"%&S
!"9 &(#&&) &( #$%&' '(') * (' '
+&,-.
-/"
(
= "16. There is another aspect of the matter which cannot be lost sight of. The respondents herein filed a writ petition after 17 years. They did not agitate their grievances for a long time. They, as noticed herein, did not claim parity with the 17 workmen at the earliest possible opportunity. They did not implead themselves as parties even in the reference made by the State before the Industrial Tribunal. It is not their case that after 1982, those employees who were employed or who were recruited after the cut-off date have been granted the said scale of pay. After such a long time, therefore, the writ petitions could not have been entertained even if they are similarly situated. It is trite that the discretionary jurisdiction
may not be exercised in favour of those who approach the court after a long time. Delay and laches are relevant factors for exercise of equitable jurisdiction." /3 $"
&)&"#"& &" #"$ & '#%1 "$ ( 9 &#% & ,"! 1 "$ #"& !&9
%&"$ '( ""$ ((9& & (&1& &"'&" 0%,# % ("" &1&&((#"&%&) #%&)"2% 9 '(
&1($0"& '""$9"
)=1 9& "% &&) +'" &# ", &
,%$$&)("#"&%"%(+""! %&$&( ,+ &1 & , ,+ ( 9 "$ "''( " & " 9" 9 '(
(# "0"& "'" ' "#&"$ (#&" " ''", '", /: ",( ," &! '&#&'("$"''() ((+'! $"1#( &1&)"1 &)
#" &# '!&"% 1" #&"
& %# " '
+" #" & &1 #"A"$ &) '" &$ & &!& % ('!&"%(+& &# ##' #"$ ("9'"&&" "" 9& # & 9 +
( " ",(&! +9"%( "
&) "( +1 +,"'' $"1( #( &1&) &) '" 65 ""! ' !1"$ '" #"'" '
1 9 " ,"% " '"!& #"1'
0", "
;'&&",%9 ) "(+" , &"$+1'
&# )"% &",,"&1&
"1'
''"&1& A#'&"" ) (%("$ ''"&1& '%,(&#!&# && $ !"%"$ ' "$ # +&)&
( !&) & $ 1&(+&'%+ 9& "% +1 "$(&!(& "" &%# "%"$'% %1 & & #"& &"
&)&"#"& &" #
&
%("1"%#"$(&!(& "" &'"!& 1&(+9"%( ",
,("1
," 1 '"!&&"&1 & %("'"!& ) &$%(1'("+1"""$ ' "$ # 9 "1 +, (&)&,($"%# 1'("+1 "(",0#"$) &)#"1'
1'("+1& %" ,( 1&(+"& "! % #&& ",0#&"")&!%# $ 1&(+ '"1%# ( '" ( ,+ # 6/
&) &" #"& &" $ # "$ & '&&" %&$"1 "+&0%#&"
,$&( $3+ 9
&#( (+, ,+(&1& ( '"'"&&""$( 9 &#%
& ,"! &#"% (
'( &"&( "
) (&$"$ #( 1 "+&0%#&" ' + $" $" %'
"( $& &)"$ ("9''(( #"% 66 ##" &)(+ ' )%( #" '' ( &1& 0% )1 # 67//65/8'
,+ "9 ''(( "%& ,+%'
( 6> #= ,''
##" &)(+ " $
& '
() *)+
*)+