M/S. Ashok Kumar Sharma, Angul Vs Union of India — Orissa HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

M/S. Ashok Kumar Sharma, Angul Vs Union of India — Orissa HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petitioner granted leave to avail the benefit of the 'Amnesty Scheme 2025'; I.A. No.5358 of 2026 favoured and disposed of; parties to work out an amicable settlement under the Amnesty Scheme 2025; earlier interim orders merged with the order dated 23.04.2026; writ petition disposed of.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner may be granted leave to avail the benefit of the 'Amnesty Scheme 2025' promulgated by the opposite parties during pendency of the writ application. +1 more

Court's answer

I.A. No.5358 of 2026 seeking leave for the petitioner to avail the 'Amnesty Scheme 2025' is favoured and disposed of.

Ratio / Principle

The parties are expected to work out an amicable settlement as per the Amnesty Scheme acceptable to both parties, and the Court encourages such settlement in view of the Amnesty Scheme dated 13.01.2026.

Key takeaways

Contentions raised in the writ application shall not be a bar in any manner whatsoever for the parties to work out amicable settlement in terms of the 'Amnesty Scheme'.ratio¶29
Any interim order passed earlier by this Court shall merge with the order passed today and shall not come in the way of the parties arriving at a settlement.ratio¶30

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Orissa at Cuttack (Mruganka Sekhar Sahoo, J.), Order No.05 dated 23.04.2026: In W.P. (C) No.19755 of 2024 (M/s. Ashok Kumar Sharma, Angul v. Union of India & others), the Court considered I.A. No.5358 of 2026 seeking leave for the petitioner to avail the 'Amnesty Scheme 2025' promulgated by the opposite parties during pendency of the writ application. With the I.A. was annexed an office letter dated 13.01.2026 of the Regional Director, Employees' State Insurance Corporation (Ministry of Labour & Employment, Govt. of India), Regional Office, Odisha, Bhubaneswar, which was scanned and reproduced in the order; the learned counsel for the opposite parties endorsed the submissions made in the I.A. and at the bar. Observing the developments, the Court expected the parties to work out an amicable settlement as per the Amnesty Scheme acceptable to both parties and encouraged such settlement in view of the Amnesty Scheme dated 13.01.2026. The I.A. was favoured and disposed of; the parties were directed to work on the Amnesty Scheme 2025 and arrive at a settlement. The Court clarified that contentions raised in the writ application shall not be a bar in any manner to an amicable settlement under the 'Amnesty Scheme', and that any interim order passed earlier shall merge with the order passed that day and shall not obstruct settlement. The writ petition was disposed of with these observations.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK

W.P. (C) No.19755 of 2024

M/s. Ashok Kumar Sharma, Angul

…. Petitioner

Mr. A. Mishra, Advocate

-versus-

Union of India & others ….

Opp. Parties

Mr. A.P. Ray, Advocate (for O.P. Nos.2 to 4)

Mr. Aditya Mishra, Advocate (for O.P. No.5)

CORAM: JUSTICE MRUGANKA SEKHAR SAHOO

ORDER

23.04.2026

(Hybrid Mode)

Order No. 05.

I.A. No.5358 of 2026 & W.P. (C) No.19755 of 2024

1 . The matter being in the list is mentioned by Mr. Mishra, learned counsel for the petitioner, Mr. Ray, learned counsel for the opposite parties no.2 to 4 and Mr. Aditya Mishra, learned counsel for opposite party no.5.

2. I.A. No.5358 of 2026 has been filed for granting leave to the petitioner to avail the benefit of the ‘Amnesty Scheme 2025’ promulgated by the opposite parties during pendency of the writ application.

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3. Annexed to the I.A. is letter dated 13.01.2026 issued by the Regional Director, Odisha, Bhubaneswar.

Office letter dated 13.01.2026 issued to the petitioner by the Regional Director, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (Ministry of Labour & Employment, Govt. of India), Regional Office, Odisha, Bhubaneswar. The said letter is scanned and reproduced herein:

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“

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4. The learned counsel for the opposite parties endorses the submissions made in the I.A. and made at the bar by the learned counsel for the petitioner.

5. In view of the above developments, it is expected that the parties shall work out amicable settlement as per the Amnesty Scheme acceptable to both the parties and this Court in no uncertain terms encourages such settlement in view of the Amnesty Scheme dated 13.01.2026.

6. The I.A. is favoured and disposed of.

The parties shall work on the Amnesty Scheme 2025 and arrive at a settlement.

7. It is further clarified that contentions raised in the writ application shall not be bar in any manner whatsoever for the parties to work out amicable settlement in terms of the ‘Amnesty Scheme’.

Interim order, if any, passed earlier by this Court shall merge with the order passed today. Any order passed earlier shall not in any manner come in the way of the parties to arrive at a settlement.

8 . The writ petition is disposed of with the observations as made above.

Signature Not Verified

(Mruganka Sekhar Sahoo)

Judge

Digitally Signed Signed by: JYOSTNARANI MAJHEE Reason: Authentication jyostna Location: OHC Date: 29-Apr-2026 13:26:43

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