Page No.# 1/9 vs The State Of Assam And 36 Ors
2023 Latest Caselaw 6 Gua

                                                               Page No.# 1/9

GAHC010023482017




                       THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT
  (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)

                          Case No. : WP(C)/3003/2017

         DIPAK MENA and 4 ORS.
         S/O LT. PRITHURAM MANA BAKRAPARA, PINLINGKATA ROAD, P.O.
         BASISTHA, GUWAHATI -29, DIST. KAMRUP M, ASSAM

         2: SRI NAVAJYOTI JAGANNATH
          S/O LT. ARAVINDA NATH GANESHPARA
          OPPOSITE SEWALI PATH
          P.S. and P.O. HATIGAON
          GUWAHATI-36
          DIST. KAMRUP M
         ASSAM

         3: SRI BHABEN CH. KALITA
          S/O LT. PRIYANATH KALITA AGRICULTURE CAMPUS
          GUWAHATI-7
          DIST. KAMRUP M
         ASSAM

         4: SRI DIPAK MEDHI
          S/O LT. KANAI LAL MEDHI FLAT NO. 103
          UTTARAYAN HEIGHTS
          NEAR GHORAMARA CHARIALI
          P.S. BELTOLA
          GUWAHATI -28
          DIST. KAMRUP M
         ASSAM

         5: SRI MRIDUL KUMAR SARMA
          S/O LT. HEM CHANDRA SARMA R/O TARAJAN KAKOTY GAON RUPALI
         NAGAR
          P.O. and P.S. TARAJAN DIST. JORHAT
         ASSAM
          PIN - 785001
                                                          Page No.# 2/9

VERSUS

THE STATE OF ASSAM and 36 ORS.
REP. BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, GOVT.OF ASSAM, DISPUR, GUWAHATI-
7810067

2:THE ADDITIONAL CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF ASSAM

WPT and BC DEPT. DISPUR
GUWAHATI-06.

3:THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF ASSAM

DEPARTMENT OF WPT and BC DEPTT. DISPUR
GUWAHATI-06.

4:THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF ASSAM

PERSONNEL B DEPARTMENT
DISPUR
GUWAHATI-06.

5:THE COMMISSIONER and SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF ASSAM

AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT
DISPUR
GUWAHATI-06.

6:THE DIRECTORATE OF AGRICULTURE

ASSAM
KHANAPARA
GUWAHATI - 781022.

7:SRI. BISWAJIT LANGTHASA

S/O- LT. BORI MARTA LANGTHASA
R/O- MAIBONG
P.O.- HALFLONG
DIST- DIMA HASAO.

8:HAMEN DAS
 PUBARUN PATH
 RESIDENT OF HATIGAON
 H. NO. 8
 P.O. HATIGAON
 DIST. KAMRUP M
ASSAM
                                        Page No.# 3/9

GUWAHATI-38.

9:PURNANANDA DEURI
 SON OF LATE TRIBAR DEURI
 RESIDENT OF BORDEURI GAON
 P.O. BORDEURI GAON
 P.S. NARAYANPUR
 DIST. LAKHIMPUR.

10:MADAN MOHAN DEURI BHARALI
 SON OF LATE KRISHNA MOHAN BHARALI
 RESIDENT OF QT. NO. 3
AGRICULTURE COLONY
 P.O. and P.S. ULLUBARI
 DIST. KAMRUP M
 GUWAHATI-07.

11:SISHIR CHANDRA DAS
 SON OF LATE CHANDRA MOHAN DAS
 RESIDENT OF VILLAGE NO. 1
 BHATIAKHALI
 P.O. KATHPARA
 DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
 PIN-782120.

12:GUNJANAN DEORI
 SON OF LATE CHANDRA NATH DEORI
 RESIDENT OF RAJDARGIA CHARIALI
 P.O. PHOTIKACHAWA
 DIST. CHARAIDEO
 PIN-785670.

13:BIMALENDU TARAPDAR
 SON OF LATE RAGHU NATH TARAPDAR
 RESIDENT OF VILLAGE PACHIM SOWALONI
 P.O. AMLOAGAN
 DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM
 PIN-782120.

14:PANKAJ KR. TALUKDAR
 SON OF LATE DHARMASWAR HALOI
 RESIDENT OF VILLAGE JALKHANA
 P.O. JALKHANA VIA TIHU
 DIST. NALBARI
 PIN-783331.
                                          Page No.# 4/9

15:DARILYNE SHABONG
 DAUGHTER OF LATE STOSHON MARBARIANG
 RESIDENT OF H. NO. 4
 LUCHU BARGAR ROAD
 P.O. HENGRABARI
 DIST. KAMRUP M
 GUWAHATI-781036.

16:MOTILAL CHOUDHURY
 SON OF LATE BHEBENDRA CHOUDHURY
 RESIDENT OF BAPUJI NAGAR
 P.O. BALADMARI
 DIST. GOALPARA
 PIN-783121.

17:MALA SARMA
 DAUGHTER OF LATE KSHITISH CHANDRA DAS
 P.O. NAGAON
 DIST. NAGAON
 PIN-782120.

18:BIPUL BAISHYA
 SON OF LATE NABIN BAISHYA
 RESIDENT OF REHABARI
 P.O. REHABARI
 DIST. KAMRUP M
 GUWAHATI-781008.

19:BINODE BASUMATARY
 SON OF LATE BONESWAR BASUMATARY
 RESIDENT OF VILLAGE KHALEPARA
 P.O. BIJNI
 DIST. CHIRANG
 PIN-783370.

20:PABITRA KACHARI
 SON OF LATE MOHAN CH. KACHARI
 RESIDENT OF VILLAGE BALIGAON
 P.O. ARADHAL
 DIST. DHEMAJI
ASSAM.

21:RATNESWAR BANIA
 SON OF LATE DASIRAM BANIA
 RESIDENT OF GUNA APARTMENT
 LAKHIMI NAGAR
 P.O. DISPUR
 DIST. KAMRUP M
                                     Page No.# 5/9

GUWAHATI-06.

22:TAPAN BRAHMA
 SON OF LATE MANIRAM BRAHMA
 RESIDENT OF JAPORIGOG
 H. NO. 6
 P.O. GANESHGURI
 DIST. KAMRUP M
 GUWAHATI-781005.

23:PURNA BASUMATARY
 SON OF LATE GOJEN CH. BASUMATARY
 RESIDENT OF GANAPATH
 DIST. KAMRUP M
 GUWAHATI-22.

24:ANSER ALI
 SON OF LATE H.A. SATTAR
 R/O VILL. DOUKMARI
 P.O. JANIA
 P.S. and DIST. BARPETA
ASSAM.

25:SRI DILIP GAYAN
 SON OF LATE RAMESWAR GAYAN
 R/O. VILL. MOURACHUK
 P.O. CHALCHALI
 DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM.

26:SRI ARUP BORA
 SON OF LATE NABIN CH. BORA
 R/O. VILL. BAIDYATUP
 P.O. MADHUPUR
 DIST. NAGAON
ASSAM.

27:SRI HIRANYA NATH
 SON OF LATE SANTIRAM NATH
 R/O. VILL. SANTIPUL HILL SIDE
 PRAGJYOTISH PATH
 GUWAHATI-09
 DIST. KAMRUP
ASSAM.

28:SRI PANKAJ KR. SAIKIA
 SON OF LATE HEMADHAR KEOT
 R/O. VILL. KAILASH NAGAR
                                      Page No.# 6/9

BYE LANE -1
SOUTH HAGARAPAR
P.O. and P.S. TEZPUR
DIST. SONITPUR
ASSAM.

29:SRI JITEN KUMAR DAS
 SON OF LATE DHANIRAM DAS
 R/O. VILL. and P.O. MIRZA
 DIST. KAMRUP
ASSAM.

30:SRI HRIDAY KUMAR DAS
 SON OF LATE RAMESH CH. DAS
 R/O. VILL. RIHABARI MADHAVDEV PUR
 GUWAHATI-08
 DIST. KAMRUP
ASSAM.

31:SRI PANKAJNATH DAS
 SON OF HARENDRA NATH DAS
 R/O. BEAU MANSION
 12
 NAHARANI PATH
 DISPUR LAST GATE
 GUWAHATI
 DIST. KAMRUP
ASSAM.

32:SRI HAREN GOGOI
 SON OF LATE LOKESWAR GOGOI
 R/O. VILL. PIKHURIA
 P.O. and P.S. MORIANI
 DIST. JORHAT
ASSAM.

33:SRI SATISH TALUKDAR
 SON OF LATE RAMBILASH TALUKDAR
 R/O. TOWN and P.O. PATHSALA
 LACHIT NAGAR
 DIST. BARPETA
ASSAM.

34:DEBA KR. DAS
 SON OF LATE NARAYAN CH. DAS
 R/O. VILL. KALAYAHATI
 P.O. SUNDARIDIA
 BARPETA
                                                                           Page No.# 7/9

             ASSAM.

            35:SRI ANIMESH DAS
             SON OF LATE MAHESH CH. DAS
             R/O. VILL. KALAYAHATI
             P.O. SUNDARDIA
             BARPETA
            ASSAM.

            36:SRI NIREN CH. GOGOI
             SON OF LATE RACHANDRA NATH GOGOI
             R/O. VILL. B.B. ROAD
            AMOLAPATI
             NAGAON
            ASSAM.

            37:SRI RABIJIT DUTTA CHOUDHURY
             SON OF LATE R.N. DUTTA CHODHURY
             R/O. VILL. PANIGAON
             NAGAON
            ASSAM

Advocate for the Petitioner   : MR.B CHAKRABORTY

Advocate for the Respondent : GA, ASSAM




                                   BEFORE
                    HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE DEVASHIS BARUAH

                                          ORDER

Date : 02.01.2023

Heard Mr. B. Chakraborty, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners. None appears on behalf of the respondents on call.

The instant writ petition has been filed challenging the Office Memorandum No.TAD/BC/68/2011/Pt.-I/2007 dated 3/8/2016 issued by the Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam, WPT & BC Department as well as for a writ of mandamus directing the respondent authorities to forbear from making any provisions for reservations in the present promotion process under the Respondents till the required exercise to identify the need of reservation is not carried out in terms with Page No.# 8/9

Article 16(4A) of the Constitution.

The learned counsel for the petitioners has drawn the attention of this Court to a judgment passed by a Co-ordinate Bench in the case of Bhagwan Pator Vs State of Assam represented by the Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam and Ors. reported in 2022 (5) GLR 785 wherein the Coordinate Bench of this Court had already decided the issue pertaining to the legality and validity of the Office Memorandum dated 3/8/2016. In doing so, the said Court observed in paragraph 7 and its sub- paragraphs along with paragraph No. 8, which are quoted herein below :

"7. The aforesaid determination can be summarized in the following manner : I. The policy of the state in providing reservation in promotion with consequential seniority is discernible from section 5 of the 1978 Act read with O.M. dated 12.3.2002.

II. The Office Memorandum dated 12.3.2002 shall hold the field till such policy is expressly repealed by the State.

III. O.M. dated 3.6.2016 is notified laying procedure for collection of quantifiable data on Backwardness and inadequacy of representation and determining efficiency in administration while giving effect to such policy of providing reservation.

IV. Given the dicta of Jarnail Singh (supra), the O.M. dated 03.08.2016 cannot sustain so far, the same relates to the collection of data on backwardness. Page No. 40/41 V. The determination of cadre as a unit for collection of quantifiable data as laid down in OM dated 03.08.2016 conforms to the mandate of Jarnail Singh (supra) and M. Nagraj (supra) and therefore the same is upheld. VI. The procedure as laid down for determining efficiency in administration not being arbitrary and not being based on any extraneous consideration, the same is upheld.

VII. Article 16 (4B) enables the State to carry forward vacancies and the vacancies carried forward is cannot be included in the ceiling of 50% of the year of filling up vacancies. Section 5A of the Act 1978 permits carrying forward vacancies and therefore, the policy of carrying forward as provided in the office memorandum dated 03.08.2016 not being arbitrary and not being based on any extraneous consideration, same is upheld.

VIII. Given the dictum in Jarnail Singh (supra), the judgment made in the Page No.# 9/9

Equality Forum-I relating to collection of data to determine of backwardness has become redundant.

IX. Article 16 (4A) and 16 (4B) being enabling provisions, the State is at liberty to implement its policy of giving reservation in promotion with consequential seniority, at liberty to provide for reservation in promotion without consequential seniority or at liberty not to provide any reservation in promotion. However, while implementing/adopting/changing such policy, due process of law need to be followed including dicta in M. Nagraj (supra) clarified in Jarnail Singh (supra).

8. The impugned Office Memorandum dtd.03.08.2016 is interfered to the extent as indicated herein above."

In that view of the matter, the instant writ petition is squarely covered by the said judgment, for which the instant writ petition stands disposed in terms with the observations and conclusion arrived at by the Coordinate Bench in the case of Bhagwan Pator(supra).

With the above observations, the instant petition stands disposed off.

JUDGE

Comparing Assistant