Punjab and Haryana High Court (Harsimran Singh Sethi and Amarinder Singh Grewal, JJ.; oral judgment delivered by Sethi J.) dismisses the State of Haryana's LPA against the Single Judge's judgment dated 17.11.2025 in CWP No. 3472 of 2025, which had set aside the Finance Department's communication dated 27.06.2024 freezing salary benefits of the 6th Pay Commission extended to contractual employees of the National Health Mission under the Service Bye-Laws, 2018. Held: (i) By U.O. dated 22.12.2017 the Finance Department agreed to Sixth Pay Commission pay scales for NHM contractual employees on the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan pattern, with estimated additional liability of Rs. 60 crore per annum, subject to approval of other competent authorities; the 2018 Bye-Laws were approved by all competent authorities vide letter dated 29.12.2017 and operated from 01.01.2018, benefits flowing for almost six years. (ii) Once a competent authority's decision has been taken and implemented, a successor authority cannot review or reopen it to the detriment of those who acquired benefits thereunder — relying on The General Manager, Northern Railway v. Madan Lal Chopra, 1971(1) SLR 629 and Ram Niwas v. State of Haryana, 2006 (3) SCT 834. (iii) The plea that no approval was ever granted fails, the freeze direction itself reciting the 29.12.2017 approval letter. (iv) Increased expenditure beyond the original Rs. 60 crore estimate is a deemed approval for budget enhancement, not a ground for withdrawal. (v) Withholding salary pending 'fresh approval' is not 'freezing' but 'keeping in abeyance', i.e., withdrawal, causing prejudice to employees. (vi) Reconsideration solely because fresh Finance Department approval is needed for release of fresh budget rests on incorrect facts, is contrary to settled principles, and cannot be sustained. Appeal dismissed; pending civil miscellaneous applications disposed of. Whether reportable: No.