The State of Assam and Anr v. Ramen Kr Sarma and 41 Ors

ORDER Date : 29/07/2024 Vijay Bishnoi, CJ

Heard Mr. R. Mazumdar, learned counsel appearing for the applicants. We have also heard Mr. I. Choudhury, learned senior counsel assisted by Mr. B. Choudhury, learned counsel for the respondents. The matter comes upon for consideration of the IA(C) No. 1138/2024 with the prayer to condone the delay of 610 days in filing the connected appeal. It is noticed that on 24/04/2024, this Court has made an observation that in the Interlocutory Application, no satisfactory explanation is offered by the applicants for condoning the delay and at the request of learned counsel appearing for the applicants, further time was granted to file an additional affidavit. Pursuant to the same, an additional affidavit has been filed on behalf of the applicants wherein, the reasons for the delay in filing the writ appeal has been mentioned in detail. From the perusal of the affidavit, it is revealed that since the matter was considered by the Committees constituted by the State Government and thereafter, by the Department concerned, the delay has been caused. Learned counsel for the applicants has further submitted that as a matter of fact, the petitioners in the writ petition has claimed provincialisation of their services as per the Assam Education (Provincialisation of Services of Teachers and Re-organization of Services of Educational Institutions) Act, 2017. However, the learned Single Judge has granted relief to the respondents of provincialisation under a Cabinet decision taken in the year 2016. It is contended by the learned counsel for the applicants/appellants that the stand of the State is that their services can be provincialised as per the Act of 2017 but certainly not as per the Cabinet decision taken in the year 2016. It is submitted that if the order passed by the learned Single Judge is implemented, than it may have huge ramifications in those cases where, the provincialisation process has already been completed. Learned counsel for the applicant has, therefore, prayed that in view of the above submissions, the delay in filing the IA be condoned. Page No.# 10/10 Learned counsel appearing for the respondents has vehemently opposed the application and has argued that even in the additional affidavit also, no satisfactory explanation for condoning the delay is offered. It is further submitted that in the similar circumstances, when a Division Bench of this Court had condoned the delay in filing the writ appeal on behalf of the State, the Hon'ble Supreme Court has reversed that judgement in Civil Appeal No. …./2024 arising out of SLP (C) No. 985/2023, decided in February, 2024, while observing that when the delay has not been satisfactorily explained, the same cannot be condoned. Having heard the learned counsel for the parties and after carefully going through the additional affidavit filed in support of the IA and also taking into consideration the fact that the writ petitioners in the writ petition had made a specific prayer for provincialisation of their services as per the Act of 2017. However, the learned Single Judge has ordered for provincialisation of the services of the respondents herein pursuant to a Cabinet decision taken in the year 2016 and also taking into consideration that it may have huge ramifications in the cases where the provincialisation process has already been completed, we deem it appropriate to condone the delay in filing the connected appeal. Hence, the IA is allowed. The delay in filing the connected appeal is condoned. Registry to register the appeal and list for admission, after 2 (two) weeks.

JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE

sukhamay Comparing Assistant

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