Civil Application No. 15434 of 2023 · Bombaybench High Court
Case Details
*1* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperIN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAYBENCH AT AURANGABAD1 CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 15434 OF 2023 IN WP/3950/2023GOPAL MAKHULAL BIRADE AND ORSVERSUSKAILASH MAROTI RAJKAUR AND OTHERS...ANDWRIT PETITION NO. 1559 OF 2024RAVI ASHOK UBALEVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITSSECRETARY AND OTEHRS…ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 488 OF 2024 IN WP/3204/2023ZILLHA SWACHTA KAMGAR SANGTNA REGISTRATIONNO. AWB 1127 ITS SECRETARY KASHINATH LAXMANJADHAVVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITSSECRETARY… ANDWRIT PETITION NO. 1565 OF 2024SOMESH RAMRAO BUJAWNEVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITSSECRETARY AND OTHERS…AND *2* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperWRIT PETITION NO. 2054 OF 2022SUNIL NIVRATTI WAGHMAREVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND OTHERS… ANDWRIT PETITION NO. 2042 OF 2022SACHIN RAMESH SONWANEVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND OTHERS… ANDWRIT PETITION NO. 3204 OF 2023THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH THESECRETARY AND OTHERSVERSUSGOROBA S/O RAM AARADWAD AND OTHERS…ANDWRIT PETITION NO. 3166 OF 2018CHANDRAKANT PRABHAKARRAO KHANSOLE ANDOTHERSVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ANOTHER… ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 2417 OF 2024 IN WP/3204/2023THE MUNICIPAL UNION MUMBAIVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH SECRETARYMINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SPECIALASSISTANCE DEPT *3* 1ca15434o23grp sweeper… ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 3101 OF 2024 IN WP/3950/2023ARCHANA DHAMARATAN SALVEVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THR ITS PRINCIPALSECRETARY AND ORS… ANDWRIT PETITION NO. 5365 OF 2023SUSHILA EKNATH KASAB AND ANOTHERVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH PRINCIPALSECRETARY AND OTHERS… ANDWRIT PETITION NO. 3950 OF 2023KAILASH MAROTI RAJKAUR AND OTHERSVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITSPRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS… ANDWRIT PETITION NO. 4363 OF 2023THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRAVERSUSGAUTAM ASHOK JADHAV… ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 6907 OF 2023 IN WP/3204/2023 *4* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperNAGEJ MOHAN KANDAREVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA… ANDWRIT PETITION NO. 13029 OF 2023MANIK GOVINDRAO BHINGARE AND ANOTHERVERSUSSTATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH SECRETARY ANDOTHERS… ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 7856 OF 2023 IN WP/3204/2023SANTOSH BABAN VARKUTEVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA… ANDWRIT PETITION NO. 10323 OF 2023SUNIL PARVATRAO NALAWDE AND ANOTHERVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITSPRINCIPLE SECRETARY AND OTHERS… ANDWRIT PETITION NO. 10322 OF 2023SUNIL RAMBHAU CHITTE AND ANOTHERVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITSPRINCIPLE SECRETARY AND OTHERS… *5* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 11862 OF 2023 IN WP/3204/2023HANSRAJ RAMDAS BHALERAO AND OTHERSVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTR THROUGH THESECRETARY AND OTHERSA… ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 11864 OF 2023 IN WP/3950/2023NAGPUR MAHANAGAR PALIKA KARMACHARISANGHATANA THR ITS GENERAL SECRETARYVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITSPRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND ANOTHER… ANDWRIT PETITION NO. 11438 OF 2023PARMESHWAR NARSINGRAO KALWALEVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH THEPRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS… ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 11861 OF 2023 IN WP/3204/2023CHANDRAKANT GANPAT GAMREVERSUSSTATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH SECRETARYMINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SPECIALASSISTANCE DEPARTMENT… *6* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 11863 OF 2023 IN WP/3204/2023MACHINDRA SHAHURAO SATHEVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH SECRETARYMINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SPECIALASSISTANCE DEPART… ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 12456 OF 2023 IN WP/3950/2023MAHARASHTRA STATE MAHANAGAR PALIKA THR ITSSPOKESPERSONVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITSPRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS… ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 12454 OF 2023 IN WP/3950/2023SUBASH BALWANT MOKLE AND ORSVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITSPRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS… ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 13915 OF 2023 IN WP/3950/2023AKHIL MAHARASHTRA KAMGAR THR ITS ADVISERAND MEMBERVERSUSSTATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPALSECRETARY AND OTHERS… *7* 1ca15434o23grp sweeper ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 13914 OF 2023 IN WP/3950/2023TARACHAND SAMBHAJI KALE AND ORSVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITSPRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS… ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 13911 OF 2023 IN WP/3204/2023LAL BAWATA MANAPA KAMGAR UNION THROUGH ITSPRESIDENT DILIP YASHWANT WAGHVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITSSECRETARY… ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 13913 OF 2023 IN WP/3950/2023KAILASH MAROTI RAJKAUR AND OTHERSVERSUSSTATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPALSECRETARY AND OTHERS… ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 15435 OF 2023 IN WP/3950/2023BHARTIYA SAFAI KAMGAR SANGHATNA THR ITSNATIONAL PRESIDENTVERSUSKAILASH MAROTI RAJKAUR AND OTHERS…
Legal Reasoning
*9* 1ca15434o23grp sweeper... CORAM : RAVINDRA V. GHUGE & Y. G. KHOBRAGADE, JJ. DATE :- 24th June, 2024Per Court :-1.On 10.04.2023, we had passed the following order:-“1. The Petitioners have put forth prayer clausesA, B and C as under :-“A)By appropriate Writ or Direction in like naturethe Respondents be directed to extend thebenefits of Government Resolution dated 24thFebruary 2023 to the Petitioners.B)By appropriate Writ or Direction in like nature,the respondents be directed to appoint thepetitioners on the post of “Weepers(SafaiKamgars)” with immediate effect in lightof Government Policy.C) Pending hearing and Final Disposal of thepresent Writ Petition, the respondents bedirected to decide the representation dated 14thMarch 2023 (Exhibit- “S”) to the present WritPetition filed by the petitioners.”2. This is yet another Government Resolutiondated 24th February, 2023, placed before uswhich, ex facie aims at nullifying the verypurpose of establishing the Lad-PageCommittee to cater to the need of Walmiki,Mehtar and Bhangi community people whoseparents were working as Safai Kamgar ondrainage pipelines and sewage pipelines. Byorder dated 23.03.2023 passed in Writ PetitionNo.3204/2023, we have observed in paragraph *10* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperNos.5 to 14 as under :-“5. We find that various authorities havecompletely lost sight of the very purpose andobject behind the constitution of the Lad-PageCommittee, way back in the year 1972. Themembers of communities viz. Walmiki, Mehtarand Bhangi, in the State of Maharashtra, werefinding it difficult to get employment in anydepartment. For generations, they wereworking as Safai Kamgar/Safaigar, anomenclature used indicating Bhangi, whowere deployed to clear the septic tanks, sewagepipelines and drainage pipelines. 6. The Lad-Page CommitteeRecommendations were introduced in the year1972, vide Government Resolution dated12.06.1972 and the Committee’srecommendations were implemented in the year1975, which were meant for the purpose ofensuring employment to the legal heirs of suchSafai Kamgar- employees who belong toBhangi, Mehtar and Walmiki communities.7. The learned A.G.P. submits that over theyears, the various departments of theGovernment of Maharashtra have introducedthe Government Resolutions dated 20.06.1972,09.02.1973, 12.08.2075, 16.11.1976,29.10.1977, 21.06.1979, 06.05.1986,05.11.1992, 12.01.1994, 30.06.1994,01.10.2003, 21.04.2006, 31.08.2006,18.01.2007, 21.10.2011, 26.02.2014,10.11.2015, 11.03.2016, 19.04.2018 and24.02.2023, in furtherance of the Lad-PageCommittee Recommendations.8. We find from the above GovernmentResolutions that the State of Maharashtra hasgradually started diluting the Lad-PageCommittee Recommendations, therebydepriving those communities of theopportunities of employment as safai workers.The State Government has now diluted the said *11* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperrecommendations to such an extent that thecandidates even from the open categories arenow given employment as safai kamgar.Further, depending on the qualification of suchentrant, he is even appointed in the class IIIcategory, thereby deviating from the verypurpose for which the Lad-Page CommitteeRecommendations were introduced. Naturally,the persons/communities who deserves suchbenefits, now find such benefits out of reach, assuch benefits are being given to persons fromthe open categories or O.B.C. categories.9. Recently, the Hon’ble Supreme Court hasdelivered a judgment in AhmednagarMahanagar Palika vs. AhmednagarMahanagar Palika Kamgar Union, 2022 (III)CLR 859 : (2022) 10 SCC 172, wherein, it hasbeen concluded that a legal heir of anemployee, who has retired from the service ofthe Municipal Corporation, cannot be given thebenefit of the Lad-Page Committee’srecommendations and the “Varasa hakka/Vashila Paddhat”, cannot be made applicablefor recruiting such legal heirs after theemployee has superannuated from employment.The conclusions of the Honourable SupremeCourt in paragraph 16 read as under:-“16. Even otherwise, such anappointment to the heirs of the employees ontheir retirement and/or superannuation shall becontrary to the object and purpose ofappointment on compassionate grounds and ishit by Article 14 of the Constitution of India. Asobserved and held by this Court in a catena ofdecisions, compassionate appointment shallalways be treated as an exception to the normalmethod of recruitment. The appointment oncompassionate grounds is provided upon thedeath of an employee in harness without anykind of security whatsoever. The appointmenton compassionate grounds is not automatic and *12* 1ca15434o23grp sweepershall be subject to the strict scrutiny of variousparameters including the financial position ofthe family, the economic dependence of thefamily upon the deceased employee and theavocation of the other members of the family.No one can claim to have a vested right forappointment on compassionate grounds.Therefore, appointment on compassionategrounds cannot be extended to the heirs of theemployees on their superannuation and/orretirement. If such an appointment is permitted,in that case, outsiders shall never get anappointment and only the heirs of theemployees on their superannuation and/orretirement shall get an appointment and thosewho are the outsiders shall never get anopportunity to get an appointment though theymay be more meritorious and/or well educatedand/or more qualified. Therefore, thesubmission on behalf of the respondent that theappointment is not on compassionate groundsbut the same be called as varas hakka cannotbe accepted. Even if the same be called asvaras hakka the same is not supported by anyscheme and even the same also can be said tobe violative of Article 14 as well as Article 15of the Constitution of India.”10. The Supreme Court has, therefore,concluded that Varas Hakka should not beutilized for recruitment of legal heirs, whoseparents have superannuated from employment.It is categorically held that no one can claim tohave a vested right for an appointment oncompassionate basis. Such appointment cannotbe extended to the heirs of employees on theirsuperannuation or retirement. If such anappointment is permitted, only heirs ofemployees, on superannuation or retirement,would get employment and those, who areoutsides, shall never get an opportunity to seek *13* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperemployment though they may be meritorious,well educated or more qualified.11. We are informed that the PimpriChinchwad Municipal Corporation hasappointed 182 candidates, purportedly on thebasis of Lad-Page CommitteeRecommendations calling it as “Varsa Lad”.The candidates from open categories are alsogiven such appointments, which now have beendescribed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court asbackdoor entries. The Lad-Page CommitteeRecommendations were never meant forrecruitment of the candidates from anycategories, much less, open category, save andexcept the Walmiki, Mehtar and Bhangicommunities. Even the State Government isresorting to Resolutions introduction spree,thereby diluting the Lad-Page committeerecommendations. The very purpose and objectfor which the committee was constituted, wouldbe defeated and those for whom suchemployment was meant, would be left in thelurch.12. In view of the above and keeping in viewthe law laid down by the Hon’ble SupremeCourt in Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation(supra), we are staying the impugned order ofthe learned Tribunal. We further direct theState Government and all entities/establishments/instumentalities, etc, inMaharashtra, to immediately stop making‘Varsa hakka’ appointments post retirement ofthe employees, until further orders. However,since the Respondent original applicant, hasalready been appointed in place of his father,status quo as existing today, shall bemaintained and no order of confirmation wouldbe passed, until this Petition is decided.13. Considering the cause that has beenbrought before us and several such Petitionspending, we deem it appropriate to appoint the *14* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperlearned senior advocate Shri R.N. Dhorde, asan amicus curiae in this matter. We wouldconsider the importance, significance and theamplitude of the Lad-Page CommitteeRecommendations. We appreciate that thelearned senior advocate Shri Dhorde hasagreed to assist us on this issue.14. The learned A.G.P. shall ensure that a completePetition paper book alongwith the full set ofGovernment Resolutions and variousjudgments on the Lad-Page CommitteeRecommendations, shall be prepared and oneset of such compilation would be handed overto the learned senior advocate Shri Dhorde.”3. Issue notice to the respondents returnable on18th April, 2023. The learned AGP waivesservice of notice on behalf of Respondent Nos.1to 5. Besides court notice, the Petitioners are atliberty to serve Respondent No.6 throughAdvocate notice along with the copy of thisorder and submit a service affidavit.4. In view of the above and considering the lawlaid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court inAhmednagar Mahanagar Palika Vs.Ahmednagar Mahanagar Palika KamgarUnion, (2022) 10 SCC 172, we direct that theState Government would refrain from extendingthe benefits of the Government Resolutiondated 24th February, 2023 until further orders,save and except to the legal heirs of thoseemployees, who belong to Walmiki, Mehtar andBhangi communities.”2.Today, we have considered the strenuoussubmissions of the learned Senior Advocate Shri Sapkal, alongwith the learned Government Pleader, for the State of *15* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperMaharashtra and the learned Advocates for the respectivelitigating parties. For proper appreciation, we have referred to the1971 report, which was tendered under the title ‘Committee toAdvice Government regarding conditions of work andemployment of scavengers and sweepers’ printed by theGovernment Central Press, Mumbai, in 1976. The Committeewas chaired by Shri B.V. Laud, Commissioner of Labour,Mumbai. This Committee was, therefore, known as ‘LaudCommittee’.3.The Laud Committee report indicates at clause 6.8on internal Page No.27, that while making recruitment of suchSafai Kamgars, it is noticed that the workmen in theprofession/job of scavenging come from the ‘Bhangi’ communityalone, while those in the profession of sweeping come from theScheduled Caste category, which includes ‘Mahar’, ‘Mang’,‘Bhangi’, etc. castes. The sweepers and scavengers are generallyrecruited directly by the Municipal bodies and the CantonmentBoards. Such recruitment is also done in private sectors. InGovernment Service, the use of Employment Exchange and theSocial Welfare Department, is made for recruiting sweepers and *16* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperscavengers. The report indicated in the said clause 6.8, that theCommittee observed that in Municipal bodies, when a permanentsweeper or scavenger retires or is unable to continue inemployment on the ground of disablement/ death etc., usually hisvacancy is filled in by what is called ‘Vashila Paddhat’ (VarasHakka/ inheritance), where under, a near relative of the saidemployee is given preference in the employment on the vacancyso created. The Committee opined that this ‘Vashila’ systemshould be continued since it also has an added advantage ofcontinuing the housing accommodation (which may be providedto the said employee) within the family and thus, prevent thefamily from dislocation.4.As recorded in our order dated 10.04.2023, PimpriChinchwad Municipal Corporation appointed 182 candidatespurportedly on the basis of the Laud- Page Committeerecommendations by calling it as ‘Varsa Laud’ (Varsa Paddhat).The candidates of Open categories were also given suchappointments, which have now been described by theHonourable Supreme Court as ‘Back Door entries’. *17* 1ca15434o23grp sweeper5.We have perused the Government Resolution dated12.08.1975, by which, the recommendations of the LaudCommittee were accepted. The V. S. Page Committee (Chairmanof the Vidhan Parishad) was constituted for the purpose ofimplementing " अस्पृश्यतानि(cid:10)र्मू(cid:12)(cid:13)ल(cid:10)ार्थ(cid:13)उपायोज(cid:10)ा" (Means andMeasures for Abolition of Untouchability). Therecommendations of the Page Committee were implemented bythe Government Resolution dated 21.06.1979, wherein, the PageCommittee observed that “सारांश, हजारोवर्षांा(cid:26)चीअस्पृश्यताअज(cid:12)(cid:10)र्मू(cid:12)ळ धरू(cid:10)आहेअसेनि"स(cid:12)(cid:10)आलेआहे. यावरू(cid:10)असेसिसद्धहोतेनि%, अस्पृश्यांच्याजीव(cid:10)ातीलआर्थिर्थ%"ुरावस्र्थेलाजन्र्मूजातअस्पृश्यताच %ारणीभ(cid:12)तठरलीआहे. तसेचअस्पृश्यतानिहअ(cid:10)ीतीसर्मूजली(cid:10)जाता पारंपरिर%रूढधर्मू(cid:13)नि(cid:10)तीचेअंगर्मूा(cid:10)लीगेली.” (In summary, it appearsthat thousands of years of untouchability is still holding roots.This proves that inherent untouchability is the cause of economicmisery in the lives of untouchables. Also, untouchability wasconsidered a part of traditional orthodox religion rather thaninjustice.). Needless to state, the ‘Varas Hakk/ Vashila Paddhat’was continued in the light of the Laud and Page Committees’recommendations. *18* 1ca15434o23grp sweeper6.The situation today is that the State Governmentintroduced the Government Resolution dated 24.02.2023, whoseeffect we have curtailed in view of the judgment delivered by theHonourable Supreme Court in Ahmednagar Mahanagar Palikavs. Ahmednagar Mahanagar Palika Kamgar Union, 2022(III) CLR 859 : (2022) 10 SCC 172 and we have permitted therecruitment of the legal heirs of those Safai Kamgars belongingto Walmiki, Mehtar and Bhangi communities, who have been inemployment doing the same job for generations together.7.The stand of the State Government is that whoeveris working as a Safai Kamgar, irrespective of his social status ofbelonging to the reserved categories or even to the opencategories, ‘Vashila Padhhat/ Varas Hakka’ would be madeapplicable to each of such candidates.By way of an illustration, if there are 500 SafaiKamgars working in a town, such posts of ‘Safai Kamgars’would never be available for recruitment to the public at largesince the State Government has applied the ‘Vashila Padhhat’ forengaging their children after the bread earner retires or dies orseeks voluntary retirement. The result would be that all such *19* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperposts would not be available to the public at large, whenever theyfall vacant. 8.The further effect of the Government Resolutiondated 24.02.2023, would be that if new posts are created, theywould be advertised and in the competition for selection, if thecandidates from the open categories, meaning, not belonging toWalmiki, Mehtar, Bhangi, Scheduled Caste, would secureemployment as Safai Kamgars and the ‘Varas Hakka’ systemwould be applicable to such candidates also, thereby, blockingsuch posts for any recruitment any time in future when suchcandidates retire. The net result would be, whenever a post ofSafai Kamgar is created for the first time, the candidate firstselected on such newly created post would be blocking the saidpost for generations to come since the State Government desiresthat every post of Safai Kamgar should be reserved only for the‘Varas Hakka/ Vashila Padhhat’ in the light of the Laud PageCommittee recommendations. This is the reason why the effectof the said Government Resolution has diluted the furtherchances of recruitment to Walmiki, Mehtar and Bhangicommunities.
Arguments
*8* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 15436 OF 2023 IN WP/3950/2023KAMGAR KALYAN SANGHTANA PRADESHIKMANORUGNALAYA UNIT THR ITS PRESIDENTVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITSPRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS… ANDCIVIL APPLICATION NO. 15430 OF 2023 IN WP/3204/2023MOOKNAYAK KAMGAR UNION THR ITS PRESIDENTVERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH THESECRETARY AND OTHERS…Shri Amol Sawant, Shri D.G. Kamble, Shri V.G. Salgare, ShriS.B. Patil, Shri S.V. Kurundkar, Shri A.R. Borulkar, Shri ParagBarde, Shri Kunal Kale, Advocates for the Petitioners in theconcerned petitions.Shri V.D. Sapkal, Senior Advocate a/w Shri A.B. Girase,Government Pleader and Shri V.M. Kagne, AGP for the StateAuthorities in all the matters.Shri B.B. Shinde, Advocate for Respondent No.1 in WP/3204/23.Shri R.P. Bhumkar, Advocate for Respondent No.6 inWP/3950/23.Shri H.S. Bali, Advocate for the sole Respondent in WP/4363/23.Shri N.N. Desale, Advocate for Respondent No.3 inWP/10322/23.Shri A.S. Shelke, Shri A.R. Salve, Shri Vaibhav B. Dhage, ShriG.L. Deshpande, Shri S.T. Mahajan, Shri Vinod N. Rathod, ShriM.R. Malpani, Shri P.B. Patil, Shri A.R. Lukhe, Shri R.v/.Bhanarkar, Ms.Dipali S. Jape, Advocates for the Applicants in theconcerned Civil Applications.
Decision
*20* 1ca15434o23grp sweeper9.We have noticed from the report of 1974 that theScheduled Castes were also included for the benefit of the LaudCommittee recommendations. The Page Committeerecommendations, in addition, suggested that the personsbelonging to such categories should be given some security ofemployment even for their future generations. It is in the light ofthe said 1974 report that we are permitting the Government toinclude the category of Scheduled Caste, including‘Navbaudhha’, along with the Walmiki, Mehtar and Bhangicommunities, in our directions issued in paragraph No.4 of ourorder dated 10.04.2023. The Scheduled Caste category has alsobeen included by the State in it’s Government Resolution dated24.02.2023. In the event any such ‘Varas hakka’ holder falling inthe category of Scheduled Caste has become age barred in viewof our order dated 10.04.2023, there shall be relaxation in suchcases since our order should not result into taking away rights ofa person, who has a claim in view of the Laud-Page Committeerecommendations.10.In view of the above, all the Civil *21* 1ca15434o23grp sweeperApplications are, accordingly, disposed off.11.Since the Writ Petitions will now have to be heardfinally and preferably at the earliest, let the Respondentscomplete the pleadings within 30 days from today. Thecontention in one of the petitions as regard the recommendationby the V. S. Page Committee for eliminating appointment ofSafai Kamgars on contractual basis, should also be responded toby the State. kps (Y. G. KHOBRAGADE, J.) (RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, J.)