Durgeswar Boruah and 35 Ors v. The State of Assam and 4 Ors

PageoNo.#o1/12 GAHC010171682022 ooooooo ooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooTHEoGAUHATIoHIGHoCOURTo (HIGHoCOURToOFoASSAM,oNAGALAND,oMIZORAMoANDoARUNACHALoPRADESH)o CaseoNo.o:oWP(C)/5836/2022o DURGESWARoBORUAHoANDo35oORSo SONoOFoLATEoSIBUEAMoBARUAHo RESIDENToOFoBORPATHARoTOWN,oWARDoNO.o3,o DISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT,oASSAMo PIN-785602. 2:oBHADRESWARoBORAH oSONoOFoLATEoDAMBARUDHARoBORAo RESIDENToOFoP.O-oBARPATHARo DISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT PIN-785602. 3:oMD.oABDULoMALIK oSONoOFoLATEoTAMIZAToALIo RESIDENToOFoNO.2oBORPHUKANoKHATo P.O-oBAMBORAHIo DISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT PIN-o785702. 4:oNORENoGOGOI oSONoOFoLOKESWARoGOGOI o RESIDENToOFoCHELENGIoGAON oP.O-oPULIBOR o DISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT o PIN-785621. 5:oUMAoKT.oBORA oSONoOFoLATEoBHOLARAMoBORA PageoNo.#o2/12 o RESIDENToOFoDHEKIALoKUMARoGAON o DISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT o PIN-o785702. 6:oDIGANTAoBORUA oSONoOFoLT.oDHARANIoDHARoBORUA o RESIDENToOFoNO.2oSENCHOWA o P.O-oADHANoSATRA o DISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT oPIN-o785602. 7:oSRIoJEUTIoDUARA oWIFEoOFoLATEoSUNILoDUARA o RESIDENToOFoAKOoGAON oP.O-oNABHETA o DISTRICT-GOLAGHAT oPIN-o785622. 8:oPHULENoBAISHYA oSONoOFoBELIRAMoBAISHYA o RESIDENToOFoJYOTIoNAGAR o DISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT o PINo-o785622. 9:oMRS.oLABANYAoSAIKIA oWIFEoOFoLATEoBUDHIRAMoSAIKIA o RESIDENToOFoBOSAoBHARALUAoGAON o P.O-oSALIKIHAT o DISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT o PIN-o785625. PageoNo.#o3/12 10:oKUSHALoCH.oKALITA oSONoOFoUNKNOWN o RESIDENToOFoVILLAGE-oKUMARoGAON o P.O.-oNA-PAMUAoKUMARoVIAoK.B.oALI o DISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT o PIN-o785625. 11:oAZIZURoRAHMAN oSONoOFoLToAZIMoHUSSAIN o RESIDENToOFoGOLAGHAToTOWNoWARDoNO.o2 oKUMARPATTY oBANIKoPATH oN.R.oFORESToRANGEoOFFICE oDISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT PIN-o785625. 12:oRAJUoGOGOI oSONoOFoLATEoDURGYUDHANoGOGOI o RESIDENToOFoMORANoGOAN oP.O.-oJORHAT o TITABOR oDISTRICT-oJORHAT PIN-785630. 13:oRANJANoKUMARoSARMAH oSONoOFoLATEoDEBESWARoSARMAHo RESIDENToOFoVILLAGEoANDoP.O.-oGOROKHIAoDOLoGAONo DISTRICTo-oJORHAT PIN-o785015. 14:oMRS.oNIBEDITAoPHUKAN oWIFEoOFoSARAToCH.oBORDOLOIo RESIDENToOFoTORAJANoSONARIoGAONo DISTRICT-oJORHAT PIN-o785001. PageoNo.#o4/12 15:oNARENoBORAH oSONoOFoLATEoDEBENoBORA o RESIDENToOFoBHATEMORAoGAON oPULIBOR o DISTRICT-oJORHAT o PIN-o785001. 16:oMRS.oNOMIZAoBEGUM oWIFEoOFoLATEoGONIURoRAHAMANo o RESIDENToOFoBORHUJoGAON o P.O-oPANICHAKUAoGAONo DISTRICT-oJORHAT PIN-o785001. 17:oMRS.oRUNUoMAHANTA oWIFEoOFoBIMANoGOSWAMI o RESIDENToOFoAJANoGAON oTILIKIAM o DISTRICT-oJORHAT PIN-o785001. 18:oPUHAIoGOGOI oSONoOFoLATEoPOKAoGOGOI o RESIDENToOFoSENSHUAoGAON o P.O-oBORVETA o DISTRICT-oJORHAT o PIN-o785001. 19:oANILoBORUAH oSONoLATEoDUMAIoBORUAH o RESIDENToOFoKAKOTIoGAON PageoNo.#o5/12 o DISTRICT-oJORHAT PIN-o785001. 20:oSAKUNTALAoDUTTA oWIFEoOFoLATEoPRADIPoDUTTAo RESIDENToOFoCHOWKIDINGEE oUDAIPUR o DISTRICT-oDIBRUGARH PIN-o786003. 21:oNIRMALIoBORUAH oDAUGHTERoOFoAMBIKAoNATHoBARUAHo RESIDENToOFoMILANoNAGAR oP.O-oC.R.oBUILDING o DISTRICT-oDIBRUGARH PIN-o786003. 22:oCHAMPESWARoHAZARIKA oSONoOFoLATEoROBIoKANTAoHAZARIKA o RESIDENToOFoMATIAKHANAoGAON o P.O-oMATIAKHANA o DISTRICT-oTINSUKIA PIN-o786125. 23:oUPENoBORDOLOI oSONoOFoLATEoKAMALAoKT.oBORDOLOI o RESIDENToOFoMILANoNAGAR oP.O-oC.R.BUILDINGo DISTRICT-oDIBRUGARH PIN-o786003. 24:oALTAFoHUSSAIN oSONoOFoMD.oIBRAHIM o RESIDENToOFoA.T.ROAD o PageoNo.#o6/12 NEARoGRAHAMoBAZARoGIRLSoHIGHoSCHOOL o DISTRICT-oDIBRUGARH o PIN-o786003. 25:oMANSURoALI oSONoOFoLATEoHARMUZoALI o RESIDENToOFoTINKUNIAoWARDo(MASZIDoROAD) o P.O-oGRAHAMoBAZAR o DISTRICT-oDIBRUGARH o PIN-o786003. 26:oFULOMAoGOGOI oWIFEoOFoBALURAMoGOGOI o RESIDENToOFoNAoALIoDHEKIAJAN o DAKHINoHATIoCHUNGIoGAON o DISTRICT-oJORHAT PIN-o785009. 27:oNANDAoLALoYADAV oSONoOFoLATEoRAMGOGIoYADAV o RESIDENToOFoBAMUNoGAON o P.O-oGABHARUBHETI o DISTRICT-oTINSUKIA PIN-o786125. 28:oMINUoDUTTAoSAIKIA oWIFEoOFoLATEoBABULoSAIKIAo RESIDENToOFoS.D.OoCOLONY oP.O-oCHAPAKHOWA oP.S-oSADIYA o DISTRICT-oTINSUKIA PageoNo.#o7/12 PIN-o786125. 29:oBIPINoCH.oSAIKIA oSONoOFoLATEoREBAoKT.oSAIKIA o RESIDENToOFoGELLAPUKHURIoROAD o P.O-oGELLAPUKHURI o DISTRICT-oTINSUKIA PIN-o786125. 30:oTHANESWARoPHUKAN oSONoOFoLATEoPREMADHARoPHUKAN o RESIDENToOFoBORDOLOIoNAGAR o P.O-oTINSUKIAo DISTRICT-oTINSUKIA PIN-o786125. 31:oLAKHIoCHETIA oSONoOFoLATEoHEMoKANTAoCHETIA o RESIDENToOFoMELENGoCHETIAoGAON o P.O-oLAHDAIGARH o DISTRICT-oJORHAT o PIN-o785009 32:oBIRENoKOTOKY oSONoOFoMOHANoCH.oKOTOKY o RESIDENToOFoBETIONIoKAKOTYoGAON o P.O-oBETIONI o DISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT PIN-o785622 33:oRUPALIoHAZARIKA oDAUGHTERoOFoLATEoMANICKoCHANDRAoHAZARIKAo PageoNo.#o8/12 RESIDENToOFoCHARAIGAON oDERGAONo DISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT PIN-o785614. 34:oSIBAoKANTAoBORA oSONoOFoLATEoTANKESHWARoBORA o RESIDENToOFoLOTHAoGAON oDERGAON o DISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT o PIN-o785614 35:oPUTULoCHANDRAoBORAH oSONoOFoDASRAMoBORAH o RESIDENToOFoMOUZADARALI o NEARoH.P.oPETROLoPUMP o P.O-oKAMARGAON oDERGAON o DISTRICT-oGOLAGHAT o PIN-o785614. 36:oROHESWARoGOGOI oSONoOFoLATEoG.oGOGOI o RESIDENToOFoTINSUKIAoBORDOLOIoNAGAR o NEARoSAINToSTEPHENoHIGHoSCHOOL o P.O.-oTINSUKIA o PIN-o786125o VERSUSo THEoSTATEoOFoASSAMoANDo4oORSo REPRESENTEDoBYoTHEoCHIEFoSECRETARYoTOoTHEoGOVERNMENToOFo PageoNo.#o9/12 ASSAM,oDISPUR,oGUWAHATI-o781006,oASSAM. 2:THEoCOMMISSIONERoANDoSECRETARYoTOoTHEoGOVERNMENToOFo ASSAM oFINANCEoDEPARTMENT oDISPUR oGUWAHATI-o781006 oASSAM. 3:THEoSECRETARYoTOoTHEoGOVERNMENToOFoASSAM oIRRIGATIONoDEPARTMENT oDISPUR oGUWAHATI-o781006. 4:THEoASSAMoSTATEoMINORoIRRIGATIONoDEVELOPOMENTo CORPORATIONoLIMITED oREPRESENTEDoBYoITSoMANAGINGoDIRECTOR oASSAMoSTATEoMINORoIRRIGATIONoDEVELOPOMENToCORPORATIONo LIMITED oULUBARI oGUWAHATI-o781007 oASSAM. 5:THEoMANAGINGoDIRECTOR oASSAMoSTATEoMINORoIRRIGATIONoDEVELOPOMENToCORPORATIONo LIMITED oULUBARI oGUWAHATI-o781007 AdvocateoforotheoPetitionerooooo:oMRoPoBHARADWAJo AdvocateoforotheoRespondento:oGA,oASSAMoo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo BEFORE HONOURABLEoMR.oJUSTICEoSUMANoSHYAM ORDERo

24.07.2023 Heard Mr. P. Bharadwaj, learned counsel for the petitioners. Also heard Mr. H. Sarma, learned Additional Senior Govt. Advocate, Assam appearing for the respondent No.1, Mr. R. Borpujari, learned Standing Counsel, Finance Page No.# 10/12 Department, Assam for respondent No.2 and Mr. N. Upadhyay, learned Standing Counsel, Irrigation Department, Assam for respondent Nos.3, 4 and 5. The writ petitioners herein were all employees of the Assam State Minor Irrigation Development Corporation Limited (ASMIDC) which went into liquidation. Consequently, the 302 employees of the ASMIDC were offered Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) which was notified by the departmental Secretary on 13.05.2005. The scheme was subsequently revised by the department vide notification dated 15.02.2006. Accordingly, benefits under the VRS Scheme was extended to all the 302 numbers of employees including the writ petitioners. However, the respondents have failed to pay the amount due and payable as House Rent Allowance (HRA), Medical Allowance (MA) and City Compensatory Allowance (CCA) although the aforesaid allowances, according to the petitioners, were included in the terms and conditions of the VRS scheme. Hence, this writ petition. It appears that earlier a group of similarly situated former employees of ASMIDC had approached this Court by filing WP(C) No.9562/2019 which was disposed of by the learned Single Judge by order dated 13.05.2022 by accepting their similar claim for payment of HRA, MA and CCA. Mr. Bharadwaj submits that the case of the present petitioners is squarely covered by the judgment and order dated 13.05.2022 and therefore, this writ petition be also disposed of with a similar direction. Mr. H. Sarma, learned Addl. Sr. Govt. Advocate, Assam as well as Mr. N. Upadhyay, learned Standing Counsel, Irrigation Department, Assam have also fairly submitted that the case of the petitioners would be covered by the judgment and order dated 13.05.2022 passed by this Court. However, the Page No.# 11/12 learned departmental counsel could not confirm as to whether, the aforesaid order of this Court has already been implemented by the departmental authorities or not. Be that as it may, I find from the materials available on record that the writ petitioners in WP(C) No.9562/2019 had also prayed for a direction for payment of HRA, MA and CCA against the same authority. They were also amongst the 302 regular employees of the ASMIDC who were covered under the VRS Scheme notified on 13.05.2005, which was revised by the department vide notification dated 15.02.2006. Taking note of the prayer made in the writ petition, the learned Single Judge, by the judgment and order dated 13.05.2022 had passed the following directions disposing of the writ petition :- "11. In that view of the matter, it is held that the petitioners are entitled for HRA, MA and CCA and the same need to be calculated and included in salary for purpose of declaring VRS benefits and accordingly, the respondent Irrigation Department is directed to consider the case of the petitioner in the aforesaid term and if HRA, MA and CCA as per the clause 1(e) of the VRS scheme dated 15.02.2006 has not been paid, the same be paid within a period of two months from receipt of certified copy of this order to be furnished by the petitioners before the respondent authority."

Since there is no dispute at the bar that the writ petitioners herein are also similarly situated employees of ASMIDC having similar nature of grievance, hence, I do not find any justifiable ground to deny a similar relief to the writ petitioners. The writ petition is, therefore, disposed of by providing that the prayer of the petitioners for consideration of HRA, MA and CCA as per clause 1(e) of the VRS Scheme dated 15.02.2006 be considered and the amount found Page No.# 12/12 due may be paid to them within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. With the above observation, the writ petition stands disposed of.

JUDGE Comparing Assistant