Disposed¶24

Manas Ranjan Maharana v. State of Odisha

Service law – Promotion – District Ministerial Cadre employees

Orissa HC6 Mar 2026WP(C)/3927/2026

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Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Promotion; District Ministerial Cadre Rules 2019; DPC; Resolution dated 02.01.2026; Resolution No.8898/Gen. dated 15.03.2024; Uniform Pay Structure; G.A. & P.G. Department; State of Odisha; inaction in extending promotion; direction to convene DPC within three months; batch of W.P.(C) Nos.5306, 3927 & 5491 of 2026 and W.P.(C) No.27287 of 2025 disposed of by common order; High Court of Orissa; Biraja Prasanna Satapathy, J.

What did the court decide?

Opposite Parties directed to take appropriate steps in terms of letter dated 02.01.2026 and extend the benefit of promotion to the petitioners and other eligible District Ministerial Cadre employees in terms of the 2019 Rules by convening the DPC within three months from the date of receipt of the order. ¶24

Manas Ranjan Maharana Vs State of Odisha — Orissa HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the Opposite Parties are bound to act in terms of the Government notification/Resolution dated 02.01.2026 and extend the benefit of promotion to the petitioners and other eligible employees in terms of the District Ministerial Cadre Rules 2019, within a stipulated time period.

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Court's answer

The Opposite Parties in all the Writ Petitions are directed to take appropriate steps in terms of the letter dated 02.01.2026 and to extend the benefit of promotion in favour of the petitioners and other District Ministerial Cadre employees, if they are otherwise eligible in terms of the 2019 Rules.

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Ratio / Principle

The promotion benefit is to be extended by convening the DPC within a period of 3 (three) months from the date of receipt of the order, for employees eligible in terms of the 2019 Rules.

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Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Service law — Promotion — District Ministerial Cadre employees — Writ petitions challenging inaction of State authorities in extending promotion benefit — Petitioners relied on G.A. & P.G. Department Resolution dated 02.01.2026, which directed all Departments/Heads of Departments/RDCs and Collectors to consider promotion of District Ministerial Cadre employees as per the District Ministerial Cadre Rules 2019, subject to DPC recommendation, as an interim measure till finalization of revised cadre Rules framed in terms of Uniform Pay Structure Resolution No.8898/Gen., dated 15.03.2024 — Despite earlier opportunities (06.01.2026, 04.02.2026, 26.02.2026), the Department furnished no instructions — HELD: Opposite Parties directed to take appropriate steps in terms of letter dated 02.01.2026 and extend the benefit of promotion to the petitioners and other eligible District Ministerial Cadre employees in terms of the 2019 Rules by convening the DPC within 3 (three) months from the date of receipt of the order — All Writ Petitions disposed of accordingly (Biraja Prasanna Satapathy, J.).

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK

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W.P.(C) Nos.5306, 3927 & 5491 of 2026 & W.P.(C) No.27287 of 2025

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Bidyadhar Samal and Another

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…. Petitioners Mr. A. Tripathy, Advocate Mr. S. Roy, Advocate in W.P.(C) No.27287 of 2025 Mr. S. Mallik, Adv. in W.P.(C) No.5491 of 2026

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-versus- State of Odisha and Others …. Opposite Parties Mr. S.P. Das, ASC

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CORAM: JUSTICE BIRAJA PRASANNA SATAPATHY

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ORDER

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Order No. 06.03.2026 03. 1. This matter is taken up through Hybrid Arrangement (Virtual/Physical) Mode.

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2. Heard learned counsel for the parties.

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3. Since the issue involved in all the present batch of Writ Petitions is identical, all the matters were heard analogously and disposed of by the present common order.

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// 2 //

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4. All these Writ Petitions have been filed inter alia challenging in-action of the Opp. Parties in extending the benefit of promotion to the petitioners.

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4. 1. It is contended that such benefit of promotion was not extended inter alia because of the issuance of an earlier notification by the General Administration and Public Grievance Department vide Resolution No.8898/Gen., dated 15.03.2024. But Govt. when found difficulty in acting in terms of resolution dated 15.03.2024, a fresh Resolution was issued on 02.01.2026 by self-same G.A. and P.G. Department, wherein direction was issued to all the Departments of Govt./Heads of Departments/RDCs and Collectors to consider promotion of District Ministerial Cadre employees as per the existing District Ministerial Cadre Rules 2019, subject to the recommendation of the DPC, as an interim measure, till finalization and notification of the revised cadre Rules. All the departments were further directed to expedite the process of finalization re-structuring and framing of revised Cadre Rule in terms of the Uniform Pay Structure Resolution No.8898/Gen., dated 15.03.2024 within a period of 2 (two) months.

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4.2. Learned counsel for the petitioners vehemently contended that on the face of such notification issued by the Govt. in the G.A. and P.G. Department on

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02.01.2026, no action is being taken in considering the promotion of existing District Ministerial Cadre employees as per the 2019 Rules.

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4.3. It is accordingly contended that Opp. Parties in each of the cases be directed to take necessary action in terms of Notification dated 02.1.2026 and extend the benefit of promotion to the petitioners and other eligible employees in terms of the 2019 Rules within a stipulated time period.

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5. Even though this Court on different occasion directed the learned Addl. Standing Counsel to obtain instruction with regard to the modality to be followed for implementation of Resolution dated 02.01.2026 and pass such orders on 06.01.2026, 04.02.2026 and 26.02.2026, but no instruction has been provided to the learned Addl. Standing Counsel by the concerned Department.

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6. Having heard learned counsel for the parties, considering the submissions made and taking into account the notification issued by the G.A. and P.G. department on 02.01.2026, this Court while disposing the Writ Petition, directs the Opp. Parties in all the Writ Petitions to take appropriate steps in terms of letter dated 02.01.2026 and extend the benefit of promotion in favour of the petitioners and other District Ministerial Cadre employees if they are otherwise

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eligible in terms of the 2019 Rules by convening the DPC within a period of 3 (three) months from the date of receipt of this order.

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7. All the Writ Petitions stand disposed of accordingly.

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Photocopy of this order be placed in other connected matters listed today.

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(Biraja Prasanna Satapathy) Judge