OM PARKASH Vs. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioners have approached this Court, seeking direction to redraw the Seniority List of Kanungos in District Mandi, by assigning seniority to petitioners by counting their service since their initial appointment, i.e. w.e.f. 31/1/1987, instead of counting their service, for the purpose of seniority, from completion of Settlement/ Revenue Training and passing of Departmental Examination.

(2.) Petitioners were appointed as Kanungos in the Revenue Department in District Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, on the basis of recommendations of Sub Regional Employment (Ex-servicemen Cell), Shimla and the H.P. Public Service Commission, vide Office Order dtd. 31/1/1987 (Annexure P-1). In final Seniority List, as existed on 31/12/1988, petitioners' seniority was decided on the basis of their date of appointment, i.e. 31/1/1987. They completed their Settlement Training, Revenue Training and passed Departmental Examination of Kanungo in the year 1991. Lateron, they were placed in the Seniority List of Kanungos of District Mandi, on the basis of date of completion of training and passing of Departmental Examination, w.e.f. 8/10/1991.

(3.) In the final Seniority List of Kanungos of District Mandi, as it stood on 30/6/2000, to assign seniority to petitioners, date of appointment of petitioners was reflected as 8/10/1991. Petitioners submitted representation, dtd. 10/6/2005, for assigning them seniority from the date of appointment, i.e. 31/1/1987, as, on the basis of Rules related to assigning seniority of the candidates selected through H.P. Public Service Commission, seniority of such candidates is assigned from the date of appointment.