TaxTMI 
TaxTMI 
1996 (10) TMI 533
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....at Page 747] of the majority judgment, it was directed that "our decision on this question shall operate only prospectively and shall not affect promotions already made, whether on temporary, officiating or regular/permanent basis. It is further directed that wherever reservations are already provided in the matter of promotion-be it Central Services or State Services, or for that matter services under any corporation, authority or body falling under the definition of 'State' in Article 12-such reservations shall continue in operation for a period of five years from this day". Then, in the next para, Para 831, the majority judgment made the following observations: "We must also make it clear that it would not be impermissible for ....
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....e applied to the appointments made under the article. However, as pointed out earlier, the exclusive quota is not the only form of reservation and where the resort to it such as in the promotions, results in the inefficiency of the administration, it is illegal. But that is not the end of the road nor is a backward class employee helpless on account of its absence. Once he gets an equal opportunity to show his talent by coming into the mainstream, all he needs is the facility to achieve equal results. The facility can be and must be given to him in the form of concessions, exemptions etc. such as relaxation of age, extra attempts for passing the examinations, extra training period etc. along with the machinery for impartial assessment as ....
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....n Para 15 aforesaid is the Memorandum dated January 21, 1977 which provided that where the promotions are made on the basis of seniority subject to fitness and where a qualifying examination is held to determine the fitness of the candidates for such promotions, suitable relaxation in the qualifying standard in such examination should be made for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes to the extent of the relaxation to be decided on each occasion, whenever such examination was held, taking into account all relevant factors including the number of vacancies reserved, performance of Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe candidates as well as the general candidates in that examination, the minimum standard of fitness for appointment to the post and the o....
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....cancies and provisions for in-service coaching/training in Karamchari Sangh are instances of such concessions and relaxations. However, it would not be permissible to prescribe lower qualifying marks or a lesser level of evaluation for the members of reserved categories since that would compromise the efficiency of administration." The relaxation concerned in State of Kerala v N.M. Thomas [1976 (2) S.C.C.310] is also set out in Para 713 of the majority judgment. The concession was providing "temporary exemption to members already in service belonging to any of the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes from passing all tests (unified, special or departmental test) for a period of two years..... They were required to pass the tests within the ....
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....(as the learned Chief Justice then was) was of the opinion that it was not necessary to consider in that case the question whether Article 16(4) permits reservation in the matter of promotions.] In the light of the fact that Pandian and Sawant,JJ. have agreed with the conclusions arrived at in the majority judgment and in the absence of any contrary proposition in the opinion of any other learned Judge, it must be held that the law on this question is the one declared in Para 831. We are, therefore, of the opinion that so far as the provision for lower qualifying marks or lesser level of evaluation in the matter of promotion is concerned, it is not permissible under Article 16(4) in view of the command contained in Article 335 of the Consti....