Savitri Devi Vs the State of Jharkhand — Jharkhand HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

Savitri Devi Vs the State of Jharkhand — Jharkhand HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Direction to the 3rd respondent to treat the writ application as a representation and decide the petitioner's grievance by a reasoned and speaking order in accordance with law and applicable Rules and Regulations within 12 weeks of receiving a copy of the order; petitioner directed to serve a copy of the writ application on the 3rd respondent at the earliest; admitted dues, if any found payable, to be paid within a further period of 6 weeks.

Issue for consideration

Whether the respondent-authorities should be directed to consider the petitioner's claim for grant of Grade-3 (Matric Trained Selection Grade) w.e.f. 01.04.2000 to her late husband (who died on 09.03.2020 and, per the petitioner, had completed 12 years of service from the date of Grade-2 and fulfilled all criteria for Grade-3). +1 more

Court's answer

The writ application is disposed of by directing the 3rd respondent (Director, Primary Education) to treat the writ application as a representation and take a decision on the petitioner's grievance by passing a reasoned and speaking order in accordance with law and the applicable Rules and Regulations within a period of 12 weeks from receipt of a copy of the order.

Ratio / Principle

Admitted dues for which the petitioner is found entitled are to be paid to her within a further period of 6 weeks.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ petition (W.P (S) No. 2024 of 2025, High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi) by Savitri Devi, widow of late Fakira Sahu, seeking a direction to the respondent-authorities to consider her late husband's claim for grant of Grade-3 (Matric Trained Selection Grade) w.e.f. 01.04.2000 on the ground that he had completed 12 years of service from the date of Grade-2 and fulfilled all criteria for Grade-3, and to pay the admitted dues. With no counter-affidavit filed, the Court (Deepak Roshan, J.) disposed of the application by directing the 3rd respondent (Director, Primary Education) to treat the writ application as a representation and take a decision on the grievance by a reasoned and speaking order in accordance with law and the applicable Rules and Regulations within 12 weeks of receipt of a copy of the order; the petitioner was directed to serve a copy of the writ application on the 3rd respondent at the earliest, and admitted dues found payable were to be paid within a further period of 6 weeks.

2025:JHHC:13078

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI

W.P (S) No. 2024 of 2025

Savitri Devi, aged about 54 years, wife of late Fakira Sahu, resident of Radha Nagar, College Road Nagar, Lohardaga, P.O. & P.S. Lohardaga, District Lohardaga, Jharkhand.

..........Petitioner

Versus

The State of Jharkhand

The Principal Secretary, School Education and Literacy Department, Govt. of Jharkhand, At-Project Building, P.O. & P.S. Dhurwa, District Ranchi, Jharkhand.

The Director, Primary Education, School Education and Literacy Department, Govt. of Jharkhand, At-Project Building, P.O. & P.S. Dhurwa, District Ranchi, Jharkhand.

The Deputy Commissioner, Lohardaga, At, P.O. & P.S. Lohardaga, District Lohardaga, Jharkhand.

The Regional Joint Director of Education, North Chotangapur, Hazaribagh, At, P.O. & P.S. Hazaribagh, District Hazaribagh, Jharkhand.

The District Superintendent of Education, Lohardaga, At, P.O. & P.S. Lohardaga, District Lohardaga, Jharkhand.

.........Respondents

CORAM : HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE DEEPAK ROSHAN

---- For the Petitioner : Mr. Abhijeet Kr. Singh, Advocate For the Respondents : Mr. Shubham Mishra, AC to SC(M)-II ----

02/01.05.2025 The instant writ application has been preferred by the petitioner praying for a direction upon the respondent-authorities to consider the claim of the petitioner for his promotion on Grade-3 i.e. Matric Trained Selection Grade w.e.f. 01.04.2000, as the husband of the petitioner, who died on 09.03.2020, fulfilled all criteria for grant of Grade-3 which is completion of 12 years of service from the date of Grade-2.

2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the respondents are sitting tight over the matter in spite of repeated requests and representations filed by her. Learned counsel further submits that petitioner being the widow of the deceased employee is running from pillar to post; accordingly, respondents may be directed to take decision and pay admitted dues to this petitioner at the earliest.

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2025:JHHC:13078

3. Learned counsel for the respondents submits that since no counter-affidavit has been filed as such, the petitioner shall approach the 3^rd respondent for redressal of her grievances.

4. Having regard to the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case, the instant writ application is hereby disposed of by directing the 3^rd respondent to treat this writ application as representation and take a decision in the matter with regard to the grievance raised by the petitioner by passing a reasoned and speaking order in accordance with the law and applicable Rules and Regulations within a period of 12 weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. The petitioner is also directed to serve a copy of this writ application to the 3^rd respondent at the earliest.

5. Needless to say that admitted dues for which the petitioner would be found entitled, shall be paid to her within a further period of 6 weeks.

6. Accordingly, the instant writ application stands disposed of.

(Deepak Roshan, J.)

Kunal

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