STATE OF ASSAM Vs. SRI UPEN DAS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ appeal is directed against the common order dated 20.12.2013 passed by a learned Single Judge of this High Court, whereby he has disposed of a bunch of writ petitions and one Review Petition with certain directions. These writ petitions are - WP(C) No.8216 of 2004; WP(C) No.1271 of 2006; WP(C) No.4759 of 2007; WP(C) Nos.3902 of 2008; WP(C) Nos.5118, 3658, 3086, all of 2010; WP(C) Nos.582, 6301, 3284, 5160, 2149, 6125, 6227, 1738, 6346, 6633, 4422, 6522, 5251, 2540, 3847, 5952, all of 2011; WP(C) Nos. 4180, 1053, 6269, 1801, 480, 518, 489, 5256, 512, 29, 174, 6128, 3574, 2733, 661, 13, 912, 1012, 6399, 1880, 1766, 1116, 627, 3119, 2984, 2548, 4955, all of 2012; WP(C) Nos.1801, 1843, 1791, 816, 1697, 2315, 574, 1111, 1863, 2170, 278, 277, 1402, 1428, all of 2013 and Review Petition No.57/2009.

(2.) The core issue, which calls for our consideration, is whether in the fact situation of the case, the respondents, who are Muster Roll workers, Work Charged workers and Casual workers, are entitled for regularization of their services with consequential benefits such as pension etc.

(3.) In several engineering and works related Departments of the State, a muster roll of workers is maintained in addition to the employees working in the regular cadre and such workers are known as Muster Roll Workers. Likewise, there is another category of workers, whose tenure of service with pay and allowances are charged to a particular ongoing work and they are commonly known as Work Charged employees. Apart from these two categories, several departments of the State also employ a large number of Casual Workers including Fixed Pay and Daily Rated Workers.