MUHAMMAD NAEEM Versus MUHAMMAD HAROON KHAN
This appeal before the Supreme Court of Pakistan arose from an order of the N.W.F.P. Service Tribunal, which had reinstated respondent No. 1, Muhammad Haroon Khan, into service after his termination by the Local Government and Rural Development Department. The appellant, Muhammad Naeem, challenged this reinstatement, claiming he had originally secured the first position in a competitive test for the post of Supervisor, whereas the respondent had been appointed on political grounds despite being over-aged. The core legal question was whether the appellant, who was serving as a Secretary, Union Council, at the time of the respondent's appointment and subsequent termination, possessed the necessary locus standi to challenge the Service Tribunal's order reinstating the respondent. The Supreme Court upheld a preliminary objection regarding the maintainability of the appeal. It held that because the appellant was not holding the post of Supervisor at the relevant times and had not challenged the respondent's initial appointment, he was not an aggrieved person entitled to contest the reinstatement order. Consequently, the Court dismissed the appeal as not maintainable.
- Does a candidate who did not challenge an initial appointment have the locus standi to challenge a subsequent reinstatement order of that appointee?
- Can an individual who was not holding the specific post in question at the time of a service dispute maintain an appeal against an order regarding that post?
- Is an appeal maintainable before the Supreme Court when the appellant fails to demonstrate they are an aggrieved person?
ORDER
1. SAEEDUZZAMAN SIDDIQUI, J: ‑‑ The above appeal with the leave of this Court is directed against the order of N: W.F.P. Service Tribunal, Peshawar, dated 3‑2‑1993 whereby the Service Tribunal allowed the appeal filed by Muhammad Haroon Khan (respondent No. 1) and directed the official respondents to reinstate him in service with further observation that if the appellant (who was respondent No. 4) in the service appeal, felt aggrieved against irregular appointment of the respondent No, 1, he could seek his remedy before a proper forum. The leave granting order reads as follows:‑‑ .
2. "Facts leading to this petition briefly stated are that a post of Supervisor in the Local Government and Rural Development Department, Hazara Division was advertised. through press and applications were invited for 15‑8‑1989. Since the appointment was to be made on merits, written test was taken in which 80 candidates participated. The petitioner was declared first in the test on obtaining 77 marks. That two months after the above, i.e. on 24‑10‑1992 the Minister concerned of the Government of N: W.F.P. recommended the name of Muhammad Haroon Khan respondent for appointment, though he was then over-aged, purely on political basis. Allegedly the respondent was put to test and had secured 68 marks. That by order dated 2‑6‑1992 Director, Local Government and Rural Development Department terminated the services of respondent No. 1 as being irregular and without merits. Respondent No. 1 filed appeal in the Service Tribunal which was allowed because the learned Tribunal presumed that it had no jurisdiction to go into the question of appointment being irregular and contrary to law.
3. Petitioner feeling aggrieved by the said order which is going to dislodge him, seeks leave to appeal against the order of the learned Service Tribunal dated 3‑2‑1993. Leave is granted to consider; whether in the circumstances of the case Service Tribunal had no jurisdiction to consider the validity of termination of service of a civil servant if it is not made in accordance with the terms and conditions of his appointment.
4. Stay already granted shall continue"
5. At the hearing of the appeal, the learned counsel for respondent No. 1 raised a preliminary objection as to the maintainability of the above appeal. It is contended that neither at the time the respondent No. 1 was appointed as Supervisor in the Local Government and Rural Development Department, Abbottabad, nor on the date his services were terminated, the appellant was serving as Supervisor, and as such, he could not be aggrieved by the impugned order, which only declared the termination of service of respondent No. 1 by the Department as illegal and directed his reinstatement in service. It is admitted before us that on the relevant dates, the appellant was serving as Secretary, Union Council. It is also an admitted position that the appointment of respondent No. 1 in service was not challenged by appellant though he claimed that he stood first in the test and respondent No. 1 was second in position. In these circumstances, the appellant could not challenge the order directing reinstatement of respondent No. 1 in service. The observation of the Service Tribunal that if the appellant was aggrieved by the irregular appointment of respondent No. 1 he could seek remedy before proper forum, could not justify filing of the appeal before this Court against the order of the Tribunal. We, accordingly, uphold the preliminary objection raised by the learned counsel for respondent No. 1 and dismiss the appeal as not maintainable. There will, however, be no order as to costs, in the circumstances of the case.
6. A.A./M/2022/S Appeal dismissed.