Laxmi Narayan Pidda v. Union of India
Case brief
What is this about?
Chhattisgarh High Court, Bilaspur (Division Bench: Sachin Singh Rajput, J., author; Parth Prateem Sahu, J.) dismissed WPS No. 4904 of 2026 filed by Laxmi Narayan Pidda (Scientist 'E'/Group Head, Mechanical Engineering Division, SFC Jagdalpur) against Union of India, DRDO, ASL Hyderabad and SFC Jagdalpur officials. Challenge was to the CAT Jabalpur Bench order dated 15.05.2026 in O.A. No. 200/1347/2025, the representation-rejection dated 22.01.2026, and the transfer order dated 05.12.2025 (SFC Jagdalpur to ASL Hyderabad). Grounds urged: retaliatory/mala fide transfer after complaints of caste discrimination and irregularities, arbitrariness and breach of transfer policy, no volunteering for transfer, mid-academic-session transfer, family hardships (aged parents, children in Class XII and IX, wife's surgery), and discriminatory singling out. Court held the order covered many employees, an 18-year unbroken posting confers no right to stay put, and the CAT erred not. Precedents engaged: State of U.P. v. Gobardhan Lal (2004) 11 SCC 402; State of M.P. v. S.S. Kaurav (1995) 3 SCC 270.