GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI Vs. PRIYANKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By way of this writ petition, the Government of NCT of Delhi has challenged an order dtd. 17/2/2021 passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal (in short'the Tribunal'), Principal Bench, New Delhi in O.A. 4228/2018.

(2.) The brief facts as narrated by the petitioners are that on 28/5/2010, Department of Social Welfare, Government of NCT of Delhi had engaged Welfare Officer/Protection Officers on contract basis from the list provided by an outsourcing agency, namely Intelligent Communication Systems India Limited (ICSIL) and these contractual engagements were made from time to time. Later on when the relevant records were examined, discrepancies in initial engagement order in respect of the present respondent were noticed and her case was not submitted for ex-post facto approval to be obtained from the Hon'ble Lt. Governor.

(3.) This writ petition was first taken up for hearing on 14/7/2021. Mrs. Avnish Ahlawat, learned standing counsel for the petitioners, filed an additional affidavit which came on record after 23/7/2021. The respondent was given liberty to file affidavit in reply to the said additional affidavit. On 23/9/2021, it was observed that the petitioners do not wish to file a rejoinder to the affidavitin-reply. Written submissions were also filed by the respondent. Both the parties also filed copies of judgments in support of the respective stands. Arguments were heard on 2/2/2022. No formal notice was issued in the present writ petition but since the petition, additional affidavit and reply affidavit are on record, we deem it proper to issue a formal notice and since the pleadings are complete, we proceed further to decide the writ petition on merit. In response to certain queries, another additional affidavit was filed by petitioners on 22/3/2022 clarifying the present status of three persons with the same first name'Priyanka'.