Gauhati High Court
Page No.# 1/12 vs The State Of Assam And 7 Ors on 19 February, 2025
Author: Michael Zothankhuma
Bench: Michael Zothankhuma
Page No.# 1/12
GAHC010024402025
THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT
(HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)
Case No. : WP(C)/884/2025
MD. IMDADUL ISLAM AND 27 ORS.
S/O - MD. NURUL ISLAM,
VILL. - BERABHANGA PT-I,
P,O. AND P.S.-SUKCHAR,
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR,
ASSAM, PIN - 783128.
2: JAHIRUL ISLAM MONDAL
S/O - LT. HASHAN ALI MONDAL
VLLL. - BERABHANGA PT-I
P.O. AND P.S.-SUKCHAR
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783128
3: ALI AKBAR SHEIKH
S/O - LT. NOSIM UDDIN SK
VILL. - BORBALU
P.O.- HAZIRHAT
P.S. - SUKCHAR
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783128
4: MISS. KAPASHI BEGUM
Page No.# 2/12
D/O - SOPIOR RAHMAN
VILL. - FATTAPARA
P.O. AND P.S.-SUKCHAR
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783128
5: MD. SAYADUR RAHMAN SHAH
S/O - ABDUL KADER SHAH
VILL. - BORO BAGHJHAPA
P.O. - HAZIRHAT
P.S. - SUKCHAR
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783128
6: ABDUL HAI MONDAL
S/O - MONSER ALI
VILL. - BORO BAGHJHAPA
P.O.- HAZIRHAT
P.S. - SUKCHAR
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783128
7: ASAD HOSSAIN
S/O - LT. NOWBAHAR ALI
VILL. - GOTABARI
P.O. - HAZIRHAT
P
S. - SUKCHAR
Page No.# 3/12
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783128
8: MD. ASHAN MOLLAH
S/O - LT. ABDUL MOLLAH
VILL
- SOUTH SALMARA PT-II
P.O AND P.S. - SOUTH SALMARA
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783127
9: ALFORID ALOM AHMED
S/O - LT. ABDUL MATTN AHMED
VILL. - SOUTH SALMARA PT-II
P
O. AND P.S. - SOUTH SALMARA
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783127
10: SALEMA KHATUN
W/O - HUSSAIN ALI
VILL. - SOUTH SALMARA PT-II
P.O. AND P.S. - SOUTH SALMARA
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783127
11: MD. MEHEBUB RAHMAN
S/O - MONSER ALI
VILL. - SALAPARA PT-II
Page No.# 4/12
P.O. - NILOKHIA
P.S. - SUKCHAR
DIST. - DHUBRI
ASSAM
PIN - 783128
12: MD. LALCHAND ALI
S/O - GOLAP UDDLN
VILL. - MONIPUR PT-I
P.O. - MAKRIJHORA
P.S. - BAGRIBARI
DIST. - KOKRAJHAR
BTAD
ASSAM
PIN - 783349
13: SAIFUL ISLAM
S/O - OSMAN ALI
VILL. - BALADOBA
P.O. AND P.S. - SOUTH SALMARA
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783127
14: SORHAB ALI
S/O - JELAM UDDTN AHMED
VILL. - BORO RAVATARY PT-I
P.O. - RAVATARY
P.S. - SOUTH SALMARA
DIST. - DHUBRI
ASSAM
Page No.# 5/12
PIN - 783127
15: LAILY KHATUN
W/O - ABDUL NOOR MIAH
VILL. AND P.O.- TUMNI
P.S. - SOUTH SALMARA
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783127
16: ABDUL MALEQUE MOLLAH
S/O - ABDUL SUKUR ALI
VILL. - TUMNI LAWKHOWA
P.O. - TUMNI
P.S. - SOUTH SALMARA
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783127
17: MD. AKHEREZZAMAN SHEIKH
S/O - ABDUL ZALAL SHEIKH
VILL- DEWAKANDI
P.O. - TUMNI
P.S. - SOUTH SALMARA
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783127
18: ANOWARA KHATUN
D/O - AMZAD ALI DEWANI
VILL. - BALADOBA
P.O. AND P.S.- SOUTH SALMARA
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DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783127
19: SAYAD HUSSAIN SHEIKH
S/O - BOKTAR ALI
VILL. - FERANGIRCHAR
P.O. - PIAZBARI
P
S. - SUKCHAR
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783128
20: JOHIRUL ISLAM
S/O - ABU TALEB MIAH
VILL - NATINER ALGA PT-II
P.O. - POCHARCHAR
P.S. - SOUTH SALMARA
DIST. - DHUBRI
ASSAM
PIN - 783127
21: DEWAN ABDUL BASIT
S/O - DEWAN GULZAR HUSSAIN
VILL. - FULPUR
P.O. - MEDORTARI
P.S. - FAKIRGANJ
DIST. - DHUBRI
ASSAM
PRN - 783330
Page No.# 7/12
22: SHOHAR ALI
S/O - ROBI MIAH
VILL. - MAHAJANPARA
P.O. - JAMADARHAT
P.S. - FAKIRGANJ
DIST. - DHUBRI
ASSAM
PIN - 783330
23: SOFIUL ALOM
S/O - HASSEN ALI
VILL. AND P.O. - SHIMLABARI
P.S. - FAKIRGANJ
DIST. - DHUBRI
ASSAM
PIN - 783330
24: ABUL KALAM AZAD
S/O - ABDUL BASIR
VILL. - MOIRAKUCHI PT-II
P.O. - AIRKATA
P.S. - FAKIRGANJ
DIST. - DHUBRI
ASSAM
PRN - 783330
25: MD. BADSAR ALI TALUKDAR
S/O - NOTUB ALI TALUKDAR
VILL. - AMBARI
P.O.- BOROKALIA SERSHOW
Page No.# 8/12
P.S. - FAKIRGANJ
DIST. - DHUBRI
ASSAM
PIN - 783330
26: ROFIQUL ISLAM
S/O - BABUR ALI
VILL. - FULPUR
P.O. - MEDORTARI
P.S. - FAKIRGANJ
DIST. - DHUBRI
ASSAM
PRN - 783330
27: JAHANARA KHATUN
W/O - ZOHIRUL ISLAM
VILL. - GOURANGTARI
P.O. - CHIRAKUTI
P.S. - FAKIRGANJ
DIST. - DHUBRI
ASSAM
PIN - 783330
28: MD. AHAD ALI MONDAL
S/O - KALU MONDAL
VILL. - KATDANGA
P.O. - MOHURIRCHAR
P.S. - SOUTH SALMARA
DIST. - DHUBRI
ASSAM
PIN - 78312
Page No.# 9/12
VERSUS
THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 7 ORS.
REPRESENTED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF
ASSAM, DISPUR, GUWAHATI - 06
2:THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION (ELEMENTARY)
DISPUR
GUWAHATI - 06
3:THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM
FINANCE DEPARTMENT
DISPUR
GUWAHATI - 06
4:THE DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
ASSAM
KAHILIPARA
GUWAHATI - 19
5:THE DISTRICT ELEMENTARY EDUCATION OFFICER
DHUBRI
P.O. - DHUBRI
DIST. - DHUBRI
ASSAM
PIN - 783301
6:THE DISTRICT ELEMENTARY EDUCATION OFFICER
SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
P.O. - HATSINGIMARI
DIST.- SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783136
7:THE BLOCK ELEMENTARY EDUCATION OFFICER
SOUTH SALMARA
P.O. - SOUTH SALMARA
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
PIN - 783127
8:THE BLOCK ELEMENTARY EDUCATION OFFICER
MANKACHAR
P.O. - HATSINGIMARI
DIST. - SOUTH SALMARA MANKACHAR
ASSAM
Page No.# 10/12
PIN - 78313
Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. M R KHANDAKAR, MR. A ROHMAN
Advocate for the Respondent : GA, ASSAM, SC, FINANCE,SC, ELEM. EDU
BEFORE
HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE MICHAEL ZOTHANKHUMA
ORDER
Date : 19.02.2025
1. Mr. M.R.Khandakar, learned Counsel for the petitioner submits that the
petitioners' services have already been provincialised as Tutors, vide orders
dated 05.02.2021, issued by the Director, Elementary Education, Assam. He
submits that similar cases have been disposed of by the Division Bench of this
Court, the latest being the judgment and order dated 04.10.2024 passed in a
batch of writ petitions, the leading case being WP(C) 2729/2019. He submits
that in view of the petitioners' case being similar to those petitioners in WP(C)
2729/2019, the directions passed in paragraph 179 of the judgment and order
dated passed in WP(C) 2729/2019 should also be made applicable to the case of
the petitioners herein.
2. Mr. S.M.T. Chisti, learned counsel for the Secondary Education Department,
Mr. A Chaliha, learned counsel for the Finance Department and Mr. P.K.Borah,
learned counsel appearing for the Joint Secretary to the Government of Assam
submit that they will have to verify the orders dated 05.02.2021 passed by the
Director, Elementary Education, Assam, to ascertain whether the petitioners'
case is covered by the judgment and order passed in WP(C) 2729/2019.
3. The only issue that has to be decided is as to whether the case of the
petitioners herein is covered by the judgment and order passed in WP(C)
2729/2019. The prima facie view of this Court is that the case of the petitioners
herein and the case of the petitioners in WP(C) 2729/2019 appears to be similar.
However, to enable the State respondents to make a verification, with regard to
whether the case of the petitioners herein is similar to the case of the
petitioners in WP(C) 2729/2019, the State respondents are given time to verify
the order/s dated 05.02.2021, by which the service of the petitioners have been
provincialised as Tutors.
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4. The above being said, paragraph-179 of the judgment and order passed in
WP(C) 2729/2019 is reproduced hereinbelow, as follows :
"179. It is true that the courts cannot direct the legislature to enact
law in a particular manner. However, in discharge of its statutory
obligation the Government, in exercise of its Rule making power, will have
a duty to frame Rules for proper implementation of the provisions of the
Statute. While framing the Rules, the State will also be under a bounden
duty to, not only to act in terms of the scheme of the Act but also to
unflinchingly adhere to the Constitutional norms of equality. It will,
therefore, be in the fitness of things that the State Government itself, in
exercise of its Rule making power under section 23 of the Act, takes
necessary steps to provide for a regular pay scale to the Tutors, which can
even be commensurate to the pay structure indicated in the Schedule of
the Governing Act. Such a measure, in our view, will restore the equality
of treatment to this category of Teachers with the other Government
employees and at the same time will not become burdensome to the
exchequer. We, therefore, direct the respondents to initiate necessary
steps in the matter, in the light of the observations made here-in-above,
as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a period of 6 (six) months
from today.
5. Accordingly, the State respondents shall make a verification of the
provincialisation orders of the petitioners and if they find that the petitioners'
case and the case of the petitioners in WP(C) 2729/2019 is the same, the
directions passed in paragraph-179 of the judgment and order dated 04.10.2024
passed in WP(C) 2729/2019 shall also be made applicable to the petitioners.
The entire exercise should be concluded within a period of 6 (six) months from
the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order.
Page No.# 12/12
6. The writ petition is accordingly disposed of.
JUDGE
Comparing Assistant
