3rd parties can’t appeal in service disputes: HC

Lucknow: A Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court has ruled that third parties have no right to file special appeals in service-related disputes merely on the basis of apprehensions or indirect impact.The court emphasised that only a person who is genuinely aggrieved and whose legal rights are directly affected can maintain such an appeal. A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Jaspreet Singh, delivered the judgment , dismissing a special appeal filed by one Neeraj Kumar Singh. The appeal challenged a single-judge order that had reinstated an employee of King George's Medical University (KGMU).A KGMU employee had earlier been terminated from service, but a single judge of the HC quashed the termination and ordered reinstatement on a writ petition filed by that employee. Subsequently, Neeraj Kumar Singh, another employee of KGMU filed a special appeal against the verdict, contending that the reinstatement was contrary to rules and would adversely affect his chances of promotion.Rejecting the plea, the court observed that service disputes are essentially between the employer and the employee concerned. A third party can intervene only if he can demonstrate a direct and tangible infringement of his legal rights. "Mere apprehension regarding promotional prospects cannot be treated as sufficient ground," the bench noted.The court also underlined the importance of the doctrine of locus standi, stressing that it must be applied strictly in service jurisprudence to prevent unwarranted litigation. Allowing third parties to challenge service matters could disrupt judicial discipline, observed the bench .