Disposed

Rajani Saikia and 36 Ors. v. the State of Assam and 4 Ors.

Gauhati HC13 Nov 2024WP(C)/3340/2020

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Single Judge bench allowed writ petition regarding casual workers of Assam Forest Department seeking regularization or pay scale. Court directed respondents to verify eligibility before a committee.

What did the court decide?

Direction to respondents to place petitioners' cases before the constituted committee for verification; if eligible for minimum scale of pay, same to be given within three months.

Rajani Saikia and 36 Ors. Vs the State of… — Pension and Retirement Benefits | Gauhati HC (2024)

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GAHC010111152020

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THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)

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Case No. : WP(C)/3340/2020

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RAJANI SAIKIA AND 36 ORS.

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S/O LATE DINESWAR SAIKIA, R/O VILL-UPPER KURUA, P.O.-KURUA, P.S.SIPAJHAR, DIST-DARRANG, ASSAM

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2: BHAKTA RAM BORO S/O SRI SAMBANDHA BORO R/O VILL-THAKURKUCHI P.O.-CHANDRAPUR P.S.-CHANDRAPUR DIST-KAMRUP(M) ASSAM

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3: JATIN CHANDRA BORO S/O LATE MADAN BORO R/O VILL-GONDHMOW P.O.-HAJO GONDHMOW P.S.-HAJO DIST-KAMRUP ASSAM

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4: CHANDRA KANTA MEDHI S/O ASHURAM MEDHI R/O VILL-AMKATA P.O.-KHOLAGAON P.S.-JAGIROAD DIST-MORIGAON ASSAM

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5: RANJIT KUMAR DEKA S/O LATE PHANIDHAR DEKA R/O VILL-NIZKHALAGOAN P.O.-KHOLAGAON DIST-MORIGAON ASSAM

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6: JADAV DEKA S/O BALI RAM DEKA R/O VILL-MANITARI P.O.-RANGAMATI DIST-DARRANG ASSAM

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7: JAKIR HUSSAIN S/O ABAID ALI R/O VILL-MUSLIMGHOPA P.O.-MAROI P.S.-SIPAJHAR DIST-DARRANG ASSAM

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8: DINESH BORO S/O LAGUN BORO R/O VILL-TARABARI P.O.-GORESWAR P.S.-GORESWAR DIST-BAKSA ASSAM

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9: RAJANI BORO S/O LAGUN BORO R/O VILL-TARABARI P.O.-GORESWAR P.S.-GORESWAR DIST-BAKSA ASSAM

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10: SARAT CH. NATH S/O CHARU MOHAN NATH R/O VILL-BAKAITARI P.O.-BAKAITARI P.S.-MATIA DIST-GOALPARA ASSAM

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11: BROJEN SAIKIA S/O DUMBARUDHAR KEOT R/O VILL-PUNIA P.S.-SIPAJHAR DIST-DARRANG ASSAM

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12: DIPAK DAS

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S/O LATE MOHIRAM RAM R/O VILL-KURUA P.S.-SIPAJHAR DIST-DARRANG ASSAM 13: BHARAT DEKA S/O SONARAM DEKA R/O VILL-PUKHURIPAR P.O.-MOHARIPARA P.S.-GORESWAR DIST-BAKSA ASSAM

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14: RAJANI DEKA S/O LATE NILAMANI DEKA R/O VILL-MUKUNDPUR P.O.-MOHARIPARA P.S.-GORESWAR DIST-BAKSA ASSAM

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15: BAIKUNTHA RABHA S/O LATE MADAN RABHA R/O VILL-PANICHALA P.S.-TANGLA DIST-UDALGURI ASSAM 16: HITESH NATH S/O CHANDRA KANTA NATH R/O VILL-NARIKALI P.S.-SIPAJHAR DIST-DARRANG ASSAM

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17: RATUL SARANIA S/O KRISHNA SARANIA R/O VILL-DIGHALIPAR P.O.-TAMULPUR DIST-BAKSA ASSAM

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18: DHANJIT HALOI S/O DHIREN HALOI R/O VILL-NO. 1 JOYSAGAR P.O.-JOYSAGAR DIST-NALBARI

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ASSAM

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19: UDAY DAS S/O LATE HAHIRAM DAS R/O VILL-MAIRAPARA PATGAON P.O.-RANI DIST-KAMRUP ASSAM 20: PHANIDHAR BARMAN S/O LATE PHUKAN BARMAN R/O VILL-SINGIMARI P.O.-ROWMARI DIST-KAMRUP ASSAM 21: ANUPAM CH. DAS S/O SRI JALTI DAS R/O VILL-UKHURA P.O.-BARAMBOI P.S.-HAJO DIST-KAMRUP ASSAM 22: PRASANTA DAS S/O DHARESWAR DAS R/O VILL-ATHGAON P.S.-KAMALPUR DIST-KAMRUP ASSAM 23: SUREN CH. RABHA S/O LATE KALICHARAN RABHA R/O VILL-PAGALAPARA P.O.-BAMUNIGAON DIST-KAMRUP ASSAM 24: PRADIP CH. BORA S/O LATE JOGENDRA NATH BORA R/O VILL-BANKOTHALGAON P.O.-PURANIGUDAM DIST-NAGAON ASSAM 25: PADMADHAR BORO S/O TAPAN CH. BORO R/O VILL-JANGAKHUTI

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P.O.-RAJAPARA BOKO DIST-KAMRUP ASSAM

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26: PRATIMA RABHA D/O BHABANI PRASAD RABHA R/O VILL-BORRIYAPARA P.O.-RANGJULI DIST-GOALPARA ASSAM 27: MUKUT SAHARIA S/O LATE R. SAHARIA R/O VILL-KURUA P.S.-SIPAJHAR DIST-DARRANG ASSAM 28: PUNESWAR DEKA S/O LATE R. DEKA R/O VILL-ULUBARI P.O.-BOGHARA DIST-MORIGAON ASSAM 29: UTTAM KUMAR NATH S/O BIPIN CH. NATH R/O VILL-UPPER KURUA DIST-DARRANG ASSAM 30: TAPESWAR DAS S/O BATHA DAS R/O VILL-KURUA DIST-DARRANG ASSAM

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31: PABITRA KUMAR NATH S/O HARESWAR NATH R/O VILL-MANACHARA P.S.-BOKO DIST-KAMRUP ASSAM 32: MD. MAKIBAR RAHMAN S/O LATE YUSHUB ALI R/O VILL-PAHALANGPARA P.O.-CHAMATA

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P.S.-BELSOR DIST-NALBARI ASSAM 33: MD. AINUL HAQUE CHAUDHURY S/O LATE MAJIBAR RAHMAN CHAUDHURY R/O VILL-NAGAON CHARIALI P.O.-BAIHATA CHARIALI P.S.-BAIHATA CHARIALI DIST-KAMRUP ASSAM 34: MD. FIROZ ALI S/O SAIF ALI R/O VILL-NIZ BORIGOG P.O.-KANIHA P.S.-RANGIA DIST-KAMRUP ASSAM 35: DEBENDRA LAHKAR S/O SRI JIBAN LAHKAR R/O VILL-GURKUCHI P.O.-RANGIA DIST-KAMRUP ASSAM 36: ABDUS SAMAD S/O MD. AMZAD ALI R/O VILL-BONGAON (NORTH) P.O.-RANGIA DIST-KAMRUP ASSAM

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37: KRITESH DEVNATH S/O LATE REDESH DEBNATH R/O VILL-SILA P.O.-CHANGSARI P.S.-KAMALPUR DIST-KAMRUP ASSA

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VERSUS

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THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 4 ORS.

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REPRESENTED BY THE ADDITIONAL CHIEF SECRETARY, ENVIRONMENT AND FOREST DEPARTMENT, DISPUR, GUWAHATI-781006

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2:THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM FINANCE DEPARTMENT DISPUR GUWAHATI-781006 3:THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS AND HEAD OF FORESTS FORCE ASSAM ARANYA BHABAN PANJABARI GUWAHATI-781037 4:THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS (WILDLIFE) ASSAM BASISTHA GUWAHATI-781029 5:THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS SOCIAL FORESTRY DIVISION ASSAM BASISTHA GUWAHATI-78102

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Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. J SARMAH,

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Advocate for the Respondent : SC, FOREST, MR. R BORPUJARI, SC, FINANCE,SC, FINANCE

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BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE NELSON SAILO

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ORDER

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Date : 14.11.2024

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Heard Mr. J Sarmah, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr. I. Borthakur, learned Standing Counsel, Environment and Forest Department. Having regard to the nature of the case projected by the petitioners, the writ petition is taken up for disposal at this stage.

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2. The claim of the petitioners is that they have been working as casual workers prior to 01.04.1993 in various divisions of the department of Environment and Forest, Government of Assam. Although the process of regularization of casual workers was undertaken in the year 2008, but due to posting of the petitioners in remote areas, their case was not considered for regularization. Such being the position, the petitioners have filed this writ petition seeking their regularization in service.

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3. Mr. J. Sarmah, learned counsel for the petitioners however fairly submits that after judgment was rendered by the Division Bench of the Court reported in State of Assam Vs. Upen Das reported in 2017 4 GLR 493, the petitioners cannot claim regularization of their service but they can be considered for grant of minimum pay scale in terms of paragraph no 22 of the said judgment.

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4. Mr. I. Borthakur, learned Standing Counsel, Forest Department submits that even for extending such benefit, the respondent authorities concerned should be given liberty to verify the case of each

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individuals in order to see as to whether they are eligible to be considered to be given the minimum pay scale. He further submits that such consideration can be done by the committee constituted by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest.

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5. Upon hearing the learned counsels for the parties, this writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to place the case of the petitioners before the constituted committee for verification and scrutiny. In the event the petitioners are found to be entitled to be given the minimum scale of pay, the same should be given to them expeditiously. The entire process should be initiated and completed within a period of 3 (three) months from the date of receipt of the certified copy of this order.

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6. The writ petition accordingly stands disposed of.

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JUDGE

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Comparing Assistant

Rajani Saikia and 36 Ors. v. the State of Assam and 4 Ors.

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Rajani Saikia and 36 Ors. v. the State of Assam and 4 Ors.

Case brief

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