The State of Assam and 2 Ors. v. Kalpana Devi and Anr.
Review – Maintainability – Delay and laches – Finality
Case brief
What is this about?
Gauhati High Court, Review.Pet./166/2024, decided 06.01.2026 by Justice Robin Phukan (CAV). State of Assam (School Education Department) and officers sought review of order dated 28.11.2018 in WP(C) No.5914/2014, which directed provincialisation of Kalpana Devi (senior) instead of Kishore Kumar Deka under Section 4 of the Assam Venture Educational Institution (Provincialisation of Services) Act, 2011, arguing the Act of 2011 had been declared ultra vires in WP(C) No.3190/2012 (23.09.2016) and replaced by the Assam Education (Provincialisation of Services of Teachers and Re-organisation of Educational Institutions) Act, 2017. Held not maintainable: filed about six years late (30-day limit under Order XLVII Rule 1 CPC and Article 124, Limitation Act; no Section 5 condonation application; Rule 4, Chapter X GHC Rules); no ground under Kamlesh Verma v. Mayawati (2013) 8 SCC 320 established; order under review attained finality after W.A. No. 28/2019 was dismissed (04.03.2021) with no further appeal; petition filed while contempt case Cont.Cas(c) No. 499/2021 was pending, suggesting circumvention. Dismissed with Rs. 20,000 cost to the Gauhati High Court Legal Services Authority; compliance with the order dated 28.11.2018 directed.