STATE OF MANIPUR Vs. KHUMANTHEM JUGESHWAR SINGH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THESE appeals project a challenge to the judgment and order dated 17.11.2008 passed in WP(C) No. 55/2008 instituted by the respondent Nos. 1 to 11 in WA No. 447/2008. By the decision impugned, the learned Single Judge sustained the assailment of the orders dated 22.06.1999, 30.10.1999 and 04.11.1999 of the concerned State authority regularizing the respondent Nos. 3, 4 & 5 in the writ proceeding in the post of Agriculture Officer of the Department of Agriculture, Manipur w.e.f. 05.11.1988. The seniority list dated 27.11.1999 enlisting the parties and arraying them on the basis of such regularization has been consequentially interfered with. The order dated 08.02.1996, whereby, the respondent No. 2 in the writ proceeding had been regularized as Agriculture Officer w.e.f. 29.12.1980, though not impeached, the corrigendum dated 09.02.1996 determining her position in the seniority list of Agriculture Officers, however, has been quashed.

(2.) WE have heard Mr. DK Misra, Senior Advocate assisted by Ms. S Jahan, Advocate for the appellant in WA No. 155/2011, Mr. N Bipin, learned counsel appearing for the appellants in WA No. 157/2011, Mr. N Dutta, Senior Advocate for the respondent Nos. 2 and 5 in WP(C) No. 55/2008, Mr. R Piba, learned counsel for the private respondents in WA No. 155/2011 (petitioners No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 9 in the writ proceeding) and Mr. A Mohendra, Singh, learned counsel for the private respondents in WA No. 155/2011 (petitioners No. 5, 8, 10 and 11 in the writ proceeding). Heard Mr. BP Sahoo, learned counsel for the applicants in MC No. 995/2011 in WA No. 477/2008.

(3.) THE pleaded versions do not record any major dissension on the essential facts constituting the background of the lis. As the decision oppugned is common and the legal propositions in the admitted factual backdrop pervade the gossamer of the appeals, this single adjudicative pursuit would adequately address the same. The parties at the initiation of the legal encounter with WP(C) No. 55/2000 were lodged as Agriculture Officers in the Department of Agriculture, Manipur. For the sake of convenience, they would be referred to as per their orientations in the writ petition. The petitioners had averred that they were first appointed as Assistant Agriculture officers (AAO) or equivalent on ad -hoc basis on the following dates: - <FRM>JUDGEMENT_90_LAWS(GAU)9_20111.htm</FRM>