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Gujarat · 1973 · Bare Act

Gujarat Civil Services Tribunal Act

THE GUJARAT CIVIL SERVICES TRIBUNAL ACT, 1972

CONTENTS

PREAMBLE.

SECTIONS

1. Short title , extent and commencement,

2. Definitions

3. Constitution of Tribunal,

4. Term of office and Conditions of Service of Members of Tribunal,

5. Power of State Government to terminate appointment before expiry

of term.

6. Filling of vacancies

7. Discharge of functions by President or member during vacancy or

absence.

8. Power of Tribunal to make regulations

9. Head Quarters of Tribunal

10. Jurisdiction of the Tribunal

11. Appeal by specified civil servants

12. Power of State Government to apply for modification, or

annulment of order or decision

12-A State Government to be heard in certain cases.

12-B Review

13 Tribunal to have powers of Court.

14. Proceedings before Tribunal to be judicial proceedings

15. Members of Tribunal to be public servants

16. Bar of jurisdiction of Civil Courts

17. Bar to appearance of legal practitioners.

18. Exemption from payment of Court fees

18-A Records to be open to inspection and extracts and copies to be

given therefrom

19 Amendment of Schedule

20 Rules,

21 Bar of jurisdiction of Government and Transfer of pending proceedings

to Tribunal

GUJARAT ACT NO.2 OF 1973 *

[ THE GUJARAT CIVIL SERVICES TRIBUNAL ACT, 1972]

[12th January, 1973]

Amended by Guj. 22 of 1980

An Act to provide for the constitution of a Civil Services Tribunal for the purpose of

securing in a more effective and satisfactory manner the just claims and interests of the

2 [ Officers and servants of the State Government and Panchayats] with respect to

certain matters affecting their rights and to provide for matters connected therewith

It is hereby enacted in the Twenty-third year of the Republic of India

as follows :-

1. (1) This Act may be called the Gujarat Civil Services

Tribunal Act, 1972

(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Gujarat

(3) It shall come into force at once

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires -

(a) "law" means any law regulating the recruitment and

conditions of service of persons appointed to civil services and

posts under the State , or to panchayat Service and matters

connected therewith and includes any notification, order, rule,

regulation, or instruction or direction issued or followed for

such purpose;

(b) " non-gazetted posts " means posts other than posts declared

or known as gazetted posts under any law ;

Short title, extent

and commence

ment

Definitions

(d) "Panchayat Service " means the Panchayat Service as constituted

under section 203 of the Gujarat Panchayats Act, 1961

3[ (da) "police officers " mean police officers governed by the Bombay

Police Act, 1951 or the Bombay State Reserve Police Force Act,1951]

________________________________________________________________

1. For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Gujarat Government Gazette,

Extra ordinary Part V, dated the 13th December, 1972, p. 338

2. These words were substituted for the words ' servants of Government

and Panchayats holding non-gazetted posts " by Guj. 22 of 1980, s.2

3. Clause (d a,) was inserted ibid., s. 2(i)

* This Act was assented to by the Governor on the 6th January 1973

2. Gujarat Civil Services Tribunal Act, 1972

(e) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;

(f) "President" means the President of the Tribunal ;

(g) "Schedule", means the Schedule appended to this Act;

1(h) "Specified civil servants" mean persons who are or who have been

members of the civil services of the State of Gujarat or of the

Panchayat Service but does not include persons who are or who

have been police officers']

(i) "Tribunal" means the Gujarat Civil Services Tribunal constituted

under section 3.

Guj.

VI of

1962

Bom.X

XX of

1951

Bom

XXX

VIII of

1951

3. (1) For the purpose of securing in a more effective and satisfactory

manner the just claims and interests of specified civil servants with respect

to certain matters affecting their rights the State Government shall, by a

notified order and with effect on and from such date as may be specified

therein , constitute a Tribunal to be called the Gujarat Civil Services

Tribunal , consisting of the President and as many other members as the

State Government may from time to time determine.

(2) The President shall be a person who has held a post not lower in

rank than that of a Secretary to Government for a period of not less than

three years or not lower in rank than that of a District Judge 2[ for a period

of not less than five years]

(3) In making appointment of other members of the Tribunal, the

State Government shall have due regard to the need for including in the

Tribunal a reasonable number or proportion of persons having sufficient

judicial experience or experience of matters relating to administration:

3[ Provided that no person shall be appointed as such other member

of the Tribunal on the basis of experience of matters relating to adminis-

tration unless he has worked for at least two years (whether singly or

cumulatively) on the post of a Joint Secretary to the State Government

or on a post which, in the opinion of the State Government, is a post

equivalent to the post of a Joint Secretary]

4 [ Explanation ] 1. - In computing the period of three years, or, as the

case may , five years for the purpose of sub-section (2), the period of

service rendered by a person as a member of the Tribunal shall also be

taken into account as if it were a period during which such person served

as a Secretary, or, as the case may be, a District Judge.

______________________________________________________________

1. Clause (h) was substituted, by Guj. 22 of 1980 & 3(ii)effective from 5/1/

Constitution

of Tribunal

2. These words were substituted for the words ' for a period of not less than

ten years " ibid, 4(i)

3. This proviso was added, ibid, s. 4(ii)

4. Explanations 1 and 2 were substituted for the existing

Explanation, ibid, s. 4(iii)

Explanation 2. - In sub-section (2), "District Judge ", shall have the

meaning assigned to that expression in clause (15) of section 3 of the Bombay

General Clauses Act, 1904 ]

4. The term for which the President and other members of

the Tribunal shall hold office and their other conditions of

service shall be such as may be prescribed.

5. The State Government may terminate the appointment of

any member of the Tribunal before the expiry of the term of his office

if such member -

(i) is adjudged an insolvent, or

(ii) engages during his term of office in any paid employment

outside the duties of his office, or

(iii) is, in the opinion of the State Government, unfit to continue

in office by reason of infirmity of mind or body, or

(iv) is convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude.

6. Any vacancy in the membership of the Tribunal shall be

filled up by the State Government as soon as practicable :

Provided that if any member of the Tribunal becomes, by reason of illness or

other infirmity, temporarily incapable of performing the duties of his office, the State

Government may appoint some other person to discharge his duties for any period not

exceeding six months at a time.

Bom.I of

1904

Term of office

and conditions of

service of

members of

Tribunal

Power of State

Government to

terminate

appointment before

expiry of term

Filling of

Vacancies

1 [ 7. (1) During any vacancy or absence on leave or otherwise of

the President

(a) in a case where the Tribunal consists of two members, the other member, and

(b) in a case where the Tribunal consists of more than two members such other

member as may be authorised by the State Government by a general or special order,

shall perform the functions of the President

(2) During any vacancy or absence on leave or otherwise of a member other than

the President, -

(a) in a case where the Tribunal consists of two members, the President and

(b) in a case where the Tribunal consists of more than two members, the

President and the other remaining members,

may act as Tribunal as if the Tribunal consisted of only the President or, as the

case may be, the President and such other members. ]

___________________________________________________________________

1. Section 7 was substituted by Guj. 22 of 1980 s.5.

8 (1) If the members of the Tribunal are divided in opinion, the decision shall

be according to the decision of the majority, but if the members are equally

divided, the decision shall be according to the decision of the President.

(2) Subject to the provision contained in sub-section (1) and the previous

sanction of the State Government, the Tribunal shall, for the purpose of regulating its

procedure (including the place or places at which it shall hold its sittings and the

formation of its Benches, if necessary ) and the effective discharge of its functions and

disposal of its business, make regulations consistent with the provisions of this Act and

the rules made thereunder.

(3) The regulations made under sub-section (2) shall be published in the

Official Gazette.

Discharge of functions

by President or member

during vacancy or

absence

Power of

Tribunal to

make

regulations

9. The headquarters of the Tribunal shall be at such place as the State

Government may, by notified order, determine.

10. The Tribunal shall have jurisdiction to hear and decide --

(a) appeals filed by specified civil servants under section 11;

(b) any application filed by the State Government under

section 12;

11. (1) Any specified civil servant aggrieved by an original or

appellate order or decision of any officer or authority other than the

State Government with respect to any of the matters specified in the

Schedule may, within a period of ninety days from the date of such

order or decision, in a case where an appeal lies under law to the

State Government:

Provided that an appeal against any such order or decision passed

before the date on which the Tribunal is constituted under section 3 may

be filed within the period of ninety days as aforesaid or within a

period of one month from such date, whichever period expires later :

1 [ Provided further that a specified civil servant to whom right to appeal

under sub-section (1) accrues as a result of the amendments made in this Act by the

Gujarat civil Services Tribunal (Amendment) Act, 1980 (hereinafter in this Act

referred to as " the Amending Act" ) shall be entitled to file an appeal against any such

order or decision passed before the date of the commencement of the Amending Act

within the period of ninety days as aforesaid or within a period of one month from the

aforesaid date, whichever period expires later.]

(2) No such appeal or an appeal transferred to it under section 21 shall be

decided by the Tribunal without giving to the officer or authority against whose order

Head-quarters

of Tribunal

Jurisdiction of

the Tribunal

Appeal by

specified civil

servants

Guj.5 of

1980

or decision it is filed, an opportunity of placing his or, as the case may be, its views

before the Tribunal.

___________________________________________________________________

1. This proviso was inserted, by Guj. 22 of 1980 s.6.

12. (1) Where it appears to the State Government that any order or

decision of any officer or authority in relation to any specified civil

servant with respect to any of the matters specified in the Schedule

against which an appeal lies to the Tribunal under section 11 require to be modified,

annulled or reversed --

(i) on the ground that it is contrary to law, or

(ii) on the ground that it is inconsistent with the material on record, or

(iii) for any other sufficient reason in the interest of justice,

the State Government may, within a period of ninety days from the date of such

order or decision, make an application to the Tribunal to modify, annul or reverse such

order or decision.

(2) No such application shall be decided by the Tribunal without notice being

given to the civil servant concerned to appear and be heard in support of such order or

decision.

1[12A. (1) If at any stage in any proceedings before the Tribunal it

appears to the Tribunal that the proceedings raise a question, as to the

interpretation of a law, which is of such a nature and of such public importance that it

is expedient to issue notice to the State Government, the Tribunal shall issue notice to

the Government and the Government may, if it thinks fit, appear and the Tribunal shall

then hear the State Government before deciding the question.

(2) If it appears to the State Government that in its opinion the interpretation of

a provision of law in any proceeding before the Tribunal is of such a nature and of such

public importance that it is expedient that the State Government be heard before

Power of State

Government to apply

for modification, or

annulment of order or

decision.

State Government

to be heard in

certain cases

decision of the question, it may apply to the Tribunal in such proceedings to be heard,

and the Tribunal shall not decide the question without hearing the State Government.

12B The Tribunal may of its own motion or on the application made by a

specified civil servant aggrieved by any decision or order of the Tribunal within two

months from the date of communication of such decision or order to him, review such

decision or order on any of the following grounds, namely :-

(1) that some new or important matter or evidence which could not be

discovered earlier after the exercise of due diligence and which was likely to materially

affect the decision or order of the Tribunal was discovered after such decision or order ;

(2) that there was some mistake or error apparent on the face of the record; or

(3) that the decision or order required to be reviewed for any other sufficient

reason :

_____________________________________________________________________

1.. Sections 12-A and 12-B were inserted by Guj. 22 of 1980 , s. 7.

Provided that no such review shall be made after the expiry of a period of two

years from the date of the decision or order concerned.]

13 (1) For the purpose of exercising its jurisdiction under this Act, the

Tribunal shall have the same powers as are vested in a Civil Court under the

Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 in respect of the following matters, namely :-

(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and

examining him on oath ;

(b) requiring the discovery and production of documents;

(d) any other matter which may be prescribed.

(2) The Tribunal shall be deemed to be a court for the purpose of

section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1963

Review

Tribunal to

have powers

of Court

V of 1908

86 of 1963

14 All proceedings before the Tribunal shall be deemed to be judicial

proceedings within the meaning of sections 193, 219 and 228

of the Indian Penal Code.

15 All members of the Tribunal shall be deemed to be public

servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal

Code.

1 [ 16. (1) No Civil Court shall have jurisdiction to deal with or decide

any question which by or under this Act is required to be or can be dealt

with or decided by the Tribunal under the provisions of this Act:

Provided that any proceeding in relation to any such question

which may be pending in any Civil Court immediately before the date of the

commencement of the Amending Act shall be continued in, and disposed of by, such

Court as if the said Act had not been passed.

(2) Every decision of the Tribunal passed under this Act shall be final

and shall not be called in question before any Civil Court or any other authority.

16 A All orders passed by the Tribunal shall be executed in the same

manner in which similar orders, if passed by the State Government,

could have been executed.]

17 No legal practitioner shall be allowed to appear in any proceedings

before the Tribunal except with the permission of the Tribunal.

18 Notwithstanding anything contained in the Bombay

Court Fees Act, 1959 , no court fee shall be levied on any

appeal or application made to the Tribunal under this Act.

__________________________________________________________

1.Sections 16 and 16-A were substituted for section 16, by Guj.22 of 1980,s.8

Proceedings

before Tribunal

to be judicial

proceedings XLV of 1860

Members of

Tribunal to be

public servants

XLV of 1860

Bar of

Jurisdiction of

Civil Courts

Manner of

executive orders

passed by Tribunal

Bar to appearance

of legal

practitioners

Exemption from

payment of Court

fees

Bom.XXX VI

of 1959

[Sec.18A Records to be open to inspection and extracts and copies to be given

therefrom. Subject to such rules and the payment of such fees as the State Government

may from time to time prescribe in this behalf, the records of the Tribunal shall be open

to the inspection of the public at reasonable hours, and certified extracts from the same

or the certified copies thereof shall be given to any person applying for the same]

Sec. 19. Amendment of Schedule. The State Government may, by notification

in the Official Gazette, add to the Schedule any entry relating to any matter affecting

specified civil servants and thereupon the Schedule shall be deemed to have been

amended accordingly for the purposes of this Act.

Sec.20 Rules (1) The State Government may, subject to the condition of

previous publication, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules for carrying out

the purposes of this Act.

(2) All rules made under this Act shall be laid for not less than

thirty days before the State Legislature as soon as possible after they are made and shall

be subject to recession by the State Legislature or to such modification as the State

Legislature may make, during the session in which they are so laid or the session

immediately following.

________________________________________________________________

1. Sec. 18-A was inserted by Guj. 22 of 1980, sec. 9

(3) Any rescission or modification so made by the State Legislature shall be

published in the Official Gazette and shall thereupon take effect.

1[ Sec.21 . Bar of jurisdiction of Government and transfer of pending

proceedings to Tribunal. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Gujarat

Panchayats Act 1961, (Guj. VI of 1962) or any other law for the time being in force,

neither the State Government nor any Officer or authority empowered to exercise the

powers of the State Government shall, with effect on and from the date on which the

Tribunal is constituted uder section 3, be competent to entertain or hear appeals or

applications against, or to revise, orders or decisions of any officer or authority in

relation to specified civil servants with respect to any of the matters specified in the

Schedule, in cases where an appeal lies to the Tribunal against such orders or decisions

under section 11; and all such appeals or applications and other proceedings in such

cases pending on the said date before the State Government r any Officer or authority as

aforesaid shall stand transferred to the Tribunal for disposal in accordance with the

provisions of this Act ]

2[(2)] All such appeals, applications or other proceedings in such cases filed by or

relating to specified civil servants to whom right to appeal under sub-section (1) of

section 11 may have accrued as a result of the amendments made in this Act by the

Amending Act, which may be pending on the date of the commencement of the

Amending Act before the State Government or any officer authority as aforesaid shall

stand transferred to the Tribunal for disposal in accordance with the provisions of this

Act.]

_____________________________________________________________________

1. Sec. 21 was renumbered as sub-sec.(1) of that section by Guj. 22 of 1980 , sec., 10

2. Sub-=sec. (2) was inserted, ibid.

THE SCHEDULE

(See sections 11,12,19 and 21.)

(1) Dismissal or removal from service or reduction in rank.

(2) Reduction of pay or to a lower time -scale of pay.

(3) Non-confirmation in service.

(4) Non-promotion to a higher post.

(5) Reversion to a lower post.

(6) Discharge from service

1[(7) Compulsory retirement]

2[(8) Reduction to a lower stage in the time -scale of pay for a specified period

(9) Censure

(10) Reduction in or withholding the pension or denial of the maximum pension

admissible under the rules.

(11) Withtholding of increments

(12) Stoppage at Efficiency Bar in time-scale of pay.

(13) Recovery from pay of the whole or part of any pecuniary loss caused to

Government by negligence or breach of orders.]

_______________________________________________________________

1. Entry (7) was added vide G.N., G.A.D.No. GS/77/60/CST-1177-IIG

dated the 22nd April, 1977

2. Entries (8) to (13) were added vide G.N., G.A.D. No. GS/78/2/CST/1177/II/G

dated the 3rd January, 1978.