M. BHEIGYACHANDRA SINGH Vs. STATE OF MANIPUR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Mr. Y. Nirmolchand, learned senior counsel for the petitioner. Also heard Mr. Sukumar, learned GA appearing on behalf of the respondents No. 1, 2 and 3.

(2.) The petitioner was initially appointed as Labour Inspector in the Labour Department, Government of Manipur w.e.f., 30-10-1998. Thereafter, by an order dated 21-12-2013 the post of Rural Labour Inspector was re-designated as Labour Inspector. After the re-designation of the Rural Labour Inspector as Labour Inspector, seniority tussle arose between the petitioner and the private respondents. This led to the filing of several writ petitions before this Court. By an order dated 04-05-2019, this Court had disposed of WP(C) No. 1180 of 2018, WP(C) No. 14 of 2018, WP(C) No. 495 of 2018, WP(C) No. 964 of 2018, WP(C) No. 967 of 2017 and WP(C) No. 1046 of 2018 with a direction to the respondents to publish appropriate seniority list in accordance with law for the post of Labour Inspector under the Labour Department, Government of Manipur. Consequent thereto, the respondents issued a Notification dated 8th May, 2019 publishing the tentative seniority list of Labour Inspectors in the Labour Department, Government of Manipur wherein, the petitioner is shown to be junior to the private respondents.

(3.) It is the claim of the petitioner that, the past service of the private respondents cannot be taken into consideration while considering the seniority position between the petitioner and the private respondents in the post of Labour Inspector.