TMI Blog2014 (4) TMI 1257X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ice issued by the Land Manager is without jurisdiction. It is not a case of sub-delegation. It is merely a ministerial exercise of issuance of a notice in implementation of the decision, as per the specific authorization in that regard. Admittedly, in the case of the petitioners, the lease deed has been executed by the Land Manager. The execution of the lease deed is as per the decision by the competent authority. If that be so, the lease can be terminated by the same authority who executed the lease deed, after a decision has been made in that regard by the competent authority. There is no legal infirmity in the impugned notices issued by the Land Manager of the Kolkata Port Trust - The power is exercised only as duly authorized by the Chairman. The Land Manager is also otherwise competent to issue notices after due decision has been taken in that regard by the competent authority since he is the one who executed the lease deed. There is no merit in these Petitions. SLP dismissed. - Special Leave Petition (Civil) No. 18347/2013, 19458-19459/2013, 19600/2013, 19652/2013 - - - Dated:- 16-4-2014 - Gyan Sudha Misra And Kurian Joseph, JJ. JUDGMENT ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ons which consist in the determination or choosing of the legislative policy and formally enacting that policy into a binding rule of conduct[Harishanker Bagla v. State of M.P. (1955) 1 SCR 380 (Page 388) Agricultural Market Committee v. Shalimar Chemical Works Limited (1997) 5 SCC 516]. Subordinate legislation which is generally in the realm of Rules and Regulations dealing with the procedure on implementation of plenary legislation is generally a task entrusted to a specified authority. Since the Legislature need not spend its time for working out the details on implementation of the law, it has thought it fit to entrust the said task to an agency. That agency cannot entrust such task to its subordinates; it would be a breach of the confidence reposed on the delegate. 4. Regarding delegation of non-legislative/administrative powers on a person or a body to do certain things, whether the delegate himself is to perform such functions or whether after taking decision as per the terms of the delegation, the said agency can authorize the implementation of the same on somebody else, is the question to be considered. Once the power is conferred, after exercising the said p ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... is as much a part of the High Court as an institution and is meant to be entrusted with the responsibility of discharging administrative and ministerial functions. There can be delegation as also there can be authorization in favour of the Registry and the officials therein by empowering or entrusting them with authority or by permitting a few things to be done by them for and on behalf of the Court so as to aid the Judges in discharge of their judicial functioning. Authorization may take the form of formal conferral or sanction or may be by way of approval or countenance. Such delegation or authorization is not a matter of mere convenience but a necessity at times. The Judges are already overburdened with the task of performing judicial functions and the constraints on their time and energy are so demanding that it is in public interest to allow them to devote time and energy as much as possible in discharging their judicial functions, relieving them of the need for diverting their limited resources of time and energy to such administrative or ministerial functions, which, on any principle of propriety, logic, or necessity are not required necessarily to be performed by the Ju ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... t are necessary for giving effect to the policy and purposes of the enactment. In construing the scope and extent of delegated power, the difference between the essential and non-essential functions of the delegate should also be borne in mind. While there cannot be sub-delegation of any essential functions, in order to achieve the intended object of the delegation, the non-essential functions can be sub-delegated to be performed under the authority and supervision of the delegate. 9. Sometimes, in the plenary legislation itself, the lawmakers may provide for such sub-delegation. That is what we see under Section 21 and 34 of the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963, which we shall be discussing in more detail at a later part of this judgment. 10. Having analysed the legal position as above, we shall now deal with the factual position in these cases. The challenge is on the judgment dated 28.01.2013 of the Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court. The issue pertains to the determination of leases granted by the Kolkata Port Trust to the petitioners. In the case of Universal Autocrafts Private Limited, they were granted lease of a plot of land for 30 years, on 19.08.1990. ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... or dispose of property and may by the name by which it is constituted, sue or be sued. 12. Section 21 of the Act provides for delegation of powers of the Board with the approval of the Central Government on the Chairman and specification of exercise of such powers conferred on the Chairman by the Deputy Chairman or any other officer of the Board. The provision reads as follows: 21. Delegation of powers.-A Board may, with the approval of the Central Government, specify- a) the powers and duties conferred or imposed upon the Board by or under this Act, which may also be exercised or performed by the Chairman; and b) the powers and duties conferred or imposed on the Chairman by or under this Act, which may also be exercised or performed by the Deputy Chairman or any officer of the Board and the conditions and restrictions, if any, subject to which such powers and duties may be exercised and performed: Provided that any powers and duties conferred or imposed upon the Deputy Chairman or any officer of the Board under clause (b) shall be exercised and performed by him subject to the supervision and control of the Chairman. 13. Sect ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... g been specifically conferred on the Chairman, the steps now taken by the Land Manager by issuing the impugned notices for eviction, are clearly without jurisdiction and, hence, illegal and inoperative. On behalf of the Board of Kolkata Port Trust, it is contended that the decision to terminate the lease has actually been taken by the Chairman and the issuance of notice of termination in furtherance of the decision taken by the Chairman alone, has been delegated to the Land Manager. Our attention is also invited to Office Order No. 6480/3/0 dated 22.01.1990, which reads as under: - CALCUTTA PORT TRUST No. 6480/3/0 January 22, 1990 OFFICE ORDER Henceforth ejectment (sic) notices in respect of leases determined with my approval may be signed by any one of the undernoted officers: Calcutta 1) Deputy Chairman (Calcutta) 2) Land Manager Haldia 1) Deputy Chairman (Haldia) 2) General Manager (Mas) 3) Manager (I C.F) 16. The power that is delegated to the Chairman as per Resolution No. 82 is the power to terminate a lease. The decision to terminate has been taken by the Chairman only and there is no dispute in that r ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ng Highways. The officer authorized to execute these instruments among others is SE. Chapter II of PWD Code deals with, Works . It contains paragraphs 88 to 224. Nowhere has it mentioned any authority, who is conferred with power to terminate/cancel the contract entered into by SE as per Paragraph 159 of PWD Code read with executive instructions. Petitioners have failed to bring any evidence in this regard. Furthermore, in G.O.Ms. No. 2209, dated 24.9.1965, it was clarified that SE is competent to execute contracts and piece work agreements upto the limit of tenders accepted by the competent authority regardless of whether they were accepted by SE and irrespective of restrictions imposed on the powers of SE in the matter of acceptance of contract. This means that SE is competent to enter into contract and also for terminating/ closing/cancelling the contract. The power to enter into contracts or the authorisation to execute instruments also includes the power to execute contracts or instruments cancelling a contract. It may also be noticed that under preliminary specification Nos. 7 and 8 of APSS, SE is competent to alter the standard specifications for a particular contract. Thus ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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